Home Visit Follow Up!!

L/R - Wema, Glory, Ayubu, Carol and volunteer Joelle

Volunteers Joelle, (in the photo) and Jenna escorted me this morning on my most recent home visits to check on some of the children of Mana OVC.  Two families were doing quite well and although a third family is struggling on a widowed mother’s income as a day worker earning approximately seventy cents daily (we will make a micro loan to help with a firewood business) and has four of her seven children still living with her, 48 year old Mariam Juma has taught her daughters about the importance of hard work in school.  18 year old Fatuma is in Form IV and is ranked 15^th of 180 students . . . (pole – sorry – Mary and Katy just returned from a visit to Mary’s Bibi, halfway up Mount Meru and stopped in to greet me. . . they are tired . . . and hot) . . . 16 year old Rahmajuma is 10^th of 200 students in her Form III . . . 14 year old Asha, in Form I is ranked 7 of 200 students and baby Lucy, 12 years old is 20^th of 110 students.  These numbers mean something here, in a country where “learning” is most often a self-taught skill acquired through determination and discipline.  There are many, MANY problems inside the school systems here and only those children possessing an ability to reason, process and think for themselves will succeed and we must help those that can . . .  Rahma is a member of Mana OVC already and we have helped her with school fees, books, supplies, etc., but we reached out a little farther and assisted Asha with her school fees also, ensuring her a chance at a successful year.  The news recently announced that 85% of Form IV students failed their national examinations and so, without access to private educational options, their academic careers have ended.  Raymond’s brother Robinson failed and so did Neema and Peter’s son Dula, for the second time, and so, we are forced to make some tough decisions and move on to help other children whose chances at success are greater.   It’s a very tough process because, we know and care about, very much, many of these children, and we all understand the significance of acquiring an education, but the need here is so very great and many, many children simply don’t have what it takes – intelligence, discipline, determination and/or the commitment to pass and so we are forced to find the children who do and to give them the very best opportunities our resources will permit.

And, speaking of opportunities let’s get back to the photo.  As I said, Joelle and Jenna joined me yesterday and met the Chikira family . Glory, 18, Ayubu 13, Wema 10, and Carol 5.  Mother died in 2005 (AIDS) and their father followed in 2008.  They live together with only each other.  There is an older brother but he is a drinker and so has been “relocated” to rented premises but the situation for these children, although heartwrenching (I was reduced to tears and although I didn’t look around, could hear someone(s) else sniffling also), there is truly very much promise for them!  Before their parents got sick, the family must have had some money because Glory still owns a 2 hectare farm and a house in dilapidated repair.  There are fruit trees surrounding their home and Usa River runs right through the land making it a prime location for farming.  Glory maintains a beautiful vegetable garden, but, there simply is no money . . . to repair the sheet metal on the roof that is leaking; to tear down and rebuild the loo; to repair what was the cooking kitchen.  Currently, all four children sleep in one, single bed, (or should I say bed frame) the slats that would hold the mattress up, if they had one, are gone, probably used for firewood.  They have no net and share one small room.  An encroaching and non-paying family member has been taking advantage of the family by occupying the second room in the house but Glory, with her soft spoken nature, has not the authority, nor confidence, to ask her to leave . . . WE are going to, and then give the second room back to the children.  Please, PLEASE help us help this family.

