Week 8 - Staying Healthy Physically & Mentally

April 9 – April 15

The big news this past week was the untimely death of Tanzania’s most beloved actor, Steven Kanumba, age 28. According to reports he died after a fall involving an argument with his girlfriend. It has taken up most of the news for several days and his funeral was attended by over 30,000 people.

I tried running over the weekend and it felt pretty good but the track is muddy and slippery. There is a gym in Soweto so I stopped in to see about joining. It was very clean and most of the equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, bikes) looked decent and up-to-date. They have weights and a couple work out machines. It’s not quite the Y but definitely suits my needs! I decided to splurge and get a 3 month membership. There is an aerobics class 5 days per week. I go around 1:00 and then return at 5 for aerobics. No one is there during the day and the trainer works with me like I have my own personal trainer. Really makes this place a bargain! The best part is that it is much safer for me running on a treadmill than at the field except when the electric goes out and it abruptly stops the machine which fortunately only has happened once! The aerobics class is one hour of non-stop movement. Interestingly there are usually about 10-15 of us in class and the majority are men!!

Boniface, the trainer, wants to open his own gym. We talked after my workout on Saturday. He is 32, from Kenya and the oldest in his family. Like in Tanzania, he sends money to his family and also said that as the oldest it is important for him to be successful in order to set the example for his younger siblings. He seems like a very bright young man and I was so impressed when he started talking about the importance of Customer Service. (Lack of it is one of my major pet peeves.) We talked about budgets and marketing and I suggested he talk to the owner of the gym about mentoring him. He loved this idea and was going to follow up on it. Thank you Big Brothers Big Sisters for showing me the importance of mentoring in all aspects of life!!!!

At one point in our conversation he said to me, “Why is it that white people are so much better off and do so well compared to the black people?” His question stopped me in my tracks. He said that many of the people he knows in Nairobi want to go to the US. His question was, “Wouldn’t it be better if they stayed in Africa to make it better here?” I am an optimistic realist but I can also be quite cynical. I told him that life in the US was very difficult for some internationals and there are many people who come with degrees and training from their country and it means nothing in the US. They end up in low-paying menial jobs, live poorly and send most of their money home to family. I said that those who succeed are most likely those educated in the US or recruited by a large corporation. I added that the US definitely has more opportunities and choices but with that comes many more temptations and distractions that can cloud one’s judgment and morals. It is not for me to advise whether someone should leave their country for the US or not. However, I agree with his comment about staying in your country to make it better. Although the flip side is that if you can be successful in America you will have a lot more money to help your country.  

My week at TAFCOM was short because they were closed Monday and I was to work from home on Friday. Mary, a young Tanzanian woman who is studying at the Institute of Social Work in Dar es Salaam, started a 2 month internship with TAFCOM. This is the only school in the country for Social Work. They have a 2 year certificate through to the Master’s level. Mary is in her 2^nd year and is hoping to complete her Masters. She has family in the states living in Wash DC and Columbus, Ohio!! Another example of how small the world is!! I definitely want to meet them when I return.

Tailoring Student with Yoga Bag

Tailoring Teacher with Purse

Nie and I went to the center to take pictures of the women at the Tailoring Center so I can finish their profiles. Teddy and I took the daladala to Pasua and got off at the Bingo stop. I immediately thought of ways we could make educational Bingo games for the kids. We found that making the puzzles from cardboard was more difficult than we thought. The scissors were not good for rounding corners. We tried a knife and razor blade. We decided to make our own pattern with straight edges. Amanda helped and Mgembe cut with the razor blade and did a great job. We were able to complete 4 puzzles. I found a great website for Alphabet pictures so we are going to make a book plus copy some extras for coloring and puzzles. These projects are great fun especially when we all work together. We all have ideas for the Bingo games and hope to get them done by next week.  I can’t wait to see the kids' reactions. Puzzles are very uncommon here and Bingo is not a game they know.

Elephant Puzzle!

Mgembe Cutting Cardboard w/Razor

On the more serious side, I had mentioned previously that when doing the children’s profiles we asked what they wanted to be when they grew up and many of the answers were based on a very limited view of the world and reflected their life and the cycle of poverty. Granted, they are young but ask any American 5 or 6 year old what they want to be and they usually have grand plans! We decided that I would look for coloring pages of as many professions as I could find and we would use them in a variety of formats to educate the children. I found numerous websites with every profession imaginable. What was disturbing to me was that every single caricature was white and the majority were male. Those who know me well can easily guess my reaction. Nie also did not seem pleased with this.

When I was reviewing the pics with Nie we had to eliminate some professions that don’t even have a Swahili translation or that would not be understood. They included professions such as scientist, researcher, counselor, astronaut, accountant, lawyer.  I can only hope that as they advance through school they gain an awareness of the many possibilities available. It is such a double-edged sword because the number who break out of poverty is so small yet inspiring. Many have dreams but with the priority being daily survival, there is no opportunity to save. I often wonder how people deal with their feelings of hopelessness and discouragement.

              

I also started working on a handout about Malaria Prevention that we will translate and distribute with the nets in June. It is now recommended that Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN’s) be used and there is a Long Lasting Net that can be used up to 4 years. We will be purchasing these as the other treated nets only last for 6 months before the insecticide wears off. Research has shown that for every 1000 children protected by ITN’s, 5.5 lives can be saved each year. I do have to wonder if the insecticide could cause other problems but malaria is not something you want to get. The groups at greatest risk of getting sick and dying of Malaria are pregnant women and children under 5. Evidently pregnancy reduces a woman’s ability to fight off malarial infection. Infants and young children are at risk due to their immature immune systems. Worldwide, Malaria kills one million people every year. 800,000 of whom are children under 5 years old.

