LI SITE VISITED: LI Tanzania- Arusha
Ilboru Secondary School (or High School)
DATE of VISIT: July 21 and July 28 , 2010
REPORT BY: Jennifer Pickering & Crissa Requate
LI Team: Jennifer, Crissa & Roots & Shoots Chase Pickering
PEACE. LOVE. RESPECT. FOR EVERYBODY. Charles and I were trying to revive the song last night.
We needed shaka!! So many of the kids have been asking for you Shaka.
EVENTS DURING VISIT:
 Gifting Fredy with Sam Henry’s $700 Donation. Sam Henry had visited Fredy & delivered T-shirts in
early 2010 on his way to climb Kili- he is a friend of Wren. He was taken with Fredy and his work.
 Fredy designed Costume Prototypes to get LI approval. Sam had written to
 Chase & Jennifer did a surprise visit to the music class. So many PROPS had been added to the class- it
was the $150 Sam Henry gave to Fredy on his visit- Fredy used the funds for props!
 Chase, Jennifer, Crissa returned for a formal presentation of the new costumes. A formal special
dance, song and drum presentation and concert with their new costumes.
DATA:
 The program has now been operating for 1.5 years.
 25 Kids ages 15-21 participate in the LI Roots & Shoots Music Program twice weekly.
 Fredy is their Teaching Artist
 The music class teaches traditional dances, song
 Other skills being learned are choreography and harmony.
MEET THE STARS OF THE SHOW- FREDY & THE KIDS! MUZIKI (MUSIC)!
BLACK RHINO ROOTS & SHOOTS GROUP!
 Fredy: “I hope one day to be at the festival”. Note that he has been to Iowa and a Visa would be easy
for him. Maybe next May with Maggie and Charles???
 Erasto- Roots & Shoots President astolahi@yahoo.com
 George Amandas- former Roots & Shoots President & still involved in the music program
 John Paul Mlawa jopam.paul@yahoo.com facebook: jopam paul
 Main Teacher of the Students: Elibarkikie elibymassay78@yahoo.com (not sure of spelling??). He lives
on campus with his family.
 New Headmaster: Jovinus R Mutabuzi Box 14??? Arusha.
 Second Headmaster: Paul Kilingo
Interview: ERASTO LAHI erastolahi@yahoo.com
President of Roots & Shoots Club
“Fredy is teaching COOPERATION through song. I didn’t know about other tribes before. I now know more
about other Tanzanian cultures. The club has grown from 6 to 20 youth. When I went back to my home for
break I taught some of the kids one of the dances. It was wonderful of course. The music program is helping
prepare for LEADERSHIP. We should WORK HARD. We want to BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER (convince
people to join you).”
Erasto lost both of his parents to Aids when he was young. He has one younger brother who is having a tough
time. Erasto got into school via tests. School costs $60 per year. He is not able to pay. He believes his
education is a must.
Interview: George Amandas
Former President of Roots & Shoots
“I like being in touch with our tradition. As youth we are often more interested in other cultures. This
program has made me feel so in touch with BEING TANZANIAN. Performing is great so we can show our
Tanzanian culture to other people all over the country and the world. It is very good to have Roots & Shoots
and LEAF International cooperate so we can use music to do the environmental messages. We did a
performance concert for the whole school of 600 boys totally led by the students (Fredy said this is a must for
their leadership). I FEEL SO HAPPY!”
Interview: Dennis & Hope
Dennis
“I like very much MUSIC. I love to sing. I like very much my culture. I am really Tanzanian. The Samba song is
from my region. I am a good artist and write my own songs. One I have written is about HIV Aids. The main
message is to explain the effects of HIV and how you get it. The LI and Roots & Shoots programs are helping
shape his future. It gives me good ambition and performance skills. I want to be a politician. May I sing you one
of my songs?”
