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.
Monday, 29 September 2008
Monday, 22 September 2008
Not such a dream after all
Over the last few days, I have learnt a lot about chicken rearing and building kibandas (that’s Kiswahili for a chicken house). But we haven't got any chickens yet or a complete building to put them in. We are so much closer to it though. Having Angelo and the car for two days was amazing. He is so helpful and motivated and has great ideas. I think between the two of us we managed to get much done. Poor man, he must have been so tired. And then had to get up at 4 this morning to go to work. So wonderful that he uses his time off to help the project.
As well as sorting out some materials for the kibandas we visited a place in Ntonge where a group is running a chicken business with an incubator and a kibanda and are using all the right feed and vaccinations. We realised we needed more ventilation in ours so am knocking down some wall. Sad but necessary. I do feel more positive about the whole idea now, having seen how well these guys are doing. What sounded a bit like a nice dream weeks ago when I first talked with Gloria seems more easily achievable now.
Angelo and I also visited VETA (Vocational Education & Training Authority) local branch, (my first time) and the chicken rearing expert gave us at least an hour tour of their set up. Very interesting and we learnt heaps about the processes involved in the rearing and vital things to remember at each step in order to get a high yield and avoid disease. Their set up is very involved and professional but there are ways of simplifying the process while still incorporating the vital stuff for our project. We may have the opportunity to have some training days for the women at VETA which I’d like to organise with Gloria when I find out exactly what they have been taught already. I have been informed they have had some training but have not yet found out exactly what. It would be really good for some of the group to see the VETA set up or at least the one in Ntonge. May be I will try to arrange a visit. The group is very nice and open about sharing ideas. The Ntonge business seems also to be working because the members are hard working, understanding that the chickens lives are their lives. Could even be an alternative to going all the way to Singida for training, travelling is so difficult in this region. Food for thoughts………..
As well as sorting out some materials for the kibandas we visited a place in Ntonge where a group is running a chicken business with an incubator and a kibanda and are using all the right feed and vaccinations. We realised we needed more ventilation in ours so am knocking down some wall. Sad but necessary. I do feel more positive about the whole idea now, having seen how well these guys are doing. What sounded a bit like a nice dream weeks ago when I first talked with Gloria seems more easily achievable now.
Angelo and I also visited VETA (Vocational Education & Training Authority) local branch, (my first time) and the chicken rearing expert gave us at least an hour tour of their set up. Very interesting and we learnt heaps about the processes involved in the rearing and vital things to remember at each step in order to get a high yield and avoid disease. Their set up is very involved and professional but there are ways of simplifying the process while still incorporating the vital stuff for our project. We may have the opportunity to have some training days for the women at VETA which I’d like to organise with Gloria when I find out exactly what they have been taught already. I have been informed they have had some training but have not yet found out exactly what. It would be really good for some of the group to see the VETA set up or at least the one in Ntonge. May be I will try to arrange a visit. The group is very nice and open about sharing ideas. The Ntonge business seems also to be working because the members are hard working, understanding that the chickens lives are their lives. Could even be an alternative to going all the way to Singida for training, travelling is so difficult in this region. Food for thoughts………..
Brickmaking
I have been making some bricks for the girls’ hostel. People are amazed that I know how to make them and that a woman can do such manual work. Actually I should rephrase this. Of course women do manual work, just not the “high tech” one reserved for men, like…., well, brickmaking. They are impressed and most days I enjoy the attention and sometimes I just want to be left alone. They mean well. Some of the men even come over and take over for about 5 minutes to show me how it is done, usually doing the same as I was or a worse job. But if it makes them feel better, I appreciate the rest. So things in the project are moving along and it looks as if we will achieve much before I leave. So I am happy and feel useful at the moment.