Speaking of health, Amanda, the nurse volunteer, is working at St. Joseph’s Hospital for the month she is here. (That is where Deborah took Rahim for his one year checkup.) She is spending her first 2 weeks on the pediatric ward. It has 3 rooms with 12 beds in each. 2 rooms are used for children and the other is for women as there is no room on the General Medicine floor. The rooms are almost always full and most of the children are there for malaria or malaria-related illnesses such as dehydration. Pneumonia and intestinal problems are also common and there are a few children with burns. There are 3 shifts for the nurses. 2 nurses and 2 aides work the day shift. The evening and night shifts are each covered by one nurse and an aide. The hospital does not provide meals and visiting hours are arranged around meal times, 3 times per day. This then makes it impossible for the family to have income unless there are other family members able to help provide food for the patient.

The lighting is very poor in the pediatric rooms so the nurses have to take their equipment outdoors to start IV’s on the children. Sometimes the IV needle is reused if the nurse is unable to get the vein on the first try. No equipment is available at bedsides like oxygen or suction machines and there is only one oxygen machine for the whole unit.  Last week the blood pressure machine broke so none were taken. A new machine arrived this week. Blood pressures are not taken on the children because they do not have small size cuffs. Most of the women on the floor are there due to high blood pressure or diabetes.

One day this week when we were in the TAFCOM office a man came in asking for funds to pay for his son’s hospital care and treatment. He had official looking papers and a picture of the boy. He was at KCMC with an enlarged spleen as a result of having a reaction to malaria medicine. When there is a situation that requires an expensive procedure or treatment, the hospital will provide the family with documentation which is then taken to a government official who provides a letter of verification and permission to solicit funds. I gave him 10,000TSh (about $7 USD). I had to sign the paper and noticed that he had collected from about 15 other people with the highest donation being 1500TSh. The cost of the treatment is 850,000TSh. I don’t know what will happen to the boy or how long he can wait for the treatment before other problems arise.

Veronica

Nie, Mary and I visited 5 families on Thursday. We returned to see Veronica who was, as always, thrilled to see us. She had finished her inhaler and was out of asthma medicine. You could hear how labored her breathing was. Nie explained that when it gets like this she needs an injection. We gave her funds to get the injection. Veronica had also told us before that her flashlight batteries were dead so we took new ones. She was very happy as this is her only source of light at bedtime.

We think Veronica is probably in her 80’s. She is raising 2 grandchildren, ages 4 and 13. She had 2 children who both died of AIDS, each leaving a child behind. Both children have tested negative for HIV. They live in 2 rented rooms with no electricity or water. One room contains a couch and table. In the second room there is one double bed.  It is a mud house with dirt floors.

Ester has 4 daughters ranging in age from 2-14. They live in one rented room with no electricity or water. The furnishings include one double bed, a couch and a table. Ester’s husband died of AIDS when she was pregnant with their youngest. She had a successful food selling business but because of a lengthy hospitalization she was unable to maintain the business and now provides a laundry service for neighbors. Ester and the two youngest are HIV positive. We have helped with school fees so they are now current. Nie will talk to Ester about looking for a vegetable stand near her home so she can expand her business and become self-sufficient enough to take care of her basic needs and school fees for the children.

Salama lives with a daughter and her two children, ages 20 & 15. They all live in a one-room windowless mud home with a dirt floor and no water or electricity.  There is one small bed, one chair, and a few wooden stools. Salama’s daughter moved in after an extended illness which caused Salama to lose her milling job. She and her daughter sell fish, vegetables and charcoal. The 20 year old granddaughter helps also. She finished primary school and because of a lack of income was unable to attend secondary school. She would like to pursue hotel management. Nie and I talked a lot about what is most practical and economical for the granddaughter. It is expensive to attend the hotel training but it would bring a better income to the family in the long term. However, Salama and her daughter need to first expand their business in order to make ends meet.

I spent a lot of time thinking about their situation because I want to help but I also know the family has to have its immediate basic needs met.  It is very hard sometimes deciding how best to help. I try to immerse myself as much as I can but I will never have a total understanding because this is not, nor will it ever be, my daily life. It just drives home for me how very much we take for granted. I rely on Nie and feel that with her guidance we have and will continue to make a huge difference in the lives of the people we help through your donations. It is just very difficult when I think that Pasua is a pinprick on a world map and there are so many more areas just like this and even worse.

I will talk with Nie about a micro business loan for the 20 year old to start her own business and another loan to Salama to expand her business. The payments they make could be set aside and used for the granddaughter’s training after a sufficient amount had been repaid.

I really am a strong advocate of TAFCOM’s microloan business program because it includes training on how to manage a business, budgeting and saving. These are necessary skills even if your income comes from selling soap powder. A startup loan for a business like selling food, charcoal, soap etc. is about $65-70 USD.

It is probably not fair to say one situation is sadder than another but the next story touched my heart.

Juma and her 16 year old daughter rent one room in a divided building with other tenants. There is no running water or electricity; the floor is dirt; and the only light is provided by a small window that measures approximately 12 x 18 inches. The space is cramped, filled by one double bed, a small table, and a few stools for sitting.

In 2011 Juma lost both her husband and 4 year old daughter to AIDS. Prior to her husband’s death, the family had a stable income and owned their own home. Her husband’s parents blamed Juma for the deaths and have ostracized her. In addition, women are not allowed to own property so she lost the family home. With no financial means, Jasmine was forced to rent the small space where she now lives. Nie became involved through the referral of a neighbor. She found Juma to be feeling very hopeless and depressed. Juma has been diagnosed as HIV-positive; her daughter tested negative. Juma is also having an issue with her leg that makes it difficult to walk. She has a wrap and we encouraged her to use it. We offered to set her up in a business and she is interested in selling charcoal and firewood. We asked that she connect with someone who makes the deliveries and we will return next week to get her started.

