Activities of HELFEN MACHT SCHULE

Latest News

On his last visit in Tanzania our Vice-Chairman Dr. Michael Bauer had the  big Honour to fulfill a very pleasant Duty:

He was selected by HMS to invite Mr. Joseph Minde, Cook and Truck-Driver, and the Headmaster at Kishumundu Secondary School Mr. Amedeus Kimath, on behalf of Helfen macht Schule to visit Germany in June 2024. That message was a very big surprise to both of them, as they didn't expected this invitation at all. The invited two persons and all their family members, friends and colleagues were very happy.

Herzlich Willkommen - Karibuni - at Germany in June 2024!

Christmas Market

After a three years forced interruption due to COVID19 pandemy we happily could restart our beloved Pre-Christmas Gathering at Kopernikusschule. On 1st of december our grade 6 classes provided the school community with a wonderfull festival to bring us into the right mood for the Christmas and End of the Year season.

The pupils had a lot fun to offer nice Christmas decoration, Cookies, useful things, as well as delicous food and drinks to the Guests.

Calendar 2024

As in the recent years Winfried Sommer wasn't tired at all and created a beautiful Calendar with pictures from Africa to enjoy us and to make some money for our projects. Asante sana Winfried!

First Tanzania-Evening after COVID-Interruption

After three years without our informative Tanzania-Evenings, due to the COVID19 pandemy and it's restrictions concerning gatherings, we recently could relaunch this activity. The guests and presenters were happy to enjoy shared time packed with information about the development of our society in the last 21 years, the progress of projects at our partner schools in Tanzania, and the careers of some former students, which became possible due to a good school education provided by Kishumundu Secondary School or Vocational Training Centre Moshi.

In addition the numberless personal friendships which evoked due to personal contacts during visits of german friends and student groups in Tanzania and visits of tanzanian guests in Germany were recalled. In more than 20 years support a lot goals were achieved, and quite some are still in work.

Finally Winfried Sommer presented one of his Shows presenting the beautiness of the tanzanian Landscapes, Wildlife and Culture.

New Chairman

Helfen macht Schule - Calendar 2023

In the past 20 years Helfen macht Schule, in cooperation with its members and supporters, has done a lot 
to improve our partner schools and to enable education for children of poor families. 
We are not tired to do this and still like to go on!

In 2006, Helfen macht Schule played a key role in the founding process of the vocational school (VTC) 
by the Ploemel School Brothers in Moshi, the Vocational Training Centre (VTC). 
The school became one of our partner schools together with Kishumundu Secondary School. Projects 
of the last ten years are documented in the Archive with pictures, films and reports. 
Take a look: Welcome - Karibu!

The motto in the background of the first picture is guiding us right from the beginning. 
Examples are depictured in the following images, which show what we are doing for our partner schools:

Interview with Mr. Mangesho about his Experiences in Germany 

Due to private invitations Mr. Mangesho, former english teacher at Kishumundu Secondary School, travelled to Germany in mid of november. Shortly before he traveled back to Tanzania after his four weeks stay

Dr. Michael Bauer interviewed him about impressions, experiences and highlights of his stay. For this movie english (and german) subtitles are available.

Mr. Mangesho gave many talks at Kopernikusschule and thus informed about 50 classes about the projects of Helfen macht Schule in Kishumundu Secondary School and at the VTC Moshi. He also met a lot of friends and visited nice places, like the Museum of Nature in Frankfurt with it's huge skeletons of dinosaur. His personal highlight was a visit in nearby mountains where he experienced snow for the first time in his life.

Good Results at Kishumundu Secondary School (Feb. 2021)

Regardless the several month long break due to the outbreak of Corona in spring 2020 the form IV students have performed VERY well at their final exams. Teachers of Kishumundu Secondary School prepared them very good for this challenge. Country-wide Kishumundu Secondary School reached  position 604 of 3956 schools, in the region Kilimanjaro it´s on position 64 of 275 participating schools, as indicated here: https://maktaba.tetea.org/exam-results/CSEE2020/s0492.htm  . 

