Hope Training - Ngaramtoni

Izabela Tolowinska November 2007 - Fenruary 2008

I arrived in Arusha on 13th November 2007 and can’t believe I have been here 3 months and it is now time to leave. My volunteer project involved providing HIV/AIDS training for the 6 community volunteers of Hope Trust (there are normally 7 but one has been on maternity leave). Hope Trust is a small local HIV/AIDS community organization based in the village Ngaramtoni, 16 km outside Arusha.

Ngaramtoni village is on the slopes of Mount Meru and is about 30 minutes ride in a daladala (shared minibus taxi of questionable safety) from Arusha. It was originally a Maasai village, but is more and more becoming a dormitory village for Arusha. Consequently there has been an influx of other tribes, notably Chagga. Unlike most of Arusha and other parts of Kenya the soil is black not red and when it rains the village turns into a bit of a negotiation hazard with all the black mud!

Hope Trust provides small business grants to selected recipients so that they can start a small business thereby providing income from which they can feed, cloth and educate their children. It also provides HIV/AIDS and health training to schools and community groups in the nearby sub-villages thereby aiming to raise HIV/AIDS awareness, and hopefully dispel many of the cultural beliefs and myths of HIV/AIDS. All this is done by the 6/7 community volunteers.

The community volunteers had previously received some HIV/AIDS training back in 2005/2006 and had expressed interest to get more – so that was were I came in. All sounds very easy but when my Swahili is not very good, there is no ready access to a printer, the flip chart board is made up of a plywood board that leans against a concrete step, with two pointed sticks behind on which to hang the paper, unpredictable power cuts so you are unable to print/photocopy your training material, people do not arrive on time, it becomes quite a challenge! My first training session started on 7th December with an “Introduction to HIV/AIDS” and ended on Monday 4th February with a knowledge quiz. For two of the sessions I arranged for a local counselor and TB/HIV physician to come and do the sessions on Stigma and TB and HIV respectively, as they could be given in Swahili. The training information had to be tailored towards the “resource limited” situation as general healthcare, HIV/AIDS treatment, healthcare infrastructure is so completely different to what is available in the developed world which meant a lot of internet searches, a great deal of preparation and meetings with local HIV physicians which I found extremely interesting as I learnt so much. Unlike in Europe and US, there are very few antiretrovirals (drugs) available, two types of regimens when treatment is first started and only one regimen when that one fails. All so very sad and not surprising that HIV/AIDS care is such a difficult task. Even giving the training sessions was a learning experience and an insight into the people’s beliefs, and understanding e.g. the CVs were not aware of how the HIV/AIDS epidemic has spread and how huge a problem it is compared to the rest of the world, the belief that antiretroviral (drug) treatment is bad because people start looking healthy and so start having sex and consequently pass on the HIV virus or that HIV transmitted can by sharing sweets from mouth to mouth!

The classroom was in the open air, sitting on tree stumps. Fortunately it was under a galvanised iron roof otherwise when it rained we would have got soaked! I worked very closely with the CV coordinator called Daniphord who helped with translations during the training sessions and also when I visited some of the community training sessions with a women’s group and school. He was an invaluable help and I would have been lost without him.

Two other aspects I worked on included putting together a "training syllabus/module" of the topics to be covered for the CVs to use when they go out to the community (schools, women's and church groups) to do the HIV/AIDS training which seems a relatively easy task and one that could be done in a week. However when there is no overall overview of what training sessions where done, the topics and no coordinated planning (topics and which CVs will do the session seem to be decided 2 days beforehand), but we finally have one. I went to one of the school training sessions where class sizes are typically around 100 to see the CVs in “operation”. Even though there is a chalk board only one CV used it, instead the typical format for doing training is standing in front of the class and talking, which is very similar to how general teaching is done.

The third area I looked at was trying to establish collaborations with existing HIV/AIDS groups and/or local clinics. I had a stroke of luck when I was introduced to the District Medical Officer for the Arusha area who is also a HIV physician who was very happy to meet with me and ended up giving 2 hours of his time discussing a number of HIV/AIDS treatment issues with me. He is also in the early stages of starting an HIV clinic in the village where Hope Trust is based and very keen to work with them and help with their community training sessions. My meeting with Dr. Shungu has therefore been the highlight of my work and I feel that this collaboration with Hope Trust will be mutually beneficial.