Rose and her new blanket

Our final visit was with Mwamini. Her laundry business is doing well. She is also selling steel wool and salt. She earns 3-4000TSh per day ($2-2.70). We gave her a blanket for Rose (made by my wonderful friend, Robin). Mwamini explained that Rose has a chest problem and she is taking medicine but it does not seem to be working. She also cries all the time. Nie encouraged her to go back to the doctor today.

Mussa, Niece & Sister at his store

On Friday I went to Moshi with Mussa. He has found honey in bulk for the porridge at the Children’s Center. We were able to get a liter and Mussa will return next week for a 5 liter container. The 5 liter should last a month and I am thrilled to replace the sugar with something more nutritious and flavorful. Mussa shared that he is planning to expand his business. Since he is a guide for Mt Kilimanjaro hikes he wants more supplies that cater to hikers. He is also looking into renting hiking equipment.

Friday night we took Amanda to Glacier Bar. Ibrah, Deborah, Deborah’s brother, Fred and Grace all went. This time I was not the oldest as there was a muzungu couple and the man was celebrating his 64^th birthday. We all danced and at one point a circle formed and these guys took turns dancing and break dancing. They were really fun to watch and they were dancing on their heads and doing flips on a cement floor.

View of Moshi from Kindoroko

Saturday, Amanda and I went to Moshi and visited a curio shop, a batik store and our favorite bakery. We also had juice on top of the Kindoroka Hotel which is one of my favorite spots. Lee Ann and I spent a few nights there in 2009. Saturday night Mgembe took Amanda and me to the Pamela Bar for a beer. This is a local restaurant and bar in Soweto. I have now tried 2 local brands – Kilimanjaro and Serenghetti! Mgembe played pool and won.

Sunday-Mohammed, Deborah, Rahim, Amanda and I took a hike to the Karanga River. It was beautiful. There were quite a few people - some swimming, some washing clothes, others just climbing the rocks and hanging out. It was a very pleasant ending to the week…. Except that when I was scooting down a rather steep incline I put my hand in goat poop!!!!

Karanga River

Karanga River

Mohammed, Amanda with Rahim & Deborah

Rahim Splashing!

Passed this very nice house on way to river. Owned by someone with  money -  a Car Salesman!!                                          

Week 7 - Traditions & Easter

April 2- April 8

The Children’s Center is on holiday for 2 weeks so this week was kind of slow. We also do not work on Good Friday or the following Monday for the Easter holiday.

Jovin - Age 8

Nie and I finished the children’s profiles and they have been put in a nice binder to be used as part of the volunteer orientation.

Nie shared that when Lee Ann was in Tanzania the first time in 2009, she and other volunteers organized TAFCOM’s first fundraising event. The theme was Painting a New Reality.  T-shirts were made and Lee Ann gave a shirt to Nie, asking her to save it until Jovin (son) could wear it. This past Saturday he wore it for the first time. Nie was so proud and pleased to tell me this.

The tailoring teacher accompanied us one day on a buying spree. There is a Rotary Club in Alaska that sells purses made by the tailoring center. Nie had received an order for 25 purses made from batik. The batik is made locally but does not use the traditional coloring and patterns of Tanzania because that is too difficult to do in Batik.

Deborah in Kanga Dress

Kanga Wrap

Traditional clothing is very colorful usually with large patterns. The khanga is unique to Tanzania. The cloth is rectangular and made from pure cotton. The khanga is brightly colored and printed in bold designs. It is characterized by a border all around the periphery of the cloth including a proverb. They are used as scarves or to carry children on their backs or wrapped around the waist over another piece of clothing.

Some examples of proverbs found on Khanga’s:

Wazazi ni dhahabu kuwatunza ni thawabu. — Parents are gold; to take care of them is a blessing.

Sisi sote abiria dereva ni Mungu. — We are all passengers, God is the driver.

Mwanamke mazingira tuanataka, usawa, amani, maendelo. — We (women) want equality, peace, and         progress.

Operated by Foot Pedal

We are now working on profiles on the young women from the tailoring center. They range in age from 15-23. Most have had no secondary school education. One woman never attended school and learned to read and write through the Tailoring Center. Many are single mothers living with a relative who cares for their child while they attend training. The women learn to sew skirts, dresses, shirts, hand bags, purses and blankets. They receive a stipend for the goods that are sold during the 2 yr program. The women gain the skills needed to work as a tailor or operate a small tailoring business. Tailors in Tanzania are also expected to have their own sewing machine so TAFCOM will provide the machines when necessary.

There is no doubt that the rainy season has arrived. “Oh My!” it is a muddy mess. Now instead of tripping over rocks and sliding from the dry dust I get to watch for rocks and slippery slopes!! Although here you don't need much of a slope to find slippery spots.

Since I am not running I decided to spend some time exploring different parts of Soweto. I found a vendor who sells grilled corn on the cob. I promised I would return to buy some. This is the best corn ever and an ear costs about 20 cents. Deborah, Amanda (new volunteer) and I treated ourselves one afternoon.

On Friday Soweto was so alive and colorful with people walking everywhere and vendors selling their foods and other items. Friday is the Muslims primary day of worship plus it was Good Friday so many more people were out and on their way to church. I met up with 3 kids who were going to church and we stumbled thru some English and Swahili. I love the friendliness of the people. There are times when people just pass you by but other times they are so engaging and their smiles are so genuine. They will greet you with “Jambo mama” (mother) or “Jambo dada” (sister) and ask how you are?

Here is a funny example about “being in my element”.

One afternoon Deborah, Raheem and I walked to the field where I typically run. I always pass by a group of women tailors and we exchange greetings in Swahili. I look forward to their cheerful "Jambo's". I was telling Deborah about them and just said without thinking. "They may not recognize me today because I am in a skirt and not my regular running outfit." I then laughed and said, "Oops, I forgot I was muzungu and probably the only white person they see on a regular basis!"