A motorbike interlude
Well, as the people who know me will know, I love motorbikes. And I was determined I would get a ride on one in Tanzania before I left. So when I got an invitation to join my friends at another village, I thought this would be my big chance. So I organised through a friend in town to hire a motorbike for 10000 Shillings (about ten bucks). The man happened to be a bit drunk when I gave him the money and then he proceeded to buy us a beer with it. Not a good start cause the money was for fuel. I was a little worried but excited none the less. So I waited for him the next morning, imagining a flash trail bike arriving for me (the one I thought I saw him riding the other day). Turned out I was a little mistaken. So after two hours of waiting, he turns up on a red but clapped out postie bike. All I could do was laugh and laugh more as he explained all the quirks it had and how to ride it. So I set off, no helmet, no jacket, bald tyres, very bad brakes on a dirt road/track on a bike I wasn't entirely sure would make the distance. But it did and then promptly broke down and started leaking when I arrived to my destination. But after two visits from the mechanic and 4000 shillings later (plus 3000 shillings for fuel) it was working again!
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Settling down nicely
My name is Jane Davis, I am 27 years old and from Australia. I have just spent 10 weeks working as a volunteer with Volunteer Africa and have had an amazing experience. Hereafter is what I wrote to my family and friends and that made the first part of my trip so special.
Things are going great here and African life is starting to feel normal. sights that were so weird and novel a few weeks ago are just part of my days now. Such as 5 year old hearding cows, carrying water and their younger siblings, kids in clothes better explained as rags, being contsantly stared at, the beautiful and welcoming African smile (only if you smile first mind you), mudbrick houses that the big bad wolf could blow down, unsafe scaffolding and general scary building practices which seem to work quite well and other countless things. but do not think the novelty has worn off entirely. I am still experiencing new things all the time.
For ease of writing and reading, I will list some highlights so far.
* African wedding where although we did not know the bride and groom, were given the only chairs and fed the first (very kind but kind of embarrassing).
*the church singing.
* finding a hedgehog in camp and learning how to pick it up without spiking myself too badly.
* finding out how little you need and how much you can do with little.
* being welcomed into people's homes and the respect and kindness we are shown. We even receive gifts from people who can't afford to give them. their sacrifice is not lost on us.
* the genuine friendship i have received.
* getting really dirty.
* getting kind of clean with cold water under the sun.
* the kids and how interested they are in us.
* learning more bulding skills and the elation when I get it right.
* vivid and wild dreams due to my hard core maleria tablets.
* the volleyball matches (sometimes quite competitive).
* chezza chezza (african dancing when there is a group to say goodbye to) its the older women who do this and they are great. Some of them even with faded face tattoos from the tribal days. Might get one mum. Ha.
* my mumma Mvae and her hugs. she also taught me how to grind flour. harder than it looks. No wonder all the African women are so tough.
* being fed by people who eat twice a day if they are lucky.
* Trying to figure out what part of what animal you have just been fed. think I ate some toungue and intestine the other day.
* the other volunteers and how much i learn about myself from living so close to them.
*bumpy rides too and from town to camp.
* acumulating building scars.
*borrowing bikes with no breaks and dodging the ditches, cows, sheep, goats, donkeys, people, motorbikes, sand and spiky bushes. What a rush.
But there are things that are good for us to see but not so enjoyable such as.
*the more we are invited into homes, the tougher we realise their lives are.
* seeing old men with their very young wives they bought. i know it's the culture but doesn't take away the fact that women here have little power and choice.
* being asked for money and gifts and school fees etc. You would be surprised at how hard it is to say no. And if you don't it builds an idea in their heads that white people just give out things and money and that they should. We just need to keep hold of the bigger picture i guess and what help we can give.
* cold water showers when you left it too late and have to wash in the cold wind in the dark.
* scrubbing the toilet hole. will never be fun but definitely a character strengthener.
* being in a fish bowel: our fence has holes in it and children often just stand there and stare after school, calling out that the want a bottle of a football over and over until we tell them a very stern Hapana (no).
* snoring, farting, happy people disturbing sleep ( may have been me once or twice though).
* missing friends and family. didn't think I would this much. wish you could all see what i am seeing ( yes will get photos on soon.)
*wearing my traditional African clothing. white people just don't look cool in it. I don't look anywhere near as black as I feel and am almost surprised that people still stare at me. don't I fit in yet?
