Elaine Junk | Board Member , Tanbur African Aid Society

In 2019 , I took a leave of absence from my teaching position and headed to the small African country of Burundi to work with teachers at the Burundi English School . My mind swirled as I tried to take in all the new experiences of my days in Burundi . Each moment reminded me that I was far from home . The cockroaches in the shower , the little chameleons that skittered across my wall , the abundance of greenery , and the ever-present hot humid air were only a few reminders . The babble of Kirundi mixed with smatterings of French , the rooster that woke me each morning at 4:00 a . m ., the feeling of standing out , passersby often calling out mzungu (“ foreigner ”) as I walked along the road — just in case someone missed how much I stood out . This posed a definite challenge to my shy nature , pushing me far out of my comfort zone .

Each morning on my way to school , I crossed the main road , where I dodged across haphazard lanes of traffic , sidestepping bicycles and pedestrians , many with huge loads balanced precariously on their heads , and evading cars , vans , and tuk-tuks , all of which were racing erratically down the road . I would arrive at school in time to participate in morning exercises at 7:30 a . m . The students gathered in the courtyard and sang the Burundian national anthem before heading to class . There was something beautiful about the melding of all the voices in song , even when I did not understand the words . Many of the students would run over to greet me with a handshake and a “ Good morning , Madam ,” while younger children would just wrap their arms around my knees and offer a hug . It was the intentional , respectful touch and time taken to greet me that was so heartwarming each day . Truly , it was the experience of a lifetime , made possible through the Tanbur African Aid Society ( TAAS ).

TAAS has been bringing hope through education to the children of Burundi for the past thirteen years . The school was started because of the vision of a Burundian man who saw the importance of an English education for the future . The school has grown from thirteen children in kindergarten and Grade 1 in 2008 to 350 students all the way up to Grade 13 in 2021 . With the financial assistance of TAAS , a new school is being built to accommodate the growth . Volunteer mentor teachers from Canada are vital to the continued success and growth of the school . Our website tanburafrican . org has a wonderful summary of our Burundi English School project .

We invite you to take a step on a new journey !

news & views WINTER 2021 | 33