Pictures: College students on 'life-changing' African adventure

South Devon College students have been on an African adventure and found it 'life-changing'.

The students, who are all studying Level 3 in Adventure Sports, visited Zanzibar to immerse themselves in community-based and cultural work experiences. 

They took part in a wide range of work-based activities, including undertaking surveys on coral reefs, village cleans, and monitoring fishing. 

The trip had a strong sustainability focus, using the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals as references, which are heavily interwoven into everything the college does. 

The students considered the goals within the context of the local area, and it was apparent that the local community has its own initiatives and enterprises that align with the goals, which are instrumental in making a sustainable change across nations. 

The students took pride in working on environmental projects such as mangrove planting and sea sponge cleaning.

Student Lois Stephens said: "Personally, this trip has been life-changing in many aspects. I have discovered so many great and sometimes upsetting things in how people in developing countries like Zanzibar live their lives. 

“Learning about the culture and environmental differences and similarities has dramatically broadened my understanding and knowledge about the environmental world. 

"For example, if the mangrove plants weren’t surrounding parts of the island, then it would flood, especially due to rising sea levels. 

“My experiences in Zanzibar are ones I will never forget, and I am wanting to make a difference and educate others around me about how they could positively contribute to looking after our environment.” 

They also took part in a beach clean, collecting plastic waste; as there is no recycling centre, they reuse as much of their rubbish as possible. One inspirational project is to make eco-bricks out of discarded plastic bottles and wrappers, which are then used in building projects. 

Student Finley Ledbury said: “I took the trip to Zanzibar because I had such little knowledge of what life was like in a place with such poverty and little money. 

“Going on this trip has really made me dig deeper into how I can help save the coral reefs—bleaching coral reefs is due to our climate actions, and coral reefs are dying because of how we act and what we don’t do to help. 

“The trip has given me a different perspective—it has opened my mind and vocabulary and made me think about how I can help against global warming.” 

Generating income from the resources available is key for the local community, and the students visited a coconut farm, where they made products including baskets and hats, and met the Kizi Ladies Gardening Group, which was raising money for the community by growing their own produce. 

A visit to Zala Park national park highlighted how the residents utilise their environment and native plants for natural remedies and medicines. 

The students swam in the freshwater limestone Kuza Caves and built on their language skills by learning Swahili at a local primary school. 

They fully immersed themselves in the local culture of the Massai tribe, made chapatis with the Jambiani Ladies Group, and enjoyed a music night where they picked up some dance moves and played the drums! 

The trip was eye-opening in many ways for the students, highlighting both cultural and generational differences; this was particularly noticeable when they paid an emotional visit to Stone Town to see the slave chambers accommodation and a memorial monument to the slave trade. 

Student Molly Hines said: “It was a trip of a lifetime and has inspired me to travel to different countries, learning about the culture and lifestyles.” 

The students returned with a better understanding and appreciation of different cultures and different ways of living. 

One resounding message was that the residents worked incredibly hard, were not materialistic, and yet they were happy and content.

Ben Reynolds, Adventure Leadership Programme Coordinator at South Devon College, said: “The students represented South Devon College impeccably. They completely embraced every experience on the trip, despite some challenges, and I am really proud of them.

“When this trip was in planning, we had an idea of the outcomes and impacts we hoped would manifest in our learners. 

"However, we were blown away by their effort and enthusiasm and how well they developed as a team, plus the development of their environmental awareness and its impact on the local area and worldwide. 

“They have all built on their leadership skills, self-confidence, career development, self-awareness, and connection to nature. Most importantly, they have taken away how precious time and natural resources are." 

Student Honi Shore said: “I wanted to go on this trip to push myself out of my comfort zone and to learn new things about how others live, how they eat, and how they work in such different conditions at home. 

"It was amazing to see how happy they are despite all their difficulties. 

“It was a beautiful experience, learning about the environment, the culture, and myself. I never thought I'd be able to do a thing like that.

"Thanks to Ben Reynolds, my tutors at college, African Impact, and the staff in Zanzibar, my confidence has increased, and I am more appreciative of my life. It really was an experience I will never forget.” 

The enrichment project was made possible through the Turing Scheme programme, the government-funded project offering global travel and enrichment opportunities to students to boost their life skills and relevant career options during work or study placements, and was hosted by African Impact, which delivers life-changing and responsible volunteer and internship projects across Africa.