The People of GHTA
Monika Fox – Founder and Executive Director (volunteer position)
Hello! My name is Monika and, as all of us on our team, I am a former volunteer. I had the privilege and incredible opportunity to volunteer in Zambia, South Africa, Tanzania, Nepal, and Thailand. I worked with children who were orphaned and HIV positive yet had an incredibly strong and vivacious spirit and an irresistible smile. I also worked with women who were struggling to find their place in a home and community as most developing nations are extremely patriarchal societies, yet yearned to learn and comprehend new concepts and information.
Volunteering is a unique way not only to contribute to those who are less fortunate but also to learn, experience and truly appreciate a very different culture. I was amazed at how hospitable and friendly the people I met were. Even if you walk down the red dirt roads men and women say hello, children wave, smile, giggle and walk along the side of you. Their innocence, spontaneity and willingness to trust seem to transcend the poverty in which they live.
When my volunteering adventure came to an end and I moved back home to Canada I could not stop thinking of all the children I met and women I worked with…. I fell in love with Africa and knew I had to return. And as much as I enjoyed my experiences I was disturbed by how little of the money I paid to the various volunteer organizations actually went to contribute to the local community. My goal is to make volunteering more affordable and productive. I have many dreams for Africa – big and small – so come and join us and find out how you can be part of Give a Heart To Africa. Come and volunteer in Tanzania.
Feel free to contact me at monika@giveaheartoafrica.org. I will be more than happy to answer all of your questions.
Ave Bartolo – Financial Manager (volunteer position)
Hello. My name is Ave and I am originally from Malta, an island in the Mediterranean. I was educated in a private school and, since my childhood, always dreamed that I would to go to Africa to help those less fortunate to have a better life. It was truly fate for me to find the website for Give a Heart to Africa while surfing on the Internet in search of volunteer opportunities! I wanted my volunteer experience to be personally meaningful. I also wanted the money that I spent to be put towards the program rather than to administration and advertising expenses.
My stay in Moshi was one of the best times of my life. I had the privilege of teaching English to students who ranged in age from 18 to 46. Their enthusiasm and dedication to learning is something that truly impressed me and it was very rewarding to see the students’ personal growth from week to week. One cannot help but love these people. They so willingly accept you for who you are and share whatever meager belongings they have with you. When the time came for me to leave, it was with a heavy heart that I returned home to my family. The only saving grace for me was to immerse myself in the organization and offer my services in whatever capacity I could to help achieve our common goal.
If you are looking for a rewarding and hands-on experience in your life, please join us in helping positively mold people’s future. My journey is not over. Like others before me who have visited Africa, I am sure I will return.
You can contact me at ave@giveaheartoafrica.org
Victoria Snowman – General Manager Tanzania (volunteer position)
“Supai!” (a traditional Maasai greeting). I’m Victoria, otherwise known as Maasai Mama. I was born in the U.S. and I lived in Europe for more than 20 years (Paris and Madrid) before coming to my current home, Moshi! This is my second volunteer stint with Give A Heart To Africa, where I am now managing the NGO locally while Monika is in Canada. My first GHTA experience was in 2010, for 4 months, mainly teaching Business. After years of being quite focused on myself, I had begun to hear an insistent, small voice reminding me how good it felt to give service, how healing it was, and how much I learned in the process. Finally, the voice grew loud enough for me to actually listen to it, and that’s how I ended up here at GHTA. What a change it has been to do a job aimed at helping others and not just myself!!! I knew after only a short time with GHTA that a shift had occurred in my thinking and in my way of seeing my life; I wanted something different. So here I am again, back in Moshi for the long haul, embarking on my second GHTA adventure.
victoria@giveaheartoafrica.org
Herman Chelesi – Business Teacher and Translator
Jambo! My name is Herman Chelesi and I was born in Iringa, Tanzania. I completed my Secondary School Advanced Level in 2007. I joined Give a Heart To Africa as a student during its very first semester and after completing the six month course, I was fortunate to receive an Honours Certificate.
Currently, I work for GHTA as a business class teacher and translator. The reason why I teach in GHTA’s school is because I want to help the organization to provide free education to women so that they can have a sustainable life in the future. I enjoy teaching in the school because it gives me a chance to further my education and it also opens my mind to a new world. I learn about different cultures and it is helping me to learn every day.
Penina Matola – English Teacher and Translator
Jambo! My name is Penina. I am 23 years old and I was born in Kilimanjaro region. I live with my younger sister and our mama. I joined GHTA in April 2010 and graduated in September 2010. I was doing well in my studies and I enjoyed the school very much. As a result I received a certificate with honours upon graduation.
When I was in GHTA school I volunteered in their after-school program by staying and playing with the children. This helped me a lot to improve my English because I was working with volunteers who didn’t speak my language. When I graduated from GHTA I became a teacher and translator in English class. I am enjoying teaching very much and I am learning more every day. Now I am working and saving money so that I can use it to study and improve my education and life in the future.
Rahimu Rashid – Computer Skills Teacher and Translator
Jambo, My name is Rahimu and I was born in Kilima region in Tanzania. I am 23 years old and I come from a family of 7 children. I finished Form 4 but my family did not have enough money to send me for more schooling. I joined GHTA in April 2010 as a student for 6 months and I got a certificate of merit. I enjoyed GHTA very much and I learned different ideas from volunteers. Also I got more practice for speaking English and how I can open my own business. Now I work at the school as a translator and computer teacher. The purpose of being a teacher at GHTA is to help the people who are not educated as much and I am very proud to be a teacher.