My volunteer experience with Hope Trust and MondoChallenge has been wonderful and even though there is still so much that can be done in terms with HIV/AIDS education awareness I feel that some small steps have been done in the right direction. My last meeting with the Hope Trust group produced an unexpected surprise when all the CVs handed in their completed HIV/AIDS knowledge quiz forms, all of them got more than 20 out of 33 questions right!!! I shall miss all the kindness I have been shown and willingness to help but hope to return in the not too distant future.

Maisha HIV Small Business - Moshi

Ruth Worswick October - December 2007

The past few weeks have been busy ones in Moshi as we rolled out the fourth round of funding for our business project. It was the second time Pasua ward had received money. The businesses from the previous round have been very successful so we are very optimistic about the recent grants.

We spent two weeks visiting families affected by HIV or AIDS in their homes, completing a thorough audit of their lives. I felt very privileged being invited into homes and asking such personal and searching questions. It also produced some shocking facts. Among the thirteen families who we visited, all are surviving on about 700/= per person per day. That is considerably less than one US dollar.

Choosing just ten recipients seemed very harsh, as all the families were in need. But a simple scoring system made it very clear who should benefit this time and the other three families will be considered again in future rounds.

I next met the ladies on a Saturday morning in late November, which had been marked as our training day. The Community Volunteers (Emmanuel, Glory and Roster) and I had spent a lot of time preparing our training materials (not least translating them from English to Swahili!) and deciding who would deliver which parts. The training covers the basic elements of running a successful business, continually coming back to the simple concepts of capital, profit and use of profit to enhance both the business and the families’ lives.

I barely recognised our recipients. All were dressed
very smartly and clearly took the day very seriously.
They were focused, active and demonstrated a good
understanding of the concepts taught. And of course
Break during training.we were helped in our concentration by sodas, doughnuts and later, pilau and vegetables!

The day was long and tiring, but we felt very positive at the end. Relaxing on a rooftop terrace, nursing a well-earned beer as we looked out at Kilimanjaro in the sunset, Roster, Glory and I reflected how well we felt the training had been delivered and received.

Of course the true test of success is how the businesses operate. It is early days yet, but the signs are very positive. In just three weeks, many of the recipients have begun to save and are clearly working hard. We had a follow-up meeting and it felt like a different group. All were happy and confident. When we asked what the ladies felt had been the benefits of the grant, the most common answer was reduced stress and that they, and their families, are now eating three meals a day.

What has impressed me with the group is how seriously they have listened to advice and how hard they are working. They turn up early for sessions and are warm and welcoming to me, despite the language barrier. They have bonded well together and are forming a close support group for each other. The follow-up session was popular and we have agreed that this will be a monthly routine. It’s a great chance to share and solve each other problems – in business and in living with HIV.

I feel very lucky to have completed a round of funding, because now I can see so clearly the benefits of small business grants. The transformation in the ladies is incredible and their gratitude to Mondo Challenge and the volunteers is sincere. For me, it is
summed up by Marselina. On her assessment form I described her as constantly ‘drifting off’. Now she is the clear leader of the group – focused, confident and cheerful. That is the success of Mondo!

