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March 10
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VILLAGE AFRICA YOUR INVITATION - REUNION! Saturday 27 March 2010
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Announcing the first Village Africa Reunion! |
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Join us on Saturday 27 March to meet other past
volunteers, share your experiences, catch up on the latest news from
Caroline J and hear what the plans are for 2010. This event is open to all, so ask any friends or family you think may like to join us - the more the merrier!
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Where? St Augustine's Church Hall, Hospital Bridge Road, Whitton, Twickenham, Middlesex TW2 6DE
When?
Saturday 27 March, 13:30 until 18:00
A Nepalese feast will be on offer for lunch, a two course meal with selection of starters and a choice of main courses, rice and naan for £10 per person.
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If you are not able to make the whole afternoon, please pop by for a quick drink - it would be lovely to see you! With best wishes
Sarah Curgenven Fundraising Co-ordinator Village Africa
Registered Charity Number 1122410
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February 10
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Village Africa hands over the four recently built classrooms to the government so that the children can start using them.
The two classrooms in Yamba were received by the Diwani (councillor) and the two classrooms in Milingano were received by the District Commissioner from Lushoto. Many officials and villagers from Yamba, Milingano and surrounding villages attended the ceremonies. The occasions were a lot of fun and included lots of dancing, singing and drumming! The groups all performed with great confidence.
The District Commissioner thanked all Village Africa donors and volunteers. There were special thanks to FOXfam who funded the Milingano classrooms and who sent a team of volunteers to do the early brickwork.
Goats were presented by the villagers to the District Commissioner, who was the Guest of Honour, and to Caroline Johnston, Director, Village Africa.
Milingano classrooms handover
Dancing at the Milingano classrooms handover
Yamba classrooms handover
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February 10
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Village Africa is currently renovating a house for volunteers next to Mibukwe Secondary School in Milingano. Secondary school teaching volunteers needed. Due to a severe shortage of qualified teachers in Tanzania, Mibukwe only has a qualified headteacher and African volunteer teachers. It is an English medium school. If you are interested in volunteering please visit Personal Overseas Development.
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February 10
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Laptop needed in Tanzania for health post statistics and computerising other important data. If you are able to donate a laptop (new or secondhand), please contact info@villageafrica.org.uk
Thank you.
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January 10
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Village Africa is looking for a full-time manager to work in Tanzania (based in Yamba).
This is a voluntary position with expenses paid including flights, insurance, accommodation and food.
Starting date negotiable (May-July 2010) for a minimum of one year.
Village Africa is a UK registered charity. It is a small but very active charity helping some of the poorest people in the world. It is based in a remote setting.
For more details please click vacancies
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January 10
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January 10
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Alan Turk, one of Village Africa's founding Directors, steps down. Alan was also the UK Administrator and remains as VA's proof reader. A big thank you to Alan for all his help.
Village Africa buys medical books for use by the doctor in Tanga whom it consults on serious local cases. These books were supplied by TALC, a UK registered charity that offers teaching aids at low cost to promote the health of children and advance medical knowledge in the UK and throughout the world.
Village Africa buys an African doll to use as a teaching aid in its health post and at childcare seminars. It is ethnically and anatomically correct. Village Africa's nurses have already dressed it in knitted clothes made by the Yamba Knitting Group.
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January 10
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Baby born to Melania (Mgr) and Sheki (Mzizma watchman). Named Baby Fiona after Village Africa's management volunteer. An emergency trip was needed for the birth but she is now doing well.
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January 10
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Baby Marietta has been born. Named after current teaching volunteer. She is daughter of Elias and Flora and sister to Eunice (age 5) who live next to the video room in Yamba.
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July 09
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Food aid given out by the Tanzanian government to families in Yamba and Milingano - 8kg of maize flour per family. Due to heavy rain, the truck was unable to reach Milingano so the villagers had to walk up to 5 hours in each direction to Mashewa to collect the food. The food aid follows the failure of four crops in a row in Milingano and three crops in a row in Yamba due to drought.
Yamba is now a village in its own right. It is called Mweni-Yamba as there was already another Yamba in the district. John Kijazi is the new Village Chairman of Mweni-Yamba (voluntary position) and Moses Mkabenga is the Mtendaji (councillor - currently still a voluntary position).
Amiri Mfukamanga is the new Village Chairman of Milingano and Elias Mtunguja is the Mtendaji. Amiri was the Chairman before the outgoing Chairman (Charles Singano) so knows the role well.
