OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NGORONGORO PRE-SCHOOL IN NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA – TANZANIA

The founder of the Zara Charity and Zainab Ansel, the director of Zara Tours, are pleased to announce the official opening of the Ngorongoro pre-school in Enduleni Village in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

 

As a developing country, Tanzania struggles to provide a high quality of infrastructure and education, and the Maasai community has one of the highest illiteracy and lowest school enrolment rates in East Africa. This is primarily due to a lack of schools and their pastoral way of life. Maasai children have been known to walk barefoot for up to 20km to a primary school within parks where there is a danger of an animal attack.

The cost of education remains a large obstacle. Most families live on less than US$0.80 per day and it’s not rare for a family to have around eight children, while some Maasai warriors have up to 60 wives. Research shows that nearly 60% of Maasai children under five years old are physically stunted, which is an indicator of chronic malnutrition. Studies also show that only 5% of elementary school students continue to high school, and that girls are the most disadvantaged as they are expected to stay at home to help their mother take care of the house and family.

With an average ratio of 72 students to one teacher, four million new primary school teachers were needed in East Africa to reach the goal of offering primary education to all children by 2015. Crowded and dilapidated classrooms, coupled with insufficient teaching resources and instruction time, reflect a far below average standard of educational institutions.

As part of Zara Tours’ sustainable tourism plan, Zara Charity strongly believes that education is the key to a better future that will break the cycle of impoverished communities. That is why we decided to promote education in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area by building a pre-school at which 43 children are currently registered. We focus on building a support system for children by constructing better facilities in which to learn, ensuring access to safe and healthy learning environments, strengthening teaching quality, and providing scholarships.

Student sponsorship covers the cost of enrolment fees, school materials and uniforms, as well as regular monitoring and support from the Zara Charity. It also provides students with access to medical services.

One of the most rewarding aspects of sponsorship is getting to know a student personally and seeing the positive effect on their life. We provide various ways for sponsors to form this personal bond, including sending regular updates of the student’s report cards and living situation, and giving the option to send letters directly. Sponsors can also meet the student and their family in Tanzania, and they can combine their trip with an affordable safari package or trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro.

To sponsor a student through pre-school, the cost of one full year is US$850, which works out at just US$2.30 per day. Co-sponsorship and paying in monthly instalments are also options. For more information on our Student Sponsorship Programme, please contact: zara@zaracharitytanzania.org and/or zainab@zaratours.com or Donate to our fund rising page here

 

 

THE SEASON 8 OF NGORONGORO MARATHON 2015 WENT WITH GREAT SUCCESS..!!

Ngorongoro Marathon‬ is among unique community themed-multi-cultural series of events designed with entertainment packages including but not limited to ‪adventure safari‬’s (pre & post ‪‎marathon‬ tour packages), open festivals, overnight carnivals, football matches, stage performances and red carpet award ceremony; heavily concentrated in ‪Karatu town‬ for almost five days including pre-events.

Flagged off by Honorary Fredrick Sumaye (the former prime minister of Tanzania from 1995 – 2005), The Season 8th of Ngorongoro Marathon was a huge success. The African Charity Marathon attracts a spectrum of runners from professionals to amateur joggers. The course is a 21km loop from Loduare, the main gates to Ngorongoro Crater, back to Karatu Town.

The Ngorongoro Marathon was launched in 2008 to contribute to ongoing global and national efforts towards the fight against malaria. Community involvement and mobilization in the fight against malaria needs bold and innovative ideas, the marathon being one of them.

In 2015 adopted a new theme called “brick for life” – the aim being to create awareness and to fundraise for a pre-school for the Maasai kids residing in the Ngorongoro conservation area.

For more information Email; zara@zaracharitytanzania.org

Two Signature Trips, One Unique Tanzania Adventure

For the seventh year in a row, Zara Tours will be sponsoring the Ngorongoro half marathon, which will be held on April 19, 2014 in Arusha, Karatu. It’s all part of raising awareness and fighting Malaria. World Malaria Day is April 25.

A Destination Beyond Expectation – Charitable Kili Climb with Macon Dunnagan

Zara Tours is known for offering tourists a Kili climb like no other. Not only do we have some of the best porters available, we try to make sure that you are given the opportunity to experience special climbs throughout the year.

One of our most popular Kili climb options is a chance to take part in one of author Macon Dunnagan’s annual treks to this iconic mountain summit. This year, he will be climbing the Rongai Route in June.  Registration for the trip is now open, and we saved the best part for last: a portion of the fees paid by each participant will go to charity.

Kilimanjaro Trips: Sharing the Wealth of Africa with One Another

Kilimanjaro trips do more than just take you to the “Roof of Africa” and back. A portion of the proceeds supports the local community through Zara Charities. One beneficiary of this support is the Kilimanjaro Orphanage Center.

