Tanzania 2010 - Farewells & Thank You's

Thursday, September 09

We spent the morning at TAFCOM saying goodbye. Nie and Jonas gave us both a beautiful piece of batik material and a card. I got a pair of moonstone earrings (from Haley and Reagen’s store) for Nie and wrote a note for her and Farryl.

Jonas,Me,Nie,Megan,Beatrice,Teddy

It was very kind of Ibra to take us to the airport and wonderful to see him again. I have worked out all arrangements necessary to return and may be able to work for him in exchange for room and board which would be awesome.

As always goodbyes are not easy. Knowing I will return to Moshi makes it a bit easier.  Again this has been a life changing event.

This trip would not have been possible without the love and support of my children. As children they each gave me a special gift. Neal taught me the true meaning of unconditional love and during my time in Moshi my heart just seems to open wider every day. The generosity of these people in spite of their poverty is awe inspiring. Their kindness comes from the deepest level and is part of who they are, not a random act on a certain holiday.

From Lee Ann I learned that life is meant to be enjoyed and to her I give gratitude for I never would have come to Africa if she had not had the experiences she had here. My first trip with her re-awoke the free spirit that had been subdued for so many years and gave me the confidence to know that I could take risks and enjoy the rest of my life feeling the wonders of truly being alive.

This place feeds my soul and I feel like I am becoming the person that I was meant to be. I am leaving a huge chunk of my heart here but know that I will return to reclaim it again in the near future. In Nie, Jonas and Ibra I have found 3 of the most amazing human beings I have ever known. I am so incredibly grateful...

Tanzania 2010

Wednesday, September 08

We wanted to end our time with the children so went to the Children’s Center this morning. I remember from last year how difficult it is to say goodbye to the kids.  I can still see them running after us down the road. Fortunately today we left as they were eating their porridge which made it a little easier. There were lots of kisses and hugs. We brought lollipops for the children which is a very special treat. We had a big laugh because in Swahili a lollipop is called a pipi!! (yes, pronounced pee pee)

I received a special gift today. When I arrived at the Children’s Center, Katherine told me that Calvin had returned. (I talked about him in my first visit to the Children’s Center). Calvin’s family had returned to the area. He remembered me which made the day even more special.

We are having a meal at Deli Chez as our farewell tonite but agreed to return to the TAFCOM office to say our goodbyes in the morning. We returned to our hotel, ventured across the street for lunch at the Petras Café. I then took a nap, went to the gym for the last time, met up with Danstan to buy some art and then went to Deli Chez for dinner. Nie and Jonas came with their sons, Jovin and Joseph. Farryl, Molly and Mona were also there. We had a wonderful time. After dinner, Mona, Megan and I went to the Kindoroko for a night cap!

Haria Hotel & Farewell to Pasua Families

Tuesday

We decided to spend our last 2 nites in a hotel and so will be moving over to Haria Hotel which is the hotel owned by our friend, Michael. They have guaranteed us hot water – we’ll see!!

We spent today doing home visits which were especially heart wrenching as some of these people may not all be alive by the time I return. We went to 3 families and took rice to all.

We visited Veronica who Lee Ann and I met last summer. She claims, jokingly, to be the oldest person in Moshi! She cares for 2 grandchildren of different mothers/daughters. Sara is 11 and Wili is 3. Veronica is unable to work and therefore has no income. She suffers from asthma and has been without an inhaler for over a month. An inhaler costs about $3USD. I just want to open my wallet to these people. I did give Nie money for inhalers. My mind set is so different in that I think about how inexpensively I can live at home and in Moshi when I return so that I will have more money to help these people.

We also visited Rehema’s family. She was not home at the time but her 4 children were. Rehema runs a laundry service for income. She is also supported by Megan P., a volunteer who Lee Ann became good friends with during her first summer here. Megan was back in Moshi but left before I arrived.

We again went to Pamela’s to say our goodbyes. Rajabu is not eating enough and Pamela is concerned. She says it is a burden but God brought these children to her so she will care for them. Some neighbors were sitting outside and the song; “We are the World” was playing. I came unglued at this point.

Tanzania 2010

Monday

Today we went to Arusha to visit a Maasai market and the Rwandan Tribunal court. We went with Farryl and Molly who has just arrived and will be spending 3 months at Neema orphanage. It was a 2 hour bus ride and Mt Meru was visible. It is the 2nd highest mountain in Tanzania (and the one I hope to climb when I return!)

The Maasai market is crazy. There are many very small shack type buildings on either side of a very narrow walkway. The vendors want your business desperately and are quite assertive. We did spend some money and made a few vendors quite happy. I bought some earrings from a woman named Lea and she was so overwhelmingly grateful. I didn’t even spend $10 and probably fed her family for a week.

We then met Will, a friend of Farryl’s, who is a lawyer with the International Criminal Tribunal Court. This court was set up by the United Nations to try cases involving the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide which claimed 800,000 lives in 100 days. The Hutu tribe massacred the Tutsi (see the movie Hotel Rwanda) 5 times faster than Hitler killed the Jews. The Kagera River is in NW Tanzania and flows from Rwanda into Lake Victoria. During the genocide 1,000 bodies per day were thrown into the river and flowed down river into Lake Victoria.

We were able to observe a small portion of 2 trials but very little transpired. It is an extremely slow process. The first trial we observed was hearing a witness agree to waive protective custody. During the second trial the lawyer, who was totally unprepared, tried to accuse the witness about lying about whether certain vehicles were in a particular area.

I only have 2 days left and am not looking forward to returning. 

