Duma Gives Back

Duma Explorer is committed to providing an experience that promotes responsible travel and sustainable ecotourism efforts. Duma gives back to the local Arusha community through its school donation program and re-investment in the local economy. Duma also connects travelers with meaningful volunteer experiences should they wish to remain in Tanzania after their safari or mountain trek.

Ndatu Kindergarten Donation Program

In November, 2007, Duma Explorer established a formal donation program with Ndatu Kindergarten, a school located in a rural area approximately 20 miles from Arusha. The photo on the left shows the building site when construction began. The photo on the right shows the completed building.

Since then, Duma has raised approximately USD 25,000.00 through clients and its own funds to construct a new building for the kindergarten. The new building consists of two classrooms and offices for the teachers, replacing the older school building, a one room wooden structure.

In August, 2009, Duma Explorer finished construction of the building and opened one classroom. Fifty students attend Ndatu Kindergarten and they are divided into morning and afternoon classes. The kindergarten will hold its first graduation ceremony in November of this year and graduating students will enter government primary school in January.

Additionally, the school received a donation Balcarras School in England to send a teacher to two years of Montessori training in Moshi. The selection process for the new teacher has begun and the chosen applicant will begin school in January 2010.

In 2009, eight groups have volunteered at the school helping local counterparts paint, construct floors, garden, move dirt and dig water trenches. Volunteers come from Wales, Scotland, Great Britain, New Zealand and the USA. In addition to work at the school, volunteers tour the village and visit local families. (Please click on each photo to view a larger version on Flickr.)

Future projects at the school include playground construction, ground leveling, fencing, gardening, making furniture and supplies, and sponsoring needy students. If you are interested in volunteering, visiting the school, or making a monetary or in-kind donation, please let us know.

Please click on each photo name to view a larger version on Flickr.
1. Exterior of Ndatu Kindergarten, 2. Student, 3. At Play, 4. Students , 5. Children reciting lessons, 6. Students

We thank all of the volunteers, organizations and individual donors who have made the school's completion possible.

Commitment to Tanzania and the Arusha Economy

Duma is deeply committed to the development of the Tanzanian economy. Profits from Duma Explorer remain in Tanzania and local suppliers are used whenever possible. Guides, cooks and mountain porters are from the Arusha and Kilimanjaro Regions. Duma provides small loans to its employees during the slow season to help employees and their families improve their homes, send children to school and farm their fields. Duma also invests heavily in employee education and development. Guides, cooks and porters attend language workshops, Wilderness First Responder courses, wildlife trainings and driving classes.

Duma Explorer is a proud partner for responsible travel with the International Mountain Explorers Connection and Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project. Duma is one of just a few Kilimanjaro trekking companies to qualify for IMEC/KPAP membership.

Recommended Volunteer Program

Duma recommends Global Service Corps and can help you arrange a volunteer experience before or after your safari or mountain trek. Global Service Corps offers a unique way to experience Tanzania through its two-week, short-term and long-term programs. Volunteers serve the community by working on HIV/AIDS prevention and sustainable agriculture projects. With Global Service Corps, volunteers experience Tanzanian culture by living in homestays.

Those who participate in volunteer programs receive a 5% discount on all Duma-arranged safaris and treks.

If you would like to donate, please contact Duma owner Stacy Readal for details, at stacy_readal@dumaexplorer.com.