We congratulate all involved individuals, but especially the successful students!

In addition Form II underwent the intermediate Exams and also performed well: 

Kishumundu Secondary School with good Results at CSEE 2019 (Feb. 2020)

Like in the recent years Kishumundu Secondary School students performed quite well at the final exams CSEE 2019 of Form IV. Congratulations to the students and their teachers! The school holds it´s good position within the TOP 20 % of Tanzania (see graph with results of the last five years).

CSEE Results 2019 

2019  

Christmas Bazar at Kopernikusschule and the Municipal Hall of Freigericht (Dec. 2019)

Upper panel: Like in the recent years we had a Christmas Bazar at Kopernikusschule, The 6th graders cooked, created, prepared, drawed etc. nice things, which were sold to the visitors. Helfen macht Schule had also some stands to sell the Africa Calendar 2020, African Art Works and other things, as well as to inform about the projects. The generated Profits of all activities were donated to Helfen macht Schule.

Lower panel: To advertise our activities and projects we also were present on the Christmas Market of Freigericht.

Calendar for 2020 (Autumn 2019)

 We almost couldn´t believe it ! Our new calendar is readily produced at begin of August. Winfried Sommer once more created a very nice calendar entitled "Being Guest in Tanzania" with absolutely amazing, very colorful pictures. The Title picture shows a worker on the coffee farm Machare, during the visit of one of the adult groups in 2018.

In August and September Mr. Shayo was invited to visit Germany. He stood one week at Alexander von Humboldt-School in Viernheim and three weeks at Kopernikusschule in Freigericht. Beside numerous visits in classes he met many friends of his school and got invited to serveral activities, e.g. to join our traditional Helfen macht Schule Summer Barbecue. He reported about Developments at his School on Tanzania-Evenings at Kopernikusschule and Alexander von Humboldt-School and in many personal talks to Friends. 

Please click on an image to get further information.

On january 18th the Students of the last Visitorgroup, supported by Mrs. Pohlede, were giving a report about the Experiences and Impressions they made during their visit in Tanzania. The guests enjoyed a wonderful evening with colorfull pictures and intense personal reports.

In the second part Br. Stanislaus Shija, our guest of honor (he's the founder and former Headmaster of the Vocational Training Centre (VTC) Moshi), reported about the work and recent developments of the VTC.

Mr. Sommer closed the meeting by showing the newest one of his wonderful Mediashows.

As in the recent years we participated at the Christmas Market of Somborn. We sold handcrafted products from Tanzania, our new calendar which was designed once again by Winfried Sommer, and much more. We also informed curious visitors about our projects and the ways we support of our partner schools.

Like in recent years we enjoyed our yearly Summer-Barbecue, that took place on August 25th. The recently returned Tanzania-Visitors had a lot interesting Stories to tell to those, which couldn´t participate.

Like in the recent years Winfried Sommer designed a beautiful Calendar to generate some Money for our projects. See below the result: OUR Helfen Macht Schule-CALENDAR 2019 !

As scheduled two german groups with a total count of 31 individuals visited our projects in July 2018. They were warmly welcomed at our project schools: Kishumundu Secondary School and the Vocational Training Centre Moshi (VTC). Our Board Member Winfried Sommer organized the tour with all his experience in a very professional way. He was supported by Dr. Michael Bauer, who´s also a frequent visitor at the Project Schools.

In the past five years Winfried Sommer organized two journeys for members of Helfen macht Schule to visit our projects in Tanzania. Not only, that the visitors made friends in Tanzania, very often the visits intensified their participation in ongoing and future activities of Helfen macht Schule. Due to this very positive general effects Mr. Sommer agreed to organize another journey. It will happen in the german summer holidays in july 2018.

Dear tanzanian friends - we hope you are not shocked about the visitor number! The interesst to take part was that high that two groups had to be established :-) . Report in the local newspaper. See you in 2018!