Our walk started out sunny but the rain clouds move in rather quickly here. The sky started to look a bit ominous so we started to head back and before we got out of the gate to the field it was raining. We got pretty soaked but it felt good and I just finished my shower when I got home. It was actually my first warm shower with decent pressure since my arrival – pure bliss.

We had 3 Canadians stay with us one night. They teach at the International school in Abu Dhabi and were on holiday in Tanzania to climb Kili and go on safari. Their life is an extreme contrast to living here. Fortune Magazine claims it is the richest city in the world. It is also of the world’s largest producers of oil. The school has students from over 60 countries and all are from very wealthy families working in Abu Dhabi. They were sharing stories about how the people lived. One of the teachers has a student with 4 other siblings. The family has a cook, house cleaner, driver and EACH child has a nanny. The mother was not employed and I asked what she did all day. The answer was “shop”. They said the decadence and waste is overwhelming. I thinking I find that style of living far more shocking and intolerable than what I see hear. It is far easier for me to work with the very poor than the very rich when they live as described. I am sure it would bring out the worst in me because I find waste and greed to be the worst of all human characteristics.

A new volunteer arrived on Saturday. Amanda is a nurse from Canada. She has just spent 3 weeks traveling with a friend through Egypt, Jordan and Abu Dhabi. It turns out her friend works at the same International school in Abu Dhabi as the 3 Canadians who were here earlier this week and she knew one of them. Can the world get any smaller???

Easter  - so our house is full of different religions. Ibrah and Deborah are Muslim. Did you know that the Muslims study 4 books including the Koran and one of them is the Bible? They do not celebrate Easter. When I asked Ibrah he looked a bit dumbfounded and said why would you celebrate death? We talked some about the meaning of Easter.

The Muslim’s do not celebrate Mohammed's death. Some Muslims do celebrate his birthday but not in the way we do Christmas. (There is no commercialism associated with their holy days.) It is not a big deal because the Muslims have very strong beliefs about worshipping only Allah (God) and not elevating any person to a god like level. They believe Jesus was a great master but not God. 

Mgembe is Lutheran and attended church for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Ester Sunday. Deborah was raised Jehovah Witness but decided to become Muslim. Her brother Fred and fiancée, Grace, came over on Thursday night all dressed up. I asked what the occasion was and they had been at church. Jehovah Witness believes Jesus died on Thursday and that is their Holy Day. He asked if I wanted to attend his church sometime as it is both English and Swahili and I said I would. (It would have been too rude to say no and should be interesting for sure.) I will also attend a mosque and Christian service while here.

The Christians definitely celebrate Easter as many businesses are closed on Friday and don't reopen until Tuesday. It is usually celebrated with family gathering to share a meal. There was a big flap on the news because the bus prices went way up because so many people travel to see family for the weekend. Sounds like gas prices in the US!  Unfortunately the Easter Bunny does not make an appearance in Tanzania. Nor do they color Easter Eggs. These are more symbols of spring and we are just finishing summer; so I am guessing that is why they do not have these traditions. Plus I am sure it would be seen as an ultra-extravagance here.

I asked if a business was Muslim-owned and Christians worked there what would happen and I was told both religions get off for each other’s holidays. You see people with different beliefs can get along. It is just not that hard!!

A good meal is a great way to end the day. Deborah and I are talking about putting some African recipes in a booklet to sell to volunteers. Here is a sampling of some of the traditional food dishes.

Ugali

Ugali is maize flour and water cooked to a dough-like consistency. The traditional method of eating it is to roll a lump into a ball and then dip it into a sauce or stew. Making a depression with the thumb allows the ugali to be used as a scoop..

Mandazi

Mandazi, made with wheat flour and coconut milk, is a form of sweet fried bread. It has a "fluffy" feeling and texture.

Chapati

Chapati is a flat bread made with wheat flour. It is torn off and used to pick up the meat or vegetable dishes that make the meal. It is folded into a sort of loose cone and used as a scoop to eat the more liquid dishes at a meal.

Sukuma is Kale. It is sauteed in sunflower oil with onions & carrots. Variations include adding peanut butter or grated tomato and coconut milk.

Sukuma

Kabichi & Karoti

Cabbage and carrots are added to heated oil and sauteed for 2-3 minutes. Sometimes onions and tomatoes are added. 

Viazi & Mboga

These are a type of sweet potato unlike what we have but with a delicate sweet flavor. They are deep fried and mixed with any variety of  sauteed vegetables such as tomatoes, onion, green pepper, carots, green beans and eggplant.

NZURI YA KULA (GOOD EATING)

Week 6 - Gaining a Deeper Understanding

March 26- April 1 

Stress and Health - AIDS and Malaria are definitely the most prominent diseases here. However, Nie feels that high blood pressure is also a significant and widespread condition. Much of this she feels is due to the stress of life. People carry a lot of burdens not only for their immediate family but also for their relatives. Extended family is very important; everyone helps each other the best they can. I asked  Nie what most would say is the most difficult challenge about life here, she said “assurance of having food for the next meal”.

Education in Tanzania - Education is the key to unlock the door out of poverty. Most Tanzanians understand the importance of education for their children. The government touts that public education is free. However, each family must pay for their own uniforms and school supplies. This not only includes pencils, paper and backpack but also textbooks and exercise books (est. $33USD) Many classrooms may only have one textbook for the whole class. The average class size is 45 students!! In addition, schools charge fees to cover building maintenance, guard salary, furniture (desks) and sometimes water bills (est. $33USD).

Many children attend without paying the fees and at certain times the school will decide to send home those children who have not paid. They do this periodically sometimes for a day; sometimes for a week. It is totally random.

