Most recent A Better World humanitarian trip in Africa. (Supplied)

By Alessia Proietti

Group of 26

A Better World returns from month-long humanitarian trip; impressed by level of local support

Nov 2, 2023 | 11:40 AM

Another 26 supporters have recently returned from their month-long humanitarian trip in Africa with A Better World (ABW) to see how their projects are going in the communities.

The annual Fall trip for donors, volunteers, and managers, took place a little earlier this year from September 28 to October 26 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. He says the goal was to allow donors, some of 25 years and others brand new, to see the impact of their investments in recent years.

Based out of Lacombe, the international development organization has completed various humanitarian projects in more than 15 countries over the past 33 years, in education, healthcare, and clean water systems, with the goal of breaking the cycle of poverty.

READ: A Better World says month-long humanitarian trip went even better than hoped

Co-Founder Eric Rajah said this was their second trip of the year with most participants coming from the central Alberta region, namely Lacombe, Olds, Red Deer, Didsbury, Innisfail, Bentley, and a few from British Columbia and Saskatchewan. He adds that many of the donors have not been able to travel with the organization since before the pandemic, some are travelling with them for the first time, and others have never been outside of Canada before.

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Donors spent roughly 90 per cent of their time visiting projects with the remaining time on recreational activities like safaris, said Rajah.

“It is amazing to see what A Better World has been able to do to make such a difference for so many people. Your vision and dream to make a better world is shining through in so many students. I will never forget the excitement of the ECD [Early Childhood Development] children as they ran and crowded into their new classroom,” wrote long-time participant Ken Hubbard from Blackfalds in a testimonial.

The Hubbard Family of Blackfalds acknowledged for the building of the Ole Kene School in Kenya. (Supplied)

Rajah confirmed that in 2022, they had $2.5 million available to spend, to which they used $1.8 million. The remaining funds of each year are carried over into the next as many donations come during the holiday period, he says.

Over the past two years, Rajah says they were able to open eight schools in Kenya and four schools in Tanzania. They also opened a large water project in Lamu, Kenya, where they had to construct pipes under the ocean floor to be able to transport fresh water from one side of the island to the other.

“At each of the school openings, I have been blessed to see the enthusiasm of the local people for the advantages the development of school facilities has brought them. Their enthusiasm is contagious as they draw us into the celebrations,” wrote Charlene Dabyna in her testimonial, adding she enjoyed visiting the different countries, seeing their unique vistas of landscapes, plants, and animals.

Warren Schnoor of Lacombe addressing students at the Manyatta School opening in Kenya. (Supplied)

Lastly, they were able to visit a physiotherapy clinic in Rwanda that is near completion.

In an update, Rajah shared how one Red Deer couple, Dale and Majella Russell, stepped forward to support the Isokon Primary School in a remote region near the Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya. With more than 800 children in primary and preschool, the school was desperately short of classroom space and toilets, he said.

He states ABW has already begun to build classrooms and toilets using contingency funds due to the urgency of the situation and by the end of the year, will have added four classrooms and 12 doors of new toilets.

One of the things that impressed Rajah was the level of local federal and county governmental support in Kenya and Tanzania for their projects.

“They’re partnering with us by putting in. If we built a school, they would build the toilets; if we put water, they would do the piping; if we built classrooms, they would do desks; so more fostering that partnership to have them take ownership as well was one of the good things that happened. It happens every time; it seems like this time they were more eager,” said Rajah.

Written testimonial by ABW participant Phil Hubbard. (Supplied)

ABW has a goal of having 75,000 students enrolled in their schools with access to clean water, toilets, and healthcare by 2030, divided into specific annual goals. As of September 2023, they have 56,800 students enrolled and achieved the following goals for 2023:

• Classrooms: Goal – 54; Completed – 36
• Water catchment: Goal – 16; Completed – 19
• Toilets: Goal – 26; Completed – 32
• Health clinics/improvements: Goal – 5; Completed – 3
• Community wells: Goal – 1; Completed – 3

To read the full blog of their month-long trip, visit the ABW website.

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