KALAMAZOO (MICH.) – When Colleagues International passed the Taste of the Worldfund-raising event to the Merze Tate Explorers, the pandemic hit. Not only were the plans for a fundraiser canceled, so was their study abroad to South Africa.  A year later, a Zoom relationship with girls in Mwanza, Tanzania has allowed the organization to bring the Taste of the World virtually with a new twist. The event will include a virtual auction that highlights the wears created in partnership with the students of WoteSawa Domestic Workers, the Explorers, and local businesses. 

“We all miss the opportunity of tasting the amazing foods that represented cultures around the world,” said Sonya Bernard-Hollins, founder of the Explorers. “But, the pandemic has made everyone more creative. Not only did we bond virtually with the girls in Tanzania, but their desires to help one another has led to what may be the world’s first international girl-led scholarship fundraiser.”

The Taste of the World Virtual Auction will be held 7 a.m. May 1- 7 p.m May 7th on 32auction.com/Explorers. Each bidder will have the opportunity to selected from 40 amazing packages that include everything from a virtual wine class for a group to a pinata, handmade table mats, and dinner at local restaurants. Each of the 40 items will be coupled with one of the many authentically-made wine bottle covers, reversible aprons, skirts, purses, and more, created by the girls in Tanzania.

“We have been so thrilled to partner with Merze Tate Explorers through the years, connecting these amazing young Kalamazoo women with people from around the world in exchange,” said Jodi Michaels, executive director of Colleagues International. “We are excited to see where the Explorers take Taste of the World, an event we hosted for several years at the Expo Center. Seeing Wotesawa in Tanzania and the Explorers work together for scholarships on both sides of the ocean is an inspiration and we are honored to have brought them together!”

Members of the Merze Tate Explorers planned how the virtual event would take place, created a media trailer to highlight the event,  and led a photo shoot of the items modeled by Explorers.