World Leadership School

Tanzania, the largest country in East Africa, is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east and the great lakes of the Rift Valley to the west. Much of the central terrain is a high plateau that lies between the east and west branches of the Rift Valley, the birthplace of humankind. The savanna grasslands of Tanzania are home to a magnificent array of animals, with Ngorongoro Crater having the most intense concentration of mammal species on earth. In addition to its natural wonders, Tanzania is well-known for the warmth and politeness of its people, who number 35 million. Unlike many of its East African neighbors, Tanzania is notable for its relative stability.

Compared to other East African nations, Tanzania has a well-organized national education system. But, resources at rural schools in Tanzania are scarce, and teachers do not have access to professional development opportunities. For that reason, it’s hard for rural Tanzanian students to effectively prepare for the national exam. A big limiting factor is that very few rural schools in Tanzania have computers, and even fewer have access to the Internet. This “Digital Divide” represents a profound disadvantage for rural students.

The safety of our programs rests on the experience and skills of our Staff, Country Coordinators and Instructors, who convene at our annual training in Colorado’s Arkansas Valley.

• The Staff of World Leadership School have decades of experience working in different educational environments. Their focus is logistics, risk management, program design, professional development, and consulting.
• Our Country Coordinators live and work year round in our overseas countries. They screen our homestay families, evaluate our transport and other service providers, and provide ground support for our groups.
• Our Instructors are veteran educators with extensive international experience. They have wilderness first responder training and often have past affiliations with Peace Corps, Outward Bound, NOLS, and/or independent schools.

We strive to responsibly manage risks. Our itineraries minimize highway travel and maximize immersion in rural communities that we know well. We update our risk management protocols, integrate feedback into program design, and invest in safety and communication equipment. Despite these efforts, World Leadership School cannot guarantee safety nor can it eliminate the inherent and other risks of international student travel. For information regarding program activities and associated risks, risk management, and student and parent responsibilities, please contact our office.

“Yes! Even if you are not interested in going to Africa, the connections that you make, and the introspection that you have are incredible. You learn to confront things you never thought you could.”
— Student from Montclair-Kimberley Academy

“This program changed my perspective and inspired me. A group of US students was able to function successfully working together with Tanzanian students. The power of education is unmatched and inspired me to find out how opportunities like this could be more accessible to all.”
— Student from Montclair Kimberley Academy