Moshi Campus News – 16 Nov 2025

Like most weeks we have seen a bit of everything here in Moshi. As you read through the newsletter you will see the fun of Trunk-or-Treat for the primary and a student organised themed party for the secondary. You will see the arts, science, outdoor pursuits, a few mentions of the EE and more.

This Friday we start one of the biggest events on our yearly calendar. Sports weekend has been taking place on Moshi campus  for over 20 years. Starting Friday at 12:20pm we will have about 850 students from the two UWC East Africa campuses and 10 other schools in Tanzania competing for 48 hours across six team and two individual sports. This really is an amazing weekend and if you are nearby, I suggest you stop in. At the end of this newsletter you can read about the exciting initiatives that have been put in place by the sustainability team and they ways they hope to promote sustainability over Sports Weekend. In particular, the banana leaf plate making session in Room 6 at 3:30pm on Thursday sounds like it will be a lot of fun.

On Monday the 24th please note that secondary classes will start later at 10:30am so that we have time to finalize resetting the classrooms. Please see the note in the PYP section about primary students.

The following weekend we shift gears and Moshi hosts a MUN conference which allows schools from the Moshi/Arusha area to gain experience and skills in debating while looking at international politics.

Some other upcoming events are listed below. I hope you read through the full newsletter to see what is happening.

Bob Cofer – Head of Campus

We’d Love Your Feedback on School Merchandise!

We are reviewing our current UWC East Africa merchandise and planning what new items to offer next year and we’d really value your input.Whether you’ve purchased items before or are simply interested in what’s available, your feedback will help us improve designs, pricing, sizes, and availability.

This quick survey takes less than 5 minutes and will help us offer merchandise that better reflects our community. Click here to take the survey

Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts with us

This week the D2 students have been unpacking the TOK (Theory of Knowledge) questions for their essay. Theory of Knowledge is a class where students learn to think about how we know things and why different people may understand the world differently. Some of the topics include exploring what role doubt plays in how we know things; the importance of context when considering what we know and how reliable interpretation is. There are a few other topics, so please ask the students which topic they are most interested in and why. Thanks to our TOK teachers for adapting their lessons to suit the topics.

D2 reports were also published on Friday. One student described the first reporting semester as a “blur” and we are so proud of their resilience during this demanding season. For those who are applying early decision/early action, we will be sending the transcripts to Universities early this week.

Some of our D2 students attended the EE Lockdown which gave them a full day to finish the Extended Essay. As they were submitting, each student described their feelings of relief. It’s one more accomplishment in their pockets!

The D1 students will likely find this week very busy as they complete units and assignments. At this stage our intention is to publish semester 1 reports in December but we will share more on this in the coming weeks.

We had an ESS field trip planned for our D1 students which was postponed due to a clash of dates so we are looking at new dates – watch this space. We are also looking forward to the announcement of our new student government this week. Well done to our courageous candidates who applied for various positions.

Catherine Dowie – Head of Diploma

The D1s and D2s have done a technical workshop this week using ink and bleach. This high contrast medium lends itself to interesting effects and textures with some very exciting results.

Dear UWCEA Community,

What a week in Residential Life: the kind that reminds us why this community is so special. We started strong with our Halloween Costume Party, where Rafiki filled with every possible character imaginable (and a few I’m still not convinced were costumes). The energy, the dancing, the chaos, all of it pure UWCEA magic.

From there, we shifted into leadership mode with the Student Government Candidate Fair and the Co-Presidential Debates. Our students showed up with thoughtful ideas, real passion for the community, and debate skills that could make some adults nervous. It was inspiring to see them step forward with confidence, clarity, and the occasional dramatic pause.

Midweek, students took the mic, literally, at Open Mic Night, filling the room with music, poetry, laughter, and a few brave souls who absolutely owned the stage. It was one of those evenings that quietly reminds you how much talent sits in our dorms every night.

And this Saturday, we wrapped it all up with something a little more intense: the EE Lockdown Marathon. Rafiki turned into a focused (and slightly stressed) writing chamber where diploma students settled in to push their Extended Essays across the finish line. Snacks, laptops, determination, all present. Panic? Minimal. Progress? Significant.

Thank you to everyone who participated, supported, and kept the week running smoothly. Our students continue to impress us with their curiosity, creativity, and heart, whether they’re dancing in costume, debating policy, performing on stage, or writing their way to the EE finish line.

Adnan Mackovic – Head of Student Life

As always, it was a busy week on campus with all our MYP students fully engaged in their learning and classroom activities. If you happen to come across any of our M2 students, be sure to ask them about their Math assignment… They are budgeting and planning expenses, and their first glimpse into adulthood is both hilarious and eye-opening. The conversations coming out of this task have been priceless! The last day of school will be December 5. We are currently finalizing a plan to supporting students learning, and this will be shared with all students and parents/guardians very soon.

