When YES students return to their home countries after spending a year in the United States, their time with the program is just halfway over.

Once a student turns into a program alumni, the second component of the YES Program begins. This next step involves participating in and conducting alumni projects such as charity work, donations, environmental sustainability activities and assisting in education.

While in the program, students are encouraged to identify community based needs in their home community and start thinking of ways they can meet those needs. Having students determine their project themselves has been very beneficial because they often choose something they are passionate about, and therefore, are more likely to follow through with it. They are left mostly to use their own devices, experience and knowledge gained during their year in the United States.

This quarter, from July to September, alumni in Zanzibar, Tanzania have engaged in a number of individual and group projects.

Group Projects

• Donated three sets of internet-accessible computers to Lumumba Secondary School to accomplish their Lumumba Library Improvement Project. Funding provided by the United States Ambassador’s Self Help Fund.
• Helped develop the Lumumba School library database.
• Joined students, teachers and the Mazizini community in participating in the seashore cleaning activity, prepared by the Kiembesamaki Environmental Club at Mazizini Beach.
• Continued to provide tutoring in Progressive Learning Charitable Institution (PLCI), which was established to help disabled students, orphans and girls interested in science, math, English and computer basics.

Individual Projects

• Eshpa Mollel- “Book Basket Library,” which consists of lending books for children to check out at an orphanage, and several schools throughout her community. She is able to read children stories, play games and even raised money for Christmas celebrations in December at the orphanage. Eshpa also volunteers teaching math, English and personal hygiene to children in her community.
• Yassir Mbarouk- Assisted in designing and developing the Lumumba School (a high school inn Unguja) website.
• Shughaib Abdi Yussuf- Participated in the Interim Committee, which worked with the establishment of the Zanzibar U.S. Alumni Association. The association was inaugurated mid-October at a ceremony at Zanzibar Beach Resort, which several Zanzibar YES alumni were able to attend.
• Aisha Haji- Continues to work with children, teaching at a nursery near her home. Muna El Hadhramy- Volunteers teaching English and math to small children in her community.