Malaika Orphanage - Arusha

Megan & Eddie Barkham Malaika Orphange August-November 2007

Today we leave Tanzania.And a part of me is left too.Yesterday we said goodbye to our homestay;that is the official terminology;in reality we left our new family;to say it was heartbreaking is an understatement.The love we feel for them and the love they gave to us will remain in our hearts forever.Mama,Baba,Gardy,Sarah,Godsave,Mum GoGo,Naomi and Imanhi we miss you already!!!! My thoughts on our three months with them are too precious to share;suffice to say we will return as soon as we can. Malaika:the hardest job I’ve ever had but hopefully one of the most worthwhile.There are certainly areas I found difficult to accept and areas I would like to see changed.My respect for the staff grew the longer I was there and likewise theirs for me. They have my sympathy;muzungus coming in for short periods of time telling them how to do the jobs they will still be doing long after we have left.Their was certainly some resentment when I first arrived but I chose to deal with it by getting my head down and working my butt off.Slowly,slowly the girls trusted in me and I enjoyed their respect and love.Teach by example would be my advice to any new volunteers.There were a number of practical difficulties and funding is always an issue. Thanks to Nicky and David in Exmouth Malaika will soon receive a supply of plastic pants and nappy pins.To say these are the type of things we were always short of gives you some idea of the way things are in Tanzania.The 6 babies I was mainly responsible for were of course beautiful but their starts in life pretty horrendous.For that reason I am sorry to have to question our worth as volunteers and would like to see a commitment of a minimum of 6 mths for people who work with vulnerable children.I was torn apart leaving them but am glad to say that I had three weeks with three lovely new volunteers from Israel and know that they will carry on where I left off.But part of me will always remain at Malaika.The older children I had less contact with but in my role of taking them to hospitals and clinics I became close to them also.Volunteering at an orphanage is a huge physical and emotional challenge;one I struggled with almost daily.Comfort,Sia,Samwel,Betty,Neema and Baraka not forgetting Lisa and Paulo and the school children I carry you all in my heart. And now to my thoughts on Africa.I hate the poverty, the lack of respect for women and children,indiscriminate use of corporal punishment and the Dust!!!!!!!!! But we have been privilaged to meet some of the kindest and most loving and generous people who have thankfully blown the previous generilisations apart except for the Dust!!!! Their enthusiasm for life belies the hardships they exist under and we as pampered westerners would do with following their example.Having no water, no electricity and very basic toilet facilities soon became the norm and brought us closer to our hosts in Tanzania.Kwa heri to Arusha and all our new friends;we will be back!!! And finally to Mondo-thankyou for supporting us in this experiance.We acknowledged some differances in opinion and came away with I hope mutual respect.Kate you are amazing and we would like to say a special thankyou to you.It has been a privilage to know you. Asante sana.

Timbolo Primary School - Ngaramtoni

Joel Elkins September - December 2007

If you have the pleasure of teaching at Timbolo, you will undoubtedly develop a love/hate relationship with this road, which, depending on where in Ngaramtoni you live, takes between 40 and 50 minutes each direction, more if you stop to take a few pictures or engage with the locals, which you are likely to do at least a few times each trip, considering the splendor (both animate and inanimate) you will encounter.

For those who don’t have the pleasure, or are new to the experience, below is a roadmap of what you can expect to see. (This is just one of many possible routes to the school, but we have found it to be the fastest and most colorful. Times given are approximate and will vary.)

In order to be in time for morning assembly, you will need to leave the blue sign at the top of the Elias/David road at about 7:00 a.m. Turn left, heading north. In a few minutes (7:03), you will pass Emaoi Primary School on the left, which also serves as the local courthouse, a church on Sundays and, in the afternoon, an army training facility.




Pass this gate (7:06):

Next you will come to a stream (7:07), where, in the afternoon, you might see women doing laundry or army recruits rolling around in the mud. Given the state of the water, it seems better suited for the latter:



If you come at the right time of day, you may also run into Michael and his friends on their way to school, and they will be simply overjoyed to have the pleasure of walking there holding hands with a mzungu.



After a small incline, you will be able to see a gorgeous panorama
(7:10), one which will continue to impress you every time you pass it:



Immediately thereafter there will be a road going off to the right in a steep ascent, which you should take:

On the right at the top of the ascent (7:11), you will see a house with the world’s laziest cow. More often than not, it is sitting in a pile of hay:



Follow this road as it curves and you will most certainly be warmly greeted by a number of children, probably led by this adorable one:




A little further down the curving path (7:15), you will see a number of bomas (Massai huts), accompanied by innumerable goats and children (the latter of which love to have their picture taken; the former are indifferent):








Immediately thereafter, you will come to the “Trevi Fountain,” one of the few public water sources in the area, so named because it is usually left running whether or not is being used, which it often is, either for bathing, laundry or filling up buckets.



At the fork in the road (7:16), turn right:

In about 20 meters, you will see a small store on the right and a V on the left:
At this time, you will also probably be greeted by the “Dust Devils,” who are usually so covered in the stuff that you almost can’t tell where the ground ends and they begin.



