Week 3

Monday, August 20^th, 2007

Today we started our day at NIMR to speak to Simone about ordering milk for the probiotic cultures to be put into the yogurt that the mamas make. We are starting with 2L of probiotic milk that will last for one week of yogurt production and will slowly increase when the yogurt production increases as well. The cultures take approximately 18 hours to be prepared, so Meg and I will have to drop off the milk, or get it delivered, and pick it up the following day. After NIMR we dropped by the International Language Training Center to inquire about starting Swahili lessons immediately. The classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5pm and a test to be picked up on the weekend that takes about 1 hour to complete. We made a quick stop at the internet café to print off some documents for the Mamas and then went to the Yogurt Kitchen in Mabutini to teach English.

Tuesday, August 21^st, 2007

This morning Missy, Kim, Meaghan and I went to the Yogurt Kitchen to purchase the milk for Simone at NIMR. Kim and I went to NIMR, while Missy and Meg went with the Mamas to the bank. Kim and I were given 2L of milk in a lidded container and an empty 1L beaker. When we got to NIMR we realized that they needed another 1L container that could be used in an autoclave machine (one that won’t melt at high heat and pressure), so we set off to the Victoria Laboratory Supplies to buy more beakers. (It seems to be that there are a lot of small issues that I would never think to prepare for, but have to be resolved immediately.) After we resolved the small matter we met up with Missy and Meg to finish up financial issues and to take out money for ourselves. We made a quick stop at the post office and had lunch at the Pizzeria. Meaghan and I spent an hour at the internet café before going to our first Swahili lesson! Our teacher is Mr. Gaudence and he’s very nice and makes us laugh throughout the class. We learnt about numbers, telling the time (which is very difficult because they use sunrise to sunset as starting points of the day, a six hour difference), some greeting phrases, and a few basic rules to noun, adjective and subjective prefixes. It’s a bit overwhelming so I will have to study a bit before the test comes at the end of the week. The night ended with a nice BBQ at a friend’s place with some lamb, pork and salad.

Very excited to see a hedgehog

Wednesday, August 22^nd, 2007

I began this morning with a nice workout on the roof top of the apartment and then quickly got ready to go to NIMR to pick up the bacteria cultures with Meaghan. Missy and Kim went to the Yogurt Kitchen first thing this morning to speak with the Mamas about the First Lady (Minister of Gender and Children) coming to visit on Tuesday. Kim has set up this meeting and is responsible for her interest in building a new factory for the Mamas to produce the yogurt! This is a great opportunity for the Tukwamuane organization and the yogurt project to expand. After Missy and Kim left the kitchen, Meg and I showed up with the probiotic cultures in the 2L of milk, which unfortunately spilt a bit during transit on the bumpy roads (we will have to work getting better containers to transport it). The Mamas made us a wonderful breakfast of deep fried buns and chai tea. Afterwards we made another trip with some of the Mamas to the bank to withdraw some money to pay for their bills, but there were some problems with our request and we had to come back the next day to complete the transaction (one word that is frequently used here is ‘kesho’, meaning tomorrow, because nothing is ever done right away but rather tomorrow, kesho). After the bank we made a quick stop at home to prepare an English lesson for the Mamas and then headed directly to the Kitchen. The Mamas are always excited for the lessons, but today they were also eager to show us the labels that they have chosen for their yogurt that they produce. We are hoping to get 100 labels made next week. We came home after an exhausting day with handfuls of groceries and yogurt, prepared a simple meal of pasta and stayed in for the night.

Thursday, August 23^rd, 2007

We had great success at the bank today and the Mamas were able to take out funds to pay their bills and update their bank card. One of the Mamas (Mama Elizabeth) who was with us this morning was feeling very ill, having both Typhoid and Malaria. It is very common to get sick here in Mwanza, for both locals and visitors, but because it is so common the treatment is relatively cheap and readily available. The symptoms are also usually easily recognizable because so many people have had multiple incidences. Luckily however, I have remained healthy and hope to for larger part of my trip here (knock on wood). Meaghan and I had our Swahili lessons again today and it consisted of saying polite requests, asking about how someone is doing, and naming the days of the week and months. We met a new friend in the class, Claire, and she actually was sitting next to Kim on the plane coming from Dar (what a small world). After the class we headed straight to Tunza for the yoga class on the beach and a nice boat ride while the sun set. The view was better than anything I could ever imagine. I felt as though I was in a fairy tale or a postcard. Sunset at Tunza Lodge

