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Race to bring resources to disadvantaged in East Africa

Pat Williams captures a young Tanzanian boy. Reminder Publications photo courtesy of Pat Williams
By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW It's not often that a high school senior gets to help save lives. It's even rarer for that senior to help save lives on the other side of the planet, yet Pat Williams has been doing that since he was 13.

Next month, Williams will be hosting his second annual Jambo Tanzania 5K Road Race/2K Walk in Longmeadow to raise funds for the construction of a medical clinic.

Williams is a member of Jambo Tanzania, a local non-profit organization dedicated to bringing healthcare and educational resources to the village of Gera in the Bukoba region of Tanzania. Bukoba is home to approximately 100,000 people. Gera is a village on its outskirts.

Founded by Tanzania native Dr. Mary Bandu, now working at Mercy Hospital, in 1996, Jambo Tanzania focuses on fund raising for simple things, according to member Jean Williams (Pat's mother).

"Jambo" translates from Swahili to "Hello" in English.

"This is a grassroots group that Pat sought out when he was younger," Jean said. "He's always wanted to do work like this."

A visiting priest from Nigeria piqued Pat's interest in aiding those in need in Africa just before he turned 14. After officially joining the group, Pat made his first trip to Tanzania in July 2006. He volunteered at the newly constructed Kashambya Elementary School in the morning and helped those who needed medical assistance in the afternoon, even though there is no real medical center in Gera.

"The original school was one room and falling apart," Jean said. "Now there are four brand new classrooms. The current medical center is an old one room World War II building. Our goal is to raise funds for a suitable clinic for the healthcare of the village." Jambo Tanzania has already instituted a vitamin program for children in the village, as well as a safe water program.

Pat and Jean organized the road race as a fund raiser together, although Jean gives her son the credit for spearheading the initiative.

There were 59 participants in last year's race and they're both hoping for many more this year.

The group will be returning to Gera next July with enough funding to at least start the building process for the new medical clinic. All the money raised by the organization goes toward helping the village. The blue prints are ready now the group just needs to get through the red tape.

"They really appreciate what we're doing in Tanzania," Pat said. "They have such a positive attitude."

Pat and Jean have to thank their sponsors of the race (Pioneer Valley Nephrology, Court Square Data Group, Inc., Sumner & Toner Insurance, Redstone Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Western New England Renal and Transplant Associates, Hampden County Medical Associates and all their individual sponsors) for their support. "The dream of a medical clinic we can call our own is finally happening," Jean said.

Pat's dream is far-reaching as well. "There's a big need for this," Pat told Reminder Publications. "I want to help those in Africa and those in Springfield. It's a big thing to go all the way to Africa because travel is appealing, but local people need help, too."

The race is taking place Sept. 15, starting at St. Mary's Church at 9 a.m. The walk begins at 9:15 a.m. The registration form is available online at www.longmeadow.org in the Bulletins section.

For more information on Jambo Tanzania, visit www.jambotanzania.com.