As I said the roof is leaking.  We must repair the mud walls of the house now, as I have witnessed where, once the long rains begin (March/April) the deterioration of that securing mud can be so much as to allow entire walls to collapse.  We must rebuild the toilet AND give them a safe place to cook, outside of their existing two rooms.  We need to clear and plough and plant their land and they need cooking utensils and an axe (imagine trying to cut logs into firewood with a panga, or machete) and they need clothes.  They will come Monday and we will plan and purchase and sort through our stash of of nguo (clothing) because they have almost nothing.  Lyimo (Mama Grace’s sidekick in Mana OVC) has promised to speak to the Chairman of the neighbourhood in order to have some encroaching cows removed who are currently gorging on Glory’s cornstalks.  We simply MUST help this family and here’s the good news!  Glory is finished school or perhaps has had to drop out for lack of funding or her need to care for the little ones, I will follow up . . . Ayubu is 20^th in his class of 180 and Wema is 12^th with almost 200 in hers.  Little Carol has begun preschool and although our policy is to allow only one child per family into Mana OVC, with the Chikiras lacking adult support of ANY kind, we have invited all three youngsters to join our Mana family.  Further, after preparing an income projection for the shamba (farm) we discovered that it can profit almost 1.4 million TZS. or nearly $1,000.00 Cdn. in its first harvest and we intend to have two plantings this year.  Your loan will be repaid before the end of the year, and that help will save a family home, a deteriorating farm, and the lives of four youngsters and set them up very comfortably for a future their parents can no longer help them with.  Please, do, step in.  Joelle’s school (she is teaching in Korea) has so very generously donated $120.00 but we need about $1,500.00 in order to complete all that we need to do, and with Glory’s permission, we will harvest the maize and sell it on her behalf, provide her and the children a modest allowance and then repay your loan and replant.  In the meantime we will educate Glory on the management of money and of her shamba.  I ask you please, if you are in a position, to help us help these children . . .

On a smaller, but no less significant scale, a young 25 year old mother, Dorotea, HIV+ and abandoned first by her son’s father after impregnating and infecting her and then by her own mother who, in ignorance was informed that she too could acquire HIV just by sitting in the same room as her daughter.  Dorotea had the baby, now 8 year old William, but began to get sick and finally, after testing, discovered her status.  She has struggled with her third round of TB and she and her son have virtually nothing.  As a day worker she earns about seventy cents and we need to help her.  If we can keep her strong and healthy, she will be in a position to continue to raise her son and so it is my wish to purchase her a male and female goat (goat’s milk is incredibly beneficial to HIV+ people) and a rooster and some kuku (chickens) for protein rich eggs.  The goats cost TZS. 140,000 and the kuku will cost TZS. 42,000 for a total of approximately $127.00.  I will help her start a small business after she is taught how to prepare a business plan and is trained in money management.  Please do consider helping Dorotea and William.

And at Tumaini House we are well!  Most of the house has been repainted, we’ve replaced the flowers around the house that the rabbits ate (they have been “donated” to some of the Mana OVC children), Liadi and Tony collided on bicycles and Liadi’s eye came out the loser with his first “shiner”.  Mwajuma, Evalin, Margaret, Angela, Eliza, Lazaro and Ema are home for the weekend and last night Baba Steve bbq’d “bahgas” (burgers) for the family.  For those of you lucky enough to have enjoyed his prowess on the grill, you will be pleased to know that not an “nth” of his skill has been lost here, and so, upon your arrival at Tumaini you too, may enjoy his culinary gifts . . . mmmmm tam! (Delicious!)

Baba is building us an oven also and photos will follow but suffice it to say that our dining adventures at Tumaini, already delicious, will only improve with this gift . . . Cindy and Kal and our volunteers have returned from a wonderful safari and you can see some spectacular photos at http://silverparrotstudio.blogspot.com/.

Enormous thanks are necessary for the loving support you continue to provide us here at Tumaini House.  Many, many of you are expressing an interest in visiting us and we say Karibu!  Come and meet the child (ren) you have chosen to support!  I marvel, time and again, when I watch Francis, who got 100% on his monthly tests at school, or Pendo, who, saucily, came up to me yesterday and said, “Mama!  You look very nice!” or Ester who talks a mile a minute now, after not having said a word for seven years!  Christina is kind and giving and she began as a “hitter”, and she makes jokes now about her love of nyama (meat)!  Christina can process the concept of a joke!  I remember where our little family began, where they came from and I get to witness their progress and foresee their futures as they discover that they will, in fact HAVE a future!  I cannot express in words how wonderful that marvel is and you, all of YOU have made that possible!  Asante . . . sana for loving and caring for us here and Karibu!!  Welcome!  Come, meet us and see just how extraordinary our little family is!!!  Cindy said that she saw more on her safari in two days this trip than she saw in three weeks on her last . . . I cannot wait to join Dr. Pat, Steve and Katy on safari and see for our ourselves, just how spectacular African wildlife is!!!!  Come, combine a safari and a visit to Tumaini and see for yourselves!  On a personal note I am sending a hug to my girlfriends . . . missing you all and looking so very forward to some time together when I return!  Be well and please know, always, how very grateful I am for the love you send us every day!!!!