At the V (7:17), take the diagonal path through the cornfields, as it curves by (not through) the trees:

If the corn is short enough, here is where you will probably get your best views of Mt. Meru:

Also, if you are on time, about now you may run into Joycey, who will always greet you with a big smile, on her way in the opposite direction:






You will exit the cornfields (7:21) and hit a road, which to the right leads to Kimnyak Primary and Secondary Schools. However, take the road left and then immediately take the fork off the road which goes underneath the Crying Tree, so named because, if it has rained at all in the past week, will still be dripping:

You are now overlooking what is affectionately called “Goatherders’ Hill.” This will soon become the highlight of your twice-daily trip. Once you are spotted, you will be assaulted with Massai greetings by the young goatherders until you are well out of sight. (Make sure you learn the proper responses to each.):


You may also have to pass a similar gauntlet when confronted with the “Ta Kwenya” girls, who are substantially less cute and often more aggressive with their greetings and requests:

You will come to and cross a dry riverbed (7:23) and turn right onto the main path. Continue on this road for a few minutes. On the way, you may experience a talking bush (7:26), saying things such as “Good morning,” “Good afternoon” or “Welcome to home.” Don’t worry, you are not going crazy, that’s just the bush babies who live behind, practicing their English:


Immediately thereafter, you will come to an intersection with a blue store at one corner:

Make a left and continue up the long dusty road. You are now on the final (and most exhausting) leg of your journey. It is about a 14 minute walk up this last straightaway, where (if you’re lucky) you’ll meet some more of the regulars, including “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Shoulders” kid (who likes to show off his English, but needs a little help with the lyrics):


The “Good morning, sir, Good morning, madam” girl, who will greet you most politely with the best English pronunciation you will find in Tanzania, unless your camera is on video mode, then she’ll just stare at you:

The Boma kids, who are always more than happy to pose for the camera: About a quarter of the way up, you will see a fork in the road (7:29); stay on the main path (i.e. veer right)





From a distance, you may see a stone building (7:33) and think that you are almost there, but don’t get too excited – as you will see, it’s not the school, but what it is is anybody’s guess (a partially completed toilet?)



However, when you reach this gate (7:36), you are getting close:





You might even hear the drums from Sambasha in the distance. As you approach (7:40), if you are one time, the kids should be lining up for morning assembly.




The school is on your right. Good luck and have fun!

Book Donation - Usangi

Thanks to the fantastic fundraising efforts of an ex-Usangi volunteer and her daughter the MondoChallenge foundation have been able to donate over £200 of textbooks to Kighare Secondary School in Usangi. Mama Joyce, the headmistress, decided to focus on English books particularly for Form 1 and 2. As Kighare is a new school there were almost no books, making teaching and learning extremely difficult.

Kighare now have class sets of Form 1 and Form 2 English textbooks as well as a wide selection of novels written in English. Mama Joyce was delighted with the new books and the students couldn't wait to start using the books. Mr Temu, the school's only English teacher got them started straight away, as you can see in the pictures. We look forward to excellent English results from Kighare in the near future. Thanks again from the school for the donations to make this possible.

Help Needed - Orphans in Usangi

The unofficial HIV infection rate in Tanzania is now 20-25%. This means that there are an increasing number of orphans relying on the assistance of extended family for their day to day needs. In Usangi, MondoChallenge work with Malezi, a local community organisation, to provide grants to HIV affected adults so they can start small businesses and support their families. Along with Mama Halima, the Community Worker in Usangi, we would now like to find funds to sponsor orphans to attend secondary school. A year's fees cost as little as 45 pounds. If you are able to help, please contact the UK office (info@mondochallenge.org) or us here in Tanzania (mondotz@gmail.com).

Our volunteer Hannah gives us some background on the orphans and their family situation:

Winn Tomasi Amani

Winn is 14 years old and is currently in Form 1 at Ndorwe Secondary School in Makademi Village, Usangi. Next year she will be in Form 2 which is a very important year as they are preparing for national exams at the end of the year. Winn has lost both parents and is being looked after by her sister, Margaret Tomas on her farm. Due to insufficient land in the Pare Mountains, farmers in Usangi do not make much money, in fact they sometimes don’t produce enough crops to feed their families as such the family will not be able to pay next year’s school fees for Winn.

George Jerume

George is living with his uncle Joseph Mziray as he lost both parents about 5 years ago to HIV. At the time there were no HIV treatments in use in the region therefore sufferers who could have lived longer healthier lives died prematurely, George’s parents included. Joseph is a farmer who is only able to produce enough crops to feed the family and not enough to make money for school fees etc.