Friday, August 24^th, 2007

This morning turned out to be a bit more relaxing compared to the previous days of the week. Meaghan and I were able to brainstorm various strategies to help develop the project and bring in more income for the Mamas to be able to sustain the business without external aid. We also found a great internet café that is just outside of our apartment and the management is very kind and the place is clean. So far it hasn’t been too crowded, which is seen at many of the other cafes in town. In the afternoon Meaghan and I went to the Yogurt Kitchen to give the Mamas their English lessons. We are going to the Kitchen on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons and taking our Swahili lessons on Tuesday and Thursday, it is working out great so far. I am hoping to get to the Forever Angel orphanage at least once a week, but it is a fair distance away from our apartment and therefore takes a while to get there and back. In the evening, there was a going away party at Tunza for a Master’s student studying witchcraft and so we dressed up as witches and had a great time.

Saturday, August 25^th, 2007

We began the weekend very relaxed and were invited to Tunza for the day. Meaghan, Missy and I were able to go out on the boat for a while and we found a great island with amazing boulder formations on it, and named it ‘Hangkip’ (Afrikaans for ‘hanging rock’). We got off the boat and found one huge boulder that was being suspended about 2 feet off the ground by smaller boulders and was able to slide underneath for a very cute photo. We went back to the beach, had a nice lunch and a quick nap before going to a friends place for a bbq.

'Hangkip' Rock

Sunday, August 26^th, 2007

Kim and I went to church this morning at 8:30am. Kim has been playing the piano at the St. Nicolas Anglican Church for about a month now. The service was very nice and great that it was in English. When I got home, Meaghan and I spent a bit of time finishing up project work and then had a very nice walk to a small market not too far from our apartment. We picked up lots of fruits and vegetables for our dinner and the next few days: oranges, bananas, a huge papaya, cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and bread. We made a great dinner of pasta salad (pasta, tomatoes, cucumbers, and balsamic vinegar) and mashed sweet potatoes. The dinner was amazing while Meaghan and I snuggled up to ‘Because I said So’ and ‘Pretty Woman’.

Week 2

This week has been busy organizing project accounts and preparing for the transition of the past interns to leave and for Meaghan and I to take over specific tasks. Jackie is leaving this Saturday, so Meaghan and I were able to accompany her to various project sites that she has been affiliated with so she could say goodbye.

Mon., Aug. 13, 2007
While the other interns were feeling slightly under-the-weather, I started my day with a workout and a long walk around town to get myself oriented with the city. Kim had gone to the clinic with Missy and found that along with her worms she also has Malaria, pole sana (very sorry). After returning, Kim and I went to the International Language School to inquire about Swahili lessons. We have been recommended by several past interns that Mama Salala (a large German woman) is an excellent teacher and we are planning on meeting with her early next week.

TunzaBeach

Tues., Aug. 14, 2007
Kim left very early this morning to go visit a hospital in Bumbire, where she will be volunteering next summer. The trip there is 7 hours long and she will be back on Thursday, we wish her a safe journey. Jackie and Meaghan went to the clinic because they weren’t feeling well, while Missy and I went to U-Turn to pick up groceries. You can pick up a lot of similar canned and bottle foods in Mwanza however they can be quite a bit more expensive ($12 for a box of Frosted Flakes). Mwanza is about the same size of London, Ontario which means you can pretty much walk everywhere, and with the intense sun and hot weather this can get exhausting.
When Meaghan and Jackie came back from the clinic we found out that Meg has an amoeba and Jackie has Malaria. With everyone, but me (knock-on-wood), being sick we decided to keep the evening quiet so everyone could rest and feel healthy again.

Wed., Aug. 15, 2007
I went for a walk this morning with a woman who works for Kivulini, Beatrice, and I came across a young boy that I met at the Yogurt Kitchen. His name is Singeah and he does not attend school. When asked about his parents he told us that they were both deceased and that he lives with his grandmother. When asked why he didn’t attend school he said that his grandmother cannot afford to buy his uniform or books. This situation is seen with so many children in Mwanza and the inability of a young mind to have the opportunity to gain knowledge it is a very difficult reality.
In the afternoon the girls and I visited the Yogurt Kitchen to have a brief meeting with the Mamas about the project. We are working to have a very open relationship with the Mamas and to help them to become independent of WHE. One of the main goals for this project is to have the yogurt production and distribution be sustainable on their own and also have profit coming in to strengthen the community. This includes having a strong relationship with each other and the organizations that they rely on. There are also business aspects of accounting and book-keeping which are necessary to maintain a strong business. These are only a few of the matters that we are working with the Mamas to ensure a strong, efficient, and proficient business.