Schooling consists of Primary School (like our K-8). If a child has not started primary school by the time they are 7 they will not be allowed to attend. When a student completes primary school they are required to take a national test. Those who pass go on to public Secondary School for 4 years. If a student fails they are not allowed to repeat the previous year (sometimes in rural areas students will repeat using a different name). There is also the option of private school but it is too expensive for most. Vocational training is also an option. It is not as expensive but usually results in a manual labor low paying job.

Monday – We went to the Children’s Center. When we arrived Bisura was testing the children in English on general things like their name, their age, and some of the alphabet. We were able to finish the profiles on the children. Nie will now provide me with the family histories and I will put them all together with a picture for each child.

Nie shared that a woman from Pasua came to their house on Friday asking for help.The landlord is tearing down the building where she lives and she must find housing and 3 months rent (to be paid in advance). Mwamini, is HIV positive and a single mother of 5 children. Her husband died of AIDS in 2010. The youngest child is also HIV positive. Her oldest is a son age 16. He ran away from home and was in a shelter for street children. They returned him home and he ran away again. Mwamini explained that he felt life at home was too difficult. (I can’t imagine life on the street being any better.) The 2^nd oldest is 14. She had passed her national exam for secondary school but the family did not have the funds to send her. She became pregnant and is now living with the baby’s father who is a daladala conductor. The next 2 children attend primary school but Mwamini has not been able to pay the fees so their attendance is sporadic. The mother would like to sell laundry soap for income as she has no other skills. Nie is to visit her this afternoon to find out more information and then we will go together on Weds with a plan to help her. Nie will also discuss family planning with her as we are not sure, and it is too personal to ask, about the father of the last child.

Tuesday – See Blog Posting: Week 6 – March 27: A Day with the Animals

Wednesday –Until now I have just touched the surface of life here. Today we made 2 home visits and I knew from my previous visits that I would struggle with my emotions as these are the hardest part for me. Sitting in the homes and hearing the stories first hand make it so real. I feel like I am IN the movie not watching it; the glaring difference being that this is their daily reality not a script.

Nie and I had talked about how we could help Mwamini and decided that rent was the priority. I wanted to get the school fees paid up so the children would not have their education constantly disrupted. We agreed to get her started in her business and also give her a small amount for food. As we approached the building where she lived it was obvious that she lived in one of the poorer rental areas. She lives in one room, cooks outside, and has no water or electricity. The floors are dirt. She had a small couch and two beds for herself and her 3 children.

Mwamini &Rose

Nie translated for me. As the two women talked and Nie explained how we will help, I could see Mwamini’s eyes brighten. Her smile said it all. She was very grateful and at one point said, “Now I have everything I need.”   When Nie told me that I almost burst into tears. Here is a woman who along with her youngest is HIV positive, living in extreme poverty, and now because she has housing, her children can go to school and she can earn a meager wage feels she has everything! I could not have been more humbled by her statement and the emotion behind it. I so wish my emotions and words could portray how thankful I am that I can help (through your generosity). Total USD dollars expended to accomplish all this = $100.

We walked over to where she will move. I would not have gone except that the landlord was not going to be there. It is not uncommon that if they think the family will be getting help from a Muzungo the rent will be higher. (This can also occur in the market place so bartering is sometimes necessary.) We talked with 2 women and afterwards Nie explained that the landlord had changed his mind and she would not be able to live there. She will now spend the afternoon in search of another place and come to the office in the morning. I was so discouraged for her.

We then went to see Veronica. I love this woman!! I have visited her in the past. She claims to be the oldest woman in Moshi and has a great sense of humor. She was very happy to see us as she has few visitors. I later asked Nie if she thought Veronica would let me interview her for a life story. She said this would be fine and she was sure Veronica would agree plus it would give her company. Nie said she spends a lot of time in bed because she has nothing to do and is in poor health. She has asthma and was in need of an inhaler. We purchased one at the local pharmacy - no prescription needed – for about $3!! I also gave her a small amount for food. She kept holding my hand, thanking me and speaking Swahili as though I could understand her. Nie translated and she said that she had not expected a miracle today but now we were here. She was out of food and was cooking the last of some beans over a very small wood grill. The pieces of wood were barely an inch in diameter and cooking beans takes a long time. Hard to imagine this to be very appetizing.

I returned to Ibrah’s emotionally drained. There was no electricity so I decided to read and immediately fell asleep for a solid hour and a half nap. Deborah and I then visited her brother Fred and his fiancé, Grace. They live about a block away. We had Orange Fanta and popcorn! I shared that in the US we have microwave popcorn which they found truly fascinating. We played spoons again and I also learned that Mr. Bean and Tom & Jerry cartoons are very popular here!!! Fred has some Mr. Bean DVD’s and promised us a movie night. He currently has no electricity. The country’s electric operates on a voucher system. Fred’s landlord collects the electric bill money from the tenants and then buys the vouchers. He collected the money from the tenants a week ago and has not paid the bill so no one has electric. The crazy part is that the landlord lives there too. They were to have a meeting with him that evening.

It is David’s birthday today so we all went back to the house and sang happy birthday outside David’s window and then visited for a while. We are having a threefold celebration on Friday for David’s birthday, his farewell on Saturday (David is going to Uganda for a farm project for a month.), and my birthday on Saturday!!

Thursday – Mwamini came to the office shortly after I arrived. She paid the school fees for her children and provided us with the receipts. She also explained that she will be moving into the 2 bedrooms we saw yesterday. Apparently the women we met yesterday told her the unit wasn’t available because they were leery about her son. Some of Mwamini’s friends and one of the area leaders talked with the women to reassure them that there were no safety issues. All has been resolved so Mwmini can move in. We gave her the rent money and provided her with the funds to buy the laundry soap to start her business. She was again very grateful and her smile reflected her gratitude. We will visit her periodically to see how things are going and have promised to supply the family with some multivitamins.