Due to a private invitation by friends the headmaster of Kishumundu Secondary School, Mr. Kiwara, and his wife Rachel recently visited Germany. Although on a private journey, they visited Kopernikusschule and met a lot friends which they made throughout the years.

See here a "Making of" to one of the presented Pictures:

On 15th of december our students who visited Tanzania in autum 2016 presented their impressions and experiences to the school community at our yearly Tanzania-Evening. The audience was highly excited by the reports and pictures. Local Newspaper report: Gelnhäuser Neue Zeitung of december, 17th, 2016.

Like in the recent years we offered african goods and our calendar on local christmas markets in the nearer area and at the christmas bazar of Kopernikusschule. These acitivities generate one part of the money that is spend for our projects. The left picture shows our chairman Reinhold Wissel and other members at a christmas market on sunday, 11th of december. On the right picture Mr. Sommer, the responsible person for production of our calendar, and Dr. Bauer, our webmaster, are displayed. 

THEY DID IT ! During my stay in august I (webmaster Dr. Bauer) was told by Br. Shija that he hopes to move into the new Boys Dormatory in 1-2 months. Now Winfried Sommer, who is currently in Tanzania, has sent us the pictures below. They show one of the two sleeping rooms and a total view of the new building. The new building was mainly constructed by the students and teachers of the VTC. CONGRATULATIONS - WELL DONE ! Scroll further down if you like to see the state of august for comparison.

Left pictures: The new teacher house and class room scene at Kishumundu Secondary School.

Right pictures: First year students of masonry work on the Boys dormitory and morning assembly at Vocational Training Centre Moshi. The third year students were absent due to internships at various companies.

On June, 3rd, Fraterin Meraba arrived in Germany. Mr. Meraba is teacher at Majengo Secondary School in Moshi. He has been in Germany 20 years ago. This was a good reason for his friends to invite him for another stay to refresh memories.  More about his current visit in Germany will be reported here soon!

First week

After a short time of acclimatization Fraterin´s current host Mr. Winfried Sommer took him to the Alps, an important European mountain range in the south of Germany, which is 1200 km in width and stretches into eight countries, namely Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco and France. The highest mountain of the Alps, the Mont Blanc, reaches 4810 m and thus is higher as Mount Meru, but not as high as Kilimanjaro. As you can see on the pictures below they had a spendid time there and during a visit in the austrian city Salzburg.

Second week

In the mornings Fraterin visited several classes at Kopernikusschule to inform our students about the daily life and school in Tanzania. He also joined some classes during normal periods, e.g. to observe different teaching methods like student-centered teaching in Mathematics, or an object- and investigation-centered period (practical investigation of the properties of Dry Ice) in Natural Sciences. Watch these movies about a class of Dr. Bauer doing experiments with dry ice similar to what Fraterin saw: Dry Ice Movie I , Dry Ice Movie II . 

Of course we took him through the school to show him the improvements since his last visit in 1996. He was deeply impressed by the equipment of the Science classrooms: "Something like this is not provided even at the best universities of Tanzania" he spontanously stated. The afternoons were used to take him to special locations in the proximity of our school, e.g. historical cities, museums etc., and to meet friends. In the evenings he frequently enjoyed to watch matches of the European Soccer Championship EURO 2016 in France.

Third week

In this week Fraterin Meraba has been guest at a friend of him in another region of Germany. On daily excursions he has been e.g. in the beautiful city of Heidelberg. On our yearly Helfen macht Schule barbecue he was back to be our guest of honour. 

Forth week

Again Fraterin has been guest at some friends of him. After his return into our region on the weekend we visited Seligenstadt, an ancient city nearby. In a few days he will leave Germany and fly back home.

Nsuri Safari Fraterin! We hope you enjoyed your stay.

