Attend an informational meeting about our Learning Tours (in person or via web conference).
Click here for times and to register.
Kalimbwera Primary School, August 2012
In August/September 2012, 22 ACC supporters and board members took a trip to South Africa and Malawi to visit school building sites (http://www.africaclassroomconnection.org/) and Books for Africa (http://www.booksforafrica.org/) recipients. Our travellers regularly posted stories, pictures and videos to our Facebook page.
Our next Learning Tours to South Africa and Malawi are fast approaching. We invite you to join one of two 2013 group Learning Tours to travel to South Africa and Malawi as we visit school building sites for Africa Classroom Connection (www.africaclassroomconnection.org) and Books for Africa (www.booksforafrica.org) recipients. The two tours, led by Henry Bromelkamp, will repeat the same itinerary
Aug 8-25 [group 1, good timing for families!]
Aug 30-Sep 16 [group 2]
The cost per person person is $4700 (including airfare) plus a $1000 tax-deductible contribution. (These tours will result in building two new classrooms, enough for 80 students to continue their education, or a 40' container of 23,000 books serving 20 or more schools. We can give tips and a web site to help you raise funds.)
Accommodations range from clean, safe, and simple to very nice. The itinerary includes some flights within Africa, and a few drives of several hours in large passenger vans. The itinerary includes:
o Four days in the region of Zululand near Eshowe, South Africa to visit schools, meet and teach classes
o Four days on safari in two wildlife parks: St. Lucia wetlands, and Hluhluwe large game park
o Two days in Johannesburg and Pretoria, including Soweto and the Apartheid Museum
o (recommended) Four days in Malawi, including the capital Lilongwe, Lake Malawi, Mua Mission and Museum, and perhaps Zomba the original capital
o (not included but a worthwhile add-on: Cape Town)
This will not be a conventional package tour of Africa. While we will see wild animals on safari (a treasure of Africa!) most of the tour will be philanthropic and cultural. Seeing the need first-hand has a significant impact on those who join us. You will meet wonderful people and learn about the promise and challenges of education. Imagine 300 Zulu school children putting on a dance and music performance for their American visitors! Imagine trying to explain ice fishing or snow to high school students who have never experienced freezing weather. You will be surprised. You will have fun. You will see the world in a new way.
The tour will be preceded by some cultural, historical, and language learning opportunities. (Most people speak English, but it is respectful and interesting to know some of the local language, especially when we meet young children.) We want to visit with an understanding of the health, political, and economic issues that challenge our African neighbors.
Here are some video links from Facebook of our 2012 Tours:
Students at Jevu Secondary School sing Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika
Ngqekwane Primary School Zulu Dance
"Happy to See You" at Bisa Primary School
Is this enough to pique your interest?
Please contact us to let us know your level of interest in order to for us to make planning decisions: for example, are you 50% likely to go, or 80% likely to go? Tell us 0% and we’ll remove you from future informational mailings. View our 2013 travel agreement for more details about the trip. Or learn more at an information meeting (in person or via web conference). Click here to see dates and times.
We look forward to sharing with you the places and people we cherish.
A class outdoors needs a school so it can meet in all weather, and keep educational materials safe from the elements.
Africa Classroom Connection is a participating member of Aid for Africa, a unique partnership of nonprofit organizations serving families and communities throughout Africa
