Contributor :
Rosemary Conroy
Action Plan
Take lots of pictures and ask lots and lots of questions to gain a better understanding of the challenges the community faces.
Pre-Departure Preparation
I teach Middle School Individuals and Societies in an International Baccalaureate Program in Washington State. Global exploration and applications are a huge component of our program, and every year my students explore the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) identified by the UN. I used the Clean Cook Stove project in Tanzania this year as a model for investigation, awareness, research, and involvement. I introduced the SDG’s, gave students time to explore these, asked them to identify possible solutions to development issues, and then come up with their own viable solutions and be prepared to defend their approach and solution. Students were encouraged to work in small groups of 2-3 students to investigate what has been tried before, what worked (or didn’t) and then create their own project solutions and present it to the class. Students were allowed to use a variety of media for their presentations. The Clean Cook Stove project was perfect for this exploration - students approached it from different perspectives on poverty, good health and well-being, affordable and clean energy, and partnerships to achieve the goal. The solutions they came up with were creative beyond measure!
Preparation During Travel
I've read some novels based in Tanzania and read up on the country.