Things are going great here and African life is starting to feel normal. sights that were so weird and novel a few weeks ago are just part of my days now. Such as 5 year old hearding cows, carrying water and their younger siblings, kids in clothes better explained as rags, being contsantly stared at, the beautiful and welcoming African smile (only if you smile first mind you), mudbrick houses that the big bad wolf could blow down, unsafe scaffolding and general scary building practices which seem to work quite well and other countless things. but do not think the novelty has worn off entirely. I am still experiencing new things all the time.
For ease of writing and reading, I will list some highlights so far.
* African wedding where although we did not know the bride and groom, were given the only chairs and fed the first (very kind but kind of embarrassing).
*the church singing.
* finding a hedgehog in camp and learning how to pick it up without spiking myself too badly.
* finding out how little you need and how much you can do with little.
* being welcomed into people's homes and the respect and kindness we are shown. We even receive gifts from people who can't afford to give them. their sacrifice is not lost on us.
* the genuine friendship i have received.
* getting really dirty.
* getting kind of clean with cold water under the sun.
* the kids and how interested they are in us.
* learning more bulding skills and the elation when I get it right.
* vivid and wild dreams due to my hard core maleria tablets.
* the volleyball matches (sometimes quite competitive).
* chezza chezza (african dancing when there is a group to say goodbye to) its the older women who do this and they are great. Some of them even with faded face tattoos from the tribal days. Might get one mum. Ha.
* my mumma Mvae and her hugs. she also taught me how to grind flour. harder than it looks. No wonder all the African women are so tough.
* being fed by people who eat twice a day if they are lucky.
* Trying to figure out what part of what animal you have just been fed. think I ate some toungue and intestine the other day.
* the other volunteers and how much i learn about myself from living so close to them.
*bumpy rides too and from town to camp.
* acumulating building scars.
*borrowing bikes with no breaks and dodging the ditches, cows, sheep, goats, donkeys, people, motorbikes, sand and spiky bushes. What a rush.
But there are things that are good for us to see but not so enjoyable such as.
*the more we are invited into homes, the tougher we realise their lives are.
* seeing old men with their very young wives they bought. i know it's the culture but doesn't take away the fact that women here have little power and choice.
* being asked for money and gifts and school fees etc. You would be surprised at how hard it is to say no. And if you don't it builds an idea in their heads that white people just give out things and money and that they should. We just need to keep hold of the bigger picture i guess and what help we can give.
* cold water showers when you left it too late and have to wash in the cold wind in the dark.
* scrubbing the toilet hole. will never be fun but definitely a character strengthener.
* being in a fish bowel: our fence has holes in it and children often just stand there and stare after school, calling out that the want a bottle of a football over and over until we tell them a very stern Hapana (no).
* snoring, farting, happy people disturbing sleep ( may have been me once or twice though).
* missing friends and family. didn't think I would this much. wish you could all see what i am seeing ( yes will get photos on soon.)
*wearing my traditional African clothing. white people just don't look cool in it. I don't look anywhere near as black as I feel and am almost surprised that people still stare at me. don't I fit in yet?
New volunteering challenge
For the last three weeks I have been doing volunteer work for the Rural Women Development Association, after meeting Gloria Nkungu who founded the Association. They are financially supported by The Kanga Project, a UK charity and as I understand The Kanga Project was set up exclusively to help this association. Since KP has got a website, I thought it would be good to make it lively with a blog.
Now things are not always (often, more like) easy in Tanzania. They do have internet cafes, but the connections are not always reliable and as I have to wait to be in Singida to post, don’t expect me to write a book, more likely to be in dribs and drabs. Better not waste time then and get on with it.
Well, it was Gloria’s drive and inspiration for the work she was doing that inspired me to ask if I could help. So here I am, hoping to make a difference and to discover what it’s really like to get involved with a grassroots organisation that is working towards being effective and sustainable and all through their own hard work. I understand that back in the UK, The Kanga Project is still a small charity, just like this one, but from what I can see they are both honest, motivated and trying their hardest.
