Jenga Jumuiya in the News!

We are so excited to announce that Jenga Jumuiya has made the news!

Two articles were published last week in Tanzania: Arusha Times (Dec. 11) and The Citizen (Dec. 10).

It is so wonderful to get this press exposure and we look forward to much more! Here is the Arusha Times piece for your viewing pleasure: http://www.arushatimes.co.tz/local_news_9.htm (also picked up on AllAfrica.com!) http://allafrica.com/stories/201012130688.html

The Citizen piece is attached as a photo below. 

Another big THANK YOU!!! to all of our amazing and generous donors. We couldn’t have done this work — or continue it! — without your wonderful support.

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Best regards,

Heidi Henneman

A Celebration — Maasai-Style!

Wow. What an amazing day! The Maasai sure know how to make a person feel special.

The dedication ceremony was beyond phenomenal. I’m not exactly sure what I thought was going to happen…but it far exceeded my expectations.

The school children (all 1038 of them) and some of their parents, several area dignitaries, village board members, and several of my friends gathered on Friday to help me celebrate the turnover of the Oldonyo Sambu Primary School classrooms to the community.

After a speech by the headmaster, the dancing began. 200+ kids, dressed in traditional Maasai costumes, dancing, singing, and jumping (part of the dancing). While the younger kids gathered around clapping, singing and cheering them on. So cool!

Then, six of the older female students (Grade 6 or 7) came forward and sang a poem they had written for me. If you have ever heard a Maasai woman sing, you will know how beautiful this moment was. So incredible.

I was then asked to step forward and receive some “gifts”…and by gifts, they meant an entirely new wardrobe. I was “dressed” by the Mamas of the village in two Maasai chukas, earrings, necklaces, anklets, and even shoes! Not gonna lie, I loved it! (And I kept it on all day and into the night!).

I gave a short speech as did a few of the other honored guests. Then we did a walkthrough of the GORGEOUS classrooms. Afterward, the entire community sat down with me for lunch. Good times!

I cannot tell you how happy I am with this project. It is really, truly amazing how far we have come from just 6 weeks ago when the structure was still covered in brambles and only half-standing.

I’ve posted a few photos to FB, so please check them out!: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=84340&id=1048689819&l=0bde3a2395

Thank you all again for your continued support and encouragement!

Heidi Henneman

PRESS RELEASE: NEW CLASSROOMS COMPLETED BY JENGA JUMUIYA AT OLDONYO SAMBU PRIMARY SCHOOL

Oldonyo Sambu, Arusha, Tanzania — November 12, 2010 –

 

Two new classrooms and a teachers’ office were dedicated to the community of Oldonyo Sambu on November 12, 2010, by International NGO Jenga Jumuiya, a United States-based non-profit organization working in tandem with Tanzanian Community Development Organization.

 

The project, begun in July 2010 and completed today, focused not only on building classroom capacity for the rural, heavily overcrowded school, but on encouraging community involvement in the process. To this end, the organization worked closely with the village and school boards to create a partnership by which the project was partially funded by the local community.

 

The two new classrooms and teachers’ office were erected on the site of, and using the existing concrete blocks from, a formerly built outer structure funded by the community in 2008. In addition, the village and parents of children in attendance at the school provided sand and stone for the construction.

 

Prior to the completion of these new classrooms, Oldonyo Sambu Primary School taught 1,038 students in a mere seven classrooms during the 2010 school year. The additional building brings the classroom count to nine.

 

The cost of the construction was approximately $7,000US and took approximately six weeks to complete. All funds were raised through donors in the United States through Jenga Jumuiya, under the direction of Heidi Henneman. Materials and labor were sourced locally in and around Arusha and Oldonyo Sambu in order to create economic stimulus for the area.

 

A dedication celebration was held to honor the Jenga Jumuiya organization and Ms. Henneman on November 12, 2010. The event featured traditional Maasai dancing and singing by the Oldonyo Sambu school children, speeches by school and community leaders, a poetry reading by several of the upperclass girls, an exchange of gifts, a speech by Ms. Henneman, a walk-through of the completed classrooms and office, and a lunch, served by the parents and teachers. More than 1,000 people were in attendance at the event, including students, teachers, parents, and community members.

Jenga Jumuiya is a United States-based non-profit organization focused on creating community through the building of classrooms, the renovation of existing school buildings, and the sponsorship of students in marginal and under-funded rural schools in developing countries. The organization was founded in 2010 by Heidi Henneman, a journalist and businesswoman who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Texas and a Professional Certificate in Global Affairs from New York University.  Ms. Henneman has traveled extensively throughout the world both as a tourist and a volunteer vacationer. She founded Jenga Jumuiya after visiting a cultural tourism program in Tanzania that opened her eyes to the need for education facilities in rural areas of developing countries.

