Mtwara Volunteering Crew

Annual target an Ambulance for Mtwara

2010-06-09T10:05:00.006+02:00

Fundraising efforts so far!!!

Dear followers, family and friends,

I would like to inform you of our annual target for our Mtwara Projects. We aim to finance an Ambulance for the remote rural areas of Mtwara-Mikindani.

The cost of an ambulance is roughly £3,000. So far, we are proud to say we have managed to reach £1,223 from sponsors from the recent events and some private sponsors.

Our recent challenges have been:

1. African - aerobics Vital Energy workshop.

2. Half-marathon run by three MVC members.

3. A full marathon run by myself.

We will continue the appeal for sponsors through various fundraising events.

We invite you to join our endeavours to help. Please contact us if you want to make a positive contribution towards our AMBULANCE project.

I look forward to hearing from you soon soon.

Kind regards,

Maria Antoraz-Alonso

They made it!! I made it!!

2010-05-09T23:18:00.016+02:00

Well done to Elisa Scarato and Mark Turley!!!

They completed their challenge for Mtwara.

Elisa and Mark made their 21 kilometres Orpington Half-marathon on Saturday 8th May 2010 under the pouring rain. They would like to thank you to everybody who believed in me and sponsored them!! Well done half-marathon runners!!

I made it last 13th March!!

Dear followers, co-founders, friends and family, This year I am taking two different self-challenges to continue with our development projects in Mtwara, southern Tanzania. Firstly I enrolled the Silverstone half-marathon finished it in a good time last 13th March 2010.

I did the half-marathon in 02 hours, 02 minutes and 35 seconds.

Please check the results on Silverstone Half-Marathon 2010

Then as crazy as it is, I decided to join the Full Marathon next 23rd May 2010 in Edinburgh.

I am hoping to finish it in less than 5 hours.

My plea now is: WOULD YOU SPONSOR ME? if you are interested in what we do and you would like to help the most underpriveledged communities in the Mtwara region please do not hesitate to contact us. Email us to

(mtwaravolunteers.ma@gmail.com; info@mtwaravolunteers.org)

alternatively donate your contributions using the safe payment pay pal bottom ON THIS BLOG OR VISIT our website, still under construction, www.mtwaravolunteers.org. All the donations will be welcome and fairly put towards funding those projects on our priority list.

Our year target is to raise enough money to buy an ambulance for the most remote rural areas in Mtwara.

Help us to help them, every little contribution will make a big difference to their lives.

Let me thank you in advance.

Kind regards,

María Antoraz Alonso

La conexión de tuberias de agua corriente

2010-02-18T01:30:00.001+01:00

La conexión de tuberias de agua corriente

Posted using ShareThis

MVC Latest News 2010

2010-01-26T18:20:00.006+01:00

Dear MVC followers,

First of all Happy New Year 2010 to you all!!!
Thanks for all your support. I know it has been a while since last time we updated you. Unfortunatelly, our full-time jobs prevent us from giving you more of our time. However I have very good news for you and the people of Mtwara. So far, all the MVC founders are putting their brains together and organising new fundraising events for the current year. As well, some new contacts are in the pipeline.

A brief of some of the fundraising events:
1st. 14th March 2010, MVC member will be running the Half-Marathon in Silverstone,UK.
2nd. 23rd May 2010, MVC member will be running the full Marathon in Edinburg, Scotland.
3rd. 8th May 2010, 2 MVC member will be running the Half-Marathon in Orpington,UK.

Bear with us, we will shortly bring you all the details.

Talk to you soon,

Maria Antoraz-Alonso

Some of our latest activities in Mtwara

2009-09-17T23:42:00.018+02:00

Secondary Schools
Shangani School
Maths textbooks donated

Mikindani School
Science textbooks donated

Orphanage
18 students schools fees paid, secondary school and stationary textbooks bought for the orphanage homework club.

