How did Mtwara Volunteering Project start?

MVC originated from an informal discussion between Maria Antoraz Alonso and Amin Sinani in 2007. The group had a solid background of Mtwara as Amin was born and raised up in Mtwara whereby Maria had visited Tanzania in two previous occasions. Initially, the main objectives of the group were to assist the underprivileged in Mtwara such as HIV/AIDS sufferers, Women and Orphans.

These objectives were to be achieved by visiting Mtwara on a fact finding trip with a group of volunteers who expressed and shared MVC’s vision to help the aforementioned. This idea was then put forward to the Honourable Member of Parliament of Mtwara Urban Mr. Mohammed Sinani who agreed to come and meet the volunteers in the UK in August 2007.

Mr. Sinani endorsed the idea and offered to host the group and provide accommodation, food and transport throughout the duration of their stay in Tanzania. Further discussions with Mr. Sinani gave us the indication of the sort of areas the group should focus in such as;

Women empowerment

Raising the awareness of HIV/AIDS

Promotion of sports academies

Working with local primary and secondary schools teachers

Mr. Sinani pledged with us to network with other large organizations to support and fund existing initiatives as well as the possibility of establishing new ones in Mtwara.


The Mtwara Volunteering Crew Members
The group is mainly composed of family and friends who had previous
volunteering experience and shared the common objective to provide
assistance to the underprivileged in the society. The assistance would take any
form such as financial assistance, expert advice, networking etc.
The group has some capacity to provide the above but continually attempts to seek further assistance from local and international sponsors.

First generation of volunteers as from summer 2008 as follows;


1. Amin M. Sinani (Consultant Engineer, UK )
2. Maria Antoraz Alonso (Spanish Teacher, UK)
3. Elisa Scarato (Italian Teacher, UK)
4. Leyre Alejadre (Spanish Teacher, USA)
5. Marta Rueda ( Sales, Natural Gas, Spain)
6. Ron Prigge (Life Science Teacher, South Africa)
7. Christelle De Klerk (Accountant, South Africa)
8. Sophia Mohammed (French and English Teacher, UK)
9. Teresa Antoraz Alonso (English Teacher, Spain)
10. Fuad Medosevic (Salesman, Germany)
11. Ruben Maillo (Spanish Teacher, USA)
&
12. Estrella Garcia (Spanish Teacher, UK that collaborates from UK)

With this unique composition of people from different countries and professions,
the group was well placed to realise the objectives as set out here above.


Fundraising

Having established the group, it was important that MVC had some funds to assist the different activities carried out by groups that we were going to meet.
A fundraising event was held in London, UK in July 2008 in the form of a raffle and £500 was raised as a result. These funds would prove to be very useful in funding different activities in Mtwara.


Throughout the year 2009 the networking activity has continued thanks to active members of the group:

Amin M Sinani
Elisa Scarato
Estrella Garcia
Carlo Pennarola
Maria Antoraz-Alonso

Current fundraising activities

Snowdon Mountain ascend by Simon Flaherty (April 2009)

Charity Barcelona Nights by Javier Rueda and Albert Gorman (5th June 2009)

Bike Ride London to Brighton by Carlo Pennarola & Maria Antoraz-Alonso et al (13th June 2009)

Charity Photo Exhibition by Elisa Scarato (10th July 2009)

Thank you very much too all the activist collaborators that eagerly continue helping Amin and I to make a change and to keep smiles going!!!!