Currently, I am working with three projects. The first is a chicken business run by 15 women from Ilongero which involves buying chickens from their local (and surrounding) villages and selling them in Singida for a profit. For many of these women, this is the first time they have been involved in any kind of business or had the opportunity to make decisions that will effect their future. They are full of hope and energy and only really need the encouragement and a push in the right direction to succeed. We have met quite a few times over the past two weeks to further discuss and plan their business, discuss important business tactics and stress the need for teamwork. They have been given a loan of 100 000 Tsh (approx 100USD) to start with and at this moment are engaging in buying chickens and making a relationship with a buyer to secure good prices. We will meet regularly to assess their progress and smooth out any problems they encounter. This is meant as a good exercise in preparation for the next project.
The other project, related to the above one, is the building and running of a chicken house, with incubator, to house many chickens in the aim of rearing chickens and selling them. The project will be run by the same group that are currently buying and selling the chickens on a small scale. I am currently in Singida with another Kanga member, Angelo and we are here to buy the materials to finish off the chicken house. It is near completion and almost ready to house the first batch of chickens. Today, we will order these chickens to come when the building is finished. There are a few challenges in this project, mainly logistics that do delay some progress. However, all people are in motion and working together to improve the lives of this dedicated women's group.
The third project is the building of a dormitory for young women who are attending Ilongero secondary school from neighboring villages. There is just the septic tanks and outside wall to finish. We are currently making bricks for the wall and should start building it in the next few weeks. The bricks are completed for the septic tank and next week, we will be in the process of lining the septic holes with these bricks. Most of this work is being done voluntarily and I have even sourced a couple of friends who are currently working with another organisation to help me when they are finished. Hopefully, when they arrive to work, we will have some photos to show this.
Please log on in two weeks time for an update on these projects progress and internet willing, some photos.
Now things are not always (often, more like) easy in Tanzania. They do have internet cafes, but the connections are not always reliable and as I have to wait to be in Singida to post, don’t expect me to write a book, more likely to be in dribs and drabs. Better not waste time then and get on with it.
Well, it was Gloria’s drive and inspiration for the work she was doing that inspired me to ask if I could help. So here I am, hoping to make a difference and to discover what it’s really like to get involved with a grassroots organisation that is working towards being effective and sustainable and all through their own hard work. I understand that back in the UK, The Kanga Project is still a small charity, just like this one, but from what I can see they are both honest, motivated and trying their hardest.
Currently, I am working with three projects. The first is a chicken business run by 15 women from Ilongero which involves buying chickens from their local (and surrounding) villages and selling them in Singida for a profit. For many of these women, this is the first time they have been involved in any kind of business or had the opportunity to make decisions that will effect their future. They are full of hope and energy and only really need the encouragement and a push in the right direction to succeed. We have met quite a few times over the past two weeks to further discuss and plan their business, discuss important business tactics and stress the need for teamwork. They have been given a loan of 100 000 Tsh (approx 100USD) to start with and at this moment are engaging in buying chickens and making a relationship with a buyer to secure good prices. We will meet regularly to assess their progress and smooth out any problems they encounter. This is meant as a good exercise in preparation for the next project.
The other project, related to the above one, is the building and running of a chicken house, with incubator, to house many chickens in the aim of rearing chickens and selling them. The project will be run by the same group that are currently buying and selling the chickens on a small scale. I am currently in Singida with another Kanga member, Angelo and we are here to buy the materials to finish off the chicken house. It is near completion and almost ready to house the first batch of chickens. Today, we will order these chickens to come when the building is finished. There are a few challenges in this project, mainly logistics that do delay some progress. However, all people are in motion and working together to improve the lives of this dedicated women's group.
The third project is the building of a dormitory for young women who are attending Ilongero secondary school from neighboring villages. There is just the septic tanks and outside wall to finish. We are currently making bricks for the wall and should start building it in the next few weeks. The bricks are completed for the septic tank and next week, we will be in the process of lining the septic holes with these bricks. Most of this work is being done voluntarily and I have even sourced a couple of friends who are currently working with another organisation to help me when they are finished. Hopefully, when they arrive to work, we will have some photos to show this.
Please log on in two weeks time for an update on these projects progress and internet willing, some photos.
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