A bit about Daniel . . .

I met Daniel for the first time in August of 2010 in Ndoombo, a village half way up Mount Meru which is the backdrop for Usa River.  Ndoombo is beautiful – lush, green, with a more temperate climate and little malaria due to it’s altitude.  Daniel, however lucky to live in such a beautiful location has struggled without parents or much support of any kind, for all of his six years.  Born in 2004 (we have neither the month, nor day of his birth) Daniel lost his mother on the operating table during his delivery.  As is so often the case in Africa, the name of his father is unknown.  He had been cared for (lovingly so, as is evidenced by his open and trusting nature and his generosity with giving and welcoming comfort in receiving hugs and cuddles) by his Bibi and Babu (grandparents) who were desperately poor themselves.  His mother’s name was Janet Zakeria and Daniel was born and she died in Machame Hospital in Moshi.

Daniel has no one . . . literally.  He has been staying with Bishop Odrick of the Christian Revival Church in Ndoombo but desperately needs support in order to attend school.  We have negotiated with Haradali School to accept him on our promise of payment later (once he finds sponsorship) and we’ve advanced Tzs. 195,000 for uniform, exercise books, and provided him a mattress, blanket, net, trunk, some underthings and fundamentals needed in order to attend boarding school.  Please consider helping Daniel, a loving and lovable little boy who just needs a chance.

School fees for Daniel will cost approximately $700.00 annually and he will return to his village on holiday.  We simply do not have the space here for him at this time . . . Asante!

Settling back into school And . . . Something about Mary!

Things have been . . . well, hectic to say the least with us trying to get all of our children back into school with everything they need to be successful.  School shoes don’t fit after we measure foot sizes, text books are changed after the teacher gives us a list of needs, fundis (tailors) make uniforms but they don’t fit or need to be delivered and all of this takes a tremendous amount of time.  Haradali students headed off first and required soap (body and laundry, they do their own laundry), toilet tissue, shoe polish and brush, socks, underwear, toothbrush and paste, pencils, pens, sharpeners, erasers, exercise books, etc.  Mwajuma, Evalin, Angela, Margaret, Eliza, Emmanuel and Lazaro settled back in mostly without circumstance except that Mwajuma was sent home sick last weekend and then Emmanuel had to come home with problems with his eyes.  He will return to the specialist next week to see what is going on.  They have settled back into their routines and we are taking them to dinner this coming Friday . . . imagine 4 or 5 of us adults and volunteers piling into the truck, picking up the seven of them and all of us driving to a nearby restaurant, mostly likely for chips kuku (chicken and fries) an all time favorite of African children. 

Young Roses students went back also and were joined by Vitalis and Paskali, Lohai’s brothers who are settling into Tumaini very nicely. 13 year old Vitalis seems to be an outgoing and cheerful young man with ten year old Paskali equally sweet but very shy . . . more like big brother Lohai.  Neema needs to apply herself more but has been one of us who went down with a nasty bug and she is only just coming around.  Latifa has been sick with tonsillitis, brothers Harriri and Liadi were both so ill that their breathing was compromised and I had to take Liadi (accompanied by Canadian visitors Cora lee and Kathy) for a double injection of hydrocortisone which burns like crazy for about twenty minutes afterward and he writhed and sobbed, “ana mwa”, “it hurts” all the way home! The nurse and Peter had to hold him down for the injection and even Cora lee who is an ER nurse teared up watching little Liadi suffer . . . it was terrible, BUT, the injections were effective for both boys who are well on the mend.  Neema is just beginning to feel better and so we are, for the most part, a healthy family once again!

