'Life-changing' experience awaits in Tanzania for Milne's High group
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A GROUP of Milne's High students and teachers are aiming to lend a helping hand to some of the poorest people in the world.
Next June a dedicated team of 22 S4-5 youngsters and three teachers will be packing their bags and heading for Moshi in Tanzania, which has one of the world's poorest economies, to help build homes for some of the most needy.
After suffering delays due to the Covid pandemic, the group finally met for the first time in February of this year.
One of the staff members set to head off with the group next summer is geography teacher Brian Donlin, who hailed the commitment already shown by the young people in the group.
"All the members of the group had to apply first of all in writing before doing a face-to-face interview," he said.
"I think it shows how committed the pupils at Milne's are that we turned people away as we had to cap the numbers in the group. It was difficult having to say 'No'.
"I've been to Tanzania before to help build homes with young people. It's life-changing, you come back a different and better person, it changes how you look at the world. This is a great experience for young people to have.
"Our main link with Tanzania is through TAWREF (Tanzania Women Research Foundation). We'll go out to the Moshi area and work with the community and the Vine Trust, who know the area like the back of their hand and can identify the families in dire need of help.
"We'll then go out and work with local builders and families."
The dream of helping others does not come cheap and each group member will have to raise the equivalent of £3500 to fund the journey.
While the group may not have been running long they have not let the grass grow under them when to comes to fundraising efforts.
There have already been some spectacular individual efforts. Iona Milligan tasted sweet success with sales of her tablet, which have already raked in £2000. Grace Urquhart earned a cool £1700 by cycling the Speyside Way while Lauren Murray raffled a pair of Taylor Swift tickets to the tune of £1500.
Fergus Smith raffled off whisky to raise £937 while Chloe Munro's musical talents on the fiddle at the Keith Show helped her add £476 to the pot.
The coming year will herald a raft of fundraisers, both individually and by the whole group. Coffee mornings, a Strictly Come Dancing contest, a sponsored sleep out and a ceilidh around Christmas or new year time are all in the offing.
