Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Donna Duggan is an old girl of Moreton Bay College in my electorate who's been doing incredible humanitarian work in Arusha, Tanzania. Her story is as heartbreaking as it is inspiring. Thirteen years ago, Donna arrived in Tanzania as a volunteer nurse. She met and married a wonderful man named Nas and started a successful safari company called Maasai Wanderings. They also began to work with the Maasai people who live in the region around Arusha because they wanted to give Maasai children the best early education, setting them up for the future and helping break the cycle of poverty. Using money from their own pocket as well as funds raised by the Wynnum community, Donna and Nas built several nursery and primary schools in Arusha. They also paid for nursery teachers and cooks to give children a mug of porridge each day, feeding over 4,000 children a day. They've built other vital infrastructure in the town such as toilets and water tanks.

Two local retired teachers were inspired by Donna's generosity and launched Mealtime for Maasai Students, just before Nas was tragically killed in November last year in a light plane accident, leaving behind Donna and their two young children. Nas was a local hero, and after his death Arusha locals started writing songs about him. Meanwhile the Wynnum community in my electorate also rose up to show their support. To help raise funds for this project, the Moreton Bay College Old Girls' Association held an afternoon of Christmas barefoot bowls at Manly Bowls Club. Just one donation of $50 helps feed one Maasai student nutritious meals for one year. In total, they raised over $6,200 on the day, but they've raised nearly $20,000 so far, which will go to water tanks, gas burners and nutritious meals. What an incredible outpouring of support from the community.

Donna and her children returned to Queensland for Christmas last year in order to grieve in private, and while she was there Donna shared her inspiring story at the fundraiser. I commend her for her ongoing humanitarian work, and I commend the Moreton Bay College and Bayside community for joining together to support Donna and Mealtime for Maasai Students. I wish her all the very best in the future.