Seeing how much the children cared for one another and how they were always trying to help each other made an impact

What inspired me to join this NOREC exchange project was hearing about the different conditions and challenges for many children, especially for those with special needs, and also knowing that some of the children were victims of corporal punishment. Its written in the UNs convention on the rights of children (CRC), in article three, that: “States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, services and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children shall conform with the standards established by competent authorities, particularly in the areas of safety, health, in the number and suitability of their staff, as well as competent supervision”. Throughout the weeks we spent in Tanzania, we had group discussions with students at Patandi Teachers College and with some of the project team at Patandi Primary School. Here we discussed different subjects and solutions, and everyone got the chance to talk about their views on this. We talked about how we handle different situations in Norway, and also focused on corporal punishment and how this is something that’s even punishable if it happens. Even though me and my fellow students knew that there could be a possibility that we wouldn’t see changes happening in front of our eyes as we were in Tanzania, we know that this project is a step in the right direction, and in the years coming, big changes are going to happen!  

Even though I was a bit hesitant about going to a different country for three months as I am somewhat of a “homebody”, it made it even more important to me to take a step out of my comfort zone and try something new. I am really happy I made the decision to travel to Tanzania, as this is something I will remember and treasure for the rest of my life. We were all looking forward to share our knowledge about how we work as social nurses, and also bring home the new knowledge we received from the students and teachers at Patandi Teachers College and Patandi Primary School, and share it with our colleagues and fellow students, and practice this in our own jobs. 

One thing that really made an impact on me during this trip, which is also one thing I will always remember this trip for, was seeing how much the children cared for one another and how they were always trying to help each other. Sometimes this meant helping someone tie their shoelaces, dust the dirt of their clothes, if someone were crying, they tried comforting them, hugging and showing each other affection, laughing and playing together. This made me think about how we don’t always see as much of this in Norway, and I am not sure if this is because as children we know there are grownups ready to help, or because we might just be more selfish and don’t always reach out a hand to help someone in need. The children were also so grateful, and no matter what the situation, it seemed like they always did the best out what they had been handed.