Tanzania 2010

Sunday, September 05

To Neema orphanage with Farryl and Mona today. We took 1.5 liter water bottles for bowling plus bean bags. We played with the infants first. I have become attached to Deborah and spent most of my time with her. I fed her again and she was far more comfortable with me this time. We ate a delicious lunch with the sisters and then spent the afternoon playing with the 2 year olds. They were too young for organized play but enjoyed filling the botles with dirt and rocks and then shaking them like musical instruments.

We rode back to town (45 minutes) in the back of a pickup truck with a priest and 2 nuns in the front!! Kili was out today and was the clearest I have ever seen. Words cannot define how majestic this mountain is.

We all went to Nie and Jonas’ for another amazing meal. Jonas’ mother is visiting and remembered me and Lee Ann.

Tanzania 2010

Saturday

Today Megan, Mona and I spent the day with Ibra on a Marunga educational tour. We first went to the Makundi Village and watched the blacksmiths and carpenters. We got to try and use the bellows (I think that is the right word) to blow on the fire. It was much harder than it looked!! Blacksmiths are an integral part of traditional Africa and date back many centuries to the Iron Age.

We met up with a friend of Ibra’s named William Makundi, he is a former professor at Berkeley and is one of the top in the field of climate change and a Nobel Prize winner. We visited his home and met his brother and wife.

We then walked thru a forested area of banana and coffee trees. It was absolutely gorgeous and felt like you were in the jungle. We stopped at the 7Up Pub nestled in the forest and watched how coffee is made. The outer layer of the coffee bean is removed and then the bean is ground down to remove another layer of skin and exposes the actual coffee bean. These beans are then roasted. When they are almost done a little sunflower oil is added. After roasting, the beans are ground to a fine powder. They put the coffee in a strainer, poured hot water over it and served us the freshest made coffee ever!! It was delicious.

We continued in the forest to an area of homes and a cave that was used in the 17th century as an escape route for slaves and a hideaway from enemies.  We got to go in it but only part way as it originally extended to a river about a quarter mile away for the entrance.

We also visited a Chaga tribal hut. I think it was over 100 years old – can’t remember for sure. It had a thatched roof. The father’s bed was at the entrance so he could provide protection for his family. The wife’s bed was behind his. The children slept in a corner. There was a very small eating/cooking area and the rest of the hut was an area for the cow and goat plus their feeding area.

We visited the local market and then had lunch before hiking to Ndoro Waterfall. On the way we passed the Kibo hotel where Jimmy Carter stayed when he visited as president – not very plush for a presidential stay!

The hike to the waterfall was rustic, steep and slippery. The waterfall was absolutely gorgeous. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for the people who discovered this area because I can’t imagine paradise being any more beautiful.

Nie's Words of Wisdom, Home Visits & Fabric Purchasing

Friday

We took beans to Pamela and her family today. She is so grateful for what we have been able to do.

We also visited Madina who is an older woman who lives with her granddaughter in a building with 7 rooms of which she rents one room. The room was crammed with 2 beds, a dresser and a chair. She sells charcoal to support herself. Of her 5 children only one is living and the other 4 died of AIDS.

We visited the public water tap where the families get their water. It costs 10 shillings (1 cent) for a bucket of water which they then carry on their heads to return to their homes.

The women do so much of the work here. Their lives have such a routine around cooking, cleaning, washing, getting water, selling their wares and on and on. This is repeated day after day. When we visited Madina, Nie reported that she said she was very happy. I asked what made her happy as I am seeing a life with no joy except what the children may bring and for those children with AIDS it can be short lived. Nie said that when she and/or the volunteers visit it brings a ray of hope to the people. It also provides comradery and a change or distraction from their daily routine. They are happy to know that people care about their plight and provide much needed sustenance even if it is sporadic.

After the home visits we returned to the office and then went to purchase fabric. The tailoring center will be making 30 bags/purses and I am bringing them home to sell. We had talked about the most efficient way to sell the items made by the tailoring center. I had initially thought we could have a “Store” link on their website which could feature material and various items but unfortunately because of the high cost of shipping this is prohibitive.

I am sad to report that there were no recognizable songs at the gym today but I had another good 30 minute workout.

When we went to bed Friday night it started to rain and did not quit until about 5am – highly unusual as it is winter and “too cold” to rain!!

Tanzania 2010

Thursday

Today was an office day where we went thru all the pictures of the children and Nie told us their stories. Megan and I then typed them up and I will match the stories and photos and send them to her after I am home as the cost of copying is thru the roof here (50 cents each).

The children’s stories begin to all sound alike – so many have lost one or both parents to AIDS. They live in 1 or 2 room houses. The parent or relative caring for them sells some type of food to earn money. It also happens that the parent has not been tested for HIV out of fear of the diagnosis and then the reaction and stigma of family and community. Although the ARV drugs are free, they must be taken with food or there is an adverse reaction. This is a serious problem because families sometimes get only one meal per day if that.

I made another visit to the gym today for the same workout. Today’s song was “Who Let the Dogs Out”. I don’t even know how to comment on that one!

This evening we went to the Watering Hole with Mona. It is definitely for tourists and is an outdoor theatre. The setting was awesome and something that if mimicked in the US could be very popular. There was a restaurant/bar area and then the seating area for the movie. It was very rustic. We saw the Joneses (with Demi Moore). It is a pretty bizarre movie and I had to remind myself I was in Africa because it was so over the top in its decadence.

Bean bags, Ima, Never Give up Gym

Wednesday

We returned again to the Children’s Center taking our bean bags, markers (thanks Deb) and pictures to color. As always it was a remarkable day. There were some kids absent the day we took pictures so we got theirs and also tried to pose them for a “class picture”.