A Day in the Life of a Kilimanjaro Guide

Before embarking on a mountain trek, few tourists have heard of the Mount Kilimanjaro Porters Society (MKPS). However, after their hike concludes, every tourist is aware of the vital role a porter fills on a trek or safari tour. MKPS provides the resources for the Kilimanjaro Guide Services.

A Big Thank You From Zara Charity & Zara Tours

Dear All Partners,

Thank you for taking the time to collaborate with Zara Charity/Zara Tours and other representatives on the Ngorongoro Marathon: The Race Against Malaria. We continue to bring awareness to the challenges facing our nation as far as Malaria is concerned; it kills one person each minute on a daily basis, especially in local communities like Ngorongoro and Karatu in particular. We enjoyed meeting with you and are thankful for your contributions. We’re glad we had the opportunity to discuss and collaborate on issues that affect so many people in our community. We especially appreciate your commitment to raise awareness and campaign against the spread of Malaria.

Ngorongoro Run: The Race Takes Place on the 7th Wonder of the World

 

Ngorongoro Crater was officially declared as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Africa February 11, 2013 in Arusha, Tanzania. Votes were cast by experts from around the world. Voters referenced the largest unbroken caldera statistic along with the unique encounter with wildlife as the primary factors drawing their votes. Ngorongoro Crater joined the Serengeti Migration and Mount Kilimanjaro as wonders of nature that call both Africa and Tanzania home.

By observation done by Zara Tours and Zara Charity, ​​it was found that malaria is a disease which kills more than 250,000 people a year in Africa.

In the southern Sahara desert, 88 million people are at risk for getting infections of malaria. It’s believed that there are indicators where approximately 20 million people will become infected and suffer from malaria this year.

While in Tanzania, only about one person loses a life every minute due to the disease.

It is based on statistics like these that we, at Zara Tours and Zara Charity, got organized and decided to start this race in Ngorongoro and Karatu. Since 2008, we’ve been raising funds that will be used to help communities in Karatu and Ngorongoro on the prevention, access to treatment and education about this disease and the risk of malaria to life in general.

Zara Tours is well-known for offering unique chances to see the natural beauty of Tanzania, but trekking Kilimanjaro is just one way you can see what makes Africa so special. We also support one-of-a-kind events that help to sustain local communities through our charity organization, Zara Charity. One of these events is the Ngorongoro Run on April 6^th, 2013. We would like to extend an open invitation for you to get involved.

Holding Up the “Roof of Africa”

As a rule, 10% of all the proceeds from trekking Kilimanjaro and other Zara Tours trips go to local charities.  Ngorongoro Run is an exception. All of the proceeds from this event are put towards Malaria awareness, education, and prevention. Why Malaria? The statistics are staggering:

• There’s an estimated 88 million people living in Sub-Saharan Africa – a Malaria hot zone.
• Of the 88 million inhabitants, 20 million will contract Malaria this year.
• 250,000 people will die of the disease by the end of the year.
• That translates to one death every 10 minutes.

Looking at the magnitude of a problem like this, it’s clear that something needs to be done, not only on an international level, but on a local level as well. That’s why Zara Charity is raising funds to put toward community mobilization and education. What will the result look like?

It starts with the large-scale distribution of long-life insecticide treated bed nets (ITN’s) and accessibility to effective treatment. These two simple steps can prevent the spread of this disease and save millions of lives.

Making an Impact through Innovation

The steps may be simple, but there’s a lot of ground to cover in Sub-Saharan Africa. Making an impact takes bold and creative execution.  That’s something we are all too familiar with.

Our organization has helped to:

• Start and fund 35% of the Kilimanjaro Orphans Center
• Offer skills training and teach financial management through the Porter’s Society
• Work with Mwema street children
• Contribute to HIV/AIDS care and education
• Offer healthcare to families
• Give women a business education

What better way to cover new ground than with a marathon? Since taking over management of the Ngorongoro Run in 2008, the event has expanded from 200 runners to over 50 cooperate racing teams. Runners come from all over the world, including East Africa, Somalia, and the United States. The goal: eradicate Malaria one mile, one sponsor at a time.

Where do you come in?

There are four ways you can help:

1. Become a member of Zara Charity
2. Volunteer at an event
3. Make a one-time donation
4. Consider running the marathon or trekking Kilimanjaro for charity

We host a limited number of charity treks a year. For more information on these trips and the other opportunities listed here, please visit our website: www.zaracharities.com.

We can make a difference in the fight against Malaria right now. Help us spread the message of prevention and hope throughout Tanzania and beyond; get involved!