Microfinance family farm tour - all proceeds to charity
Description
Come and experience Tanzanian culture outside of your safari! Together, we will visit Mama Max, an incredible woman who has fought her way out of severe poverty, through business training and microfinance provided by a community nonprofit, The Small Things. First you'll get a quick overview of our work empowering children, families, and communities at Happy Family Children's Village, although, for child protection, you should not expect direct contact with children. Next, we will walk or drive to Mama Max's house (depending on what you would prefer), while I tell you about how our business development program helps families like hers to keep children at home. When we arrive, we will share traditional chai tea and locally grown coffee. If you like, help cut vegetation for the animals, check the chicken's nests for eggs, and milk the cow. You'll come away with a deeper appreciation of the strength of women like Mama Max who have climbed out of poverty.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Come and experience Tanzanian culture outside of your safari! Together, we will visit Mama Max, an incredible woman who has fought her way out of severe poverty, through business training and microfinance provided by a community nonprofit, The Small Things. We will start at the TST site, where you'll get a quick overview of our work empowering children, families, and communities, although, for child protection reasons, you should not expect direct contact with children. You'll be able to see all the way to Lake Duluti from our beautiful visitor's hut.
Next, we will walk or drive to Mama Max's house (depending on what you would prefer), while I tell you about how our business development program helps families like hers to keep children at home. You can ask her any questions you'd like - she's always happy to show how far she has come, with hard work! When we arrive, she will warmly greet you and offer traditional chai tea and locally grown coffee. She loves to show off her businesses, each built off the success of the last - from banana trees to coffee, to chickens, goats, and cows. If you like, help cut vegetation for the animals, check the chicken's nests for eggs, and milk the cow. She now serves as a mentor to young women in her former position! You'll come away with a deeper appreciation of the lengths to which incredible individuals like Mama Max will go to support their families.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
If you have a non-4x4 vehicle, park where you see the sign for "The Small Things Pickup Point," about 100m from the hospital. If you have a 4x4, please come directly to the children's village. Please contact us for help arranging transport from Arusha or the airport.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Will need to be able to walk on uneven or hilly ground
Reviews(2)
The Small Things (TST) originated from bad feeling about the fate of orphans, not as long as the were in an orphanage, but when they returned to their villages. They found new solutions to improve this dramatically. I will not reveal here how they do it. You can discover this by visiting them, spend some time, gain trust and listen carefully while showing real interest. Otherwise you may be disappointed. TST recently started organizing social tours and you can see they still are learning how to do it, but they take time. You can drink coffee with staff members and I was so luck tu have a good conversation during lunch with the managing director. We visited mama Max, a lady who managed to buy a cow and her own house while raising six children and taking care of her mother in law as well (her husband died unfortunately). It nice for her if you bring a present for here from your own country. Specifically, you can have lunch with the staff members and be assured, they have an excellent cook. Do not forget to say "Assante sana kwa chakula kitamu" before you leave.
A fun & cultural experience! Reuben and Andrew were great guides and showed a valuable insight into the work of this NGO and other social enterprises. I highly recommend a visit to everyone!!