Thurs., Aug. 16, 2007
We were able to take a walk through the busy market today and I really enjoyed the electrifying feeling of the many vendors selling their fresh goods. I am considering using the market as a resource for part of my independent study, but it seems like it would be a difficult task to ask the vendors questions in such a hectic environment. I will have to rethink my project tactics. Missy and Jackie also took Meaghan and I through an area they call ‘Fabric Land’ because most of the stores sell either Kangas, scarves and/or material to make clothing and bags. There are an incredible number of fantastic seamstresses in Mwanza and they produce beautiful pieces. The girls have gotten several shirts, skirts, dresses, and over-the-shoulder bags made for such little money, relative to Canadian prices. I am very excited to have some pieces made for myself and friends back home.
At around 3pm the girls and I set off to an orphanage that Jackie and Missy volunteer at called ‘Forever Angels’. The project is run by Amy who self-funds the entire orphanage. Her program is very well organized and puts great emphasis on having local adoptions. I am hoping to work with her for my second part of my independent study where I will be monitoring the children before and after they consume the probiotic yogurt (Fiti) that the Yogurt Mamas make, on a regular basis. Amy has ensured that the children have their measurements taken weekly, which will help me plot the changes in health and growth for the children taking the yogurt. Many children at the orphanage generally get a well-balanced diet but do lack intake of dairy and therefore Calcium. We are hoping to start giving them the yogurt as soon as possible. The children are adorable with a total of 19 kids all under the age of 5 years old and they are working to expand the space to hold up to 40 children and infants.
Kim arrived home later this evening and she had an amazing experience helping out in the hospital and giving HIV tests. We met up at Tunza Lodge for another nice evening of yoga on the beach even though the weather was slightly overcast.

Forever Angels Organization

Yoga at Tunza Beach

Fri., Aug. 17, 2007
We were finally able to take some time from project work to get to an internet café today. Even though we were there for 1 hour I wasn’t able to get many emails out because the internet is so slow. It does get a bit frustrating when we are used to the fast pace life of home, but it is also nice to take some time to reflect on your own and have time to keep detailed journals and blogs. Afterwards we went to the Yogurt Kitchen to meet with the Mamas and go over financial issues. It is remarkable to see how hard the Mamas work and how well they interact with each other. The Kitchen seems to be a popular place because there is always someone coming in to buy yogurt. The Mamas had special visitors that day from Women’s Rights Organizations around Tanzania. They came by to see what some of the women in Mwanza are doing for their local community and how they are empowering themselves. It was great that the Yogurt Mamas are getting recognition for their hard work.

Sat., Aug. 18, 2007
We woke up early this morning to drop off Jackie and Kim at the Mwanza airport. Jackie was going back home to London, Ontario and Kim was going to Dar es Saalam for an Indian wedding. Kim went to school with a friend from Dar and her cousin was getting married and invited her to attend. She will be back Monday afternoon and I can’t wait to see the amazing pictures from the wedding.
Missy, Meg and I then took the daladala (public van bus) into town to use the internet quickly and to pick up some groceries. Later that day Danny (local marine engineer) took us to ‘Dancing Rock’ and the view was absolutely gorgeous. We stayed up at the top for a while trying to see the sun set, but a storm rolled in and we got totally drenched on the way down. After cleaning up at home we got ready for a night of dancing at Villa Park, it was very nice to have a night out.

Meaghan and me at Dancing Rock

Sun., Aug. 19, 2007
I was able to sleep in today and made myself a big breakfast of eggs, hot dogs, and toast. I also had some freshly made popcorn, one of my favorite snacks because it is made by local boys across the street from our apartment and the money they make goes to their organization that is part of Kivulini. Their organization supports against domestic violence against women, raising money to send street children to school, and to support the community. Missy, Meg and I were invited to a bbq that was quite far away from our apartment and so took a bit of organizing to get there. We ate delicious curry chicken and a huge piece of bbq’ed lamb that we all shared. There weren’t any utensils so we really did feel like carnivores chewing off this huge chunk of meat.

Week 1 in Mwanza

Meaghan and I have finally made it to Mwanza, safe and sound with all of our baggage. Thank you to all my family and friends for all their best wishes and gifts before I headed off, they have been a blessing for me. I apologize for the lack of communication with home because the internet at the apartment is still not working yet. Things take a bit longer to get fixed and done here in Tanzania.

