CUMBRIA-RUNGWE Community Link, is looking to recruit more members to allow their inward trip to Tanzania to take place after the pandemic hindered their efforts.

The charity has a partner committee in Tanzania, RCCL, which works with  a number of schools in Rungwe, Tanzania. They are responsible for gathering project bids for CRCL to raise money for. This includes everything from classroom building to local libraries. 

Furthermore, both committees select students from each area to travel from Tanzania and West Cumbria on both outward and inward journeys. CRCL raise the money to pay for passports, visas, travel and flights for 3 adults and 6 students to travel from Rungwe and spend three weeks in Cumbria.

Julia Lee, who is a member of CRCL spoke about what the trips mean:

"People love to be involved in the 2 weeks of the inward itself. Our guests go into primary schools and secondary schools here and it is great fun in terms of cultural exchange."

However, the pandemic and the rising cost of living has hindered the charities efforts at allowing this to go ahead. If the trip does not go ahead, it will mean this is the first full cycle the charity has not operated either journey.

News and Star: INWARD: A photo of the 2019 group inward tripINWARD: A photo of the 2019 group inward trip

Daroma Hastings, a member of CRCL who previously hosted a guest from Tanzania on their inward journey spoke about her experiences: 

"I hosted a boy a similar age to me in 2019. Initally, it was nerve wracking but after just a few hours we were eating Mcdonald's, watching the football and learning all about each other's lives. We would meet up with the others and take part in creative activities but we also had some free days to hang out as a family."

Daroma went onto say:

"Getting involved with CRCL was the best decision of my life, the meetings and the fundraisers alone are so much fun but if you can get involved with the inward or outward trip to Tanzania - even better!"

"I am hoping we can raise enough money for the Tanzanians to come over to Cumbria next summer, it is truly a life changing experience for so many people."

The charity are hosting a reunion to encourage people to get involved in the link, as well as an annual general meeting to plan for the 2023 inward trip. The charity need to raise £10,000 in order to make arrangements for their trip and are seeking more members to join in on the charities work.

The reunion/meeting is taking place on Wednesday July 13 at St John's Church Hall, Hensingham from 6pm. To find out more about the charities work, head to their instagram.

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