Unaulango Village
15kms of pipes sponsored by MVC to connect the water from the nearest tap

Vicoba Women Empowerment Seminar

Contribution towards Cashewnut Farm Youth Project
MVC handing over the sponsoring cash to Father Patrick at the Benedictine Catholic Church of St.Thomas Aquine in Magomeni, Mtwara.

Tanzanian News

2009-09-15T17:25:00.002+02:00

Find an article about us on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at

Issa Michuzi's blog

Sponsor Yusuf to go to University

2009-09-09T14:28:00.004+02:00

Suzana Mtandika, the Director of EAGT Orphanage centre-Mtwara has just informed us that Yusuph Said, the boy we assisted a bus fare and accommodation to travel to Tanga for seeking university admission has been selected to join Tumaini University (Sebastian Kolowa University College. )

According to the joining instruction, the cost for the 1st year is TZS 2,050,000 (The cost includes tuition fee, registration, teaching practice, identity card, caution money, computer facilities and services, Examination fee, student union fee)

The cost to cover food, accommodation and incidentals is approximately TZS 100,000 per month.

Yusuph has also applied for a loan from Tanzania loan board but it is not certain he will get the loan.

Please if you have anything to contribute don’t hesitate to communicate with us.

University reporting date is 10/10/2009.

We are registered in Spain!!!

2009-09-08T23:40:00.002+02:00

We have just received our registration number as a Spanish NGO G47651062
This is the beginning of BIG THINGS TO COME!!!!
Well done on us!!! We are legally recognized to operate as a charity.
MORE DETAILS ON THIS TO FOLLOW SHORTLY.

Mtwara project Summer 2009 MVC latest contributions

2009-08-25T18:21:00.010+02:00

Please bear with us!
We will shortly brief you on further project activities and pictures.

MWOLIHA
(Mtwara Women living with Aids)
2 month cow food paid in cash Tsh 150,000
4 month cow food paid in MWOLIHA´s BANK ACCOUNT Tsh 750,000

VICOBA SEMINAR - Mtwara Women EMPOWERMENT EVENT

Whole day seminar, transport & food included for 240 people Tsh 1,200,000

EAGT RAHALEO ORPHANAGE
SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS Tsh 108,000
SCHOOL FEES Tsh 298,000
Chalks & Art STATIONARY Tsh 10,000
TRANSPORT & ENROLLEMENT TO APPLY FOR UNIVERSITY OF TANGA

Yusuf Said Tsh 100,000
(After MVC payed for his Form VI fees last year Yusuf Said swowed MVC volunteers proof of his pass certificate. Yufuf would like to go to University to become a teacher).

CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS WATER CONNECTION FOR UNAULONGO VILLAGE Tsh 600,000

SCHOOL FEES FOR TWO ORPHANS LOOKED AFTER A BLIND FOSTER PARENT
Mzee Mchopa
Tsh 100,000

TUMAINI GROUP (MAGOMENI PARISH) Tsh 140,000
To buy a metal roll to finish the fence for the chickens.
YOUTH PROJECT - CASHEWNUT FARM EXPANSION (4acres) Tsh 550,000

Text books & shipping TOTAL ____Tsh 1,793,880

(Mikindani Tsh 993,600 + Shangani Tsh 368,280)+ Tsh 432,000
(shipping Shipping from UK to DAR, collection fee and bus to Mtwara)

Mikindani Secondary school
Science textbooks Units / price total
Book 1 (form 1) 11 /Tsh 17,280 Tsh 190,080
Book 2 (form 2) 15 /Tsh 17,280 Tsh 259,200
Book 3 (form 3) 19 / Tsh 17,280 Tsh 328,320
Physics (form 5) 10 / Tsh 21,600 Tsh 216,000
TOTAL __________________________________Tsh 993,600

Shangani Secondary school
Units / price total
Science Revision guide 15 / Tsh 10,800 Tsh 162,000
Science Revision Exercise workbook 1 / Tsh 7,560 Tsh 7,560
Maths textbooks
Year 7 - Form 1 5 / Tsh 8,640 Tsh 43,200
Year 8 - Form 2 8 / Tsh 8,640 Tsh 69,120
Year 9 - Form 3 10 / Tsh 8,640 Tsh 86,400
TOTAL __________________________________Tsh 368,280

Volunteers return flights UK-Tanzania
Volunteers transport in Tanzania
Transport from Dar to Mtwara
Transport from Mtwara to Dar
Transport in Mtwara

All self funded by the volunteers.

