top of page
SUMMER 2026 SERVICE TRIP:
SCHOOL RENOVATION & SAFARI IN TANZANIA
In June 2026, eleven Nordhoff students traveled to Arusha, Tanzania, where we were hosted by The Tanzania Host Experience (THE) a local organization that finds placements and coordinates volunteers with projects in the area. Our group was placed at Kiranyi Primary School, an elementary school in need of renovation and flooring repairs. Throughout our week of work at the school site, our team demolished and removed old damaged flooring from two classrooms, then mixed and laid new concrete floors in both rooms. Additionally, we were able to help with some painting and wall repairs in other classrooms at the school site.
Along with our service work, our team spent time in Arusha learning about the tribal cultures that make up Tanzania and what life in Tanzania looks like today. We spent a day with a local Maasai tribe, learning about their traditional ways of life and how they maintain these traditional customs. We visited several local markets, met and learned from other volunteers that were working on other project sites, explored the natural beauty of the area by visiting local waterfalls, and took a cooking class with a local nonprofit focused on providing young women in difficult situations with the support, education, and healthcare they need.
After our week of service in Arusha, we embarked on a safari in Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. We spent three nights camping, spending our days on safari drives encountering lions, giraffes, zebras, elephants, cheetahs, hippos, and more! We spent our nights camping in the Serengeti, where we listened to the roars from the distant lions and encountered zebras walking through our campsites. We also learned about the ongoing conversation efforts to keep both the lands of the Serengeti and the animals who live there safe and healthy.
Our service trip to Tanzania was truly a life-changing experience. Being part of something so special with the greatest group of people was something I never thought possible until I joined this club. It was so inspiring to see all the people around me work as hard as we could to make an impact on the community in Arusha, and to be forever impacted by them as well. I returned to our homestay each day after service with every part of my body aching. However, I was still so excited and grateful by the fact that I got to go back the next day and do it all over again. I am so moved by all of the incredible people I met in my short time there who left such a lasting impact on me, and this trip has reaffirmed the fact that this is something I want to continue to do throughout my life. This trip showed me that I can do anything I set my mind to, and it has instilled in me such resilience and perseverance that I will be sure to take with me no matter where I end up next.
-Amaya Pasholk, Class of 2027
tHANK YOU TO OUR 2025-2026 SPONSORS who made our TANZANIA trip possible:
Nordhoff parent Association
Ojai valley lions Club
Ojai Rotie
sarah houseman fitness
big mann bbq
agave maria
ojai noodle house
westside optometry
the city of Ojai
Rotary club of ojai west
Ojai valley athletic club
Mandala
Wingate earthworks
breathe ojai
linda taylor
mustangs and more
Greater goods
Pixie's general store
Java & Joe
Jim & Rob's fresh grill
ojai ice cream
tania mccracken midwifery
skating plus
transmission brewing
bottom of page