From Olkokola

I have started getting into a bit of active interference at OVTC though I’m still not entirely sure I know how the place works.  The teachers are starting to be more open about what assistance would help them in their work and the students are super friendly.  Communication is an issue – Google translate is some help in formulating questions but my Swahili is often not up to understanding the answers I get. And anyone who is familiar with Google translate will know that putting a sentence in, translating it to a different language, then translating back can give a totally different result for example “When will dinner be ready?” → “Wakati wa chakula cha jioni utakuwa tayari?” → “During dinner you will be ready?”.  And some of my questions are much more nuanced, so goodness knows what I could be asking!

I hope I had these questions right!

I have reverted to type and have begun an assault on students’ maths skills. A 16 question diagnostic test of skills ranging from single digit counting to problem solving requiring long division revealed a range of abilities from not too bad down to none.  I have divided the students into ability groups and plan to do a 30 min intensive lesson with each group each week.  I have been preparing teaching aids including ‘miniature money’. Agnes who does lamination (including of her scarf last week!) at the local stationery store is my new best friend.

Agnes does all my laminating 

Mini money - spectacles to show size (and because I need them!)

Last week I put a poster about counting up on the dining room wall.  It is made on a recycled feed sack.  It has created some interest already and I’m planning a measurement poster next.  Students need to know the metric system as well as feet and inches.

Counting

In East Africa declarations of ‘we do this’ are aspirational – if I am told the students have a health talk timetabled on Thursdays then I don’t know if that means it happens every week, some weeks or it seemed like a good idea and may eventually happen. Patient observation is needed to see how much of what is timetabled actually does occur.  I am hopeful that a workshop for the girls on Menstrual Health will happen in the coming week but that is dependant on when the Imams decide Eidd will be – a public holiday throughout Tanzania that is declared the day before. Aaaargh‼

The boys have mastered making chairs.

From yesterday Tanzania banned plastic bags – a good thing! – but implementation may be problematic.  The western supermarkets are handing out woven fabric carrier bags; I don’t know what the small traders will do.  We have our reusable bags we brought from Australia and have made sure we have no plastic bags or wrappings in the car.  This afternoon we will shop in the neighbourhood maduka (small shops/stalls) for eggs and fresh fruit and veg so we’ll see what the (usually very resourceful) locals have come up with.

 The work permit and resident visa situation has not yet resolved so I’m still officially ‘visiting friends’ at the mission.  Our tourist visas expire in 5 weeks which is a short time in a country where bureaucracy flows like honey in winter.  Plan B could involve a quick trip to Uganda.  

I will let you all know of progress on all fronts soon, love from Jenny