How did Mtwara Volunteering Project start?

2009-07-02T23:59:00.007+02:00

MVC originated from an informal discussion between Maria Antoraz Alonso and Amin Sinani in 2007. The group had a solid background of Mtwara as Amin was born and raised up in Mtwara whereby Maria had visited Tanzania in two previous occasions. Initially, the main objectives of the group were to assist the underprivileged in Mtwara such as HIV/AIDS sufferers, Women and Orphans.

These objectives were to be achieved by visiting Mtwara on a fact finding trip with a group of volunteers who expressed and shared MVC’s vision to help the aforementioned. This idea was then put forward to the Honourable Member of Parliament of Mtwara Urban Mr. Mohammed Sinani who agreed to come and meet the volunteers in the UK in August 2007.

Mr. Sinani endorsed the idea and offered to host the group and provide accommodation, food and transport throughout the duration of their stay in Tanzania. Further discussions with Mr. Sinani gave us the indication of the sort of areas the group should focus in such as;

Women empowerment

Raising the awareness of HIV/AIDS

Promotion of sports academies

Working with local primary and secondary schools teachers

Mr. Sinani pledged with us to network with other large organizations to support and fund existing initiatives as well as the possibility of establishing new ones in Mtwara.

The Mtwara Volunteering Crew Members
The group is mainly composed of family and friends who had previous
volunteering experience and shared the common objective to provide
assistance to the underprivileged in the society. The assistance would take any
form such as financial assistance, expert advice, networking etc.
The group has some capacity to provide the above but continually attempts to seek further assistance from local and international sponsors.

First generation of volunteers as from summer 2008 as follows;

1. Amin M. Sinani (Consultant Engineer, UK )
2. Maria Antoraz Alonso (Spanish Teacher, UK)
3. Elisa Scarato (Italian Teacher, UK)
4. Leyre Alejadre (Spanish Teacher, USA)
5. Marta Rueda ( Sales, Natural Gas, Spain)
6. Ron Prigge (Life Science Teacher, South Africa)
7. Christelle De Klerk (Accountant, South Africa)
8. Sophia Mohammed (French and English Teacher, UK)
9. Teresa Antoraz Alonso (English Teacher, Spain)
10. Fuad Medosevic (Salesman, Germany)
11. Ruben Maillo (Spanish Teacher, USA)
&
12. Estrella Garcia (Spanish Teacher, UK that collaborates from UK)

With this unique composition of people from different countries and professions,
the group was well placed to realise the objectives as set out here above.

Fundraising

Having established the group, it was important that MVC had some funds to assist the different activities carried out by groups that we were going to meet.
A fundraising event was held in London, UK in July 2008 in the form of a raffle and £500 was raised as a result. These funds would prove to be very useful in funding different activities in Mtwara.

Throughout the year 2009 the networking activity has continued thanks to active members of the group:

Amin M Sinani
Elisa Scarato
Estrella Garcia
Carlo Pennarola
Maria Antoraz-Alonso

Current fundraising activities

Snowdon Mountain ascend by Simon Flaherty (April 2009)

Charity Barcelona Nights by Javier Rueda and Albert Gorman (5th June 2009)

Bike Ride London to Brighton by Carlo Pennarola & Maria Antoraz-Alonso et al (13th June 2009)

Charity Photo Exhibition by Elisa Scarato (10th July 2009)

Thank you very much too all the activist collaborators that eagerly continue helping Amin and I to make a change and to keep smiles going!!!!

