“The abiding memory will be connecting with the families”
Throughout Vine Trust’s partnership with TAWREF, we’ve had the pleasure of connecting many adult teams to the amazing work taking place in Moshi. Neil and Anne Johnstone were part of the latest team to visit the project last year:
“In August 2024 we joined a group of 20 adults from across the UK.
The main impact for us was the completely humbling and deeply rewarding experience in which we saw that hope can be realised through compassionate works. No matter what you read or see on TV, that first-hand experience of community hardship and poor living conditions was very chastening.
But it was not just an educational trip. We spent six days of teamwork on two sites working under the guidance of the local builders. Within the fortnight both houses reached roof level with the local builder tasked with completing the roof and windows.
We were in-country as five other houses were finished from Vine Trust school groups which had visited earlier that year. It was the most thrilling, emotional day attending all five of these handovers, as the families entered their new homes for the first time.
Each handover ceremony was witnessed by neighbours and community leaders who ensured these were moments to remember.
The whole expedition was topped off by cultural visits, Swahili lessons and a safari but the abiding memory will be the core activity of connecting with the families and changing lives to improve their wellbeing and prospects. And it changed our lives too!”