We are still searching for the right academic fit for Christina.  She is too bright for the special needs class she was attending but when we placed her at Young Roses, with her short attention span, she was simply too disruptive and so we are looking for volunteers to help her in class  . . . she so wants to attend  . . .

Speaking of volunteers?  Cindy and Kal and Jenna and Lucy (thank you for painting the living room bella!) and Joelle headed out on safari to Ngorongoro Crater and will return tomorrow night . . . safari njema!  All have been struggling with teaching the children basic arithmetic and we continue to work on English . . . it is deflating  and frustrating for us to have brought a child out of harm’s way, made him/her healthy and safe and only to stand by, feeling somewhat helpless, while a child struggles to understand the fundamental concepts of thought . . . processing, progressive construction of foundational learning without rote (repetition).  I, and I am not alone, have had a few down days, feeling somewhat overwhelmed with the magnitude of need here for children to learn, but we do have our gifted children . . . many of them!  Zawadi and Francis and Aisha excel at school and Gerehad is coming along and willing.  He just needs some time to catch up.  Connie was shining here, yet struggles to retain knowledge now that she has left home for school.  Vitalis will be just fine once his English improves and Kelvin is coming along.  I read with them yesterday and asked that they translate the book into Swahili from English (the children can read the words but often don’t comprehend), and Kelvin, Francis and Aisha had no trouble.  We are progressing!

Little Mary heads to school!

Lohai's younger brothers Paskali and Vitalis

Christina . . . always happy!

Joelle and "hangman"!

Little Latifa after her bath!

And what about Mary our young lady who’s CD4 count dropped to 87?  Little, happy, shining Mary has been at Makumira for just over a week now.  See her photos!  She is settling in with Rose (our Mana OVC scholarship winner) whom, when I asked if she is raffiki nzuri (a good friend), Mary replied, “Sana, Mama!”, “Very!”  It allows all of us to breathe a bit easier because we are concerned about her.  Her CD4 count was tested recently and she is improving, but the food at boarding school is BAD (boiled beans and ugali or “makande maji” I call it . . . boiled beans and maize, every day . . . there is no meat, few fruits and vegetables and little milk, all of which Mary needs in order to remain healthy.  We have set her up with a local farmer who is to provide her with milk daily, fresh from the cow and boiled in the school kitchen and then put into her brand new stainless steel thermos.  We send her with ten eggs – two per school day to be boiled (she is so generous she will give them away so we insisted she take two and that she MUST eat at least one herself!) again in the kitchen.  We have prepaid a school account and pre-booked her ndizi (banana) and parachichi (avocado), and, for this month anyway, we are bringing her home every weekend to EAT MEAT!  Christina will be so jealous!!  She is ecstatic to be at school and Rose and Anna and big brother Raymond are all looking out for her!  Redigunda (Raymond’s sister) has joined them at Makumira School and Athuman’s brother Deo, after a very poor performance on his national exam has been warned that he has just one semester to pull up his socks . . . there are simply too many children with too great a need for us to waste our time and resources on a child who is not willing to apply themselves.

All of us are well and healthy (mostly) and very happy!  Most of us are working very hard for and with each other.  The weather is sunny and warm and very windy (upepo) but we don’t complain . . . I hear there is a ton of snow and it is barridi sana (very cold) back home . . . pole (sorry)!  Sending love and hugs to all!  P.S. Thank you to Tracey and Libby for providing the aid for our last home visits . . . they and we are very grateful!

Home Visits with Visitors from Home!

I had en email from my sister in law Marg yesterday announcing that her niece on Carm’s side was in Tanzania climbing Kilimanjaro and wanted to visit us . . . we connected yesterday when Laura’s (and new friend from Toronto, Patricia’s) driver Ally delivered them to Tumaini House.  We gave them the tour, they met some of the children and we sat down to talk about the goings on around here . . . I’ll ask Laura and Patricia to send me an email and share their thoughts with you directly but when I invited them to join me on my home visits today they both jumped at the chance as did volunteers Jenna and Lucy who doubled as our photographers . . .