Karibuni- Colours and people of Tanzania

2009-06-17T23:42:00.006+02:00

Photographic exhibition & live performances
Mtwara Volunteering Crew is hosting a charity night.

A night of artistic performances...

Live music for all tastes- jazz, reggae, rock, folk, world.

A burlesque performance.

A photo exhibition (the artworks will be on sale- all profit to the village of Mtwara, in Tanzania).

The best djs in London.

Friends. Fun! An explosion of energy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE

All profit from the night will go to Mtwara Crew, in help of schools, orphanages, women empowerment groups, HIV communities.

Start Time: 10 July 2009 at 18:00
End Time: 11 July 2009 at 03:00
Location: The Others
Location: 6 & 8 Manor Road, Stoke Newington
N16 5SA, London, United Kingdom

View Larger Map

Photo exhibition organiser: Elisa Scarato
Phone: 07882191775
TKrumiko@hotmail.com

We made it to - Brighton CHAIN4CHANGE Mtwara appeal - What a wonderful day!!

2009-06-14T15:52:00.006+02:00

Meeting point at Clapham South

First break

Cycling galore

Flat tyre breaks

Finishing point Brighton Pier followed by a nice Italian dinner

Thanks to all the participants :

1. Elisa
2. Mark
3. Neil
4. Michele
5. Marco
6. Jonathan
7. Chris
8.Pedro
9. Pascal
10. Carlo
11. María

Thank you so much to our support crew:
Estrella Garcia
Amin Sinani

London-Brighton Bike Ride CHAIN4CHANGE Mtwara appeal - 13th June 2009

2009-06-11T00:57:00.008+02:00

A group of 13 people and growing are riding 86 km on bicycle from London to Brighton on Saturday, 13th June 2009. Our purpose is to raise funds for our volunteering project in Mtwara, southern Tanzania. Anyone is welcome to join the event either by participating on the cycling event or by sponsoring one of us. Word of mouth is important. Please help us to spread the word in order to raise awareness.

Thanks in advance to all of you that have already contributed and to the ones will contribute or are thinking of contributing.
Your help is very much appreciated.

Regards

Maria Antoraz-Alonso

People taking part on the bike ride so far:

1. Carlo
2. María
3. Elisa
4. Lara
5. Claudia
6.Patrick
7. Simon
8. Mark
9. Neil
10. Michele
11. Marco
12. Jonathan
13. Chris
14.Pedro
15. Pascal

The bike convoy will be escorted by drivers:

Estrella Garcia
Amin Sinani

BIG THANK YOU

Big thanks to Estrella Garcia for all her hard work promoting the Bike Ride and helping us with all the networking and all the searching for photo exhibition venue.

Thanks also go to Carlo for his drive, know-how and faith in the bike event.

Thank you to the professional photographer to be for her determination and consistency.

Thanks a lot to the new recruits in Valladolid and Barcelona. I am so pleased they are so up for the change.

Thank you to all of those that last summer helped us to start this project up but had to move on a different direction so far.

ASANTE SANA .

PARTICIPANT'S BIKE RIDE INFORMATION:

REGISTRATION AND SPONSORSHIP FORMS FOR THIS EVENT:

If you are a potential sponsor please leave the name of the person you are sponsoring when proceeding with your donations towards the event through paypal. Alternatively, leave your details with the person your are sponsoring. Participants please follow the link for the hard copy registration and sponsorship form; fill it in and email or post it to the event organizers prior the

ride:

BIKE RIDE ROUTE
(MEETING UP IN FRONT OF CLAPHAM SOUTH STATION, BALHAM HILL,
OFF NIGHTINGALE LANE IN BETWEEN 9-9.30AM)

London to Brighton mostly via country lanes

http://www.bikely.com/

A-Z : FOR CYCLIST JOINING CHAIN4CHANGE BIKE RIDE EVENT

Word of mouth is important.
We need some funds to get some schools:
ELECTRICITY, WATER, TEXTBOOKS and SCIENCE LABS.
Please help us spreading the word and getting more and more people interested in joining us.
Looking forward to hearing from you guys.
Thanks in advance to all of you that are already creating awareness. It is very much appreciated.