M5 Music
This week in MYP 5 Music, students performed “Stand by Me” as part of their work on ensemble performance and musical expression. They spent time rehearsing together, refining their roles, and building the confidence to share their work in class.

What stood out most was their collaboration and willingness to take a risk. They were excited, and a little nervous, but they showed real growth, creativity, and commitment to the process. It was a lovely moment of learning and connection.

M1 I&S
This week the M1 students proudly presented their research posters on Ancient Egypt and the Sumerians. They explored everything from daily life and inventions to writing systems and beliefs, turning their findings into colourful, creative posters. What made the presentations especially lovely was the way they explained their research in their own words confidently, curiously, and with genuine excitement. The breezeway felt like a mini time-travel experience, with students teaching us and each other about two of the world’s earliest civilizations. A wonderful start to developing their research and communication skills!

M3 Theatre
Students have been busy creating and developing their own original characters for a short duologue performance. Working in pairs, they’ve been exploring how voice, movement, relationships, and symbolic choices help bring a character to life on stage. The classroom has been full of imagination and laughter as they rehearse their skits, experiment with personality traits, and refine how their characters interact and of course it’s a little bit extra with Mr. Adnan!

Have a great week ahead,

Farah Fawaz – Head of MYP

On Friday we celebrated our traditional “Trunk or Treat” and it was lots of fun. There were trunks run by parents, grandparents, secondary teachers, Diploma Students, and MYP students, it was a real community event and the primary teachers are grateful to everyone who supported us by hosting a trunk or donating sweets. I would like to take the opportunity to thank those people who worked behind the scenes to make the event such a success. Mr. David and the gardening team moved many tables and chairs for us and also ensured the paddock grass was well cut, Ms. Tahera and the kitchen team prepared a lovely meal of pizza, veggie sticks, popcorn, juice and cupcakes, and Mr. Ronnie and the cleaning team ensured we had handwashing stations, and access to bathrooms.

UWCEA, Moshi will be hosting a secondary sports weekend Friday 21st – Sunday 23rd November. Visiting schools will be sleeping in both the primary and secondary classrooms. On Monday, 24th November, the secondary school will be starting later than normal – they will come to school at 10:30am. The primary school will be open at the regular time of 7:30am and staff will be on campus. We will have some activities ready for the children supervised by EAs/Teachers whilst we unpack our classrooms and set them back up ready for the children to work in. If you have children in both the primary and the secondary school you might decide to keep your PYP child at home and bring all your children to school at 10:30am for ease of transportation arrangements. The primary team will be flexible and will be happy to see your child/children at 7:30am or 10:30am – whichever time fits in best with your personal arrangements. Classes will finish at the regular time of 1:10pm and after school clubs will take place as normal on that day.

The photos show some of the activities at the Trunk or Treat and also the EC/P1 class enjoying some water play in the sunshine.

There have been some changes to our scheduled dates and I will keep you posted as I receive information.

• Friday 21st – Sunday 23rd November – Sports Weekend. Primary children will not participate in this but are welcome to come along and cheer on the Moshi Leopards!
• Monday 24th November – some PYP families my choose to send the children to school at 10:30 am for transportation reasons
• Friday, 28th November Sharing Gathering in Rafiki at 7:40am. All children will share some of the work they have been doing in class.
• Saturday 29th November U9 and U11 Festival of Football at SCIS, Arusha.
• Thursday, 4th December Morning of the Arts at 7:40am in Rafiki (this will serve as our last gathering of the semester when we will celebrate birthdays, give leaves and say goodbye to children who are moving on from UWCEA.)
• Friday, 5th December Primary gathering at the Daycare Centre (this will be a rehearsal of the Daycare graduation that will take place that afternoon)
• Friday, 5th December last day of the semester. Classes will finish at the normal Friday time of 12:30pm
• Monday, 8th December – end of semester PYP reports will be issued on Life.

Deborah Mills – Head of PYP

In Primary, we have been learning about self-motivation and self-esteem.

Students in early years and P2-5 listened to social stories and together we talked about how the words we tell ourselves, especially when something is difficult or unfamiliar, can either motivate us to reach our goals or hold us back. Students practised using positive self-talk and breaking tasks into small steps with a goal in mind.

In P6, our focus has been on building healthy self-esteem. Students reflected on their strengths and what makes them unique. We also created a self-esteem wall in class, where students write kind & encouraging messages about one another. This activity helps students feel connected and confident, while also letting them see and be reminded of their positive qualities through kind words from their classmates.

