Adriana Curtis '28 Schwarz School in Zumba, Tanzania

Adriana Curtis '28 volunteered at the Schwarz School in Zumba, Tanzania, through an Advanced Study Grant from Boston College. During her month-long immersion, she taught English, mathematics, reading, writing, and science to students aged 2-15, and introduced educational materials and pedagogical techniques to local teachers.

This summer, I had the transformative experience of teaching at a school in rural Tanzania through an Advanced Study Grant. As a sophomore studying Elementary Education and Transformative Educational Studies, I have discovered the unique, powerful force of education, as well as the drastic differences in educational systems globally. I was led to Zumba, Tanzania — a semi-nomadic pastoral community so rural it cannot be located on a map — by an eagerness to expand my perspective and connect theory with practice.

Although education is free through seventh grade in Tanzania, there are hidden costs - such as books, uniforms, transportation - that make education unattainable for many families. In rural areas, critical shortages of basic needs like teachers, water, toilets, and textbooks persist. Plus, some students have to walk for hours (when mornings are dark and afternoons are sweltering) to reach the nearest school. This is especially dangerous for young, developing girls. I volunteered as a teaching assistant the Schwarz School, a free, private grade school that was founded in response to unfortunate events resulting from these circumstances.

Each day, I walked into a classroom with students who were eager to learn and grateful to be in school. Most of them were the first in their entire bloodlines to be in a formal educational setting. It was a foreign and exciting environment for all of us. Classrooms had limited desks and no electricity, but devoted teachers shared content with students, and I, in turn, introduced pedagogical techniques and materials with the educators. The students were present, alert, and resilient. Their hunger for knowledge was palpable. One student who has never been outside of the dirt-path village dreams of being a pilot. Another would like to be a doctor. One said, "I want to be the president of Tanzania."

I had the privilege of walking home with a seven-year-old girl who has been going to the school for years. Her trip from school to home takes about an hour to complete and includes wading through a small stream. She walks barefoot. When she started at the Schwarz School, her grandmother would carry her to and from school every day until she reached the age where she was strong enough to go by herself. Even as my feet ached from a long day, she smiled and skipped the whole trip home.

It was in that moment that I began to truly understand the link between education and power. Education is not just a means to a job or college. Education is a lifeline — an act of resistance and a hope for transformation.

I was reminded that access is not only about physical materials, but also the belief in one's potential. But it was also clear that the playing field was far from level. Children in urban centers or wealthier regions had access to resources, trained teachers, and future opportunities that my students did not. These questions brought me face-to-face with the power structures that shape educational systems worldwide.