The city council election candidate, who is also a year five teacher at Merrivale Primary School, has spent time in Africa with the Salvation Army helping to build a community centre.

Inspired by the story behind not-for-profit organisation Ryan’s Well, a foundation that builds wells for villages in Africa, Mr Tampion and his pupils raised money in 2008 to build a well in Liberia.

The next year he was encouraged by the Salvation Army to go to Mozambique on a team tour with a group from across Victoria.

“In Mozambique we stayed at a compound where they had a school and a little hospital, with a garden for natural medicine,” he said.

“Before I went, my school raised some money – so in my suitcase was sporting equipment for the school. 

“The schools were fairly primitive and had classes of up to 100 students.” 

While in Africa Mr Tampion was paired with a translator named Virgilio. 

“I did a lot of speaking over there to different groups. I spoke about hope and about how we all have challenges and how to rise to it,” Mr Tampion said.

Mr Tampion also helped to construct a community centre.

“They couldn’t afford to put a roof on the building, so as soon as I got back I thought, ‘that’s not good enough’, so I raised money to put a roof on,” Mr Tampion said.

In 2011 Mr Tampion organised for Virgilio to come to Australia to talk to school groups around the region about life in Africa.

The pair have become great friends, speaking often. 

“You can’t go over to these countries and not be touched,” he said.

“The kids have nothing.

“When I came back, it was like you had a great perception of your own world, and what you can do as a person to contribute to your own community.

“I found I was more pro-active in doing good things for my family, my friends and my broader community.

“It was like, what could I do as a person to make things better for other people?”