Tanzania: Heart & Soul of Kilimanjaro Program for Teens

I was very impressed with my daughter’s service-learning experience with GLA in Tanzania last summer. She received thoughtful guidance and immersion into the local culture and day to day living in the village of Arusha near Kilimanjaro. Here the students give of their time and knowledge to teach and help in executing community projects that improve the lives of local citizens. In turn they learn what it is to engage another culture through their traditions and beliefs. And they are introduced to the diversity of the natural environment that my daughter could only describe as wonderfully strange. This intense three week international experience was inspiring and enriching and reminded my daughter and our family of the promise for what it is to be a global citizen.

My daughter went on a a 3 week program in Tanzania with the GLA last summer 2017. I had never heard of GLA prior to 2017 but after her expressed interests in taking part in this program, I read everything I could find about it and felt good enough to register her. Everything went without a hitch, all preparations prior to departure were done quickly and painless ourselves because everything was prescribed. And before long, it was departure time, and off she goes to Africa, on her own, meeting up with other teens going to the same program on their flights there to Tanzania. While she was in Africa, I didn’t worry at all because I got email and blog updates on what the kids are up to, with pictures even. I could call her if I needed to, and she could call me and text me while there. All in all, she had “the best 3 weeks of her life so far” and the memories and lessons learned are priceless! I would let her do it again, if she so inclined. I am glad she got to experience this incredible adventure on her own with other teens her age and with experienced guides and a local organizer. This is something that will affect her long after the trip is over.

Hello, my name is Iman and I went on a Global Leadership Adventures 3-week program to Tanzania this past summer. I have traveled out of the country with my family multiple times in the past, but I had never flown internationally alone. Naturally, I was extremely nervous. However, when I met most of the other GLA participants before our flight to Tanzania, we hit it right off. When we arrived, all of us 30 students got to know each other so well and became extremely close in a matter of days. The fact that we could all relate to each other, yet we were all so different, made volunteering in the Tanzanian community (primarily teaching English at a local school and refurbishing the school) and exploring the country a blast. Throughout the program, I felt safe wherever we went--even if we were in the middle of safari among giraffes,
lions, and elephants! (There's a bodyguard on watch at the home base at all times.) In addition, the mentors are extremely caring about making your experience reflective and memorable. This trip opened me up to a world of travel that I had never before been exposed to. I highly recommend any teen who is seeking an opportunity to make an impact on a foreign community and to be immersed in another culture to look into a GLA program. Personally, I would recommend the 3-week programs (if possible for you) in order to get the full experience.

My daughter Hollie did the 2 week Tanzania trip with GLA in June, 2017. Hollie absolutely loved the entire trip, and was so inspired by it, that her feet have not touched the ground since! Thanks to the meaningful service work that GLA did on her trip (refurbish the classrooms), Hollie even took her service a step further when she returned home, by creating a fundraiser for the kids school, to further refurbish. Her fundraiser has gone very well so far, and she even has future plans to return back ASAP. Also, Hollie made several amazing friends on her trip, three of which happen to be from the same state as us, so they have gotten together multiple times, as well as two who live in the town where she will be attending college, and ones who stay in touch over the phone. GLA sparked a passion in Hollie that I know will be lifelong. If your child is thinking about going on a GLA trip, stop thinking and just GO. They will come home with so much more appreciation of the life they live in the USA.

My daughter went on the 2 week Tanzania trip in 2017. I cannot say enough about how fantastic GLA is! She had the trip of a lifetime. Not only did she fall absolutely in love with Tanzania (the second she got home she has been bugging us about going back!), she loved the experience as a whole, exploring, teaching the children, and meeting new friends from all across the globe and spending this journey with them. She has truly met friends of a lifetime and has already reconnected with some friends back here in the United States multiple times! How cool is that? I would highly recommend GLA to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Their professionalism is amazing, and they truly do everything they say they are going to do. They made planning this trip very easy and will answer any question with delight! From the second we began to plan our daughters trip with GLA, to the second she returned home, everything went as smooth as possible! GLA changed my daughters life, and for that, I am forever grateful!

This past summer, I traveled 7,515 miles from New Jersey, USA to Tanzania, Africa, all thanks to Global Leadership Adventures (GLA). Truthfully, words could never adequately describe the experience I had. Before leaving, I was skeptical of the GLA Tanzania Alumni I would see saying things like "life changing" and the "experience of a lifetime". Boy, was I wrong! It definitely is something that you have to experience for yourself to truly understand. However, I hope that in seeing my love and passion for the program, along with thousands of others teens from all around the world, that you are inspired to give it a go! On the Tanzania 14 day program, you get to teach at a primary school for one week, complete 30 hours of volunteer service (doing some type of refurbishing on the school), spend a day with a host family, explore local markets, villages and communities, spend time in an orphanage, hike the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro and even swim in a river there, tour a coffee farm, dance with locals, create traditional African art, embark on a two day safari (AMAZING), try new and exotic foods, and SO much more. Additionally, you make real, deep, meaningful connections with like-minded teenagers who will absolutely, positively be some life long friends of yours! Most importantly though, you learn about yourself! Whoever you are and wherever you came from, you are guaranteed to be enlightened, awakened and have an entirely new perspective on the world at large once your time is up! If you're really daring, I would even say to go for the Flagship (21 day) program, because 14 days really fly! Take a chance! GO FOR IT!

I went to Moshi, Tanzania with Global Leadership Adventures for two weeks this summer and it was incredible! The local staff was absolutely amazing and we all got so close with them. The mentors were very supportive and fun to hang out with. Our service consisted of teaching and refurbishing a school, and was very rewarding and so much fun! The food on this trip was SO GOOD but, for picky eaters, the staff was always willing to make something that you like. We went to a coffee plantation, orphanage, batik painting lesson and saw cultural dancers perform as well as hiked to the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro! I really recommend this trip because it was honestly the most eye-opening time of my life, and was truly unforgettable!

My daughter went to Tanzania last summer, and you should have seen my face when she first asked me what I thought about her travelling half way across the world with an organization I had never heard of before! I was nervous, but Global Leadership Adventures was so quick to answer all of the questions I had for them, and in so much detail. The organization made me feel comfortable and I was very confident my daughter was in good hands. I recommend Global Leadership Adventures to anyone with an adventurous child. We heard about the Tanzania for months after my daughter returning home, but we don't mind, it really did change her life!