Parents, you can support this at home in simple everyday ways:

• Talk about goals together: Ask your child what small goal they want to work on (e.g. this weekend) for example reading for 10 minutes or practising a skill.
• Use positive self-talk as a family and encourage your child to do the same. The goal is to foster a growth mindset, encouraging students to keep going even when faced with challenges.
• Notice and celebrate effort: When your child tries something challenging, point it out. “I saw you kept going even when it was hard.”
• Create quick ‘check-in moments’: Ask questions like, “What’s something you’re proud of today?” or “What was tricky, and how did you handle it?”
• Model calm problem-solving: Let your child see how you manage mistakes or frustrations in a healthy way and that mistakes are opportunities to learn.

Keziah – Socio-emotional counselor

On Friday, we visit the library to exchange the books we’ve borrowed for the week. William was so excited about the book he chose from the library that he couldn’t wait to get home to read it. His sister had to read it to him before going home. It is wonderful to see this school spirit.

Thank you to all who sent the pictures we requested from you this week. If you haven’t already done so, please send them to us by Monday.

In the coming week, we will create art using various materials. If you have any bottle tops, small boxes, toilet rolls, anything you feel that the children could use with their imagination to create something interesting, please send it to us.

Mboka Mwasongwe

We had a wonderful wrap-up of our beloved Science Unit!

We did an experiment to show that fire does need oxygen. We also defied gravity by making water walk up paper towels! The highlight though was certainly our visit to the Secondary Science lab to do the Elephant Toothpaste experiment with school scientists, Ms. Mika and Mr. Justine! The students donned lab coats, goggles and gloves and marveled at the chemical reaction. We’re so grateful for the lesson.

We are looking forward to the next terrific unit. Rituals, Traditions and Artefacts from around the World.

The lines of Inquiry are:

• What constitutes a culture
• Significance of rituals and traditions
• How artefacts symbolize beliefs and values

This unit will involve some support from home as we hope for students to gain appreciation for their own cultures as well as learn about other cultures.

Kacey Buckley

November has been a busy month for birthdays in P4/5. Jiyu celebrated her birthday in early November and last week both Christa and Harjeet celebrated their birthdays. We enjoyed some delicious cake! The children have worked on a personal narrative and a “pourquoi tale” this week and we hope to share our writing with you at a future date. In maths we have been learning about different types of lines and are  moving on to learning about shapes. We have now come to the end of our unit of inquiry about storytelling. Next week we will start our new unit of inquiry.

Central Idea:

Maps represent our understanding of the world and change over time.

Lines of Inquiry:

• Different types and purposes of maps (Form)
• How maps and map-making have changed over time (Change)
• What maps reveal about people’s beliefs, knowledge, and perspectives (Perspective)

Deborah Mills

The P6 class is working hard on their campaigns. They have all identified a topic, created a data collection question (or two), designed a slogan, and are now working on collecting data. They will be using their data to create double bar graphs, comparing the number of boys vs girls for each of their categories. We have a range of topics that the students want to campaign on, from bullying to cultural food (Yum! Samosas)! We are looking forward to wrapping up this unit of inquiry and delving into the tantalizing world of governance next!

Parents – please look out for emails with Padlets that the students need to continue ideating for their PYPX. Ideally we would like to have topics and some field trips finalized before we head for December break. You will receive links to two Padlets, the first is videos to provoke ideation, and the second for students to write down their ideas. Remember, YOU are also invited to add ideas and comments about the various topics that students have chosen!

Elisha Jaffer

This week, our school’s KCMC Service had the special opportunity to visit the Children’s Oncology Department at KCMC Hospital. During our visit, we hosted a Dance Clinic for the youngest patients, where we danced together, played fun games, and organized playful balloon painting activities. Thanks to our Swahili-speaking students who helped to organize games for children to engage them even more! The children learned some new dance moves and experienced a moment of joy during this challenging time for them. Dancing together helped everyone forget about the hospital setting for a while and simply enjoy the joy of movement and music. The event was filled with music and smiles. As part of our visit, our service donated the MYP students’ knitting project- a warm, cozy, and handmade blanket to the hospital’s patients. It shows how other members of our community also contribute to the well-being of the patients. To make the day even sweeter, our group also brought cakes and juices, which brought lots of joy and comfort to the children and their families. This experience reminded us of the importance of compassion, community, and sharing positivity with others.
Martyna D1

The bags are packed, the buses are loaded, and we’re ready for another epic weekend of adventure! This weekend, we have two trips heading out: Peaks Discovery to Kilomeni and Rides Discovery to Simba Farm. Each trip has more than 30 students participating, showing just how popular the OP Programme continues to be. It’s fantastic to see so many students eager to explore and enjoy the outdoors here in Tanzania.