We met Ima for lunch today. He was our safari guide from last year and it was good to catch up with him. Fortunately the safari business is doing well as he is booked thru February. He also had his second child earlier 2 months ago. The safari business is very tough on families because the guides are away from home a significant amount of time.

I went to the Never Give Up gym today. I was quite the novelty as the only female and the only non local person. Everyone was kind and I was able to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes. There was music which was an amusing distraction. The only recognizable song was “I’m a Barbie Girl in a Barbie World”. The irony and setting of this song was just too hilarious.

Tanzania 2010

Tuesday

We said our farewells to Julie and David and headed to TAFCOM. We went to the tailoring center today to give the women instructions on how to make the bean bags. They will be ready tomorrow. We also took pics of some of the items they have made as I am trying to work out some kind of plan to sell their things in the US. It was fun because the women were our models and they got a kick out of posing.

On the way back to Moshi our Dala Dala broke down. Fortunately we were on the edge of town and not far from our destination. It is not uncommon for the vehicles to break down. We saw one whose sliding door had fallen off and they were in the road trying to get it back on with people inside waiting. It is not uncommon that the sliding door doesn't always close, but it's usually left open anyway for the driver's assistant to hang out of and shout where the bus is going to people walking the street. Sometimes you can even see through the floors.

I had asked at the reception desk if there was anywhere to work out and was told there actually was a gym a few streets behind the hostel called Casanova where muzungu went. The name made me a bit hesitant but it was worth checking out. Her directions made no sense so I decided to just walk up and down the roads in a 3 block area. Lo and behold I came upon the Never Give Up gym. It looked a bit sketchy but then many places here do. The door was a curtain and I walked into a room with very dusty old equipment and a few weight benches. I was told that the treadmill worked and I could work out for about 1$ per day. This was definitely a place for locals but I decided to give it a try tomorrow.

Ibra had invited us to dinner so he picked us up around 5. He took us around Soweto Ward where he lives. He showed us their soccer field which is basically a large area of dirt. There is also a resale market there twice a week where they sell second hand clothes from the US or other western countries. He also took us to the gym in his area which he claims is the best. I was really surprised because it was very nice with new equipment and they even offer aerobic classes. Of course the price was comparable to a US gym making it very expensive for the area.

We had a great dinner with Ibra – lots of good local food. We both especially liked the banana soup which tasted somewhat like potato soup. Drew and Alex are currently staying with Ibra. Drew is 25 and was able to obtain venture capital to start Anza, a Wash DC based company that is researching and designing ways to improve the push carts used in 3rd world countries to make them stronger and more durable. He is in the testing stages and hopes to go to production soon. He has local partners in several countries and he and Alex will be in Africa for about a month testing.

Tanzania 2010

Monday

To the Children’s Center today. We bought muffins as a special treat for the kids. We have also been saving our large (1.5 liter) water bottles and took 8 of them with us. The kids helped us fill about an inch or so of the bottoms with dirt and rocks to give them some weight and then we got the soccer ball and taught them how to bowl. Katherine, their teacher, also made up a game with the bottles. The kids absolutely loved it. We also played London Bridge before handing out the muffins. It was adorable to watch them eating and they obviously found them delicious.

I had my camera to take pictures because we want to do profiles on all the kids. We took each child’s picture individually and then showed them their picture. The delight and amazement was so special as they saw themselves in the camera. Mirrors are not commonly found in their homes.

We returned to the office to work on identifying the kids for the profiles. We then planned what we would be doing with TAFCOM and Nie for the reminder of our stay. It was not a happy reality check that our time here is so short. Both of us would like to accidentally lose our return ticket!!

We ate lunch at the Corner Café which is set up through the Kilimanjaro Young Girls In Need organization. KYGN is composed of a pre-primary school, primary academic support, secondary education and vocational training for girls. They work in the restaurant and all profits go to the organization. (www.kygn.org)

After returning to the hostel, Megan took a nap and I ventured over to Unique Batik, a fabric store where Lee Ann and I bought material last year. I want to make bean bags for the Children’s Center and Neema orphanage. I ran into our friend Danstan and he walked with me for awhile. The woman at the shop agreed to give me scraps that we could use to stuff the bags and it turned out there was enough material as well as some of the scraps were large enough that we could both make the bags and stuff them without having to buy extra fabric. The woman at the shop wanted to give them to me for free but I gave her a small amount. I also ended up buying a bracelet from this guy who had pestered us several times to buy his art. He was very kind to interpret for me so I felt obligated (and easy)!!

We met the cyclists, Julie & David on the rooftop of the Kindoroko (our favorite place last year) for their farewell dinner. Farryl and Mona joined us and then we all went to dinner. The company where Mona is interning has a motorcycle and they are going to let her use it to go back and forth to work. She had her first ride today and crashed. She was cut up on her arms and one knee. You could not pay me enough to ride on one of those things let alone try to drive one!!

We ate at an Indian vegetarian restaurant but they also offered a few “American” type sandwiches such as a cheeseburger and veggie burger. Megan ordered a cheeseburger and being true to the fact that this was a “vegetarian” restaurant brought her a sandwich consisting of a bun and a piece of cheese. (I have proof in a photo!!) We all had a great laugh and Megan was a good sport.