13 out of 22 pupils passed the 2009 Std VII exam in Yamba Primary School and 32 out of 170 in Milingano Primary School. Many thanks to all the teaching volunteers and donors who have helped these children during the project's three-and-a-half year history.
Toyota is kindly prioritising Village Africa's sole vehicle when it goes into the garage for servicing and repairs. This is because the car is acting as an ambulance and needs to be available at all times. Village Africa has changed the make of tyres so that it is no longer getting so many punctures! A factory manufactured spare wheel carrier has been fitted.
Spice trees planted in the Yamba community garden started by Father Baruti. Spices can be used as a cash crop.
Sylvesta Ndeha is now Acting Site Manager/Building Manager for Village Africa's building site. Richard is dedicating his time to building in order to learn more skills.
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December 09
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Father Baruti taught housegirls how to make juice from local berries and gave them fruit tree cuttings.
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December 09
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All tortoises given as gifts to volunteers quietly released back into the wild....
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December 09
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kTwo classrooms for Milingano Primary School have been completed. They were funded by jjFOX who sent a team of building volunteers to help with the brickwork. This 7 person team included their Director (Rob Tillett) and staff from their different offices around the UK.
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November 09
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Phil volunteers with the building team in Milingano. He also coaches football and plays for the Milingano adult team!
Nurse Hilda returns to Yamba Village Health Post after three month's microscope training in Tumaini Hospital, Tanga.
Baby James and Baby Fiona named after Village Africa's management volunteers.
Teacher Tom designs an English grammar booklet with Kiswahili translations and distributes it to his pupils and Village Africa's staff. Tom also gives English lessons to Village Africa managers, watchmen and housegirls.
Edmundi, Anjela and Baby Joanna have moved into the Doctor's House to get more space. Edmundi is Village Africa's Driver/Manager and Anjela is the Accounts Clerk. Village Africa is fundraising for staff houses for the skilled staff who have moved to Yamba to help the project. It is the custom in Tanzania for the employer to provide housing.
Teresia Richard (former Mzizma housegirl) is now working as a cook for Fr Paul's sister in Tanga. Teresia has a baby boy called Mathias.
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November 09
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Two classrooms for Yamba Primary School have been completed. Thanks to the many donors and volunteers who helped with the construction.
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November 09
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 Baby Paris - named after Milingano teaching volunteer
 Baby Erica - named after Yamba building volunteer |
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October 09
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Volunteers help to run Milingano community library and Yamba Primary School library.
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October 09
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Over 200 women in Milingano held a party to thank Village Africa for all its assistance: emergency trips to hospital, health seminars, volunteers, classrooms and school toilets. They presented Village Africa's Director (Caroline Johnston) with a goat, a kitenge and khanga (cloth), eggs and a sack of charcoal!
Beanie joins as a building volunteer in Yamba.
Zoe starts sewing lessons for girls in Yamba.
Yamba Knitting Group meet thrice a week - twice for knitting and once for sewing. They have a sewing machine sent in the container. They are practicing by sewing onto paper. Sewing materials (e.g. cloth, thread, zips and buttons) most welcome. The group threw a party to thank Village Africa for all its help and encouragement.
Rob joins Village Africa's building team in Milingano as a building volunteer.
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September 09
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Village Africa makes its first visit to Kweulasi Primary School, a new government school built near Mibukwe Secondary School in Milingano. It has two classrooms (one built by the government and one by the community). There are 260 pupils, a head teacher and two teachers. One of the teachers is Mama Sauda who has been transferred from Yamba Primary School. Village Africa promised teaching aids to encourage this new school. Photo: Fiona presenting chairs to Kweulasi Primary School
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September 09
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British Airways gave extra baggage allowance to four Village Africa volunteers to enable them to bring teaching aids and clothing for the villagers.
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September 09
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The Tanzanian Government invited Village Africa's leaders in Tanzania (Father Baruti, Caroline Johnston and John Shekuamba) to a special meeting of diwani (local councillors) to thank Village Africa for its assistance.
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September 09
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Milingano Primary School held a party to thank Kids Helping Kids in the USA for funding the six toilets built by Village Africa. Photo: Father Baruti opens Milingano School toilets
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September 09
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Erica joins Village Africa's building team in the final stages of the Yamba classroom work.
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September 09
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Jen, Emma, Zoe and Jennie join as teaching volunteers in Milingano and Yamba Primary Schools.
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September 09
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Village Africa continues to transport seriously ill patients to hospital from Makanya, Milingano and Yamba. On average this happens once a week and call-outs can be at any time of day or night. The most common problems are malaria and problems after childbirth.