Hope
“I want to be a Heart doctor. One day I had a friend have to be taken to India for heart problems. LI program
makes me very comfortable. You may get tired of your studies, and LI is a great way to relax, dance, and learn
with Roots & Shoots friends. We greet each other. I now KNOW my traditions! When I was younger, I used
to see the elders doing dances in the village-now I understand. I joined Roots & Shoots in March 2009 when
LEAF International came to the school to present the program. I was very inspired by Shaka.”
Fredy the TEACHING ARTISTS
What are you proud of? “I am proud for how much they have learned in just 1 ½ year. I come to teach not
just for the money – our contract is for one day a week- I come twice a week- the kids and I committed to
this. “
What do you IMAGINE? “ I imagine the program to be wide and to add more schools especially in Arusha.
There are not any other programs like this in any other schools. I want to take this group to other schools to
EMPOWER and encourage other schools to have this LI program. If they see these boys they will want to add
this program. I imagine several Cultural Sharing programs.”
What does this program do for him? “It gives me time to show others my cultural skills and talents. It is
important for kids to know their culture. If we teach them then they will understand their culture.”
“Environmental messages in the songs and dances are: Dig the farm together, come TOGETHER as a
COMMUNITY, be HAPPY TOGETHER, and BE the KEEPER OF THE TRADITIONS.”
“I learned from my GRANDFATHER and the xylophone. Since 1992, I started to learn drums and to dance.
Then I learned how to make the drums and xylophones.
Future Dreams? “My dream is that all kids in primary and secondary schools will learn traditional dances. They
are passing away. There are more than 30 tribal dances.”
In the past 1.5 year I have really seen the following changes in the students: More TOGETHERNESS, the kids
are like a COMMUNITY, and their TALENTS and SKILLS have increased. Thank you for supporting the
program. Very nice. The students need it!.”
Erik Donasin, Roots & Shoots Volunteer
“In Tanzania, people do not have much access to social and cultural events so they get very excited about
these music programs.”
FUNDING | INSTRUMENTS | ETC DELIEVERED:
 Sam Henry donated $700. Costumes made by Via Via Aritsts for $550. $150 given to Fredy.
 Sam Henry had donated $150 when he visited in Feb 2010. Funds used for props.
 LEAF Postcards from the LEAF community were delivered to the kids- they LOVED the postcards and
eagerly read them all.
Props… Fredy brought the first contribution from Sam Henry to life in the form of props: wooden swords,
harvest hoes, guns of the grandfathers, and bush knives.
Costumes….. Fresh into Arusha we headed to the cultural gathering spot of Via Via. We surprised Fredy a
week early and he was so ready for us after receiving Sam’s great news of a donation. A $700 contribution had
just come in and he had prototypes of costumes ready for
me to look at. They will be made this week by Via Via artists and next Thursday we will
present to the kids. The SKIRTS “Vibwaya” made of PALMS are $8 each. The HATS “Kofia” made of chicken
feathers and batik fabrics are $8 each. The shell sashes “Simbi” are $10, and the mango seeds for the ankle
rattles “Kokwa” are $25.
OUTCOMES & GOALS OBSERVED:
Qualitative: Increased Self Esteem • Increased Ability & Skills • Increased Awareness & Knowledge
Quantitative: Increased opportunities for local musicians & artists • New community partnerships &
collaborations • Increased access to arts to under served communities
 Interviews
 Observations
CONNECTING OPPORTUNITIES:
 Other Roots & Shoots programs in Arusha

QUOTES & FEEDBACK:
 Chase, “
 Crissa, “
 Fredy, “
LI Arusha Tanzania! Hope, a student, dreams of being a heart doctor since his friend had to go to India for
heart problems, "The LI program makes me so comfortable- I relax, dance, and learn with friends. I now
KNOW my traditions. When I was young, I saw elders doing these dances in our village- NOW I understand.
I am so proud to be Tanzanian."