Semester 2 OP Trip Sign-Ups Now Open!

Sign-ups for Semester 2 Outdoor Pursuits trips are now live on Life! Please keep the following in mind:

• Each trip has a sign-up closing date — students cannot sign up after this deadline.
• Carefully read the OP catalogues for trip overviews, itineraries, pre-requirements, and fitness expectations. All catalogues are available on the school website.
• Students should not sign up for a trip if they do not meet the listed pre-requirements.
• Please discuss trip choices with your parents/guardians over the break. Remember, parental approval is required for all sign-ups: no approval = no go!

Mount Meru Trip
Please note that sign-ups for the Mount Meru trip close on 3rd December. This early deadline ensures all students are authorised before the end of Semester 1.

Our trips that we were looking to shift to December, the Reefs trip to Fish Eagle Point (3–7 December) and the Mindfulness trip to Usawa (7 December) will not be able to move forward on those dates. The OP team will meet next week to discuss next steps, and further information will be shared in due course. At present, the Reefs Adventure trip to Emayani will continue as planned.

Many thanks,
Andy Ross

Before looking back at the week that has been, the sustainability committee is preparing for an exciting sports weekend ahead. They want to let the community know how we can all contribute to an eco-friendlier event. Please champion the following practices throughout sports weekend:

1. Bring your own water bottle (single-use plastic bottles are not allowed on campus)
2. Return all items to vendors. They will provide cups, plates and cutlery but you are also encouraged to bring your own.
3. Keep campus clean, If you see something, pick it up and provide friendly reminders to our visitors if necessary.
4. We are all responsible. Help our guests to meet our standards for sustainability.

This Thursday, 20th November there will be a banana leaf plate making session with the sustainability committee and parent association. From 3:30PM in room 6, come along and give a helping hand. There will be music, snacks and laughs shared, they look forward to seeing you there.

Climate-Connections Workshop
This week a group of Diploma students welcomed Marjon from Climate-Connections. This follows the extensive workshop done with M3 to M5 students Thursday the 6th of November. They put their knowledge of climate change to the test, exploring visual data, causes and consequences and the extent of the issues. This informative session shifted into a code-breaking activity where they successfully defused the climate change ‘bomb’ applying the appropriate strategies.
 

Finally, it was time to explore Nala, the E-Rover made new by an impressive EV conversion. This vehicle has carried the Climate-Connections team across 4 nations, demonstrating the possibilities for their use in East Africa. It was a privilege to welcome our guests as they move onto their next adventures.

Campus Actions

Dorm recycling
The recycling system has now been implemented in each dorm, this means that no residences remain without formal waste separation. A reminder to students that we are all responsible for what we consume, especially in how and when we dispose. Green is for clean cardboard and white paper, while blue is for clean plastics (no light plastics or wrappers).

Kuku corner:
Our kuku furaha project is thankful to the P2/3 class for continuing to visit, feed, clean for and refill water as true sustainability stewards. There are more chickens on the way! Another shout out is due to Mr. Matt’s advisory group, Melek (D1), Freja (D1) and Prassana (D1) who are the current leaders of the Chicken Care Cup. Eggs are now flowing, and we have a pilot feeding system in the works. Reach out to Eduardo (D1) or Kaira (D1) to find out more about the sustainable proteins project in its infancy.

Trees
Ammar (D2) has been leading a group in keeping over 30 saplings growing into trees. He was joined by some new faces over the last month and provided important nutrients, water and care for these native trees.

Sharation Preparations
As is announced above, Project Sharation is fast approaching. With students from several environmentally minded projects jumping into action to prepare for this rewarding event. Ideas were flowing in the environmental service groups, building on suggestions from the MYP Climate-Connections workshop, there are new initiatives hitting the ground running. With seeds sprouting, tomatoes flowing and trees taking root, these change agents are looking forward to welcoming the public to their workshops, displays and much more on December 3rd.

Swap Shop
Swap Shop is back! M1-3 Environmental Service will be collecting clothes from students and parents that are in good condition and ready for their next life. You can drop items off to room 6 or keep an eye out for the collections baskets and bags to be distributed to the dorms. The Swap Shop will take place on December 3rd, during the Sharation inside of K-hall. Come down and swap or take a few items that are new to you.

There is so much more happening at UWCEA Moshi, reach out to find out more about ongoing initiatives, projects and future efforts to come. Get involved in helping us take small steps towards a more sustainable future by reaching out to sustainabilitymoshi@uwcea.org.

William Taylor – Sustainability Coordinator