See you soon.

Maria Antoraz-Alonso

"All for water, water for all" event in Barcelona, Spain

2009-05-25T17:57:00.009+02:00

"For the children of Mtwara, Tanzania."
Charity Night Saturday 6th of June 9pm.

30% of the money fund raised on the night will go towards clean water supply for
2 secondary schools schools in Mtwara.

Mountain Snowdon Climbing

2009-04-21T00:00:00.007+02:00

I would like to share with you the good news. Our recently joint volunteer Simon Flaherty and his friend Raj Moom completed the trek in 5 hours and a half under nice weather conditions in Aid of the Mtwara Volunteering Crew. The raised an amount in the region of £300.
I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU from the rest of MVCrew. You have done so well in such a little time to get all sorted. You are stars.

I also would like to thank Issa Michuzi for advertising this event on his respected blogspot
(http://www.issamichuzi.blogspot.com/)
Maria Antoraz-Alonso

Here we go!!!

2008-11-25T23:49:00.003+01:00

This is where we started our trip!!!
Where are we now?

Dancing is it!!

2008-11-25T23:44:00.006+01:00

Also in Stone Town, Zanzibar-Tanzania
International day of Happy people Dancing!!!
22nd July

Quoting the father of the nation J Nyerere:

2008-09-16T13:25:00.002+02:00

"It can be done; play your part"

(Es posible; haz tu parte!)".

Last Secondary Schools Visit

2008-08-30T14:44:00.007+02:00

Mayasa walks for an hour to get to her school Mangamba Secondary School and an hour to go back home in Mtwara town. Her school is far outside town, they need laboratories, a library and sports facilities to further develop.

I would like to thank Devota Fausti from Mtwara Teaching Training College for her unconditional help introducing us and escorting us on our school visits.

Meeting with the Spanish Ambassador in Tanzania

2008-08-29T18:02:00.006+02:00

We had a very positive meeting with
Mr.German Zurita y Saenz de Navarrete
at the Spanish Embassy in Dar-es-Salaam
1st August 2008.

Let's make Tanzania a priority country for
Spain to cooperate.

Primary and Secondary School Visits

2008-08-29T15:44:00.014+02:00

Shagani Primary

Shangani Secondary School

Mtwara Volunteering Crew visited various
Primary and Secondary schools in the region
of Mtwara. All headteacher and classroom
teachers welcomed us warmthly.
Mtwara educators
felt happy when MVC offered to start sharing
new teaching ideas and strategies.

Women Empowerment

2008-08-29T15:19:00.012+02:00

Visit to MWEE, SIDO, LIKOMBE WORLD, MASANDURU,
CHUNO Batiks AND MIKINDANI CLAY COOKERS GROUPS.
CHUNO group will enjoy 10 brand new sets of masks and
gloves to increase their production of batiks,
LIKOMBE WORLD received two bicycles handed over to them by Mr. M Sinani, MP for Mtwara Urban, and Ms Mwajuma I. Nyoni, Municipal Community Development Officer for Mtwara Mikindani, on behalf of Mtwara Volunteers to facilitate the collection of clay by cycling with baskets rather than having to walk for 3hours where the clay is.
SIDO food processing will receive rent for two months to be
able to start their first shop offering their processed products.

Sports Development

2008-08-29T13:44:00.008+02:00

KOROSHO Football club will enjoy a full football kit donated by
Amin Sinani on behalf of Faber Maunsell, St.Albans, UK.

KOROSHO Netball club will be able to play safely on ground wearing
brand new trainers instead of playing barefoot thanks to private donor
Helena Fernandez Vallejo.