World Cyclers & Kili Day Hike with Mussa

Sunday

Saturday(yesterday) I spent a lot of time on the internet and met a woman, probably my age, who with her husband are taking 2.5 years and cycling around the world. They started in St. Paul, Minnesota and have been through South America. They are currently on a Cape Town to Cairo Route and then entering Europe for the final leg of their journey planning to be back in the states before May 2011 for her husband’s daughter’s wedding. Her husband just retired from UPS (so we had a chuckle over that) and she is a teacher on leave. They are fascinating and have awesome stories. They have been mugged twice and David was hit by a motorcycle in Moshi. They will be here only a few days. We had breakfast with them on Sunday morning. Mona also joined us and we all plan to go out their last night here.–

Ibra picked us up and we drove to the base of Mt Kilimanjaro for our day hike. (Lee Ann- We had a Chrisburger lunch but this time I got the vegetarian and it was not bad! We also ran into Abbas on the trail and plan to visit him soon). We met up with Mussa, our guide, at the entrance.

Kili has 5 zones. The bottom being agricultural where coffee and other foods are grown. The 2nd zone which is where we took our hike is a rain forest. Next is semi-desert, desert and then the summit. The rain forest was lush green and absolutely beautiful with several waterfalls. I remembered some of the trail from last year. Nature has always renewed me and where I am more likely to feel a spiritual connection. Mussa is a wonderful guide and seems to be as much in love with Kili as the first time he climbed it. He taught us many things about the trees and the mountain. He loves his job and enjoys meeting people from all over the world. Americans are his favorite-yeah!

Although we rose to an elevation of 2700 km, we could definitely feel the change in oxygen. In many parts the trail is very rocky and we both tripped (but did not fall) a few times. Overall it was an exhilarating work out! Downhill was cake but a bit slippery. We came out with no injuries and only a few bug bites. There are these amazing armies of ants (truly bzillions) that bite and you have to stomp through that part of the trail or they will climb up your clothes. Megan managed to bring a few back to the hostel!! We arrived back at the hostel muddy, dirty and happy! Our shower this evening was wonderful and welcome even if it wasn’t warm.

It was a wonderful weekend. It is very necessary to find a balance that helps to keep one’s attitude positive and hopeful. Nature has never failed me.

Danstan & Glacier bar

Saturday

Today was a much needed lazy day. We did so much the first week it was mind numbing. Processing time is very much a necessity. Writing certainly helps me. We have met some amazing people and renewed acquaintances with those I met thru Lee Ann last year. We have made a friend with a local artist, Danstan who has helped us with directions and just been a genuinely nice guy, although I think he has a crush on Megan!

Farryl has introduced us to volunteers who are doing incredible things and we have made friends here at the Hostel. It is very easy to meet people although you have to be careful because the locals are all friendly, especially if they think you might buy something from them. Mostly they go away when we say “hapana asante (No thank you)” but a few have been a bit over the top. I feel safe here but we do not travel alone at night as that is not recommended. Plus you could fall in a hole in the road if you aren’t watching carefully!

Maneuvering the roads and walking areas is the most challenging because there are people everywhere and vehicles come out of nowhere. I am still not used to people driving on the other side of the street and just always look both ways before crossing the street (my parents would be proud) because I never know where the next bike, motorcycle, car or cart is coming from.

If I miss anything it is running. There are a few paved roads but they are very busy with trucks, buses and all the other vehicles plus a variety of animals being herded to who knows where. The dirt roads are so potholed you could never complain about a US road after a harsh winter ever again.

So back to Saturday. We had lunch with Farryl and Michael who I met last year .He left the US about 5 years ago and landed in Moshi. He is now considering moving on to Vietnam. He sets up websites here and has recently bought a hotel.

Saturday night Farryl and I went to Glacier bar. It was outside and we sat around a campfire listening to a Reggae band in the background. It was a great change of pace and I met a 23 year old from England who helped start First Aid Africa. I have not seen his website yet but if you get a chance check it out as he is doing amazing things. First Aid Africa has partnered with the Red Cross and they train volunteers to go into schools, businesses and villages to teach first aid. He had witnessed an accident where a person died because there are no ambulances or EMT type services here and he saw that with even a basic education in First Aid many lives could be saved and serious injuries prevented. I need to repeat that he is 23!!

I am not sure if it is because my kids are in their 20’s so I know more people this age or if, as I want to believe, we finally have a generation of youth that sees hope in the world, understands that boundaries only divide us, and most importantly want to do something to make the world a better place.. I will always defend this generation and tell them so whenever I have the opportunity. I feel rejuvenated by this generation!!!

Pamela, Muslim Religion

Friday

Today we went to the market and bought the food to take to Pamela and her 3 “grandchildren”. The market area is huge and people buy their food daily as it is fresh and most have no refrigeration. The amount of food they buy is also dependent on what they made the previous day.

We have visited this family twice – last Tues and today. After our first visit we learned that Rajabu fainted at school and was unconscious for 5-6 hours. Nie thinks it is complications from AIDS and lack of food as this has happened to him before. Nie is very concerned about this family and has visited them several times over the last few days. Megan and I decided to buy food for the family so on Friday we went with Nie to the open market to buy peanuts and millet. We also paid Nie to purchase maize flour in Pasua. These items are mixed together to make a porridge. The maize flour can be used for other things and will provide meals for up to 6 months. Total cost – $55 USD (65,800 Tsh). Protein and fruits are definitely missing from their diets and are more of a luxury.

Because of Pamela’s ill health and the children having AIDS, their medical support is an additional expense. Last month Rajabu was at the hospital 3 times and with transportation cost the family around $60.

When we visited on Friday, Rajabu was home from school because of not feeling well. We looked at his school work books and did some words together. He also drew a picture of his house for us. Rajabu has a beautiful smile, likes school and his favorite subject is math. The work books are paper covered in a cut up paper bag.