German visitors of HELFEN MACHT SCHULE in Tanzania

Recently a group of HELFEN MACHT SCHULE members visited our tanzanian partner schools. It is the second time that such a journey was offered to our members. Likewise 2013 the tour was organized and guided by Winfried Sommer. The visitors were deeply impressed by the insights into the daily life and living conditions of families in Tanzania and the educational work at our partner schools. In the second part they visited the Serengeti, Tarangire, and Lake Manyara National Parks, as well as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to enjoy the prettiness of the tanzanian Nature.

Benefiz concert of Peter Schüler

On sunday, 17th of january Peter Schüler was giving a concert for the benefit of HELFEN MACHT SCHULE. At Freigericht lutherian church he presented op. 89, the "Winterreise“, of Franz Schubert Donations to HELFEN MACHT SCHULE will be spend for new beds at the VTC in Moshi.

2015  

Christmas bazar of Kopernikus-School 2015

On november, 27th the traditional Christmas bazar of Kopernikus-School took place. As usual a great number of visitors showed up and our students of the 6th classes had good opportunies to sell their christmas goods.   Helfen macht Schule offered tanzanian art, coffee and our famous calendar for 2016 (see below).

Update: Construction of a new Teachers house at Kishumundu Secondary School

Calender 2016 of Helfen macht Schule

In Germany we started to sell our new calender 2016, entitled "Africas colorful diversity". We are very grateful to Winfried Sommer, the designer, layouter and main photographer, for his passionate work.

German visitors in Tanzania

With the aim to raise the interest of Tanzanians to protect their environment, Dr. Bauer (left), Mr. Sommer (right) and Mr. Pieke (the photographer, thus not displayed) went on a study tour to Tarangire National Park together with some students, teachers and staff members of Kishumundu Secondary School. Everybody was excited by the wonderful animals and landscape, which both clearly need strict protection from destructive forces, like poaching, illegal ivory trading, enviromental pollution and others.

Construction of a new teacher house at Kishumundu

On their visit in 2013 a group of Helfen macht Schule realized the bad living conditions of the teachers at Kishumundu Secondary School. Back in Germany Helfen macht Schule decided to improve them by building a new house for teachers. It will offer four flats, each of them consisting of one room and an own bathroom. Here you see actual pictures of the house from 15th of august 2015.

Tanzanian guest in Germany

Our tanzanian guest Mrs. Aggiflavia Massawe stood in Germany from friday, 5th of june 2015 till sunday 12th of july. Please find below an overview about the experiences she made during her stay.

After being welcomed in Germany during a barbecue with a huge number of Helfen macht Schule members Aggiflavia spent her first week at our partner school Alexander-von-Humboldt-Schule in Viernheim.

Banner heading: Mäuse = Mice, but it is also a german nickname for money. At both german partner schools the students collect deposit bottles and spend the refund money to projects at the tanzanian partner schools.

In her last week Aggiflavia was back in the classes at Kopernikusschule. On thursday she joined our Tanzania-Evening at school. Please read more in the separate report below.

On saturday all members of Helfen macht Schule had the opportunity to say Farewell to her on our yearly celebrated big Helfen macht Schule Barbecue party at a nice hut in a forrest. By coincidence she had her birthday on that day!

Tanzania Evening of Kopernikusschule and HELFEN MACHT SCHULE

On july 9th our traditional Tanzania-Evening took place at our School. After the welcome speech by Mrs. Schmeckthal and Silke Pohlede, member of the school board and Vice-Chairwoman of HELFEN MACHT SCHULE, respectively, the evening was opened by singing the national anthem of Tanzania by our special guest Aggiflavia Massawe and former visitors of Tanzania. The guests saw nice Mediashows of Winfried Sommer and gained interesting insights in the life of Aggiflavia from childhood to her present work as teacher at Kishumundu Secondary School. Once again our guest Aggiflavia turned out to be a charming, competent and sympathic ambassador of her school and country.

In the second part Chiara Schöppner presented her movie about the Vocational Training Centre (VTC), which was filmed during the last student journey to Tanzania in autum 2014. Finally the chairman of HELFEN MACHT SCHULE Reinhold Wissel closed the evening with some grateful words to the guests and all participants.