2026 School Expeditions Roundup!
We are always excited when a new school group arrives in Tanzania and begins an experience which has been many months in the making.
Fundraising, planning, training and preparation have all built towards that moment, and we know that the weeks ahead will bring new experiences, friendships, challenges and opportunities to learn. This year, we welcomed 69 students from Milne’s High School, Perth Grammar and Culloden Academy. Milne’s and Perth Grammar both returned following their expeditions in 2024, and it was great to see younger siblings following in the footsteps of older brothers and sisters who had travelled before them.
Across the three expeditions, students supported the construction of five family homes. Working alongside local builders, volunteers and the families themselves, they learned new practical skills and saw the houses taking shape in front of them, brick by brick. For the families, those bricks are building something much more important: a safer, more secure home and new opportunities for the future.
For the students, being part of that process brings to life the reason behind all those months of fundraising and preparation. The experience extends well beyond the building site too. This year, students visited Love and Hope, an NGO supporting 28 children affected by poverty and violence. They were welcomed by the husband-and-wife team who run the organisation, learned how to prepare traditional local dishes over an open fire and then shared the meal with the children.
Students also planted 275 trees through our partnership with KLM Safaris, adding another practical activity to their time in Tanzania. Perhaps one of the best indications of the impact of these expeditions comes after the students return home. More than 15 have already applied to become Young Assistant Leaders for our 2027 school expeditions, keen to stay involved and help support those following in their footsteps.
Our 2026 Young Leaders, Finlay Bicocchi and Mia Jackson, showed where that journey can lead. Both first travelled to Tanzania as school students before returning to take on greater
responsibility, supporting student welfare, encouraging younger volunteers and continuing to develop their own leadership skills.
And none of this would be possible without our Tanzanian team. TAWREF's leadership, Elly Kimaro and his colleagues bring the local knowledge, experience and relationships which
are at the heart of every expedition. A house is built brick by brick, and in many ways an expedition is too. Each part adds something to the experience – the preparation, the people, the work and everything learned along the way. Together, they can build something which lasts long after the final brick has been laid.