Jennifer…
The bare concrete classroom filled with the eager students. The class pulsated with energy, pride, attention to
details, and respect to their teacher Fredy. Some kids had bare feet, others torn shoes, and a few had good
shoes.
The kids classes is in a great room and they were truly OFF THE HOOK with doing their 5 traditional dances
with props such as wooden hoes, swords, guns, shakers from us, and the drums...all kids know how to drum
now. So many asked for Shaka!!!!I was so impressed and inspired. This is currently Fredy’s only weekly job - he
so wants to expand to more schools in Arusha and more Roots & Shoots groups. Chase was truly blown
away- it was much more than expected.
They are learning important cultural dances. Some of the messages in their songs and dance are Harvesting,
HIV Awareness, Importance of Friendship, and Keeping the Peace rather than fighting.
We spent all day & night with Fredy our LI teacher in Arusha- I wish Icould clone him and bring him home for
LSS- what he has done is outstanding- they have made so many great props for the African traditions and
dances. The kids were off the charts great- we spent a few hours inthe class- I just wanted to dance the whole
time.
What has made the LI programs so successful? The wonderful people on the ground… Extraordinary teaching
artists that have passion for their cultural arts. Fredy is the consummate example. He is paid by LI to teach
once a week at Ilboru; however, he and the kids decided that twice a week is the way to go.
Fredy truly loves being an LI teacher. He is so dedicated and happy to be teaching young men these traditional
dances and drums. The traditions tell the story of this country. He has so much pride in being a keeper of the
traditions esp. in a world where they are so devalued.
Fredy invited us to his home. His wife Elisipha made Maasala tea, and his children shyly came and said
hello….Abraham (at home called Sande and his nickname is Jumbe), Richard (at home called Kombo), Irene
(called Adija which was Fredy's mom), and the littlest Josephina
The School. Ilboru is a well-respected school; however, it is desperately underfunded which is revealed in the
peeling paints, broken windows, and cosmetics. Regardless, the kids seem so grateful to be able to be at
school. They truly have a sense of how precious it is to be able to have an education. The Roots & Shoots club
is so proud of their projects: the garden, landscape beautification, erosion protection, banana trees, stream
cleanup and they LOVE their music classes.
Can you imagine a permanent music room??? The headmaster, teacher, and the students all resound with YES.
The school can host and support a music room once it is built. The headmaster reaffirms, “ We are VERY
happy with music program”.
JP Reflections after leaving…
Excitement. Energy. Pride. The boys gather for their 2x weekly LEAF music class. Their schoolteacher and
headmaster praise the music class for bringing new spirit to the school. They are glad to boast that their
government funded secondary school has the FIRST and ONLY (we hope that will change) MUSIC program
and even better CULTURAL MUSIC program to instill Tanzanian pride & knowledge.
YOUR EMOTIONS, REACTIONS, THOUGHTS, INSPIRATIONS OF THE EXPERIENCE:
 Spirit! Energy!
MEDIA COLLECTED & WHERE IT LIVES NOW & WILL BE PRESENTED:
HOW HAS LEAF COMPLIMENTED THE SITUATION (considering the historical background of the
venue)?
FUTURE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF PROJECT:
 I recommend keeping it in the same format
 Older kids starting to expand the program within the school through teaching younger students
 Research the other Roots & Shoots groups in Arusha and make a long term plan to expand.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES - HOW CAN THEY HELP:
DONATE $funds, instruments, or costumes
 Take photos/video
 Capture stories
 Host events or concerts
SUGGESTIONS OF HOW TO UPDATE CURRENT WEBPAGE ON THIS PROGRAM:
 Photos gallery & update- specifics TBD
ADDITIONAL REPORT:
Special Thanks to:
Richard Blomgren | Warren Wilson College International Program | Naomi Otterness
The LI Team from 2009: Shaka & Na’imah, Ivi, Leigh, Erica, Hedy
Charles & Maggie
Erik Donasin