Through the Lens: Inside a Foundation Journey in East Africa

In January of this year, Grand Circle Foundation Vice President Dan Koster visited several Foundation-supported sites in Africa and hired local photographers to document his journey. Below, hear firsthand from Dan about his experience and see some of his favorite photos.

The Inside Scoop: Can you tell us about your role with Grand Circle Foundation?

Dan Koster: I’m the Vice President of Grand Circle Foundation, and my responsibility is to work with our regional teams to identify sites worthy of Foundation support in the paths of our travelers. I also oversee all donations made by our travelers and ensure that they’re used for their intended purpose—which is to directly support projects approved by our regional offices. I also help oversee communications with our travelers and associates about the Foundation.

IS: What did you hope to accomplish during your trip to Africa?

DK: My goal in traveling to the three different countries in Africa was to see firsthand the 14 schools we support and the many projects we have funded in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Tanzania. These projects range from small to very large. I also wanted to meet with school leaders to learn how we can continue to partner with them on future projects.

The women farmers of SANGO-Kenya.

I also visited SANGO-Kenya, a new Foundation partner that teaches women in the community how to grow specific vegetables based on the soil and climate. It also teaches them how to compost, and to use vertical gardens to improve the food sources that are being consumed. I wanted to meet the women farmers in Amboseli to see how our partnership is going to alleviate food insecurities and improve the overall diet of the families.

Finally, in Kenya we have the Amboseli Lewis Secondary School, and we are celebrating 10 years together. While I was there, we were able to unveil three new projects—a boys’ dorm, two new classrooms, and a science lab—all funded by Grand Circle Foundation. This school is on its way to becoming a National School in Kenya, the first in its area.

IS: Why was it important to hire photographers to document the work of the Foundation?

DK: Photography has been a challenge over the years. In the past, we’ve relied mostly on photos from our regional offices, our Trip Experience Leaders, or even sometimes our travelers. The quality of photos can vary depending on how they’re taken. Most of the time it’s a cell phone that has lower resolution, so the quality is too poor to use in our newsletters to our travelers or communications to our associates. These new photos will help bring our projects to life.

IS: What impressed you most about the sites you visited?

DK: There are many things that impressed me while visiting these schools. What really stands out is how happy the children are to be going to school and learning, even though their school doesn’t have everything we have in the West. The resilience of these students, teachers, and families to prioritize education in the face of financial struggles is inspiring.

At schools in rural Kenya and Tanzania, potable water is far from a guarantee.

IS: Did you identify new areas in need of Foundation support?

DK: I think there are always needs in the schools we partner with currently, but there are also many other schools in these areas that are worthy of support. Once a school has everything it needs to succeed and no longer requires support, our goal is to replicate this success with a different school. That way, we are spreading our reach to as many children and families as possible. So yes, there are other needs identified.

IS: What were some of your highlights?

DK: There are many highlights for me—such as the excitement on the children’s faces in meeting them, or how appreciative the principals and teachers are that the Foundation is doing what we can. But one of my biggest highlights was visiting two schools where we recently worked with our key partner Wine to Water. By drilling two boreholes, we successfully brought clean, usable water to the schools to help with our Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives.

A water fight with clean, drinkable water was a first for these children.

At both schools we were able to have water fights using this clean water, and I can assure you that these kids have never had a water fight in their lives. You could see the joy on their faces. Moments like these are really at the core of what we want to achieve at the Foundation: changing people’s lives.

A Few More Photo Highlights from East Africa …

Enjoying access to clean water at Changaware School, Tanzania.

The ceremony at Amboseli Lewis Secondary School, Kenya.

Foundation East Africa Project Manager Sandra Vaughan plants a tree at Amboseli Lewis Secondary School.

Dan Koster at Amboseli Primary School.

A Maasai jumping dance at Lemongo Primary School, Kenya.

Dan (center) and Sandra (third from left) with the team at Olmoti Primary School, Kenya.

See firsthand the work Grand Circle Foundation is doing for the Amboseli community during Kenya & Tanzania Safari: Masai Mara to the Serengeti. To learn more about the Foundation or donate to any of the projects we support, visit www.grandcirclefoundation.org.