Taking Time to Reflect

Published on September 1, 2010 in Chocolate University and Press Coverage. 0 Comments

The students have been back in the country for a little over a week now and they’ve each taken some time to look back on the knowledge and experiences they gained during their time in Tanzania.

In fact, just later this afternoon the students will convene again for their first meeting as a group since being back in Springfield.  Now that they have returned, the next phase of the project is set to begin and the focus will shift to marketing and actual production of the single-origin bar.

To hear more about what the students had to say about their trip, read the latest article in the Springfield News-Leader:
Cocoa Farmers Impress Students
Tanzania Trip Generates Student Aspirations

Guest Blogger: Doug Pitt

Published on August 21, 2010 in Central High School. 0 Comments

In this post, Doug Pitt, goodwill ambassador to Tanzania, shares his thoughts with the Cocoa Honors group:
It’s been great reading about you and your adventures. Outside of a 21 hour bus ride, I wish I could have been there. I know you have experienced the amazing hospitality of the Tanzanian people. Gracious, appreciative and as you now well know – in great need of support. The water well that you have left the village with most likely will have saved a life and prevented a lot of sickness even before you make it back to class. Water borne illness is a horrific and debilitating tragedy that many suffer from and your gift of clean water will serve thousands for years to come – Awesome!

You’re gaining a great appreciation of our ability to positively change and affect the lives of people – in our home town and a continent away. I look forward to hearing the stories of your trip and the day we get to taste Tanzanian chocolate!

A Visual Representation…

Published on August 20, 2010 in Chocolate University. 0 Comments

As the Cocoa Honors trip comes to a close the students have collected a wealth of video to capture the memories made during their travels.  Click on the links below to see some truly heartwarming experiences.

Children of Tenende Village – Tanzania
This clip is from our first day in the village where the children started singing this song to us impromptu.

Doing the Hokey Pokey for the kids of Tenende Village Tanzania
Here is a clip where we are teaching the village kids the Hokey Pokey. Our dancing isn’t the best and maybe we could have picked a better song at our first meeting with the kids. However, it seemed these encounters with the children made a huge impact on the entire Cocoa Honors group.

Moravian Church Tenende Tanzania
In this next clip you will see the Morovian Church of Tenende Tanzania. We were treated as honored guests.

Mama Kyeja and the Moravian Church of Tenende Tanzania
The final music video of the trip (again from the Moravian Church in Tenende). This video is great because you can see Mama Kyeja – the Chairwoman of UWATE – our farmer group of Tenende. She is the choir leader wearing the black dress with white print on the left. Almost everyone in the choir is a farmer supplying us with cocoa beans.

Village to Village

Published on August 20, 2010 in Chocolate University. 0 Comments

The students (and adults) left early Wednesday morning for Mikumi National Park while Shawn Askinosie stayed back in Tenende Tanzania. While there he spent all day in an old Land Cruiser speeding from village to village on dirt trails with holes the size of the entire trail.  Look for pictures below of his work in the villages.

About an hour away from Tenende - this young student is carrying a hoe - about as heavy as he is. The reason he is carrying it to school is that the teachers make them bring these tools and work in the school garden which feeds the teachers and NOT the kids.

About an hour away from Tenende - this young student is carrying a hoe - about as heavy as he is. The reason he is carrying it to school is that the teachers make them bring these tools and work in the school garden which feeds the teachers and NOT the kids.

Shawn wanted to test roast some beans he was inspecting in the village. He asked if he could borrow the kitchen and roasted them over this open fire. This allowed him to assess some flavor possibilities in the field. He also showed the farmers how to do this and why they should do it. Unlike South and Central America there is no tradition or culture of drinking cocoa or using it as a food in any way.

Shawn wanted to test roast some beans he was inspecting in the village. He asked if he could borrow the kitchen and roasted them over this open fire. This allowed him to assess some flavor possibilities in the field. He also showed the farmers how to do this and why they should do it. Unlike South and Central America there is no tradition or culture of drinking cocoa or using it as a food in any way.

Sugar cane snacking--seems to be a constant

Sugar cane snacking--seems to be a constant

The First Taste

Published on August 17, 2010 in Chocolate University. 0 Comments

On Saturday, Shawn Askinosie was able to give the farmers a class in chocolate making and tasting. He brought unroasted and roasted beans, liquor, butter, powder and different kinds of chocolate PLUS the new hazelnut spread. The farmers had NEVER tasted chocolate. In fact – they really did not know it was food.

Meeting Ms Kyeja - the Chairwoman of farmer group UWATE. We gave her a chocolate bar as a gift along with hats, and a probe thermometer to help them monitor temp during fermenation.

Meeting Ms Kyeja - the Chairwoman of farmer group UWATE. We gave her a chocolate bar as a gift along with hats, and a probe thermometer to help them monitor temp during fermenation.

Shawn Askinosie teaching Chocolate 101 to farmers.

Shawn Askinosie teaching Chocolate 101 to farmers.

Kids from Tenende outside the meeting with UWATE farmers.

Kids from Tenende outside the meeting with UWATE farmers.

A few of the Cocoa Honors Students having fun with something as simple as bubbles.

A few of the Cocoa Honors Students having fun with something as simple as bubbles.