Alison Savage – Director, Volunteer Recruitment Board (volunteer position)
Mambo! My name is Alison and I am a marketing professional with a successful career in business. I volunteered with Give A Heart To Africa in 2010 and it was one of the most amazing and rewarding experiences of my life. I volunteered for 3 months in total – after one month I loved it so much that (after some pre-planned travel) I came back for another 2 months.
The women and men who are students at GHTA warm your heart beyond words. They are so open, so welcoming, and want to learn so badly. It made me realize just how much we take education for granted in our Western countries. Tanzanians have been denied education and want nothing more than to learn as much as they can. I was honoured to be one of their teachers.
I became so passionate about GHTA and the work that Monika and the team are doing that I have continued to be involved with the charity as much as possible from home, including implementing strategies to increase the number of volunteers and aiding in the development of a new GHTA website.
You can contact me at ali@giveaheartoafrica.org
Sandy Saratsis – Fundraising Coordinator (volunteer position)
After seeing my three children grow to independent adults, I realize that I had energy and love for other people in need and I went to Africa.
I never thought that one person, starting from zero, could do so much! When I first went to GHTA I was amazed with the work that Monika had already achieved! It has been 2 years now that she has dedicated everything she has to this organization, and the progress made, to helping the women of Moshi start and run businesses, and creating the Women’s Co-Op, is amazing.
Since that first cooperation I have been back to volunteer at GHTA many times! I worked as a teacher in various classes, even though my teaching experience is limited. But one goes to Africa not to do what they want, but to offer whatever help is needed. You have to help because they too have dreams and goals, and the only thing that is missing is the education and knowledge to achieve them. And if you offer them all these, they show their appreciation by accepting you into their small world with open arms.
This is even more rewarding when you work with children in the afternoon program where their smile makes the whole effort worth it!
I would strongly recommend volunteering at GHTA to anyone. I appreciated the warmth I experienced from all of our students and their families, and I miss it every moment. I cannot wait to go back to Moshi and help again.
Please join us in our effort to make a positive impact in the world.
Molly Emmett – Editor in Chief (volunteer position)
Hello! My name is Molly and I met the other members of GHTA while participating in a three month volunteering program in Tanzania. I believe that we, having experienced this ourselves, are uniquely qualified to both prepare other volunteers for their own trip and promote constructive use of this trip. We are united in our motivation to overcome some of the unnecessary hurdles we went through on our respective journeys.
My own experience was a bit out of the ordinary, in that I deferred freshman year at Colgate University and so spent my first three months truly away from home in Tanzania. Gap years are not overly common in my hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia, but I am fortunate enough to have parents with a broad world view. I was able to make the step away from the Western world to a school of mentally disabled children in Moshi.
I spent the second half of my year off working in the field on the US presidential primary campaign. My participation in the organization and training of the multitude of volunteers who present themselves has only served to confirm that which I learned in Moshi: people of all ages will give their time to make a change. We hope you will join us.
Stephanie Muccilli – Social Media Guru/Twitter Queen (volunteer position)
Mambo! My name is Stephanie Muccilli and I am proud to be a part of the incredible team at GHTA. After graduating with a degree in International Development, I was in search of a meaningful volunteer experience that would enrich the understanding that I had gained from my studies. After researching various other organizations, I was attracted to GHTA because 100% of my volunteer fees would go right into the GHTA community rather than to support administrative costs. During my time with GHTA, I witnessed this first-hand. Volunteering with GHTA proved to be an incredibly rewarding experience! I developed personal relationships with our students and was exposed to the immense positive impact that GHTA has on the lives of women who attend its school. It makes me very happy to continue to receive updates about my former students’ continued achievements. I am honored to be a part of the legacy at GHTA.
I invite you all to join our incredible volunteer team and contribute to GHTA’s valuable work in Moshi.
Caroline Umali – Social Media Guru & Website/IT assistant extraordinaire (volunteer position) 
Hi all. My name is Caroline, and as you may have guessed, I too am a former teaching volunteer at GHTA.
Having worked in the corporate world as a web developer for 10 years, I had been toying with the idea of doing something to give back through volunteering; so when I came across GHTA, I was instantly attracted to the concept of empowering local women through education.
Words cannot begin to describe the impact the students had on me. I was originally booked to be teaching IT skills for 2.5 weeks, and found it difficult to tell the students I was leaving just before their finals. You do not realise how much of an impact you make on their lives until you see the gratitude. I ended up extending my stay to 5 weeks in total, helping run after school classes, prepping the students for their exams, and attending the graduation.
With educational institutions in Tanzania costing much more than what most can afford, being involved with GHTA to provide free education cannot be anything more than rewarding and inspiring; so much so that since leaving Moshi, I am still actively involved with spreading awareness of the cause within London, UK; and working with universities in London to encourage students to volunteer.
Next to that, I’m a dab hand at helping out with the social media platforms, website, and all IT skills which are needed when Monika needs a helping hand 
Please get in touch if you have any questions: caroline@giveaheartoafrica.org