VITO club children will enjoy a new football kit donated by
Maria Antoraz Alonso on behalf of Trelleborg Wheel System Spain.

A local football team from Mtwara, coached by Mr.Mahmoud Sinani
will be proudly wearing the name of the company that donated their
new tops ANTORAZ.S.L.

Orphanage

2008-08-29T13:41:00.006+02:00

Working with orphans. A football kit was donated

by Trelleborg Wheel System Spain.

Working with AIDs groups in Mtwara

2008-08-29T13:36:00.007+02:00

Visiting AIDs groups.
Mtwara Volunteering Crew donated
some energetic food to help nutrition
of weak group members.

Hereby I would like to give a
BIG THANK YOU to Mama Nyoni from
the Municipal Council for her efforts and
unconditional help organizing all visits
for Mtwara Volunteering Crew.

2008-07-29T15:02:00.003+02:00

Second to arrive Ron. He got picked up from Dar and quoting him "everything is going to the 100%". Cheerio Ron. Rest of the crew will join him in a days time. Keep it real!!

Elisa in Zanzibar

2008-07-28T09:06:00.005+02:00

I have just spoken to Elisa over the phone and she has definitely landed safely.
She is very excited of being already in Tanzania ready to hit Stone Town.
Karibu tena Elisa. Badaye

First one to arrive

2008-07-28T00:24:00.001+02:00

Elisa

How did Mtwara Volunteering Project start?

2008-07-27T22:47:00.005+02:00

MVC originated from an informal discussion between Maria Antoraz Alonso and Amin Sinani in 2007. The group had a solid background of Mtwara as Amin was born and raised up in Mtwara whereby Maria had visited Tanzania in two previous occasions. Initially, the main objectives of the group were to assist the underprivileged in Mtwara such as HIV/AIDS sufferers, Women and Orphans.

These objectives were to be achieved by visiting Mtwara on a fact finding trip with a group of volunteers who expressed and shared MVC’s vision to help the aforementioned. This idea was then put forward to the Honourable Member of Parliament of Mtwara Urban Mr. Mohammed Sinani who agreed to come and meet the volunteers in the UK in August 2007.

Mr. Sinani endorsed the idea and offered to host the group and provide accommodation, food and transport throughout the duration of their stay in Tanzania. Further discussions with Mr. Sinani gave us the indication of the sort of areas the group should focus in such as;

Women empowerment

Raising the awareness of HIV/AIDS

Promotion of sports academies

Working with local primary and secondary schools teachers

Mr. Sinani pledged with us to network with other large organizations to support and fund existing initiatives as well as the possibility of establishing new ones in Mtwara.

The Mtwara Volunteering Crew Members
The group is mainly composed of family and friends who had previous
volunteering experience and shared the common objective to provide
assistance to the underprivileged in the society. The assistance would take any
form such as financial assistance, expert advice, networking etc. The group
has some capacity to provide the above but continually attempts to seek further
assistance from local and international sponsors.

First generation of volunteers as from summer 2008 as follows;

1. Amin M. Sinani (Consultant Engineer, UK )
2. Maria Antoraz Alonso (Spanish Teacher, UK)
3. Elisa Scarato (Italian Teacher, UK)
4. Leyre Alejadre (Spanish Teacher, USA)
5. Marta Rueda ( Sales, Natural Gas, Spain)
6. Ron Prigge (Life Science Teacher, South Africa)
7. Christelle De Klerk (Accountant, South Africa)
8. Sophia Mohammed (French and English Teacher, UK)
9. Teresa Antoraz Alonso (English Teacher, Spain)
10. Fuad Medosevic (Salesman, Germany)
11. Ruben Maillo (Spanish Teacher, USA)
&
12. Estrella Garcia (Spanish Teacher, UK that collaborates from UK)

With this unique composition of people from different countries and professions,
the group was well placed to realise the objectives as set out here above.