The ordeal is ending for 14 pupils and their four escorts who were trapped in Tanzania during a volunteer work trip when serious political unrest erupted with deadly protests and army interventions. Philenews has learnt that the 18-member school mission’s return home is now on track.
According to information, following representations and actions by the Foreign Ministry, a plan has been drawn up providing for repatriation via Zanzibar within the next 24 hours. The Foreign Ministry has not yet confirmed the information.
Throughout this period, coordinated actions have been taking place between the Cyprus High Commission in Nairobi, which covers Tanzania, and the Foreign Ministry’s crisis management centre in Nicosia.
Parents in Cyprus remained the constant link with the 14 children, explaining the situation they were in. Among other things, they made known that supplies such as food were running dangerously low for the mission and that the children had started to be affected emotionally by events, with their insecurity reinforced by the fact they lacked adequate information about the situation in Tanzania as internet access had been cut off.
In recent days, the pupils’ parents held daily meetings at the Foreign Ministry, anxious about their children’s safety. They also sent a message to the President pleading with him to do whatever necessary to bring them home.
The private school’s volunteer work mission, in which 17- and 18-year-old boys and girls took part, departed on a flight from Larnaca on 22 October and was due to begin its return journey yesterday, 2 November, arriving in Cyprus today.
The children reached Tanzania via Dubai and from there travelled by road for many kilometres to Kilya village, with the aim of helping build schools and create playgrounds.
Four other Cypriots are in Tanzania separately from the school mission, making 22 people in total.
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