Nie and I completed the family history part of the Children’s profiles. I knew this would be difficult because I had read these as part of my orientation in 2009. The most heart wrenching part is the repetitiveness. So much of the living environment is the same – single mothers, 4-5 children, children living with grandparents, HIV/AIDS, parents deceased due to AIDS, 1 or 2 rooms rented. I can feel Nie’s pain as she shares these stories.

I ask a lot of questions and Nie is always patient with me, educating me and trying to help my “western-influenced” mind grasp the why’s and how’s of a life that is so far removed from what I have known. I often wonder and marvel at my life. Why was I born into the circumstances that gave me so many opportunities and privileges? Why have I been so blessed?

The following are some snippets from a few of the children’s profiles. But first some more info on life here that may answer some questions from the profiles.

Marketplace & Food Vendors

There is one market in Moshi that opens very early for the farmers who arrive to sell their food to those who work in the various market places.  Those who sell on the streets or near their home buy from the marketplace. So all are dependent on what the farmers can offer.

Some children answered that porridge was their favorite thing about school. For some this may be the only meal they have that day.

Divorce & Child Support

It is common that when a woman with children remarries, the new husband will refuse to allow the children to stay with them. Many children are being raised by relatives as a result of this. However, more and more women are choosing to stay with their children rather than get in this type of situation. Most struggle financially because they have made this choice. Very few men will provide support if they do not live with their children. Women can try to get support but the process is very tedious and long and is rarely successful. Younger women who experience pregnancy outside of marriage run into the problem of the man refusing to accept the responsibility of being the father. DNA tests are very expensive. The existing laws that dictate child support amounts date back to the 70’s, only requiring the father to pay 1000 Tsh (Tsh are Tanzania Shillings) per month per child. (This would be about 65 cents.) It is barely worth the hassle.

Rice Fields

Rice Field

Many who do not have a means to support themselves will work in the rice fields. From preparing the field to harvest is typically a 3 month process. People are hired as casual labor to till the fields by hoe; to plant the rice; to weed and finally to harvest and cut the rice. Pay is per day dependent on how much one gets done. Hours do not matter; pay is based on the area tilled, planted or weeded or the number of bags filled from cutting the rice. It can take all day to cut and harvest one bag full; a strong person might be able to do two bags. The pay averages 1000 Tsh (65 cents) per bag.

Wanahamisi - age 4

FAMILY HISTORY: Wanahamisi lives with her aunt who is a single mother with 2 children. Wanahamisi parents separated and when her mother remarried the stepfather did not want her living with them. Her mother and stepfather have 2 children. The mother does visit Wanahamisi. Her aunt works as a casual laborer in the rice field to provide support. They rent a 2 room house.

FAVORITE ANIMAL: Goat.  FAVORITE COLOR: Black. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SCHOOL? I like the porridge. WHAT DO YOU WANT BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? I want to be a farmer.

Asia - age 5

FAMILY HISTORY: Asia lives with her mother and one older brother. Her mother was physically abused by the father and she left him in February 2009. Her mother sells 2^nd hand clothing through a loan provided by TAFCOM.

FAVORITE ANIMAL: Chicken. FAVORITE COLOR: Red. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SCHOOL? I like reading. WHAT DO YOU WANT BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? I want to be a teacher.

Juma - age 5

FAMILY HISTORY: Juma lives with his mother and 5 siblings. The 3 oldest children have the same father. However, the 3 youngest each have a different father. No one has been tested for HIV/AIDS. Juma’s mother sells vegetables or works in the rice fields. The family lives in 2 room, rented housing.

FAVORITE ANIMAL: Donkey. FAVORITE COLOR: Black. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SCHOOL? I like singing. WHAT DO YOU WANT BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? I want to be a miller of corn.

Kidugu Traditional Dance

Acrobatics

Friday – David, Deborah, Raheem and I attended a fundraiser at the Salama Center (for orphans and street children). The children did some traditional dances and songs and the boys performed acrobatics. There was a great lunch and then more music and dancing. The electric slide was the dance for most of the music!!!

Cake Decorating is not in my future!

We had a great dinner that started with dessert - a banana Birthday cake made by David and covered in Hershey's Chocolate syrup topped with Chocolate ripple ice cream and peanuts!!

Saturday - HOW I SPENT MY BIRTHDAY

Unfortunately this was my first miserable day here. It started with David leaving this morning. He is heading to Uganda to do farm work. We will all miss him. He was a lot of fun and so easy to get along with. It was easier for me to understand Tanzanian English than his accent!! We all had many laughs over the way he pronounced words.

After he left I went for my run. I decided to push myself a little because I knew the day would not be very productive. It has become routine that there is no electricity on Saturdays until about 6pm.

So I am literally about 10 steps from finishing 5 miles and I stumble (which is common considering how rocky the track is, however, I have become more focused on where I place each step) but this time I fall. I scraped both hands and went down hard on my left knee and elbow. I got up as quickly as I could, dusted off some of the dirt and saw that both my knee and elbow were bleeding. I arrived home and although we have water now due to the new tank, my shower is plugged up and needs a plumber. I filled my trusty bucket and proceeded to wash off all the dirt and blood. I had an egg size knot on an already swollen knee and a slightly smaller knot on my elbow. I smeared myself with Neosporin. I went to the house and Deborah found a chunk of cheese in the freezer that was still mildly cold. It was pretty worthless. The electric was out all day so there was no opportunity to ice myself. I spent most of the day with my leg propped up reading.

There were several highlights to my day, however. In the afternoon Deborah came to my room and gave me 2 bracelets she got for my birthday. I like them very much and they are extra special because she gave them to me. Deborah and I have become very close and I love her dearly.

