An Important Visitor

This is the report I've written for the AVI mag - you get a sneak preview.

The Australian High Commissioner to Tanzania, His Excellency Mr Geoff Tooth, was in Arusha for a two day visit this week - very relaxing compared to his usual haunts of Nairobi and South Sudan. He met informally with expat Australians including many of the Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVIs) who are in Arusha and district. He was keen to see Australians in action so his itinerary included visits to places where they are working to improve lives and livelihoods.

AVIs and reps from Host Organisations with the HC - I'm there peering over his right shoulder, Steve is behind him on the left.

Australia’s current focus on ‘Economic diplomacy’ means education and job creation for young people is an aid priority, so after a lovely lunch where he met many AVIs and representatives from their host organisations, Geoff came to visit the Umoja Centre where education and career opportunity is also a priority!

The High Comm with Caroline, the Director of Umoja, and Michael, our Outplacement Officer.

Umoja (Kiswahili for unity) is an education and youth development organization, which administers a free educational and support program for disadvantaged and vulnerable young people, aged 14-24, who are highly motivated but lack other opportunities. The program consists of a Foundation Year designed to give students the best chance of future success by enhancing their English language, mathematics and IT skills. They are also given information and resources to help them to care for their physical and emotional wellbeing. The program is taught at two levels, beginner and intermediate, to cater for the range of abilities in English language. Once they have successfully completed the Foundation Year, students become part of the Outplacement Scheme where they are placed into the mainstream secondary education system or into vocational training. Umoja then supports its students through job application processes and into new careers, which will allow them to provide effectively for themselves and their families. Since 2009 over 200 students have been helped to break the cycle of poverty with flow on effects for their families and communities.

Aikemesia showing Geoff and Pyrou where the equator is.

There are two AVIs currently at Umoja.  Pyrou Chung is working with local administration staff counterparts on enhancing the sponsorship program and on governance and accountability. Jenny Clark is working with teachers to increase their classroom skills and help them update the curriculum and assessment and reporting procedures. There are also currently volunteers from Canada and Poland as well as local Tanzanian staff.

A time line of Tanzanian history

During his visit the High Commissioner saw a Beginners’ Global Studies class in action, using their IT skills and the centre’s 16 computers to learn about the continents and countries of the world. Geoff pointed out where Tasmania is to be found on a map. The Intermediate students were busy with a library lesson and practising their spoken English. They also love debating and many issues of gender equity and current events are tackled.

Umoja students love to sing and dance and Umoja’s annual calendar includes a visit from students and staff from the Juilliard School in New York where music is workshopped and enjoyed. Geoff was treated to a performance of two of the students’ favourite songs learned during the Juilliard visit this year, “Wonderful World” and “The storm is passing over”.

The HC chatting with students

After the musical interlude Geoff met and chatted with students, asking them about their lives and their hopes. Students at Umoja have a range of future ambitions from joining the army to being an electrician, an air ticketer, a lawyer or a teacher. Sadly no one plumped for “Diplomat” despite the inducement of a bullet proof car with a flag!

The High Commissioner also saw one of the self-sufficiency projects in action. In “Sewing Club” students were making toy owls and elephants from fabric scraps. These and other textile items such as tablecloths and napkins are produced for sale with profits being shared between the makers and the Umoja Centre. Umoja is hoping to expand this part of its program so as to be less reliant on donations and sponsorship.

The visit was a happy and enjoyable occasion. The students love having visitors and are proud to show off the centre. Staff and management at the centre are also proud to show people around and talk about the past and current achievements of our young people.

End of term celebrations

Yesterday was the last day of term 2 for our students. With International Youth Day officially during the holidays (on August 12th) we had an early celebration, organised by one of our volunteers, Violette, that neatly coincided with her leaving party.

International Youth Day is always around several themes and this year we chose health, education and the environment as these reflect what we have been doing in class.

The students divided into 3 groups and each prepared and presented a short drama on their allocated topic.

We had a play about a girl and boy being asked to leave school because they were more interested in each other than their lessons. We saw them a few years down the track where she was begging for money to feed her two children and one more on the way and he had turned to a life of crime to support himself. She pleads passionately to the audience to respect the educational opportunities they have.

 We had a village chairperson organising an Environment Education event because of complaints she'd received from villagers about illegal charcoal making and rubbish disposal.

 Last we had a young man fighting for acceptance among his friends and family after he'd tested positive for HIV.

There was some great acting! And some enterprising use of found materials as 'props' - a few pot plants suffered in the charcoal making enterprise! The circular 'stage' is actually the septic tank lid.

We had a range of speakers come in and talk to the students about the three themes and also about First Aid - they will all be doing a 4 hr First Responders course next term. The awards for the term, with certificates and small gifts, were announced. There was dancing and singing.

That's Violette on the far right of the stage

And then there was party food! Many students (and teachers) had their first taste of pizza. A voucher from a local pizza shop that caters to wazungu was given as a raffle prize at a fund raising event earlier in the term. The winner had given it back to Umoja to use as a treat for the students. The pizza was definitely a hit.