Laura and Patricia’s driver delivered them on Tanzanian time, which is about an hour late and we headed out to the village.  Jenna took the time to share her observations today and so I’m going to pass her words along to you . . .

From Jenna - Today Mama Dee took Lucy and me on home visits along with Mama Grace. On my way there I did not know what to really expect but even my worst fears were as bad as how some of these people were living. All of the people that we visited today belong to a local group of people that are HIV positive. Mama D the wonderful person that she is helps these people when they want to open their own businesses. They have to draw up a business plan and then Mama D loans them the money and as they can they pay it back. Right now all of these people are "day workers" which means they take what they can get and they don't have work every day. On average these people will make 70 cents Canadian a day which is 1000-2000 t shillings (not sure if I spelled that right), but just a little tidbit a - pop costs 1000 t shillings
The first house that we stopped at was the home of a husband and wife. They lived in a two room house (which is not even as big as a one car garage!) This house has no roof what so ever. They tarps filled with holes. No the problem with that Mama D explained to me is that the season with long rains is coming soon and these people will end up getting very sick. It rains so bad that you cannot see two feet in front of you! When I walked in I felt like I was in the size of my bathroom at home and this is how these people were living.
The Second house that we went to was a home for a mother and three kids. It also had two rooms but was no bigger than the first house. This woman has three daughters and one son! Even though the son is away at school (which her other family members pay for) the mother and 3 daughters all live in this one tiny house. Her husband died of AIDS in 2008, and ever since then they have been poverty stricken. The husband was the bread winner, and once he was gone there was nothing left. What she was looking for was help because they did have property and she wanted to farm Maize (which is like corn back home) the only problem is that she does not have the money to get started. The only good thing about her situation is that yes she is positive but none of the kids are.
 The Third house that we went to was another single mother who rents a small on room house which could not fit everyone into it. She also has kids. One is already married I believe but the other two are in school which she pays for herself which leaves her with nothing. She has to work 4 days just to be able to pay her rent. She has been the story and the person that hit me the most today. She did not even have any food or money for food when we asked her! It is just so heart breaking because she is a true mother! Putting her kids above all else even if it means she has to starve.
 The last place that we went to I am going to be honest I could not stay at for more than a few minutes. It made me sick to my stomach to see someone living like that.  Mama D warned me but even then I was not expecting what I saw. We stopped at the home of a single man with full blown AIDS. He is 29 years old and cannot even get out of bed or walk without help and a wheelchair. He has no bug net which protects from the Malaria, he has no mattress and was just sleeping on the wooden bed frame. This caused him to have massive bed sores. When I went in there I think he was just so embarrassed because of course Lucy, Mama D and I all took pictures as well as two other visitors who were just there for the day. It breaks my heart just thinking about him because who knows what kind of care he is getting when Mama D is not on her way!
 I will be posting the pictures from my home visits so keep an eye out for them within the next couple of days.  I love you all, Jenna.

A new roof for the first family is going to cost approximately $150.00 if anyone can contribute to it.  I asked that the mama wishing to farm put a business plan together so that we might assess the feasibility of making a small business loan . . . the third mama is going to need approximately $200.00 to start her maize business (which she will pay back) and I am afraid to say that our young man will not make it.  I think now our job is to make him as comfortable as possible.  He needs a mattress and a net and food and all of that will cost about $100.00.  Would someone be able to help us help this young man die in some measure of comfort?  These are one time contributions we need in order to help these families help themselves, in one case, to die.  I dislike sharing sad stories with you but this is part of the reality of poverty in Africa and I would be irresponsible if I didn’t give you the full picture . . .