 

For more information, please contact:

Heidi Henneman

Founder

Jenga Jumuiya

US: +1 646 373 9084

TZ: +255 (0)758 306 151

HeidiHenneman@gmail.com

 

OLDONYO SAMBU CLASSROOMS ARE COMPLETE!

Jenga Jumuiya has finished its first project and WOW! What an amazing experience this has been! Kazi kubwa lakini kazi nzuri, kabisa! (BIG work, but GOOD work, FOR SURE!)

The classrooms are finished. Roofs are on. Ceilings are up. Floors are in. Windows have glass. Walls, ceilings, chalkboards, doors and window frames are all painted. And as a very SPECIAL treat, one of our partner organization, Oikos East Africa installed solar panels so we could have ELECTRICITY in our beautiful new classrooms. Seriously. What a wonderful surprise! (I cannot even believe it!)

Tomorrow, with reporter in tow (thanks, Victor!) , we will be heading out to the school for the dedication ceremony where we will officially be turning over the classrooms to the village, school board, parents, and students. Cannot wait!

It astounds me that this project has actually come together…so wonderfully, so efficiently, in such a very short time. And I could not have done it without the help of my friends, family, co-workers, and even random strangers who have supported and contributed to this!

So, a BIG THANK YOU to all of you for your continued support to this project…and to the many more that will hopefully come in the future. A special and HUGE thank you to my project manager, Thomas Loai, who has been simply incredible; to my family who has been so supportive — especially my big brother Matt who has helped me sort through the maze that is the non-profit registration world and my mom who has helped calm my nerves when the going has gotten a bit rough;  and to my support team here in Arusha: Victor, Chris, Laila, Isaack, Monzoea — your continued friendship, encouraging words, and constant support of this project have made it all possible.

Lots and lots of photos will be coming after tomorrow’s ceremony. I can’t wait for you all to see it — IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!!

Thank you all so very much! — Asante sana! — Ashe Oleng!

Wooohoooo!

Heidi Henneman

The Big Project: So Close to Finished!!!

My thank you message to the fundis on the newest chalkboard.

Another dusty, bumpy trip to Oldonyo Sambu this week…but what a payoff!

The school looks AMAZING! The fundis were just finishing the final plastering of the back side of the building when we arrived. Two more ironsheets, a few more ceiling panels, and one more chalkboard need to be installed, but overall it looks fabulous.

Our fundis (contractors) have done incredible work. I am SO happy with them and with their attention to detail. They’ve really made this project a dream come true!

More photos have been uploaded to the FB link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82047&id=1048689819&l=0dfbe22d36

We delivered the paints, 20 more bags of cement, a few more nails, locks for the windows, and some additional painting supplies to the school. This time, via a smaller truck. We still need to purchase glass for the windows and a few last items, but overall, we are looking good!

We are SOOO close to finalizing this project — and absolutely thrilled with the progress.

I know I keep saying this, but donations really are very much still welcomed. My savings account is pretty much empty at this point, so whatever you, your friends, your church, your sports team, or your book club can do to help, it would be very much appreciated. Check out the How You Can Help link above for where to send checks or Paypal donations.

Thank you all again for your continued support of this project. I will be coming home very soon — and sending out proper “Thank yous”, receipts, etc. to all of my wonderful donors for your tax purposes.

Asante tena (thank you again!),

Heidi Henneman

THE BIG PROJECT — PHASE 2 IS ALMOST COMPLETE!

The fundis, Thomas, and Sarah at Oldonyo Sambu Primary School. Kasi nzuri, guys!

Doors, windows, plaster, ceiling boards, nails: It’s all coming together! Woohoo!

The roof is up. The ceilings are in. The plaster is drying. Phase 2 is ALMOST DONE!

Last week, after recovering from my challenging climb up Kilimanjaro (7 days, 19,549 feet, thankyouverymuch!), my project manager Thomas, my NYC friend Sarah and I made our way out to Oldonyo Sambu Primary School.

The fundis (contractor) were well under way plastering walls, installing doors, putting up ceiling board. Such kasi nzuri (good work)! I could not be happier with these guys. They are really working hard for us — and in the midst of some pretty rough conditions. (As Sarah can attest, it’s VERY dusty out there!).

