From Duluth to Tanzania, Building with Maasai

Some people take vacations to relax. Others find meaning in the hard work of helping others.

In July 2015, a small group of volunteers from Duluth spent part of their summer serving a community half a world away.

Paul Frost, a project manager in the Kraus-Anderson Duluth office, was one of 12 volunteers from the Superior Sunrise Centennial Rotary Club and Pilgrim Lutheran Church who traveled to Tanzania for 2 1/2 weeks. Their service project focused on building a water cistern for a Maasai mother-child medical clinic in the remote village of Piaya.

How Did Superior Sunrise Rotary Become Involved in the Tanzania Service Project?

PAUL FROST: This began in early 2013. Will Mowchan, pastor at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, joined our Rotary Club and suggested that we join forces with the work the church was already doing in the area to improve maternal healthcare.

Once we had a project in mind, our club applied for a Rotary District 5580 grant to match what our 21-person club could contribute. The club committed $5,000. Although we are small, we combined a successful grant-writing effort with our $5,000 contribution and brought $10,000 in funding, along with 12 willing workers, from our community to theirs.

What Was the Church’s Connection to the Maasai Community?

PAUL FROST: Pilgrim Lutheran Church had been involved with the community for many years. Will had previously traveled there on four mission trips to build cisterns at other locations and provide school and medical supplies.

The church supports the work of Dr. Steven and Bethany Friberg, missionaries who reside in the area. Steve and Dr. Nsimba, a Tanzanian physician, are proactive in working in remote areas of the country to improve healthcare.

Bethany works with women in a beadwork cooperative that sells products in the United States. The project helps women develop economic stability and independence while elevating their status in the community.

We traveled with the Fribergs to Piaya, a small Maasai village in a remote section of Tanzania. Learn more about the Maasai community.

Were There Other Kraus-Anderson Connections on the Trip?

PAUL FROST: Yes. Floyd Cochran from Hunt Electric and his daughter, Kylie, were part of our group. Kent Bergum, principal of Superior Senior High School, and his son, Jack, also traveled with us.

What Were the Work Conditions Like, and How Did Volunteers Work With the Community?

PAUL FROST: The community was involved every step of the way. Teams travel only at the invitation of Maasai leaders.

The people there paid two-thirds of all construction costs. Local people led the work and worked alongside us. All work was completed using local building materials and local methods.

The approach supports local involvement and long-term sustainability. When the Fribergs bring in outside help, it also helps build their credibility with the Tanzanian government, which improves cooperation.

What Did the Volunteer Team Accomplish?

PAUL FROST: The Rotary Club portion of the group built the water cistern and installed rain gutters on the building to collect water for the mother-child clinic.

We also provided funding for solar power and delivered pencils and dental items to the local school.

The Pilgrim Lutheran Church portion of the group poured a church floor and installed a steel roof on a new church in the village.

The project reflects the potential of volunteer construction work to support local priorities through collaboration, practical infrastructure and shared effort. Learn more about community involvement, employee volunteering and the Kraus-Anderson Duluth office’s community connection.

Had You Ever Been to Africa?

PAUL FROST: This was my first visit.

What Were Your Accommodations Like?

PAUL FROST: We slept in tents in the Maasai village from July 3 through July 19.

Donkeys and goats could be found outside our tents while we tried to sleep. Hyenas made their eerie calls throughout the night. Maasai warriors guarded the camp to prevent wild animals from entering.

We used the mud-adobe church, about 16 by 24 feet, for privacy from many curious onlookers.

Did the Trip Change Your Perspective?

PAUL FROST: It changed some of my preconceptions about the people who live there. I have never seen people work harder.

The Maasai have few material belongings, yet their hospitality and generosity toward us, as strangers, was unbelievable. They live simply, and yet we woke each day to a view of Ol Doinya Lengai.

How many billionaires have a view like that?

In this interview, Paul Frost shared his experience with a Tanzania water cistern volunteer project, including Rotary and church partnerships, local Maasai involvement, rainwater collection for a mother-child clinic, solar-power support and volunteer construction work. Learn more about Kraus-Anderson employee volunteering, community-building efforts and related work from Duluth to Tanzania.