Painting A New Reality

MAY 19, Monday

As I leave my house for the walk to TAFCOM I exchange greetings with the families and shop owners along the way. Chickens and ducks scatter about. My road consists of a cluster of housing and shops. Next door, a man builds and upholsters furniture. Across the way is a metal shop that makes the gated doors and windows like our compound has. There is a strip of kiosk-size shops which include a drug store, market where I buy water, plus a small video/internet café.

Reaching the end of my road I turn the corner at the Butcher shop and trek down one of the worst roads I have ever encountered. The potholes are massive and filled with water. Each day that it rains they get deeper and spread wider. I watch how and where the locals cross and do the same. This road then joins another that is a wider, more well-traveled road. On one side is nothing but corn fields, the stalks reaching over 6 feet high. The other side continues with sparser housing and shops. At the water station I make my final turn before arriving at TAFCOM.

Today one of the volunteers planned a game where the children form a circle, passing around a balloon until the teacher signals “Stop”. The child holding the balloon must pop it by sitting on the balloon. It was during a previous trip that we played a similar game and I experienced the deepest sense of joy from the children. And again this time, the squeals of laughter and delight at the simple popping of the balloon showed me a place where these children, even if for a brief time, did not know poverty, illness or death.

The water tank was installed over the weekend. Jonas described it as a very dangerous experience involving 6 men using ladders and ropes to hoist the tank up to the platform. It fell off once but everyone was out of harm’s way.

I walked home with some of the TAFCOM children today. They love to hold my hand and touch my skin. I discovered that Amina, one of the children I met on my first trip, lives on the same road as our house. I am hoping we can visit together. She is one of those children I never forgot.

I witnessed my first garbage truck today. I knew there was trash pick-up from the homes in many areas but I was so relieved to learn they also pick up the piles that accumulate in various areas of the countryside. These piles are an eyesore of accumulated blue and plastic bags among other things.

It is not uncommon when I run that I am joined by any number of children. Today, a woman ran with me and shortly after she turned down her road another woman joined me. I love this unreserved spontaneity.

When I returned home, Neema greeted me with grilled corn. It is bought from local vendors and is one of my favorite treats, especially when drizzled with lime juice.

MAY 20, Tuesday

Nie and Jonas picked me up so I could bring the duffle bag of sewing supplies. I purchased some stacking plastic shelves and tubs perfect for organizing when in Moshi. Fortunately I had divided everything into baggies before I left so we only had to sort through zippers, buttons and thread. We still need a few more containers before we are ready to unveil our treasures to the tailoring women.

The construction of the kitchen project began today. It is dependent on the weather as to when it will be finished. It will be a welcome addition for all.

Sigrid and Marcel, German volunteers, are teaching English to the tailoring students. This is something I am very interested in and observed part of their class. I found some online resources that I brought to share and hope to be able to work with them more closely.       

If I have not mentioned it before, I will state repeatedly how much I love the food here. As long as the electric is on, Neema has been making fresh juice for me almost daily. We have had only a few outages since I have been here, none lasting very long nor inconveniencing us in any major way so I feel very fortunate. Back to the food! Dinner tonight consisted of boiled potatoes and vegetables cooked in a tomato/coconut sauce plus mango juice. I am getting so spoiled.

MAY 21, Wednesday

It rained much of the night and I slept like a baby. Sleeping with the sound of the rain felt like being rocked in the arms of nature. I would love to record the rain. I think it sounds so much gentler because of the metal roof.

I worked from home today organizing, researching and generating ideas for some of the projects I will be working on. The Micro-Loan workshop is our priority. Jonas and Joseph stopped by. Joseph conducted the past trainings and is anxious to set a date, possibly as early as next week. Joseph is a fascinating man. His English is impeccable and he has a wisdom about him that is enthralling. I could spend hours listening to him. I am hopeful that we have more time together before I leave.

MAY 22 – Thursday

It was a mix of work and fun at TAFCOM today. We identified 11-12 potential participants to receive Micro-Loans and decided on Thursday, the 29^th, as our workshop date. Joseph will teach the all-day Business training and each participant will receive a loan of 100,000 Tsh (Tanzania shillings) equivalent to about $60 USD. It will be repaid weekly over a 6 month period with 5% interest. The interest is set aside for unexpected circumstances such as an illness that might prevent the person from working. TAFCOM can then assist that person so that they do not lose their business.

One of the Tailoring women is ready to graduate and we are hoping to help her launch a tailoring business. The other participants are currently operating businesses and the loan will help them to expand. Examples of businesses include the selling of fruits and vegetables, charcoal and firewood, laundry soap and other basic necessities. For many, the additional income they will generate ensures that their children are educated by covering the cost of school fees.

I promised Nie I would bring in pictures from Lee Ann’s (daughter) wedding. Lee Ann spent the summers of 2008 and 2009 volunteering with TAFCOM and has been a remarkable inspiration to me. Nie was all smiles seeing Lee Ann so happy and was almost giddy watching Lee Ann and Neal performing their brother/sister dance. There was a bonfire at the reception along with the makings for ‘smores. Nie was not familiar with this American treat and had never heard of a marshmallow. I have a friend coming in June and will see if she can bring the ingredients so we can make them.

It was raining on my way home and I could not escape the mud. Flip flops become very slippery when your feet are coated in mud! As I approached our house, Neema was at a neighbor’s vegetable stand. She called me over and we exchanged greetings and introductions. The woman insisted I use her water to wash my feet.  I pointed to a tree with fruit and the woman gave one to Neema. As she tied to squeeze it open, the contents squirted all over my shirt. It was a pomegranate! We all had a good laugh and I give a special “Jambo” whenever I pass by. Neema and I ate some of the seeds and then she added the rest to our juice for lunch.

MAY 23, Friday

After it rained all night I was not feeling confident that I could make it over the streams in the roads I have to cross to get to TAFCOM. I texted Nie and they picked me up on their way. It is so convenient staying in Pasua as I am in easy walking distance to Nie and Jonas’ house, TAFCOM and the daladala stand.

Immigration staff showed up unannounced at TAFCOM asking about me and the two German volunteers. Jonas verified that we were in the process of obtaining our volunteer visas. To enter the country, a US citizen must pay $100 for a travel visa. Volunteers then must apply for a volunteer visa/permit. This is an additional $200. If you do not have the proper permit you are escorted to the police office for questioning. There is a $400 fine plus the $200 for the visa. The worst case scenario is that you are put in jail, followed by a court appearance and potential deportation. 

We met with Joseph who is conducting the Micro-Loan workshop. He asked that we move it to Tuesday as he needs to visit his 93 year old mother on Thursday and it is a 10 hour bus drive. It is noteworthy that the average life expectancy in Tanzania is only 59 years.

After Joseph left, Nie, Jonas and I went to the site of the new school. It will be called Minnesota Academy. Lynn, who will be here in June, has been the fundraising guru behind the school. She is from Minnesota, hence the name. It was about a 20 minute drive out into the middle of nowhere. The first building is almost complete and the plan is to open 2 primary classes in January.

There is no electricity and when the land was bought there was no water. A 39 foot well was dug by hand and water is lifted out by bucket and rope.

This has been Nie and Jonas’ dream for so long. While appreciating Mt. Kilimanjaro for the first time since I arrived, Jonas reminded me of the slogan of the very first fundraiser in 2008 – “Painting a New Reality”. And so it is….