After our visit Friday Nie was very upset. She said she feels like there is a stone on her heart as she does not see life in the eyes of Rajabu. I don’t know how Nie does this. She is so emotionally attached to the people she works with. She is desperate to offer as many opportunities to empower the people to help themselves and then is so gracious and grateful for any support TAFCOM receives. When she thanks us for something we do I get so choked up because I truly feel grateful that I have been given the opportunity to be here with her.

After our home visit we returned to the office. Farryl stopped by and took us to a new curio/art shop opened by her friends. It has wonderful and unique items and we plan to help make their first month a successful one! We all had lunch together. Ibra met up with us as he needed the payment for our day hike up Kili. He has a car and drove us back to the hostel. He stayed several hours telling us all about the Muslim religion and Ramadan. Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting which is going on now. If you are Muslim you do not eat until the sunset each day. Ramadan lasts from the first new moon to the full moon in August (Not totally sure on this). It is a time of reflection which is spent getting closer to God by a renewal and strengthening of faith. Time is spent doing good and helping others. It is also a time of “equality” or what I understood as humility where everyone is the same because all follow the same practice whether rich or poor and it reminds those who have what it is like for those less fortunate.

We had a fascinating conversation and learned about the role of women and the reasons behind taking several wives. Women play a very traditional role and depending on how strict or fundamental one is also depends on the role of the woman. In a very strict house, there are instances where the wives are not allowed to leave the house without permission of the husband and if they are allowed to leave they must have every part of their body covered except for a small slit for their eyes. We see a lot of Muslim women on the streets so I think this kind of strict fundamentalism is definitely not a significant part of the population here.

Men may have up to 4 wives but only if they are able to care for all of them equally so this is very rare here (and Ibra only wants one wife!)The reason for several wives is pretty much related to hormones!! It is the woman's responsibility to take care of her husband in all ways. If a man has a strong sexual appetite and his wife doesn’t, he is likely to take a second wife (again only if he can provide for them equally). The way Ibra put it was, “Would you rather have to deal with a second wife you know about or have your husband sneaking around behind your back?” Think on that one for awhile!!!

Ibrah, Mussa Story, Survival exercise

Thursday

After checking out several internet cafes we discovered there is one here at the hostel!! So much has happened since we arrived. My head and heart is full to overflowing so today was a day of doing practically nothing.

It was very nice having a leisurely morning with Nie talking about the differences and similarities in our cultures and educational systems. She had heard about streets paved with gold in the US. (When I worked with Vietnamese refugees in 1975 I was asked on several occasions where they were located.) The government of Tz has set the minimum wage at 150,000 TSh which is very close to $100/month. However 57% of the population lives on $1USD per day. The average life expectancy is 54. And only 6% of the children go to Secondary school (similar to high school).

Ibra stopped by the office. Lee Ann and I also stayed with him last year. He has started AfriShare which matches volunteers with local NGO’s for volunteer service and he also provides housing. Along with the volunteer opportunities, he offers cultural education trips. He is planning our day hike up Kili for the upcoming weekend and another trip for the following weekend. Ibra is also looking into a visit to a Maasai village as Megan is interested in this. Our guide for the Kili hike will be Mussa who was Lee Ann’s guide when she hiked the whole mountain and also for the day hike we did last year.

Last year when Mussa found out we were coming and Lee Ann wanted me to do a day hike with him, he had a 6 day hike scheduled (complete hike to the top and back) with a large group. These are very expensive and the tips are usually very good. He gave his trip to another guide so that he could do our day hike. This speaks volumes to me about the generosity of these people and also that Lee Ann was a very special person to him.

We met up with Jonas and discussed in more detail the Children’s Center and they gave me a copy of the plans and budget as I said I could make no promises but would look for funding and/or try to get a volunteer group to help build.

The 2 weekends before we arrived, TAFCOM had held 2 workshops on Safe Sex and Birth Control, one for the men and one for the women in Pasua. Obviously this is a very important topic with the high prevalence of AIDS. According to Nie, when young girls get pregnant the father rarely stays around as they too are young and not ready to be a parent. There is no “pressure” of responsibility for the men towards the mother and child. What then comes with this mind set is that using condoms is of no concern. So the emphasis needs to be on the prevention of AIDS and diseases for both the men and women along with empowerment of the women to demand the use of protection. This requires somewhat of a culture shift and is a daunting task. In addition, prenatal care is not free and economic survival takes priority. 

[Try this:

I was also told by a person I met to do the following exercise; If you only made $1 per day what would be your first concern, 2nd, 3rd, etc... You will find that preventing AIDS is not a priority when everyday is about survival for some of the people here. It was kind of a jolt and a way to look at life more from the perspective of the people here than the way we think as Westerners which to me includes a lot of "Shoulds".]

Nie and Jonas were pleased with how the workshops went and are hopeful that when their new center is built they can offer much more to the community.

Nie sees education and skills training as the most important factors in alleviating poverty. According to her: Empowerment equals Hope. She is truly an awe inspiring woman with a heart bigger than Mt. Kilimanjaro!

Tanzania 2010

Wednesday

We returned by Dala Dala to the tailoring center to take our material and leave instructions. When we arrived the first thing the women did was to show me a purse they had made modeled after the one I showed them on the first visit. It was adorable (Way to go Robin!!!!)

