Seeing is believing (especially here)

Well an exciting and dare I say productive week this week in little Ilongero. The women's group involved in the chicken buying and selling business are buying chickens and are just waiting to have enough to sell in Singida. They are excited about the big project of chicken rearing, and especially after our little field trip on Friday. I took six members of the group (some could not make it due to family and religious duties) to the project I saw in Ntonge the week before. We rang ahead to ensure we were given the grand tour. The chicken rearing team in Ntonge were extremely helpful to say the least and there was much asking and answering of questions (most I missed as all was in Swahili) but I could tell through the language barrier, that they were interested and excited. I believe having a visual of what is possible makes dreams so much more achievable, especially for our women who have little view of life outside their village.

The group learnt the important steps of chicken rearing and the correct process from egg to mating and selling. The group also said that VETA (see last entry) comes to them to buy their chickens so in effect they have a guaranteed buyer who comes to them, saving them travel costs and the possibility of not getting the price needed to make a profit.

We have all materials bar the local timber to finish the chicken house and, 'if god wishes' (one of the favourite sayings here) they will be waiting for me when I return to Ilongero. So chickens hopefully will be ordered and in their new home before the end of October.

We are continuing to make the bricks for the hostel and the locals join in as and when they can. But I can rely on them to water the bricks (not so they grow but to strengthen them) while I am away from the town. I have been away for the weekend to visit some friends on their volunteer project and am now in Singida to email and wait for Gloria to arrive on the bus.

Can't wait to see her and go through everything. She seems to have a knack of getting things done when she is around and is a bit tougher than I am, (she can afford to be as she is a local and knows the culture like the back of her hand).

So please keep wishing us luck and stay tuned for our next instalment. Anybody, feel free to message and ask any questions about our project. I am only here for about another three to four weeks.