Check out the newest photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82047&id=1048689819&l=0dfbe22d36

More info and photos to come shortly — we’re taking all of the painting supplies out tomorrow! (To start Phase 3!!!)

Thank you all again for your continued support. Donations are VERY MUCH still welcomed!!! You can donate via the button on the right (Donate Now!) or by sending a check to the address listed in How You Can Help.

Hope you are all having a wonderful October!

All the best to you and yours,
Heidi Henneman

THE BIG PROJECT BUILD HAS BEGUN!

Bariki (center) and Oldonyo Sambu kids, with The Big Truck in the background.

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN:  We have officially started the Build at Oldonyo Sambu!!!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!

It is such a huge dream come true! It has been Kasi Kubwa (BIG WORK!) to get this off the ground and in motion. It is hard to believe that just a few months ago, I was sitting in New York, dreaming about this day. It has been an interesting and challenging road for sure, but I have learned so much and am so thankful to have been given this opportunity in my life.

Yesterday, my WONDERFUL project manager Thomas and I loaded up a 5 ton truck and headed out to Oldonyo Sambu…(Ok, we didn’t “actually” load it, but a bunch of really strong guys did, and I took photos, so that counts, right?). As always happens in Africa, things didn’t get off to the quickest start.  But after about 5 stops at various hardware and lumber stores throughout Arusha to pick up supplies, we ambled off to the school, about an hour-long, very bumpy, dusty drive from town. We were in a follow-on car, not in the semi, and I got a few pictures of the dust cloud we traveled under, thanks to being behind the truck.

At the school, we were greeted by teachers, village elders, and some of the kids (who were peeping out of their classrooms with wide eyes). In one classroom, the kids were singing…in another, they were practicing their English (“Good morning, Sir.” “How are you, Sir?” “I am fine, thank you.”), and in another, I think a math session was going on.

When the class bell was rung, the kids swarmed out of the classrooms…and many swarmed around me. Some remembered my name, others learned it for the first time: “Niatwa Heidi.” (I am called Heidi.) For most, it still comes out as Irene…but I’m hoping someday they’ll get it right.

Meanwhile, the guys (including Thomas for about 5 minutes…) started off-loading the supplies and then our contractor Simien and I took account of everything that arrived. Here was our list:

52 ironsheets
132 pieces of 2×2 wood (6 meters long)
80 bags of cement
10 bags of lyme
60 ceiling boards
18 pieces of 2×3 wood  (6 meters long)
24 pieces of triangulated wood trim for ceiling(6 meters long)
16 pieces of  wood trim 1×8 for roofing (6 meters long)
30 pieces of ventilation ductwork
13 pieces of roof edging
4 types of nails (counted, weighed, etc.)
6 empty buckets
Already at the school:
300 concrete bricks (purchased by school, but costs have been reimbursed)
1 load (0f 2) of red sand (provided by  Village and Parents)
1 load (of 3) of gravel/small stone (provided by Village and Parents)

PHEW! What a day! So exciting! Please check out the photos:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80368&id=1048689819&l=a873cedf45

Thanks to my generous and loving friends and family, we raised enough donations to START the project…but we still have quite a bit left to do before it is complete. (Phases 2, 3, and 4 are not yet funded!) Every little bit helps (truly, truly!). So, if you would please share this blog with your friends, family, coworkers, classmates, EVERYONE!, it would be much appreciated.

Asante tena! (Thank you, again!)

Hope you are all happy, healthy, and enjoying life!

Heidi Henneman

JENGA JUMUIYA — Building Community Through School Building

So, I have a bit of news! We have come up with a name for the NGO:
Jenga Jumuiya
Building Community Through School Building

You remember the game “Jenga”, right? Well, “Jenga” is the Swahili work for “Build”. “Jumuiya” is the Swahili word for “Community”. So, Jenga Jumuiya = Community Build – or —  Building Community.

Our tagline is “Building Community Through School Building”.

I’ll come up with a logo, a dedicated site, and hopefully some marketing materials soon. We also have a tax ID number now, as a precursor to being registered as an official 501(c)3 — so your generous contributions will soon be tax deductible!

In regards to the budget, we are still short of our goal to start The Big Project (Oldonyo Sambu Primary School) — we need about $4000 to purchase the supplies, pay the contractor, etc. (Desks, chalkboard, etc. will come later.) I’m really hoping to raise these funds soon so that we can get started on the Build in the next few weeks.