That evening a couple from Michigan came over for dinner. She was a Cross Cultural Solutions volunteer in 2007 when Ibrah worked there and had returned with her husband for a vacation before heading to northeastern Tanzania to do a medical internship. They will then move to Georgia where she will do her residency at Emory. They had visited both Zanzibar and Victoria Falls which are on my bucket list for this trip so they were able to provide me with some great information on where to stay and things to do when I go.

I also received many kind emails and notes on Facebook for my birthday. THANK YOU!!

Sunday – was going to go on the bi-monthly hike today but yesterday’s fall put a halt to that. Spent the day being nice to myself and doing nothing!

Week 6 - A Day with the Animals

March 27 - Tuesday we took the day and traveled to Arusha National Park. Our park guide & jeep driver was Haji. David, Mohammed, Dennis, Deborah and Raheem all went. The jeep was very comfortable and the roof rose up so that we could stand up and also be shaded. Raheem loves riding in a car so was very good. However, he was for more fascinated with the window handles than with looking at the animals! An extremely pleasant day enjoyed by all.....

Baboon in Tree

Colobus Monkey

Colobus Monkeys - How many do you see??

Arusha National Park

Impala

Flamingoes

Mikindu Observation Point

Giraffe (3)

Twiga (Swahili for Giraffe)

Giraffe

Water Buck

Water Buck

Zebra

Zebra

Week 5 - Hiking and Maneuvering the Roads

March 18-March 25

Drivers vs Pedestrians

Pedestrians definitely do NOT have the right of way here. Vehicles drive on the other side of the road which only exacerbates the fact that I am directionally challenged (the steering wheel is also on our passenger side). The bicyclists and motorcycles typically drive within a foot of the berm which is more often than not used as the walking path. They do this so the cars can easily pass. It is a bit unsettling to have them pass so close especially since many of them are carrying their wares on the back of their bikes. Cars honk out of courtesy – to let you know they are approaching or plan to pass. There is no road rage which is a definite positive!

I cross 2 main roads that are very busy. I always try to find a local person who is crossing and stay with them. If not, I look both ways a bzillion times before crossing. There are road police at these crossings but they do nothing but stand there.

In Moshi there are several round-abouts which feed 5-6 roads into a circle. These are the most intimidating of all because you have traffic going in all sorts of directions and not only cars, daladalas and buses but bicycles, motorcycles and vendors moving their large carts.

All of this makes my daily trek to and from the office an interesting challenge. There is one stretch where the walking path is raised and the path itself is rather narrow. Reminds me of being on a balance beam especially on one particular day when I straddled it by slipping in the loose dry dirt. It was quite dainty!! Fortunately no one saw me; I got up, brushed myself off and went on like nothing happened.

Sunday – David and I were able to hike in the afternoon. It was near one of the entrances to Mt. Kilimanjaro and was a very pleasant and beautiful 1.5 hour hike. It was different in that the beginning of the hike was through a lush green forested area, mostly up hill. Then we were in a flat area and there was a huge Catholic Church and school. Much of the rest of the hike was thru small villages. There would be an occasional small store. It is hard to imagine spending your life in such a remote area.

Catholic Church in the middle of Nowhere

Stream from bridge overlook

 There were about 25 people on the hike, mostly internationals of all ages including children. When we first arrived I introduced myself to a group and one couple introduced themselves. Other than that exchange no one talked to us which we both found quite odd; and even after the hike when people gathered for food. We decided to call Ibrah to pick us up. He said he would arrive in 15 minutes so we decided to start walking, thinking that it would still be light out for a while. Ibrah was delayed and did not arrive for 45 minutes by which time it was dark. The interesting thing was that as the hikers left the area we had at least 6 cars stop and offer us a ride back to town. 

Monday – Nie was not feeling well so I worked from home on some projects.

Tuesday – to Boma to take shoes to John. We stopped first at the preschool. Nie needed to talk to the day guard. The teacher was not there and the young woman in the classroom, I later learned, was the cook. I did not think she was the teacher because she was rather shy with the children. Nie asked me to be with the children so I just sort of took over. I was hesitant to go in the classroom at first because last time I was here one of the children was quite distraught seeing a Muzungu. However this time, although the child cried at first, I held out my hand and she touched it and was then fine.

Preschool - one of 3 rows of children (over 30 kids)

We went thru the alphabet. On the walls around the room were drawn pictures on 8x11 paper for each letter. They were in no particular order which had me all over the place. We also counted in English and I tried to teach them Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes.  My preschool repertoire is pretty lacking, especially with the language barrier. I started to go over colors and the next thing I know the children were out of their seats, singing a song and jumping. So when in Rome…. I just joined in. I then took pictures. All the children here are fascinated with cameras and if they see you with one will ask for their picture. The Swahili word is picha so it is easy to translate. I always show them the picture as they get tremendous delight in seeing themselves. Mirrors are not common in the poorer homes.

John with new shoes and a smile to melt your heart!!

We then headed to John’s school and met with the head of the school. Her office could not have been larger than 10x10. There was a board on the wall with charts that looked like class schedules, teacher info and the like. They were all done by hand. I saw no typewriter or computer. John came to the office and the shoes fit. His old shoes were so worn. The bottom of the insides had no covering and the foot area looked like a rubber waffle. I can’t imagine how uncomfortable that must have been for his good foot.

I decided to try the internet café in Soweto, which is really not a cafe but a room in a building. I want to upload my pictures to Shutterfly and not eat up my internet voucher. I was there about 30 minutes; when the electric went out. They told me to just come back when the electric came back on and I could finish my work and then pay. Total honor system – I love it!