Mwanamisi Salim Hamisi

Mwanamisi is 14 years old and is studying at Ndorwe secondary school. She is currently living with her grandmother who has the same name as her. She lost both parents to HIV. Her grandmother is now 75 years old and unable to make a living to support the family through school.

Aina S Shabani

Aina is 14 years old and has lost both of her parents to HIV. She now lives with her sister Rehema who runs a small farm to feed the family. Aina hopes to move into Form 2 next year at Ndorwe Secondary school.

Zaina H Iddi

Zaina is 14 years old and is studying at Ndorwe Secondary School. She will be in Form 2 next year. Zaina has lost both parents and is living with her Grandfather.

Hamisi Tabran Hamisi

Hamisi is currently studying in Form 1 at Ndorwe Secondary School and hopes to study Form 2 there next year. He is 14 years old.

Abdala Mohamed

Abdala will be in Form 2 at Ndorwe Secondary School next year. He is 14 years old. He is living with his grandmother having lost both of his parents to HIV.

Chakicha Juma Sekhoro

Chakicha is 14 years old and is studying Form 1 at Ndorwe. Chakicha lost his mother to HIV. His father, who is also infected, is now too unwell to look after Chakicha and therefore he now lives with his grandfather who is in his seventies and unable to raise enough money to pay for school fees.

Zainabu J Salehe

Zainabu is 14 years old and studying her Form 1 at Ndorwe. She has lost both of her parents to HIV and now lives with her brother.

Saumu Rajabu

Saumu is 14 years old and is studying Form 1 at Kighare Secondary School. Her father died about 8 years ago from HIV, her mother has been struggling with HIV ever since but is taking medication. She has suffered from Tuberculosis but is currently fit enough to have a job in a bar selling soft drinks and beer.

Halima Chediel Mchome

Halima is 15 years old and is studying Form 2 at Usangi Day school. She is about to sit her national exams and is hoping to get a study place for next year in Form 3. She has been orphaned and lives with her grandmother.

Mwezine Hasani Mkazi

Mwezine is 14 years old and will be studying Form 2 next year at Usangi Day school. Having lost her father to HIV she now lives with her mother, who is also infected, and is now very sick

Fatina Daudi Badi

14 yrs F2 next year – Usangi. Her mother, Mwanamisi Badi, has received a grant for 95,000 Tsh to run a small business, however her mother has since left Usangi because she is worried that her family will remove the capital for the company meaning that her new business would have failed. She has left Fatina in the care of her grandparents. Mwanamisi’s business is now doing well in Arusha, the capital has been raised to 120,000 Tsh, she has given her sister some of the profit so that she can start her own small business here in Usangi. Mwanamisi has also sent some of the profit back to Usangi to buy food and clothes for Fatina.

Halima Rajabu Sekiete

Halima finished standard 7 this year, the last year in Primary school. She was a promising student in primary school and is now hoping to go to secondary school. She lives near to Kighare school with her mother, she will probably go to Kighare next year, if she gets the fees. Her father died from Tuberculosis when she was only 6 years old, she is now 13 years old.

Mohamed Ali

Mohamed is 14 years old he is currently in Kighare secondary school in Form 2, and about to take his exams. He hopes to progress to Form 3, depending on his exam results and securing the fees for the forthcoming year.

Asha Saidi Ali

Asha is 14 years old. She lost her father due to what was at the time an undiagnosed Illness. After the death of her father her mother moved the family to Usangi from Tanga, on the coast so that she could be closer to her wider family. Since the death of her father, her mother has been diagnosed with HIV, thus explaining the unknown illness that her father suffered from. Her mother applied for a grant to start a business but was not allocated the money because she is partially paralysed and was therefore considered unable to maintain a business and therefore make the most of the grant.

Mwanaidi Shabani Hasam

Mwanaidi is in Form 2 at Usangi Day school and is about to sit for her national exams. Should these go well she will be offered a place in Form 3. She lost her father to HIV about 10 years ago, since then her mother has raised the young family on her own. Her mother maintains the family by running a small farm which supports food for the family but cannot stretch to school fees. It is a small miracle that her mother escaped HIV infection!