Mon. & Tues., Aug. 6&7, 2007
We had a bit of a rocky trip departing on the night of Mon., Aug. 6th to Heathrow airport, which is so huge and confusing. We then had another red-eye flight to Nairobi, where I was feeling a bit under the weather, but surprisingly we didn’t run into any major problems. Our next flight had an unexpectedly long delay at the Kiliminjaro airport and we had difficulty getting a hold of the girls to let them know of our tardiness. With all of the confusion, we did arrive safely in Mwanza on Wed., Aug. 8th and after all the baggage checks and visa validations we were warmly welcomed by our new family in Tanzania.

Wed., Aug. 8th, 2007
Kim, Missy, and Jackie have been amazing at giving us a tour of the area and letting us know the ins and outs of living in Mwanza. After a long trip and only sleeping about 5 hours in 2 days, Meaghan and I headed home near Mlango Mmoja and jumped in the shower before heading to Tilapia for a good meal. We tried our best to stay up as late as possible so that we could get adjusted to our jet lag.

Thurs., Aug. 9th, 2007
Meg and I woke up early this morning to go to NIMR (National Institute for Medical Research) with Jackie and Kim to drop off the mother culture and CO2 packs with George. We are still looking into getting a freezer to hold the cultures at -20oC and keeping them sterile from the other blood and urine samples. Jackie, Meg and I then set off to Mahina, a community just outside of Mwanza that receives the probiotic yogurts for many of the HIV/PLWAs (people living with AIDS) patients. Many individuals living with HIV/AIDS have a difficult stigma against them because of the lack of education about the disease and the misconception of the way HIV is transferred. Jackie had a couple of enlarged photos and female condoms that were requested by one of the community members, whose husband would not wear condoms and is suspected to have HIV already. It was great to see the area and get an idea of how the members are living.
We then headed to Mabutini, where the Yogurt Kitchen is located, by the daladala (local van bus). Driving is pretty crazy and scary here because there aren’t always side walks and speed limits don’t exist. The horn is used to warn pedestrians and cyclists that cars are coming. Also, cars drive on the opposite sides of the street and takes a bit of getting used to. We dropped by the Kitchen for a quick meet-and-greet with the mamas that were working the kitchen and got to have a try of the yogurt being made, trademarked as Fiti. It is a plain yogurt, a bit sour, but very refreshing on a hot day.
Meg and I will be starting our Swahili lessons as soon as possible so that we are able to communicate with the mamas and with the locals on a daily basis. It will also make teaching English to the mamas much easier, however I am very impressed with the amount that they know already.
After lunch Meg, Missy, Kim and I headed off to the bank to take out some Tanzanian Shillings (Tsh) to use for groceries, transportation, and to purchase a cell phone which we went to go pick up directly after the bank. We stopped by the internet café briefly to send out a few emails and then went back home to get ready for a nice evening at the Tunza beach of yoga and dinner, it was amazing and a really great welcoming. We met a bunch of missionaries, locals, and volunteers visiting Mwanza: Major, Jan, Jenny, Danny, Laurene, Janine, Hank, and a bunch of German volunteers.

Fri., Aug. 10, 2007
We woke up early this morning to go to the Yogurt Kitchen in Mabutini for 8:30am. Jackie was interviewing the mamas for her project and asking several questions about their biographies and what WHE has done for them and their community. All the responses were very positive, including their own personal education about HIV and for their families, personal empowerment with running the yogurt project, and also to help strengthen the community both financially and physically. At the Kitchen, there were many kids running around and only some in school uniform. Jackie informed me that even though school is free for everyone, the costs of uniforms and books prevent many children from getting an education. It is a frustrating situation because many of the children are eager to learn and have such potential for great things.
We had lunch and then headed to NIMR so that Jackie could interview Joseph Mwanga, (Senior research scientist with a PhD, MSc and Honors BA). It was a great chance for Meg and I to get acquainted with him and get a bit more information about the project at NIMR.
Meaghan, Jackie and I went back to the Yogurt Kitchen to teach some of the mamas English. It was a lot more difficult than I expected because of the language barrier, but the mamas did a really great job picking up the grammar lessons. The lesson was also a good way to get to know the mamas and see how far they have come in learning English.

Sat. & Sun., Aug. 11&12, 2007
This weekend we were lucky enough to be invited to go camping at Kijerashi, just outside of the Serengeti National Park and we were able to see several wild animals: Zebras, Springbucks, Baboons, and Ostriches. We were driven in Majors truck with Missy, Jackie, Meaghan, Janine, Hank, Laurene, and I. We indulged in a fabulous diner and next day lunch of instant noodles on pieces of bread and peanut butter.