Wednesday – Spent most of the time at the office helping Teddy learn how to use Excel for the Malaria project data base. She is a very intelligent young lady and caught on very quickly. Who would have ever thought I would teach computer skills, let alone Excel??

Thursday – I returned with Nie and Jonas to Boma. This time we were taking Victoria, a 10 year old girl, to a local medical clinic. Her family consists of mom, dad and 4 other siblings. Mom is in her late 30’s and pregnant with their 6^th child. The father repairs shoes and lives in Arusha because that is where he can find work. He comes home on the weekends. He does not make enough for them to live and take care of Victoria’s medical needs. Mom and kids live in a one room apartment attached to a store.

They used to live in another area but moved to Boma for Victoria’s medical care. They wanted to be close to KCMC, which is the largest and best hospital in the area; and the only hospital able to care for her condition. She has been to the hospital for testing and her diagnosis had been unsure for several years. After a thorough conversation by Nie with the mother it was discovered that there were complications with her birth. Her diagnosis is Rheumatic Valvular Disease. She has difficulty walking and is just beginning to talk. She is also very skinny and small in stature. I looked up the diagnosis and it is a result of Rheumatic fever which can interfere with the physical and mental development of children.

While developed countries once had a significant burden of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, medical advances and improved social conditions have dramatically reduced their incidence. Many developing countries, as well as indigenous populations within developed countries, still carry a significant burden of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease and there has been a resurgence in efforts to eradicate the diseases in these populations. (wikipedia)

The family could not afford to live in Moshi where KCMC is located so they are about a 40 minute ride away. There is a clinic in Boma where she gets monthly penicillin shots. Nie takes her every month to make sure she gets her medical care and to provide her with multi-vitamins which she takes daily. The cost of the vitamins and shots is about $8 per month. Victoria is to receive the monthly injections until she is 20 years old. The US couple who are helping John have also committed to help Victoria for 6 months.

Mom, Victoria & Me at clinic

Victoria with her Fanta

We arrived at the clinic and Nie stayed outside as she doesn’t like watching. It was a very stark bare room and the nurses were not very friendly. I went in with mom who laid Victoria across her lap and pulled her pants down. She immediately started to cry and became more upset as she received 4 injections in her bottom. I tried to hold her hands. Her wrists were so thin and fragile I thought they might break. Mom was unable to console her and sounded a little angry at one point giving her a smack on the bottom. I was not happy as this was where she got the shots and it had to hurt!! I shared this with Nie in the hopes that she will talk with mom. It was emotionally difficult seeing this poor child in so much distress. She is visibly not normal, although Nie says she has seen improvement. I hope to accompany her for the months I am here and see some progress too.

When we finished I asked if I could treat Victoria and her mom to a Fanta. This is a very popular orange soda. All the pop here comes in glass bottles. Jonas explained that we could only get one bottle because you either must drink the pop where you get it and return the bottle or if taking it, you must have an empty bottle to exchange. Nie only had one empty bottle. The bottles are all returned to the bottling company, washed and refilled for sale again! This is the first attempt I have seen at recycling – YEAH!!!! Now if we could just get them to stop using and burning so much plastic…..

On the way home I talked with Nie about birth control. It is available here and is free or very cheap. Many times families are so focused on daily survival they don’t think about long term repercussions. Nie talks with many of the families about family planning and safe sex and will to talk with Victoria’s mom. I was concerned that since she is a bit older she is at risk of more health problems. Men here are reluctant to get vasectomies. Birth control is also a very difficult issue. There is a lot of misinformation and women are leery because of what they have been told about side effects. Logic tells me that it costs much more to raise a child than it would cost for birth control. However, I am not thinking each day about where my next meal is coming from or what might happen to my child if I can’t pay for her medical care. There is no room to be judgmental.

Friday – I met Nie at the office and today we took the daladala to Pasua. She will do this several days next week until I am comfortable with knowing the route and can do it myself. We walked to the daladala stand (which is their bus stop). A daladala is like a very old VW bus. They are all falling apart. Many times they break down or the doors don’t work. On the trip to Pasua they had 20 people on board, many who had their baskets full of purchases form the market to sell from their homes. On the way home 24 of us were crammed in the daladala. I will try for a picture because you need to see it to believe it!!!

At the Children’s Center, I began work on the children’s profiles. TAFCOM has a page for each child which tells their story and includes their favorite animal, color and what they want to be when they grow up. I had a script in Swahili so I could ask the questions about their favorite things. Bisura was there to help me because I could rarely understand the child’s answer. It was quite amusing because I would ask my question and the child would look at me then look at Bisura and she would have to repeat. I don’t know if it was my pronunciation or just the confusion of a mzungu speaking Swahili. Some of the kids did understand me and I would be very excited when we could communicate.

It was very interesting asking about what they wanted to be when they grew up. Obviously they are just little people but many of their first answers were things like washing utensils, being a big sister, washing clothes, or helping their mothers. We would then give them other examples and they would sometimes answer differently, but sometimes not. In talking to Nie about this she agreed that is important to talk to them about different professions as these children have little or no exposure or knowledge of what their potential might be.

Saturday - I am refreshed today after a great night's sleep plus a nap yesterday afternoon. I don't think I realize what affect all the walking, my running and the heat have on me. Plus our mattresses are a 4 inch thick piece of foam. Went to the store and bought an apple for me and David and some Green Tea. I was excited about the apples because I have not seen any here until today and I was missing green tea. No electricity all day.

Sunday – Got some work done today in between bouts of no electricity. Went with Nicole to Nie and Jonas’ for dinner. Their son, Jovin, is now 7 and as adorable as ever. He showed me one of his school books on Communication and Technology and it was mostly about what to do in emergencies and the workings of cell phones and their usage.  Jovin attends a private school and studies 7 subjects. He is one of the top students in his class!