Mwanaidi Iddy

Mwanaidi has recently moved to Kighare secondary school. She is currently in Form 1 and will pass into Form 2 next year. Her father died 2 years ago from HIV. Mwanaidi lives with her mother, who has been unwell recently but has not been tested for HIV.

Neema Benjamin

Neema is in Form 2 at Shigatini secondary school. She is currently studying for her Form 2 national exams. She has lost her father and has been supported at school by her mother and aunt. Now her cousins have passed their exams and are about to start University. University fees are more expensive than school fees and her aunt can therefore no longer support both her own children at University and her niece at secondary school so Neema’s mother is trying to come up with the school fees on her own. She works at the local pottery in Usangi for her money but is struggling to come up with the school fees. Since Neema is a bright girl they have been sending her to Shigatini, which is a private school, therefore the fees are more expensive. Where possible families chose to send children to private schools because Government Schools here often have a lack of teachers, due to the lower salaries they offer.

Mariamu Rhamadhani

Mariamu is 13 years old and has just completed Standard 7, at Kivundu Primary School. She is hoping to start Usangi Day Secondary School next year. Her father has died from HIV and her mother has not yet been tested. Her mother, Zahara, was awarded a grant by Malezi HIV grants programme who distributed their first round of grants to 10 recipients in May 2007. Zahara is supporting her 5 children through selling firewood. The eldest daughter now has a young baby who also lives with them. The three brothers are younger and are all still studying at primary school. The seven of them live together in a small house, with only one room. They have divided the room with some small fences so that the 2 beds have separate areas. Since there is a lack of land in the Pare Mountains cows are not allowed to graze. Instead they are kept inside and the owners collect grass for them everyday. Mariamu’s family share their house with 2 cows.

Asha Ali

Father passed away from HIV, the mother is now infected and suffering. Her mother Mwajabu was a grant recipient from the Malezi programmed but is now too sick to run the business so Mwajabu’s mother is running rh business selling onions. Asha is the eldest of three, the younger ones are in primary school, one in Standard 4 and the youngest who is 7 years old does not currently attend school as he is also HIV positive and currently too sick to attend.

Kimnyak Primary School - Ngaramtoni

Alex Nilsson September - December 2007

6th week of teaching

Monday, I started a new chapter with my kids, so I had them write down a dictionary of 36 words (as their books are totally in english, I have no clue how they are supposted to figure out what it all means - and remember without having it on paper) then I collected their exercise books and did corrections for the rest of the school day (approx from 11-2, when they look up the school...) By that time I had almost gone through 5a which was 56 books in total. (correcting dictionary and previous tasks) I also had to go back to the class and give back books where the students had not finished writing down the words, they just panic when you collect the books for office. So they did them later on and came with them to the office.Alex correcting system: first exercise/task on the chapter (usually a dictionary) gives a orange star with a highlighter pen. Next task, yellow, then blue and last one green, if you did a good job you get a small sticker, if you did very well it's a shiny star =)

In the afternoon Vicky, Joel, Lindsay and I went to the Orphanage to do some more painting, mainly details on the mural that Kim and Vicky lined out before she (Kim) left.Tuesday was the same story in school as yesterday.Last week I had the misbehaving kids in 5b to do "jumps" touch your toes and then jump - hands up in the air, which worked remarkably well, I was down from 7 to 1 jumping kid in 1 day =)Although on one of the days last week there was a boy hiting a girl quite hard and they could not explain to me in english what was going on so I had them sit in a corner of the classroom until end of period when I took them with me to the office (staff room). I asked on of the teachers to ask the students what had happend and then translate to me. They exchanged some words in Swahili then she said I want to punish them (and I started questioning why I even took them into the staff room), I stayed calm and asked again what happend. She had them sit on the floor with their hands in the air, so I had to ask another teacher to please ask them again and to translate for me. The girl was so near to tears: I assume because she got hit by the guy and then ended up in the teachers staff room and seemed to be punished for it. So finally we got the words out that he had hit her but without any reason so he had to appologize, touching her shoes and her cheek, much better then the physical punishment!In the afternoon Lindsay had went gone to Arusha, Joel was having a rest and I went jogging so we cancelled the tuesday beer.In the evening Nassir decided to add blue extensions to my hair and then we painted our nails =)