With that in mind, I am again asking for your support for the project. I now also have a new way for you to donate! We have just set up an account for the project, under the name Jenga Jumuiya. You can send checks to the following address:

Jenga Jumuiya
c/o: Matt Henneman
711 Louisiana Street, Suite 1800
Houston, TX 77002

This will go to my brother, who is serving as Treasurer for the organization. Thanks for your help with this, Matt!

You can also still use the PayPal link by clicking “Donate Now!” on the right. Whichever you prefer!

Thanks again to all of you for your support and contributions to this project!

Asante sana!

Heidi

School Updates — and Link to a Video!

Apologies for being out of touch the past few weeks. It has been a fast and furious time! My good friend Anna from NYC was here…we went on safari, visited Zanzibar, and made some major steps forward with the projects.

MAVINUNI SCHOOL UPDATE:

First let me update you on the Mavinuni School — The Little Project. I am thrilled to announce that we now have the funds we need to buy the iron sheets (galvanized aluminum roofing) for the classroom! Also, with the help of Anna’s mom, we secured the funds for the nails. Thank you, Mrs. Wright! The local community has already supplied the timber for the roofing beams. So, we are now merely waiting for the parents of the children to give the rest of their money for the labor costs…and for the September break to come. Construction is scheduled to start on or after September 10^th, when the kids will be out of school for a two-week break. Fingers crossed that everything comes together!

Anna and I visited the school last week, took a ton of photos and recorded this VIDEO (if link does not work, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87m5Az-c4RQ). It is exactly the type of message we are trying to get across about education. Take a look – and “Come and Join Us!”

The next thing we will need for the Mavinuni School are DESKS! We are estimating each desk to cost approximately $20US (30,000Tsh). We will need 28 more desks (two have already been secured with funds from the Wright family – thank you Toni and Olin!). We will also need a teacher’s desk and teacher’s chair. Costs for these are estimated at $20US (30,000Tsh) and $10US (15,000Tsh), respectively.

(An itemized list is posted under the HOW YOU CAN HELP tab above.)

OLDONYO SAMBU SCHOOL UPDATE:

Now onto Oldonyo Sambu – The Big Project.

Phew. What a week! On Thursday, my project manager Thomas, Ujumbe Magazine editor Victor, my friend Anna, myself, and our driver Justin squeezed into a Toyota Corolla and made the trek out to Oldonyo Sambu. This wasn’t your every day safari, let me tell you: Bumpy, half-built, diverson-filled roads. A rolled landcruiser blocking traffic for about a mile. Three inches of dust on the car by the time we arrived. And then PARLIAMENT. No, not the national one, but still quite an important one in its own right: the Oldonyo Sambu Village Parliament.

This group of gentleman and one woman met us at a nursery school/community building, invited us to sit on preschool-size desks, and listened to our explanation of what we are trying to do. Thomas spoke on my behalf, as did Victor, who is also Maasai. The meeting went something like this: Thomas explained the project. The Village Chairman asked many questions. A couple members emphasized how important it is to go through the village parliament for projects such as this (they have reports they must file, have the ability to organize the community behind the project, and generally just like to be kept in the loop).  The Village Chairman thanked (Sir) Thomas for his help in bringing this project to the community, then asked questions to me on what I need from them in terms of supplies and partnership. Then Victor said a few words about how time is of the essence with this project. And we concluded with a few rounds of Thank you, Asante sana, and Ashe nale. The board seemed very happy with the project and promised to provide labor, sand, and stone…and perhaps cement, but I couldn’t make that part out specifically.

It was a relief and an honor to receive their blessing on the project.  Without the community’s partnership, this project would be a waste of time and energy. Our whole point is to build community through school building…and thankfully, we now have the community’s backing. YAY!

After our meeting, we piled back into the car and headed to the school. Here, Anna and Victor got to see firsthand the state of deterioration this place is in…and how many students are jammed into the classrooms. We played a quiz game with the Grade 7 kids – giving them pens and pencils that Anna and Victor had brought as prizes. It was hilarious – especially when they started asking questions to us in English. We were expecting “Where are you from? Or What is your name?” Instead, we got: What year did Pakistan and India unite? Yikes!

Then we headed to the Mungayo house for tea. Anna got to see the inside of a Maasai boma (mud house) – which I think impressed her. Very simple living, but still quite nice. Thomas, Anna, Victor and I played with the kids for quite a bit – they were astounded by Anna’s blonde hair. It’s definitely not something you see very often in the Maasailands. And I got to see all of the local kids I have met over the years (school was out for the day by this time). It was really cool to see all of the little faces, grown by a year or two now, but all still recognizable! So much fun!