We then walked over to the Children’s Center. Megan and I had found balloons (for a small fortune) and after blowing up 40+ balloons set up a relay game for the kids where they were in lines and had to run to a point, sit on and pop their balloon, and then return for the next person. The children laughed and squealed in delight. Each time one of the balloons popped they laughed even louder. My heart swells with emotion while observing these moments of pure joy and innocence. For a fleeting moment the world is a wonderful place for these children. I was taking pictures and the kids are fascinated with cameras so I took a picture of each individual child, showing each one their picture. We leave them with hugs and smiles as they are finishing their porridge which for many may be the only meal of the day.

We agree that our heads our full and that tomorrow we will talk and plan and stay in the office.

We meet Farryl at the bus station to take the Dala Dala to Macheche where the Neema orphanage is located.

I am not sure I can give a good description of a Dala Dala but it looks like a VW bus from the 70’s and I am sure some are probably that old. They look like they could fall apart at any time. As many people as is humanly possible are crammed in, some sitting, some standing. We have been on a Dala Dala with more than 20 people. I was on one where I was so cramped I could not move any body parts, my knees were so tightly pushed together I thought I might permanently damage them and to the amusement of many a woman’s scarf kept blowing in my face and someone else had to keep moving it out of my face. I laughed too because this is just the way it is.

The children were more responsive the second time but they lack so much nurturing. I spent most of my second visit with Deborah and it took so long but I finally got a smile from her and she would mimic some sounds for me. She also stood without help and Farryl said she had not done that before which was so exciting for me. Although our second visit to the 1 year olds was better, our second visit with the 2 year olds was not. They were inside getting baths. None of the rooms had rugs and floors were concrete. Sometimes there is only one Sister available to give baths so I am sure they are very quickly done. The children were in a room off the bathing area and they were all sitting on plastic potty chairs. As one child was finished with his/her bath they were put on a table where we dried them off, put Vaseline all over (a substitute for lotion) and then dressed. Random clothes were picked from piles on the table to clothe the children after which they were placed back on a potty chair to wait until all 12 were bathed and dressed. It was truly amazing that they all sat still for that length of time. They then went into an adjoining "play room" until dinner. This room had a mat that was so thin it provided no protection whatsoever and a fireplace that was a disaster waiting to happen.( I am waiting for permission from the pastor to purchase fabric and padding to cover the fireplace- there is also one in the 1 year old play room.) 

In the room was one chair and nothing else. (I will never be the same walking into a Toys r Us store.) We asked the Sister about music and she played a song from her cellphone. Sister was loving and engaging and she sang a song to them and we tried to play but with 2 year olds organized play does not work well. Most just crawled on us starving for attention and if you held a child, he/she/ was yours as they would cry if put down. The Sisters do the best they can with what they have but they are so short staffed working around the clock shifts and lacking resources. The government provides no funding to the orphanages. 

Being 2 year olds, most were not potty trained and at least half of the kids peed themselves resulting in little puddles on the floor which of course had to be mopped up then making the floor wet and slippery. It was a very disturbing visit to Neema. 

We returned to Moshi when it was dark. It is hard to get used to it being dark early because it is winter here. We bought some Zanzibar pizza from a food vendor. This is a real treat. It has no resemblance to pizza and is some kind of folded sandwich, fried with vegetables or a meat mix and an egg fried in the middle. They cost less than a dollar each and made a meal for us.

It was definitely laundry night because you really can’t wear anything more than once because of the dust and heat. (Although it is not as hot as last year.) There is the most amazing laundry bar soap here. We had a bucket in the bathroom so that is where the clothes were washed and then they were rinsed in the sink, rung out and hung all around the room. I doubt that I got all the dirt out because the water was very dirty but psychologically I had clean clothes!! Unfortunately taking a shower after doing laundry was not the smartest idea as the water was cold and came out as a small stream slightly more than a drizzle!! I take my showers at night because my feet are so filthy I can barely remember what they look like. I put sunscreen o n them one morning and all the dust stuck to my feet making an even more lovely sight!

It is always a good day for me when we go to the Children’s Center because they are so pleased to see us and it is wonderful to see them playing happily. The children are very well behaved and incredibly resourceful. It is a time to live in the moment with the kids and feel their joy. The orphanage was more of a reality check of how deprived these children are. Emotions are all over the place and I try to stay away from the hopeless feelings as much as possible.

Tanzania 2010

Tuesday

Today is Megan’s bday so I woke her at 7:30 with a birthday greeting. Today we are going to Pasua for home visits. This was the most difficult and emotional part of last year’s trip and I thought it might be easier this time because I knew what to expect. Silly me. It is dry season here now and so there is no rain even when the skies are cloudy and look like rain will come. We are told – “it is too cold to rain”. It is in the 70’s and 80’s every day!!!

My point here is that after our visits Nie asked what I was thinking as I had become quiet. I just shook my head because I knew if I spoke the flood gates would open and the dry season would be over. It is easier to write this in a lighter note now but it is beyond explanation to try and describe the poverty and environment these people live in. Following are the stories of the 3 families we visited. I am only including 2 in this email as it will be quite lengthy and the 3rdfamily is one we are working more closely with.

Fatuma (Lee Ann and I visited her last year and she remembered) lives in a one room mud hut with no windows, electricity or plumbing. There is one bed for her, her daughter and 2 grandchildren. Besides the bed there is a chair and a couple stools. Her rent is roughly $5/month. Fatuma is HIV positive. She was in the hospital for 2 months with malaria and lost her job at the milling industry. It was then that her daughter and grandkids moved in to help. Since then they have received a loan from TAFCOM to sell vegetables. It is a rough time now because of Ramadhan (sp?) which is the month that Muslims fast, therefore sales are down for all the food vendors. Nie explained that the loans have no interest and if the family is unable to make the monthly payment that is ok. There is no sense of entitlement or taking advantage of one another so if someone can’t make a payment it is truly because they cannot afford to. The 2 grandchildren go to school which is free but there are expenses which total about $50 per year per child.

