Ben Belknap was a Peace Corps volunteer living in Kingiti from 2007-2009.  As the village’s first volunteer, he was able to observe the results of introducing projects confronting a number of village issues.  His projects ranged from those focused on food production and village-based income generation to HIV/AIDS education and medical care.  In his second year of service, as a brutal drought ravaged most crops and projects alike, he focused primarily on the health and medical outreach projects he had initiated in his first year.  At this time of transition did he learn what his future career must be.  Ben currently lives in Boston, where he is a post-baccalaureate premed student applying for medical school this summer, while working at a local emergency department.  Ben serves as a project director, board member, budget writer, and translator for KSSVHOF, Inc.

Laithon Mvili was born in Usolanga village, in the Iringa region of Tanzania, to farming parents with seven other children.  Though their family’s lack of wealth was typical of many in the area, the achievements of their children reveals the extraordinary upbringing provided by the Mvili parents.  Most of the children still manage the family farm in Usolanga, however, two have become accomplished teachers and one a physician.  Laithon credits his Mother’s compassionate heart for much of the children’s success, she was herself raised as an orphan in a nearby village, as well as his Father’s strict work ethic as conveyed in the words he told his son, “One must work hard for himself or he will later be the slave of another.”  Laithon moved to Kingiti in 2003 to become the Seventh grade teacher of all subjects at the Kingiti Primary School.  He enjoys managing a retail business in Kingiti, praying at the local Catholic church, and socializing in the village center when he has free time.  Mvili’s life has been a story of resilience and faith; on his wits he has overcome the gross hindrances that stifle most children suffering from polio in a small farming village.  Of his life, he says, “It has brought many difficulties, but I succeed through perseverance and God’s blessings.”  Laithon Mvili is the main director of our primary school and secondary school education projects.

Patricia Gagne’s visit to Tanzania in June 2008 to see her former sociology student, Ben, was the beginning of a journey that would long outlast her time in the country.  During her stay in Kingiti, the student and professor discussed, almost constantly, the sociological implications of what an outsider observes in a remote Sub-Saharan village.  Pat was very affected by the abject poverty she witnessed during her visit, and upon her return to the US was determined to share what she saw with her fellow faculty members and friends.  The Kingiti Sharing Group came as a result of this first meeting, when her friend,  Carla Rich, suggested that they begin fundraising among their network of contacts.  After some correspondence with Ben, the primary and secondary school education projects were developed.  Pat owns a small farm outside Louisville, Kentucky where she enjoys her gardens and horses.  She teaches theory in the Sociology Department of the University of Louisville, working primarily with graduate students.  Pat has been managing the project finances for the last three years, as well as serving as a project director, board member, and key consultant for the organization.

Stanley Muhede was born on the outskirts of Dodoma town some fifty years ago to traditional farming parents of the Wahehe tribe.  After a brief formal education he became a pastor of the Apostolic faith and travelled much of Tanzania in his work for the church.  His work eventually brought  him to Mpwapwa town in the early 1980s where he met his wife Kristina, a woman of the Wagogo tribe.  They soon moved to Kingiti village, 25 miles South of town, to have their own farmland and raise a family.  Stanley and Kristina have six children, one of which is an esteemed upper-level secondary school student.  Stanley has retired from his appointment as a pastor, but remains an mzee (elder) of the Apostolic Church in Kingiti.  He has used his standing in the community to bring HIV/AIDS education to the village and was a key figure of all Peace Corps projects in Kingiti.  Mzee Muhede is a man of undefeatable spirit and intelligence that exudes joy and kindness every day of his life.  In many ways he is the most brilliant of men.  He serves as an education and health project director for KSSVHOF, Inc.

Ben Belknap alikuwa Peace Corps kujitolea wanaoishi katika Kingiti 2,007-2,009.   Kama kujitolea katika kijiji cha kwanza, alikuwa na uwezo wa kuchunguza matokeo ya miradi kuanzisha kufichua idadi ya masuala ya kijiji.   miradi yake kilicholengwa kutoka kwa wale ililenga katika uzalishaji wa chakula na uzalishaji wa kijiji makao mapato ya elimu ya VVU / UKIMWI na huduma ya matibabu.   Katika mwaka wake wa pili wa huduma, kama ukame kikatili ravaged mazao zaidi na miradi ya sawa sawa, yeye ililenga hasa katika afya na miradi ya afya kuwafikia alikuwa ulianzishwa katika mwaka wake wa kwanza.   Kwa wakati huu wa mpito gani kujifunza nini kazi yake ya baadaye lazima.   Ben sasa anaishi huko Boston, ambako yeye ni baada ya Baccalaureate premed mwanafunzi kutumia kwa ajili ya shule ya matibabu huu majira ya joto, wakati kazi katika idara ya mitaa ya dharura.   Ben mtumishi kama mkurugenzi wa mradi huo, mwanachama wa bodi, mwandishi wa bajeti, na translator kwa KSSVHOF, Inc