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August 09
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Jessica, an architecture student, joins Village Africa's building team during her university holidays. She helps to plaster the new Yamba classrooms.
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August 09
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jjFOX, Village Africa's corporate sponsor, sends its first team of building volunteers to Milingano. They help with the brickwork on the two classrooms in Milingano Primary School. jjFOX has very generously funded the entire cost of both classrooms.
Milingano warmly welcomed their Director (Rob) and six of his staff (Anna, Kerry, Sam, Jon, Matt and Tim). They showed outstanding team work in action, as they worked alongside Village Africa's Milingano building team.
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August 09
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The container sent from the UK arrives and gifts are distributed to local volunteers, the elderly, the disabled and Village Africa staff.
Many thanks to Hereford Muheza Link for space in its container and to everyone who sent boxes of gifts.
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August 09
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Cholera seminars held by Village Africa were well attended in both Milingano and Yamba.
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August 09
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Yamba becomes a village in its own right. It now has the four qualifying factors: a health post, a road, a primary school and a big enough population.
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July 09
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Malcolm, an accountant, puts his suit to one side to become a building volunteer in Yamba Primary School.
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July 09
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Village Africa starts building two classrooms for Milingano Primary School.
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July 09
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Village Africa's first summer camp attracts six volunteers - Jessica, Kathy, Niki, Sheila, Georgie and Ben. Four are teachers, one a staff trainer and one a civil servant. Highlights from their action-packed schedule include health education to all pupils in Milingano Primary School and Yamba Primary School, and planting 100 trees. They also worked hard building and organising extra-curricular activities in Yamba.
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July 09
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Teachers Elizabeth and Caroline volunteer for Village Africa during their secondary school holidays.
Elizabeth will help build in the mornings and teach advanced knitting for women and beginners' knitting lessons for girls in the afternoons.
Caroline will teach music and other activities in Yamba Primary School. She has come armed with instruments.
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July 09
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Fettes College (Edinburgh) sent two large expedition groups to Yamba. This 36 strong international team was made up of students and leaders from Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, America, Kenya, Northern Ireland and the UK.
The visit was a huge success and the groups took part in many activities including: building classrooms and teaching English, health education, sports and extra curricular activities.
All Yamba pupils were delighted with the gift of toothbrush and toothpaste and the accompanying song!
A crafts market was held to give volunteers a chance to take souvenirs home. Volunteers left with baskets, carvings, wooden spoons, scarves, bags and knitted hats. The first ever souvenir with "Village Africa" on it was snapped up!
A pneumonia seminar was planned and delivered by Fettes' school nurse Janelle ("Mama Hannah") and Village Africa's African nurses Mama Ade and Hilda. It was extremely well attended as it followed the sad death of a one year old child with pneumonia.
Warm clothing is needed for villagers who often have no cash income. For details (including transport costs), please email us.
First aid seminars were also held for Village Africa's drivers, nurses and managers. They concentrated on shock, burns and broken bones. Our drivers and nurses regularly have to deal with these conditions.   Photo - Crafts Market
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July 09
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Salome left her temporary position as translator to start a secondary school teacher training course. The course is in Tanga and lasts for 4 years.
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June 09
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The African building team welcomes Vicci as a building volunteer.
Ruth and Simon also join Village Africa as volunteers and will be doing a range of activities.
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June 09
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Tom makes his second visit to Village Africa. "Teacher Tom" will be working with Yamba Primary School once again. More teaching volunteers are needed for January, April and September 2010.
Yamba Knitting Group Cooperative is now selling wool and other knitting materials. The profits are used to run a shop selling dried fish, flour and other goods. It is hoped that shop profits will be used to buy a knitting machine and sewing machine for the group and to make loans to members. Loans could be used for hospital fees or as capital to start small businesses.
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June 09
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Construction of two classrooms for Yamba Primary School starts. Site being cleared for the Standard IV and Standard V classrooms.
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May 09
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The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland sponsored two of its staff, James Hacon and Erin Robb, to visit Yamba as marketing volunteers.
"Gleneagles Hotel"
"James and Erin in Yamba"
Money was raised through various activities including raffles at the Christmas and New Year Festive Party Nights at The Tryst Cafe-Bar. The amount raised was very generously doubled by Diageo PLC.
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May 09
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Village Africa welcomes five new volunteers - James and Erin (marketing), Aimee and Lillian (building) and Fin (teaching).
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May 09
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James Dunn, Village Africa's first management volunteer and its longest serving volunteer leaves to prepare for university.