In terms of the budget for the Oldonyo Sambu school, we are also pretty far along it…and we should have an itemized list for that posted shortly – once I confirm a few last prices.

So that’s the latest. I’ll be updating Facebook with more photos of the schools shortly. Please check out the HOW YOU CAN HELP tab above for more information on how to donate.

Thank you, Asante sana, and Ashe nale to all of you for your continued support, inspiration, offers to help, and much-needed guidance.

I hope you are all having a great end of the summer – and getting ready for the school year. Education is for everyone – so please support your local schools and community learning centers!!! (And watch the video…I think you’ll love it!)

All the best to you and yours,

Heidi Henneman

Serendipity – or How to Get Things Done in Africa

Well, I must say it was a very promising day.

Bright and early, I hopped the dalla dalla into town to meet with my Big Project partner, Thomas. The Big Project, as I call it, is the Oldonya Sambu Primary School project. We are working to put a roof on the existing structure, and little by little finish the classrooms (2) and teacher’s office (1). Further goals have been set on this project as well, but these are the initial steps.

The goal of today was to flush out the budget to see what we are really talking about in terms of materials. We had been shopping around various parts of town for the last couple of days in search of the best deals, but hadn’t really made much headway. Thomas had found a store on the far end of town late Tuesday afternoon that seemed to have good prices, so we were headed there to do some serious price shopping.

After I got off the dalla dalla – one stop too far, of course…it’s so hard to see when you’re packed with 20 people in a minivan! — Thomas and I started walking toward the hardware store. We made it all of 20 feet, if that, before Thomas stopped to talk to an older gentleman on the street who was carrying an ebony stick. When walking in Tanzania, you really can’t just make a beeline for wherever you are going, you have to stop and say hi to everyone, and if you know them, you should stop and exchange greetings for a few minutes before continuing on. So stopping to talk to someone is just a matter of course. Usually, I say my mangled “hello, how are you?” in Swahili and let whomever I am with do the talking. This time, though, the gentleman looked so familiar that I had to ask if I knew him. Sure enough, I did: he is the village chairman for the Oldonya Sambu village – the same village where the primary school is located! Just to give you an idea of how surprising this was: For my Illinois crew…it’s like seeing Duke Hebeler (Thomson Village President) sitting next to you at a Cubs game. For my NYC crew…it’s like randomly seeing someone from your hometown – however far away that is — in Times Square. I had met the village chairman in 2007 when I first gave a donation to the school…and he certainly remembered me!  He gave me big smile and a long, long handshake – “Karibu sana. Karibu sana.” (Welcome! Welcome!) He was in town for a district meeting for all of the village chairmen and the ebony stick signified his rank (he is like a town mayor in the US). Looking around, I realized there were many other distinguished looking men, all in suits or native dress, carrying similar ebony sticks. (I wonder if they all speak softly…hmmm.) We exchanged “Habari” (greetings) with the chairman, and Thomas explained to him that we were doing the “shopping” for the school project. Did I mention that we were sourcing supplies for HIS school? Yes, he seemed very pleased.

At the hardware store, Thomas and I discussed our project with the mama there who gave us a list of prices – and they were much better than the original budget! There are a few prices I am still not completely thrilled with, so we still have some shopping, negotiating and prioritizing left to do, but for the most part, I think we are in a good place.

One of the things I am trying ensure is that this is a community project — and that the community is involved in every step of this. Although we had met with the school headmaster and teachers, and the village elders (including the chairman) knew of my interest in helping, we had yet to discuss the project in detail with the village chairman. So after Thomas and I reviewed the price list, and realized the chairman was still talking to people on the street, we decided to take advantage of his presence and ask his opinion: “What did he think would be best to ask the community to contribute?”, “How should we proceed?”, “What ideas does he have?”. Of course, he had many.

First, I have now been officially invited to attend the next Village Board meeting…whenever that may be. I have also been invited to the village chairman’s house to meet his family and have dinner with them. He would like to call a meeting of all the members of the village to have them meet me and explain to everyone what we are trying to accomplish. He thinks several of the basic supplies: sand, gravel, bricks, and a few other items, can be sourced in the community. He will also reach out to the community to have them assist with labor. And he may know of someone with a truck who can haul it all for us. That side-of-the-street conversation alone saved about 3 weeks of arranging meetings, figuring out sourcing, and getting information. This is indeed why you stop to say hello to people on the street, and never hurry on your way here. I’m sure he said several other things that didn’t get translated for me, but one thing I know for sure: We ran into the right man!

Yep, a very promising day for sure. Now if I could just master the dalla dalla system…