Hundreds of students from The School of St Jude proudly celebrated Tanzanian, African and other nationalities at its recent Cultural Day held at its secondary campus.

The students did a range of creative performances spanning from hip hop, modern and traditional African dances as well as drama pieces showing a tribal King’s lunch and the hard work of African mamas.

“It was wonderful to see the creativity and imagination of the students,” said St Jude’s School Director Jon Ford. “It shows the wide range of skills our students have as well as the amazing academic achievements in the National Exam, including recently scoring 90 per cent Division 1 in the Form 4 mock exam.”

Two St Jude's students performing on stage at the event.
Two St Jude's students performing on stage at the event.

The fashion show was a highlight of the day with the students spending hours stitching together unique, colourful designs using kitenge, other East African fabrics and local produce including maize and leaves. It was a mark of respect for their culture but students also used Australian and US designs to show their appreciation of other nationalities.

“I used kanga, tissue paper, plastics and wood as they were local resources I could easily find,” said Anastazia, Form 3 student at St Jude’s. “My dad is a tailor so I feel sewing is in me as I love designing.”

Anastazia’s well-crafted clothes caught the eye of the judges and she won overall first prize and for her fashion label, Nyumbani Design.

Two talented St Jude’s secondary musicians, Elisante and Dorcas put on a top performance and were surprised and excited to receive a recording session given by sponsor, Fnouk Studios, for their efforts.

“I was really impressed by the students’ designs and performances and how Cultural Day builds a lot of confidence with the kids,” said Sune Mushendwa, Director of Fnouk Studios.

The event’s other sponsor, Kase Stores Ltd, gave book vouchers for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place overall winners.

Guests of honour included Miss Arusha Lillian Deus and Hisia, a Tanzanian singer and songwriter based in Nairobi who gave an inspirational speech on stage to the students about facing hard times in life.

“From an artist perspective, we have to do everything, when the road is rough and there are a lot of challenges, don’t let the challenges get you down, shake off the dirt and keep going,” said Hisia.

‘Jambo’!

‘Poa’, sang a choir of delightful Tanzanian children, cheeky smiles from ear to ear, bustling shyly for the attention o f this unknowing 'mzungu'.

In December 2013, I travelled to Tanzania with Global Immersion, a company dedicated to uniting the youth of the world.

Founder Bernie Kelly resonates enthusiasm, dedication and passion through his wonderful ways, creating an extraordinary experience that takes its place among my most worthwhile and unforgettable memories.

I signed up to the journey with zero expectations, returning home with a wealth of cultural knowledge, much self-discovery, many treasured Tanzanian rafikis and a deeply ingrained confidence in humanity.

In 2002, Australian Gemma Sisia established the fully donor funded School of St Jude in Arusha, Tanzania. She grasped an opportunity to improve the quality of others’ lives, and twelve years later her once small scale school has had a magnificent impact upon 1600 of the most disadvantaged African children and their families.