Youth trip 2011

After the success of the two youth trips in 2008, we have conceived the plan to organize another youth trip. In 2011 the time had come. After a year of preparations, 18 young people came with us to Tanzania. Read below how they experienced it.

  • Ilse Winnemuller
  • Frederique Vink
  • Hanna Molenaar
  • Remco Kleijburg
  • Krystel Banga
  • Rinus Hummelink
  • Erik Lemkens
  • Nol Heinen
  • Kim Meboer
  • Henri Raatjes
  • Jazz de Ruyter
  • Ellen Vink
  • Maaike Heinen
  • Pauli Bles
  • Marije van de Zee
  • Fabienne Geerlings
  • Marieke Peperkamp
  • Lisanne Sloot

Pauli Bles

Hello, my name is Pauli, I am 23 years old and a 5th year medical student. In 2008 and 2011 I joined the youth trip to Tanzania. The reason why I wanted to be able to experience the unknown and ‘forgotten’ continent myself and to be able to judge for myself whether it really is that ‘forgotten’. Certainly also to learn from the ‘African’ way of life and to take this with me in my own life. I have experienced many beautiful moments in Tanzania. The students who passionately tell what they would like to become; teacher, doctor, nurse, priest are the most frequently heard. That passion should live more in the Netherlands. But as easy as it is to get the opportunity and means to become what you want here in the Netherlands, it is that difficult in Tanzania. If your parents have no money, you have to help around the house, make sure there is food, don’t learn or study or get water. Something we also got to experience during the trip. When you see the water flowing from the tap at home after the trip, it doesn’t seem like the most normal thing in the world anymore.

During the second trip, I visited a group of women with a small group who were able to set up a small business through the microfinance of the MOV. In this way they could earn money to send their children to school. They sat and stood there shy, but how proud they were when they showed us their stuff was heartwarming. Their children could go to school! They had a future. Just like the FOTAS student we spoke to in Katoke. He had lost both his parents a few years ago. He then took care of his brothers and sisters, but can now enjoy his secondary education thanks to the sponsorship. I have seen few children in the Netherlands so eager to learn. Do very concentrated assignments.

I learned a lot from these trips. My sense of perspective has undoubtedly increased. When people whine about Dutch politics again, I realize that we are far, far from bad.

As a result of my travels, I have arranged to do an internship in Tanzania in 2014. This is in the region where MOV and FOTAS operate. In that period of 3 months I hope to meet the people I got to know during the trip and of course to learn even more about the African culture. When I have a job after my studies, I would like to sponsor students to give them a chance at a future.

Ellen Vink

My name is Ellen Vink, 22 years old and working as a district nurse. In 2011 I joined the youth trip to Tanzania.

In the Netherlands I had already heard and seen a lot about Tanzania. At secondary school, the proceeds of the annual sponsored walk always went to FOTAS Herveld. Our maths teacher also told us a lot about Tanzania. In addition, the proceeds of the annual ‘Eshof market’ of our neighborhood association went to MOV Herveld twice. After hearing so much I wanted to see it with my own eyes. In the summer of 2011 this became reality.

Those were three unforgettable weeks. In these three weeks we have seen and done everything. Among other things, participating school for a morning, attending church services, taking a look at a hospital, talking to the local population, fetching water yourself. What has stuck with me the most is the satisfaction of the people. Despite the poverty, the lack of continuous power and water, people remain optimistic. And how happy children can be with receiving a balloon, the Dutch children can take an example.

At the end of March 2013 I obtained my diploma of the HBO-V (nurse) course. One of the first things I did after that was sign up as a student sponsor. My student is in teacher training. I hope he is a good teacher so that he can take care of his family. I also hope that later on he can train his students in such a way that they too can get a job and take care of their families.

Hanna Molenaar

My name is Hanna Molenaar and I am 22 years old. In the summer of 2011, I traveled to Tanzania with about twenty other young people to travel around the country and to visit MOV projects.

The reason why I chose to go on this special trip is because I wanted to taste a completely different culture and discover the view on life of young people in a developing country.

I was also curious about how health care is organized in Africa, since I am training to become a midwife. In the end, the tour of a hospital in Biharamulo was one of the most impressive moments, because the poverty and poor hygiene conditions then became painfully visible.

What has also stuck with us is the enormous warmth with which we were received by the fathers, but actually by the entire Tanzanian population. Even in the most primitive of circumstances, people remain optimistic and hopeful; The Dutch can learn a lot from that!

Frederique Vink

My name is Frederique Vink, I am 22 years old and a 5th year medical student at the Free University in Amsterdam. From a young age I love to travel and I have had the chance to visit many beautiful places. When I heard in the autumn of 2010 that MOV was going to organize a youth trip through Tanzania, my choice was quickly made; I wanted to join this special journey!

It really appealed to me that we would experience the real Africa with this trip. Not on holiday to Zanzibar and enjoying the sun and the white beaches, but visiting people’s homes, discussing with local young people and attending church services and school days. This trip was a unique opportunity for me and together with 17 young people and 4 supervisors from the working group MOV Herveld I enjoyed everything this beautiful country has to offer.

From bananas to bumpy roads, red sand to church services, fetching water to chemistry class, painting to debating, the porch in Chabalisa to Speak Bay beach, Serengetti to flat tires and from birthdays to stargazing. These are just a few examples of the many great moments this journey contained. Tanzania is a beautiful country with a great culture and beautiful nature. At the same time Tanzania is for me a country with a lot of contradictions. One of the first evenings we had dinner in a chic resort in Dar es Salaam. Less than 50 meters away, behind the fences of the resort, children were carrying water on their bare feet. At such a moment you are put back on the ground with both legs.

The visit to the Biharamulo Hospital will also stay with me for a long time. As a medical student, I was able to experience up close what people there experience every day for a day. This day was very special and interesting, but above all a great source of frustration. To see that they have certain equipment available, but simply do not have the electricity or knowledge to use it, is almost incomprehensible to me. This day was therefore a good preview of a possible internship in Africa for my medical studies.

During one of the church services we attended, one of the fathers stood up to ask for help for one of the students. This boy has a spinal abnormality that requires extensive medical care. Together with three travel companions; Hanna Molenaar, Krystel Banga and Marieke Peperkamp I then decided that we wanted to help this boy. We are now doing our part by sponsoring this student. I experienced my trip through Tanzania as very special and unique and I am very happy that I was given this opportunity!