Contribute to social entrepreneurship and women's empowerment projects developed in collaboration with UB students. Read about the first 10 years of partnering with Mara Tanzania in "On Tanzania Time."
Since 2009, ELN director, Mara Huber, has been visiting the Mara Region of Tanzania, cultivating partnerships with local NGOs and connecting UB students and colleagues with opportunities for engagement and collaboration.
In 2015, UB students began visiting Tanzania through a summer study abroad course, exploring community development and women's empowerment with a focus on social innovation and capacity building. Although we haven't been able to travel to Tanzania since 2018, UB students have been engaging with partners through collaborative virtual projects focused on women's empowerment, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship.
While our visits have featured a number of partners and NGOs, Hope Revival Children's Organization (HRCO), under the leadership of Executive Director Stephen Marwa, has emerged as our primary partner. HRCO supports its most vulnerable community members through a number of programs and social entrepreneurship initiatives. Over the years, UB students have contributed to HRCO's work in significant and extraordinary ways. Our students have started reusable sanitary pad projects, contributed to community surveys, and developed educational materials to support empowerment and community growth. These efforts have caught the attention of the local leadership, with hopes to further build momentum and scale.
New plans are underway to turn HRCO into a center for experiential learning, sharing many of the technologies and projects that are empowering women and local communities. Focus will be given to the reusable sanitary pad projects, community bicycle lab, interlocking soil-stabilized bricks, fish rand poultry raising, and early education. UB students are invited to help transform this exciting idea into a reality through related projects and contributions. All ideas and areas of interest are welcome.
You can read about the history of our collaboration through this open source eBook
View the following sample projects completed by UB students in collaboration with HRCO:
Priority Projects:
Students are invited to bring their ideas and talents to this dynamic and exciting collaboration.
Length of commitment | Flexible |
Start time | Anytime |
Level of collaboration | Flexible |
Benefits | Other |
Who is eligible | Anyone |
Mara Huber
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning; Director, Experiential Learning Network
Please note that opportunities to work with global NGO partners are limited and based on partners' indicated needs and preferences. If you would like to be considered for a global NGO project, send an interest email to ubeln@buffalo.edu with the following information and one of our staff will respond with more information via email :
Note that all ELN projects require a UB mentor. The ELN team can help you identify an appropriate mentor but it will be your responsibility to secure a mentor before beginning a project.
Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase.
In addition, you should read On Tanzania Time.