Marcelena has 3 rooms with concrete floors. She pays about $25/month (30,000Tsh). However her 5 children live with her. There are 4 girls and 3 boys. All 4 girls are single mothers the youngest being 16 with a 5 month old. The youngest was in school prior to becoming pregnant and wishes to return. This family has also received a loan from TAFCOM and is using the funds to expand their food stand. Marcelena is HIV positive and was diagnosed with skin cancer last year. Her husband died of AIDS 15 years ago.

 Pamela – By far one of the saddest situations and the family where we have put much of our efforts. No one knows her age but she is old and in ill health. She has 2 rooms and pays about $7/month rent. Fortunately her landlord lets her stay if she cannot pay. She has a couple couches, some water basins and a sheet to separate the sleeping area. She has 3 “grandchildren” that are not blood relatives. The children are Rajabu (boy age 11 and the size of a 7 year old), Hadija (girl age 7 and Asha (girl age 4). Their parents both died of AIDS and were neighbors of Pamela. No one else offered to care for the children so she took them in. All 3 children have AIDS and Rajabu has recently come down with malaria. Pamela is unable to work because of her age and health, therefore has no income. She lives on the support of TAFCOM and neighbors.

After returning to the office in Moshi we went to the YWCA for lunch. It was excellent and cheap. We then returned to the office and met with 2 women from KCMC who are working on diabetes research. One was from Tz, the other from San Francisco. It was an interesting conversation about why diabetes is a problem here as the diet would not be indicative of such a disease.

Nie and Beatrice (helps out with TAFCOM) took us to an Artists Village. It was a beautiful walk and the setting for the artists was extremely picturesque and rustic. There were many nice things but I was good and did not spend any money!

In the evening, Mona and I took Megan out for her birthday dinner. We dined on the rooftop of the Kindoroko Hotel. (Lee Ann and I stayed there a few days last year.) You could see Kilimanjaro as the sun was setting. Seeing this mountain is not an every day occurrence because of its height and the cloud cover so it is always a special treat when you can see the top. Sadly the snow is lessening on the top because of climate change.

Our server was Kevin and he remembered Lee Ann and I from last year – how cool is that!!

Tanzania 2010

Rafiki (Friends),

Monday - This is our first day with TAFCOM. Nie did an orientation for Megan. She showed her picture albums and a notebook with information on all their programs plus profiles on some of the families affected by HIV/AIDS that TAFCOM works with (always heartbreaking). The pictures brought back many fond memories and I have to confess that as i was looking at the pics I came across one with Lee Ann and being the sappy mom i am, i got choked up. 

We then headed by taxi to Pasua Ward. Nie explained that Moshi is the town and the wards would be like suburbs which is pretty amusing because nothing i saw reminded me of Dublin. A village is a much more rural area. Pasua Ward has the highest poverty rate of any area in Moshi. It is also the most populated. Earlier this summer, the government divided it into 2 wards – Pasua and Bomambuzi. Nie and Jonas moved to Pasua in 2005 in order to live in the community where they work.

We first visited the Women's Tailoring center that i referenced in the first email. I showed them my purse that Robin M had made for me out of leftover fabric I had bought for a skirt last year. We talked to them about using it as a template and they liked that idea. 

On to the site of the new Children's Center. One building is complete. It will be used for 2 classrooms and an office until the other buildings are finished and then will be the offices for all programs. They have had to stop building until they can raise additional funding but their plans include classrooms and dorms for children and volunteers as well as moving the tailoring center to the site.

A short walk and we are at the Children's Center. I love this place. The kids were very excited to see us and some remembered me from last year which was way too cool.(Mama Lee Ann is what I was called). They recited a greeting in English that was too cute.

There are 45 children aged 2-6 enrolled. It is free to attend and it is educational and fun. Education is very important to Nie as she, like me, believes this is the way out of poverty. She also repeatedly says how these children do not deserve this. Many are HIV positive or have AIDS. She also wants the children to experience as much joy as possible and Katherine, their teacher, does a wonderful job. Katherine has finished her first year of schooling and will start her second and last year in November. She will then be certified which is a requirement. Lee Ann, some friends and I were able to pay her tuition last year and I am taking care of it for this upcoming year as well as using some of the donated funds i received before i left. I think I mentioned they get porridge every day if TAFCOM can afford to supply it. It costs $5 to feed one child for the month. I have taken $100 of the donated funds to be put towards  purchasing porridge. (I know I talked about mosquito nets but these were taken care of by another volunteer.)

The children have a chalkboard and sit on a rug in a room with a concrete floor. it is very crowded and they have a few books which the teacher uses. There were math problems on the chalk board and we played duck, duck, goose with them changing it to zebra, zebra, simba!! The kids are fascinated with Muzungu (us white folk!). They would pet our skin and hair and were amazed when they saw brown freckles or age spots (depending on whose arm they were examining).

Last summer I had spent time with a little guy named Calvin who is HIV positive. I asked about him and was told his family had moved but he was doing well.

We returned to Moshi and Nie took us to lunch at the Coffee Tree hotel where she took Lee Ann and i for the first time. We went to the fabric store and I couldn't resist so I bought material for 2 skirts.

Megan and i returned to town and walked around. She was already missing American food so we went to Deli Chez and she got a hamburger fries and shake and I had a veggie burger. How about that!! Mona also joined us for dinner and we had lots of good conversation.