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May 09
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Six toilets for Milingano Primary School finished.
"toilets under construction"
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May 09
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Village Africa's nurses designed and held seminars on Food Hygiene for Small Restaurants (Milingano), Dysentery (Yamba and Kwembalazi) and Malaria (Milingano Primary School).
Three Yamba women join Village Africa's management team - Merina, Estaride and Melania.
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May 09
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Teddies for Tragedies knitted teddies for the sick children of Yamba and Milingano. These were distributed at Village Africa's health post.
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April 09
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Tom gives up his time (and energy!) to be a building volunteer.
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April 09
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Village Africa is fundraising for two classrooms for Yamba Primary School. It hopes to start work in July 09.
Four teaching volunteers start in the primary schools, David, Francesca, Jessica and Paris.
Village Africa's child sponsorship scheme flourishes. There are now 33 pupils in the scheme. More sponsors are needed.
Mwanahawa leaves her temporary position as translator to study in Form V.
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March 09
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Andrea Ward becomes Village Africa's UK Administrator. Tina Freeman transfers to be the UK Finance Administrator. Both are kindly working on a voluntary basis.
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March 09
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The construction of 6 school toilets for Milingano Primary School commences. The work is being funded by Kids Helping Kids in America and managed by Village Africa.
A small lending library service is established for the pupils and adults in Milingano.
Alex from the UK visits Tanzania and uses her auditing skills to advise Village Africa on its financial systems.
Andy joins Village Africa as its first building volunteer in Milingano.
Susie is Village Africa's first volunteer from New Zealand. She will build and then help with marketing.
Village Africa's project leader strengthens the management team by teaching delegation skills.
Netball posts are presented to Milingano Primary School.
Small percussion instruments are donated by Village Africa volunteers to the newly created Milingano Primary School choir.
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March 09
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Village Africa is running a summer camp in Summer 09, as featured in the Sunday Times Travel Supplement, Feb 09.
"The charity Village Africa is devoted to the alleviation of poverty in the West Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. Volunteers joining the two-week summer camp, starting on July 30, can choose to help with teaching English to children, or to assist in local building projects. Village Africa emphasises that volunteers aren’t taking jobs from local builders, but providing temporary help for continuing work. The cost, excluding flights, is £675, booked through Personal Overseas Development (01242 250901, www.thepodsite.co.uk). Flights to Dar es Salaam with BA start at £734, through Trailfinders (0845 050 5871, www.trailfinders.com)"
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March 09
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The villagers of Yamba and Milingano appreciate Village Africa's volunteers and supporters greatly and some have even named their babies after them. Village Africa is pleased to publish some recent photographs of some of the babies named after some of our dedicated supporters.
Baby Alex
Baby Allison
Baby Caro
Baby Doug
Baby Joanna
Baby Tom 
Baby Peter
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February 09
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Six school toilets for Yamba Primary School are completed.
"handing over the toilets to Yamba Primary School"
Nurse Christina makes her second visit to the project. Seminars on cholera, HIV/AIDS and malaria are designed and delivered by Village Africa nurses and Christina. Seminars take place for adults in Yamba and Milingano and for pupils in Mibukwe Secondary School. The cholera and malaria seminars are adapted for Yamba Primary School pupils. Christina also advises at Yamba Village Health Post.
Village Africa receives a large donation from the Mansfield family and friends in Ireland.
Mosquito nets are bought for Form 3 pupils at Mibukwe Secondary School.
Milingano learns to knit! A 6 week knitting course is led by volunteer Laura, assisted by Alloysia, a member of the Yamba knitting group. The women learn how to knit blankets and hats.
Salome returns as translator as Joseph leaves to pursue a place at university.
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February 09
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Allison Yearsley, former Village Africa volunteer and current Village Africa Director has had the great honour of a second baby named after her. Mother and Baby Alli are doing well.
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January 09
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Sarah Curgenven joins the UK team of volunteers as Fundraising Coordinator. Sarah was an office volunteer in Yamba last year.
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January 09
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Village Africa's teaching programme enters its fourth academic year. Avis and Yvonne from Ireland and Emily, Laura, Lucy and Polly from the UK teach in local primary schools.
Bob and Krystal from Canada and Chris from the UK assist the African building team.
Fiona joins Village Africa as a management volunteer.
Babu Doug and Bibi Moe return to Yamba to help with the Child Sponsorship Club known as the "Simba Club".
Village Africa donates one large book cupboard to Mibukwe Secondary School and one to Milingano Primary School.
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Please click here to view the News Archive.
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