There was also soda and nibbles paid for by Violette's father. We'll all miss Violette but wish her safe travels back to Belgium.

Now I'm on holidays for two weeks and eagerly awaiting Steve's arrival here on August 18th!

Nane nane

Sheepvention in Hamilton coincides with Nane Nane - the major Agricultural shows in Tanzania. Farmers' Day in on August 8th (8/8=nane nane) and is a Public Holiday (Hooray for public holidays on fixed dates - see previous post!) I plan to compare and contrast the two events!

Sheepvention in Hamilton goes for two days, two and a half if you count Saturday's street parade down Gray Street. The Nane nane show is open August 1 to 8. I went today, the third day, but will have to go back, probably on Friday, to see more. I could see there were more pavilions to be erected and I want to take more photos!

Here is a selection of today's photos.

Any amount of vegies.

Honey is big business in Tanzania - often for its health and healing properties.

Plenty of 'tat' for sale.

All the banks and telcos were there.

I hope the Solar man does good business.

Maize is an important crop here.

Called a "Sack garden" - very space efficient

Bored!

Machinery for sale

and food

I bought fabric of course.

All ready for the prize giving.

Mixed pasture.

Brochures on pesticides

and lots of seed.

The only sheep at the show!

Over Eid el-Fitr

It has been a very African week full of uncertainty and frustration as the second term draws to a close.

The week began with the end of Ramadan – Eid el-Fitr – which is celebrated with two days of national holiday. The problem is the exact days of these holidays is not determined until the night before. The local religious leaders need to sight the moon and declare it’s time!

Friday last week we thought the holidays would be either Sunday and Monday or Monday and Tuesday. We called a special student assembly and told the students that Monday would be declared a school holiday and that we expected to see them all on Tuesday, after all it was exam week and they had study and preparation to do. Well planned, no?

Monday I had a lovely relaxing day – a sleep in, a bit of cooking, a stroll to the shops (Open, hmm, interesting on Eid holiday) and then the sewing of my new Pilates mat. I had a text from one of the volunteers who had arrived at work and been surprised no-one was there. “Eid”, I said, “A holiday. All back on deck tomorrow”.

The Pilates mat & book ready to learn how to do it!

Tuesday as I walked to work I thought how quiet it seemed. When I arrived at the gate to work the guard was surprised to see me. “Moslem holiday” he said. “No school”. I rang the acting director. “Yes, school is on today” she said. The guard let me in. By 8:30 we had 3 students and 4 teachers, no cook to make porridge and lunch and no idea what to do next. The guard confidently told us the students wouldn’t be in tomorrow either. “Moslem holiday, two days” he said. I worked on my exam until lunchtime then left as I needed to get it photocopied at the local duka (Tsh50/= per page; our photocopier and printer cartridge woes is a whole other blog post!)

The guard of course was right. On Wednesday about half the students arrived so the other half would be starting exams on Thursday with no prior warning and little preparation. Being Wednesday we had our weekly staff meeting. I had a rant about “communication and its importance”. If we wazungu are making a silly decision, like expecting students at school on a public holiday just because we’ve told them they should be, then tell us!

Over the weekend I had organised the rental car for when Steve comes to stay later this month. I had to go into town to make a deposit at Barclays Bank to confirm the reservation. I didn’t go Monday thinking it was a holiday. Then I couldn’t go Tuesday or Wednesday because they were holidays. I was dreading going Thursday thinking the queues would be out the door but left work at lunchtime, with the just completed Beginners Global Studies exams, to get the daladala into town to get the job done. Finally a win – the queue was short, the wait was 5 minutes, the teller said “that is possible” and it was quickly done. So I was home to mark exams by 3 o’clock. The least said about the exam results the better – some ‘standardisation’ will be needed!

Friday the Intermediates did their Global Studies exam – marking those was far more satisfying. They had the advantage of a bit more preparation and possibly whispers from the beginners about what was likely to be asked. Also their English language skills – the basis for separation into the two classes – are so much better.

Late in the day our ‘new’ photocopier arrived (second-hand – thanks AVI) and we headed off for drinks to celebrate that and to farewell a short-term volunteer whose placement has just finished. In a centre like the one where I work, and many NGO organisations, volunteers arrive and leave at an alarming rate.  Volunteer placements may be measured in weeks or months – a full year, like I am having – is quite unusual.  The volunteer who has just finished was with us for 5 weeks. In that time she has done a remarkable job teaching reproductive health to the two classes; writing her a reference based on her work here will be a joy! Another of our volunteers will be finishing up next week and we have several starting next term – one new and one a return I think. The students (and staff) will be wondering what I’m doing still here.

These two purchases made during the week made me happy - the fabric is for my sister Lyn who wants material Nelson Mandela would have worn as a shirt.  The little table is for Steve's side of the bed when he comes to stay later in the month. Prices Tsh9,000/= ($6) and Tsh27,000 ($18) respectively.