We met Abdul during our visit to Arusha in Tanzania and, we could not, but share his inspiring story.
Abdul is born in Villima Vitatu (“Free Hills” in Swahili), a farming village 100 Km from the town of Arusha, close to Tarangire National Park.
Since a very young age, Abdul was exposed to the wildlife.
Every morning, at sunrise, Abdul and his friends from the village would walk 20 km across nature. They would encounter zebras, giraffes, wild beasts on their daily journey to school.
Every evening, back into the village, he would spend time in the field, helping his mum with farming and cultivation of corn and beans. One of those evenings, while Abdul was enjoying the peace of nature, he gets suddenly pulled out of his silence with the noise of terrified screams and random running . Further away, a rhino was charging ready to attack the village. A picture that got stuck in his mind for a number of years. Fortunately, the rhino changed his mind and graciously left the village. So did Abdul.
At age 15, he headed to Kilimanjaro Moshi. He was determined to study mechanics and come back to help his dad. Abdul’s father owned few old cars to transport the harvest from the village and sell them in town. With the cars getting old and breaking down regularly, his business was struggling.
He managed to study mechanics for four years with the sponsorship of a Japanese company specialized in drainage system and irrigation. His studies lasted as long the last irrigation project lasted. By the end of the completion of their work, the Japanese company relocated. So did Abdul.
He went back to “Free Hills” to put his expertise at the service of his family and community. Unfortunately, with the lack of tools and the dry season, his efforts did not impact the community and improve the economic situation of Villima Vitatu. Once again, Abdul left his people and moved to Arusha town seeking a living.
He started working as a mechanics in a shop fixing safari jeeps. Trust me! a very useful skill if your safari jeep breaks down in the middle of wildlife. So thought a safari travel agency who hired Abdul to be one of their guides.
Abdul found his calling. Since 2009, he embarked on a journey of exploration and discovery of nature’s mysteries. He has been undertaking wildlife studies for more than five years and uses the low tourism season for hands-on learning. He, his fellow students, and teacher, go camp in the wild to experiment and decode its complexities.
We spent two days’ safari with Abdul. We were touched by his inspiring story, his beautiful mind, deep soul, his eagerness to learn and share, and his passion for wildlife.
If you love nature, want to learn more about wildlife or intend to visit Tanzania, Abdul will be happy to connect with you: abduldatoo@yahoo.com