Tanzania 2010

Sunday

Megan and I had breakfast at the hostel (which is included in the price ($25/nite). Breakfast left a bit to be desired as it consisted of toast or a plane crepe, butter and jelly. We walked around town. It is very common for people to engage you in conversation; mostly they want to sell you something or are asking for money. However, there are others who are very sincere. It was late one afternoon and a man warned us to stay away from a particular area after dark; many want to practice English with you or help with Swahili. The people are mostly amused and extremely helpful when we try to use Swahili.

I love the local food. It is mostly spiced up vegetables and rice or beans (sometimes cooked in coconut milk). Passion fruit is in season and it is my new favorite drink. Unfortunately mangoes are not in season. I have also tried papaya juice and watermelon juice.

We met Farryl for lunch on Sunday and then went to Neema orphanage.  We first spent time in the building with the 1 year olds. There is also a building for 2 year olds and one for 3 year olds. There are 47 children in the orphanage and only 19 staff. The one year olds had no toys only a pile of stuffed animals. 

The buildings at the orphanage are fairly new and nice from the outside. The setting is gorgeous. Farryl explained to us that this is one of the better orphanages. The children only stay until 3 years old and then return to extended family or move to another orphanage. The inside is very sparse. The floors are concrete. There is a rug in the play room of the 1 year old building which Farryl purchased. The 1 year olds did not warm up easily and they seemed so hauntingly unresponsive. The Lutheran Sisters do the best they can and are loving but spread so thin.

We also spent time at the 2 year old building. The first time we were there they were playing outside and their toys consisted of an empty paint can, cut up plastic jugs and very old soccer balls. There was a swing set and merry ground but they were like nothing I have ever seen in the US - pretty decrepit. Farryl got thrown up and peed on, Megan got peed on and i was the smart one who played ball with the kids and remained dry!!

Farryl spends most of her time at this orphanage. She is in her mid 20's and has a special gift and love for these children. This is her 5th time to Moshi. She has started an initiative for those children leaving the orphanage. As you might guess, case management is not part of the system here so when a child goes to extended family or to another orphanage there is nothing that resembles transitioning. Farryl is working towards a program whereby the family where the child may go is visited and the family also spends time with the child at the orphanage prior to leaving. She is also setting up funding that will ensure each child goes to school.

Our Sunday evening was spent having dinner at Nie and Jonas' with Farryl. Nie cooked all local food and it was awesome. I truly love the food here and it is no problem being vegetarian. She served rice, potatoes, mchicha (which is comparable to spinach and one of my very favorite dishes), beans in coconut milk (another favorite), curry vegetables, a beef dish for the carnivores, and mixed fresh fruit which is to die for. We drank both passion and papaya juice. If i ate like this everyday I would need to buy 2 seats for the plane home!!! (And there is no way one could run here without being run over or falling down a hole in the street!)

Tanzania 2010

Samjambo (greetings to all)

Where to start.... so much has happened in just a few short days! The plane ride was uneventful except for the length - 24 hours counting layovers. We left very early on the 20th and arrived in the afternoon of the 21st.One of the flights was 8 hours with an hour refueling and staff change during which we were not allowed off the plane followed by an 8 hour flight. Needless to say we were Zombies upon arrival in Kilimanjaro.

To catch everyone up. I was in Moshi, Tanzania last summer for 2 weeks visiting Lee Ann. We volunteered for an NGO called TAFCOM. They work with families affected by HIV & AIDS. They also have a children's center (preschool) for kids 2-6 years old, with up to 45 children attending at any time, a women's tailoring group for 12 women 10 of whom are single mothers aged 16-21 years old and recently started a micro business lending program for 20 people. I came with Megan, who is the daughter of a friend at work. Megan turned 18 today!!

Speaking of work, we met a woman traveling to Kenya to visit her missionary sister. She was from Portsmouth, a case manager for MRDD and her mother had her home weatherized by the Scioto County Community Action!!! 

Arriving at the airport on Saturday August 21, we were picked up by Nie (she and husband, Jonas, are founders of TAFCOM) and Farryl, a friend of lee Ann's from Canada who worked together the last 2 summers and accompanied us on safari last year. It was a very emotional reunion and i thought Nie and I would never let go of each other. Farryl will be here until September 11 and is planning to return for a 5th time in April 2011 for a year. 

Everything felt very surreal the first day but there was also a feeling of coming home. This place totally captured my heart in a mere 2 weeks last year and my feelings remain as strong. The streets are full of life (and potholes) - cars, bicycles, motorcycles zooming in and out of traffic. Most people walk everywhere, there are vendors selling things on the streets and in their small crowded shops. Most roads are dirt. It is wintertime and the weather is perfect - 75-80 degrees and NO humidity. It is however very dry and dusty so we are filthy most of the time and are feet are unrecognizable from the dirt!!

Tanzania government elections are being held in October so there is much campaigning. Campaigning here consists of truckloads of people blaring their message over loudspeakers followed with more trucks of people playing trumpets.

We are staying at the Umoja (unity) Hostel in Moshi. It is like a hotel. We have a room with 2 single beds (with mosquito nets), a wardrobe and table. We also have our own bathroom that actually has a real toilet and shower!! It is very simple and is fine for our needs. We ate local food for lunch, bought a cell phone, ventured around town and then met up with Jonas. In the meantime we met a woman, Mona, from Germany also staying at the hostel. She is here for a 6 month internship working with a water project. Needless to say we were exhausted and in bed by 8pm (which was really 8am Ohio time!!). As is typical here I was woken up around 4am by the Muslim call to prayer. This goes on at various times throughout the day starting at 4am every morning. I believe the person is using a bull horn as it is very difficult to make out the words.