Mvili Laithon alizaliwa katika kijiji Usolanga, katika mkoa wa Iringa ya Tanzania, kwa wazazi kilimo na watoto wengine saba.   Ingawa ukosefu familia yao ya utajiri ilikuwa ya kawaida ya watu wengi katika eneo hilo, mafanikio ya watoto wao inaonyesha ya malezi ya ajabu zinazotolewa na wazazi Mvili.   Zaidi ya wana bado kusimamia shamba familia katika Usolanga, hata hivyo, wawili kuwa walimu yametimia na mmoja na daktari.   Laithon mikopo yake mama huruma moyo kwa kiasi ya mafanikio ya watoto, alikuwa mwenyewe alimfufua kama yatima katika kijiji jirani, kama vile Baba yake kali za maadili ya kazi kama walitoa kwa maneno aliiambia mtoto wake, "Mtu lazima kufanya kazi kwa bidii kwa ajili yake mwenyewe au yeye baadaye kuwa mtumishi wa mwingine. "   Laithon wakiongozwa na Kingiti mwaka 2003 na kuwa mwalimu wa darasa la saba masomo yote katika Shule ya Msingi Kingiti.   Yeye anafurahia kusimamia biashara ya rejareja katika Kingiti, kuomba katika kanisa la mtaa Katoliki, na socializing katikati ya kijiji baada ya muda bure.   maisha Mvili imekuwa hadithi ya ujasiri na imani juu ya Wits wake alishinda kero ya jumla kwamba kukandamiza watoto wengi wanaosumbuliwa na polio katika kijiji kidogo kilimo.   Ya maisha yake, anasema, "Ni umeleta matatizo mengi, lakini mimi kufanikiwa kwa uvumilivu na baraka ya Mungu."   Laithon Mvili ni mkurugenzi mkuu wa shule zetu za msingi na miradi ya shule ya sekondari ya elimu.

Ziara Patricia Gagne nchini Tanzania mwezi Juni 2008 hadi kuona elimu ya jamii yake ya zamani mwanafunzi, Ben, ilikuwa mwanzo wa safari ambayo kwa muda mrefu outlast muda wake nchini.   Wakati wa kukaa yake katika Kingiti, na wanafunzi na profesa kujadiliwa, karibu kila mara, kwa maana ya kijamii ya nini mgeni anaona katika kijiji kijijini mwa Jangwa la Sahara.   Pat sana walioathirika na umaskini uliokithiri yeye alishuhudia wakati wa ziara yake, na juu ya kurudi kwake kwa Marekani aliamua kushiriki nini yeye aliona na wanachama wenzake Kitivo na marafiki.   Ya Kingiti Sharing Group alikuja kama matokeo ya mkutano huu wa kwanza, wakati rafiki yake,   Carla Rich, alipendekeza kuwa wao kuanza kutafuta fedha kati ya mtandao wa mawasiliano.   Baada ya baadhi ya mawasiliano na Ben, elimu ya msingi na elimu ya sekondari miradi ya maendeleo.   Pat anamiliki shamba dogo nje Louisville, Kentucky ambapo yeye anafurahia bustani yake na farasi.   Anafundisha nadharia katika Idara ya Sosiolojia ya Chuo Kikuu cha Louisville, kufanya kazi hasa na wanafunzi wa shahada za juu.   Pat imekuwa kusimamia fedha za mradi kwa miaka mitatu iliyopita, ikiwa ni pamoja na kutumikia kama mkurugenzi wa mradi, mwanachama wa bodi, na mshauri muhimu kwa ajili ya shirika.

Muhede Stanley alizaliwa nje kidogo ya mji wa Dodoma baadhi ya miaka hamsini iliyopita na jadi wazazi kilimo wa kabila Wahehe.   Baada ya elimu kwa kifupi rasmi alikuwa mchungaji wa imani ya Mitume na kusafiri mengi ya Tanzania katika kazi yake kwa ajili ya kanisa.   kazi yake hatimaye kuletwa   naye Mpwapwa mji katika miaka ya 1980 ambapo alikutana na mke wake Kristina, mwanamke wa kabila Wagogo.   Wao mapema wakiongozwa na kijiji Kingiti, maili 25 kusini ya mji, kuwa na mashamba yao na kuongeza familia.   Stanley na Kristina na watoto sita, moja ambayo ni ya Bunge juu wa ngazi ya shule ya sekondari ya wanafunzi.   Stanley ina wastaafu kutoka uteuzi wake kama mchungaji, lakini bado ni Mzee (mzee) ya Kanisa ya Mitume katika Kingiti.   Yeye ametumia amesimama wake katika jamii ya kuleta elimu ya UKIMWI kwa kijiji na alikuwa takwimu muhimu ya yote Amani miradi Corps katika Kingiti.   Mzee Muhede ni mtu wa roho na akili undefeatable kwamba exudes furaha na wema kila siku ya maisha yake.   Kwa njia nyingi yeye ni kipaji zaidi ya watu.   Yesu mtumishi kama elimu na afya mkurugenzi mradi KSSVHOF, Inc