About our work in Pommern, Tanzania

NU VISIONS Abroad, the overseas service program offered through the Office of Volunteer Programs at Norwich University, has partnered up for its third year with Global Volunteers, a non-profit grassroots organization, to offer a 3-week service-learning opportunity in Tanzania, Africa. In June 2007, eighteen Norwich students, faculty and staff members will participate in this journey based on a highly competitive application process. Each student was interviewed by the trip leaders and administrator, and committed to raising or providing approximately $4000, as well as participating in a semester long seminar course, writing a ten page research paper and executing a local service learning project, all in addition to the three weeks of service in Pommern, Tanzania.  The service projects are focused on the four following issues identified by the community of Pommern: economic sustainability, environmental conservation, health and education. More specifically the projects include things like testing drinking water for coliform bacteria, educating on the benefits of recycling, composting and the negative affects of pesticides, offering public health forums, providing health pamphlets, compiling   a leadership assessment and mapping, and starting a local Roter Act chapter in Pommern. In preparation for these projects abroad, members of the team have been volunteering at local pregnancy and health and wellness centers, the boys and girls club, mapping the local government of Northfield and starting up a Norwich Roter Act chapter. This trip has required a lot of behind the scenes work and commitment, but everyone will be well equipped to make the best of our time and experience in Tanzania.