On a happier note please let me tell you about Anna, who, by the way, still requires a sponsor.  Anna is a wiry, energetic and very beautiful little girl (and she is tiny for almost five) who is always smiling and very lovable.  She is a bit of a monkey insomuch as she loves to cuddle and then “hang” on her cuddling partner which can be a bit of a problem sometimes when one is unsuspecting.  She is fast and “darts” about in play and is always busy and “full on” with energy.  Truly, it is difficult to catch Anna without a smile and hers is one of those that include the eyes . . . her entire face lights up with her smile and her eyes shine!  She loves the bicycles, playing with a ball, (or anything else for that matter) and we struggle to keep her from being destructive with our flowers and plants . . . she is elastic, springing and bouncing and full of energy and we need to let her burn some of it off . . .

Talking with Patricia, Laura and Jenna

Laura fell in love with Liadi

Beautiful Anna looking for a sponsor

This house needs a roof

Mama is looking for a business loan

This mama wants to sell maize

29 year old Twalib is struggling to survive

Anna is generally kind and will share with other children and because of her disposition and her tiny stature, is loved by everyone at Tumaini House.  She is an average student in our primary class here, but has had to work hard when she joined us in March because she spoke neither English, nor Swahili when she arrived from Songea.  Anna’s mother (accidentally) killed Anna’s younger sibling, was arrested and is still in prison leaving Anna and older sister Martha who is also a Tumaini child without a caregiver . . . Oddo’s family shared the story of their plight and we arranged to bring them here.  Anna has been a joy to us from the moment she arrived!  Care for her costs $144.00 monthly, but a partial sponsorship is welcome if the entire amount is not affordable . . . would you please consider helping us help Anna?

ASANTE KWA PICHA DR. MICHAEL!!

A bucket full of mtoto - Liadi

Gerehad, sitting, waiting, wishing . . . asante Dr. Michael for loving me . . .

Never have I been to Town

Not that I’m complaining because this is part of the job I love the most . . . running to town to shop with Mary for uniform sweaters, blouses, socks, a trunk (for her and Robinson) . . . about Robinson, who, by the way, is Raymond’s eighteen year old brother.  His English is excellent, almost as good as big brother’s but not quite.  He has the same demeanor also . . . cheerful, smiling, kind and gentle and this morning he strolled alongside me while I made my a.m. inspection of the yard (we’re reeducating on what is acceptable and what is not with respect to neatness around here), and asked if one day he could join me in town, as, in his eighteen years of life he had never left his village except to come to Tumaini House last week and he has never seen a big city.  I said of course he could join us and he leapt into the truck.  Now, imagine living one’s entire life within a 5 km. circumference of home.  Until this past week when we invited Robinson to join his brother at Makumira Secondary School, that 5 km. has been his world.  To say that he was awestruck would be a bit of an understatement.  We ran errands all over town and he had to sub in as “security” in the marketplaces of Arusha as thieves would pause at nothing to snatch our purchases from the back of the pickup.  We purchased new mattresses for our boarding students, and metal trunks as there are neither closets nor dressers at school.  Mosquito nets and pillows were on the list also.  Robinson must wait until next month to find out if he passed his national exam but is confident he will be proceeding on to Form V, his second last year of secondary school and Mary is excited AND nervous to head to school.  She is opening just like a flower . . . smiling, laughing, and playing around with the rest of us.  We walked hand in hand through the chaos of the Arusha market and I forever marvel at the fact that, had our paths not crossed she most likely would not be alive today . . . I touch her hand, or kiss her goodnight and the poignancy of that connection is so very magnified . . . can you imagine?

I am taking her on Monday to the Dream Clinic to have her CD4 tested so that we have a stepping off point before she heads off to school.  We will need to monitor her health closely so that there are no problems.  She continues to improve but is not out of the woods until that count exceeds 200!

Robinson Julius

A side note . . . while driving through Arusha Peter, our driver, noticed a crane working in a construction site . . . he had never seen one and wondered what it did.  As I explained, I was reminded of another site I observed where sand was “thrown” literally, off the end of a shovel up four floors, one at a time!  Everything that needed to go up did so on the back or because of the muscles of a laborer . . . EVERYTHING!  I marvel at little things like Robinson never having left Karatu and Peter never having seen a crane . . . there is much to marvel at here!  Sending so much love to friends and family!