DAY 12 - The AIDS Orphan Project - July, 2010

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Everywhere we go, we are mindful to ask: What are the strengths here? Weaknesses? Ideas for the future? I have not blogged about it much, but our purpose in Karagwe to assess needs and determine if there is a way we could collaborate on meeting the needs of the people of Karagwe. We have a separate report (way beyond blogging) that focuses on the Karagwe Needs Assessment. Email [e-mail] interested in that. Today's highlights include: 1) Being the object of local attention in the crowded bank lobby; 2) Assessing needs through on-site visit and interviews with AIDS Control Program (ACP) led by Venant; 3) Lunching with Pastor Joaquin; 4) Ambling through the 'burbs' of Kayanga; 5) Enjoying a pop and water at a bar patio.

NARRATIVE: I love our coffees and breakfasts in Kayanga. Toast, omelettes, fresh passion fruit juice, pineapple. We awaken each morning to the smell of the fire that burns constantly in the outdoor kitchen. How much smoke must these women inhale working these fires? I read somewhere where it is the equivalent of two packs off cigarettes per day. Gotta be a better way. The sun rises (and sets) at exactly the same time each day. Edina and Genegeva can be heard laughing and yelling back and forth.

After breakfast we exchanged money at the bank. The teller was really good and efficient - and discreet as one can be in a room with at least 100 others - most of them fixed on our transaction. At one point with all the moving to the front of the line, Steve simply told one man "Step back from me". That did the trick and we had no more pressing against us. The ATM machine worked beautifully AND no one was using it. That will be what we use when we need smaller amounts. I so badly want to speak Swahili but have a hard time hearing the differences between the vowel sounds. Picking up languages does not come easy to me. I do, however, need to work harder at learning Swahili so I can communicate with local people - not just the leaders or those who know English.

We visited the AIDS Control Program (ACP) and interviewed Venant, Director. I won't go into too much detail here but want readers to know that the ACP served 275 children through the School Project, and served 17 child-led families through its services. ACP built homes for the child-led families. One moving story about a teenage boy who cared for his siblings by trying to build a small home for them really touched me. Another story was about a family (a young boy and a girl) who were rejected by their extended families. When the ELCT built the children a home, the extended family tried to move in, but the ELCT protected the children. The oldest child was 15. The ACP practice of leaving children to live (with no adult) in their community was foreign to me; just as the American practice of removing the children from their community to receive services from adults they don't necessarly know was foreign to Venant. "What do you do?" - he asked me twice. I found I could not disagree with even one reason Venant offered in his kind explanation of why children need their community and need to remain in their community.

Venant showed us the three programs and associated reports. These included 1) Homes for Child-Headed Families serving 17 families with a budget of 24m Tsh ($15K USD); 2) Orphans School Supplies Program serving 275 with a budget of 95m Tsh ($59K USD; and 3) AIDS Control Program with a budget of 44m Tsh ($27K USD). I was struck with how much he and his staff do with so few resources. DanMission (Carsten's organization) supported the Orphans Project; USA support ended in 2008; and ACP hoped to merge local goals with outside support.

Later in the day Steve and I took a hike to the 'burbs' going from the main tar road to the left. We greeted lots of people, saw the vo-tech school and reminded ourselves to get out of the way of traffic. At the end of the tar road we turned back to Kayanga where there was the most beautiful vista. We lazed our way through the afternoon and enjoyed (softshell) O Tacos and pineapple for dinner. My 'system' embraces the foods that are close to the earth and not processed. Edina remembered how much I liked her food in 2008. She invited us to her home for dinner in a few days. Should be fun.

Early evening: My iPhone and the TV are sources of nothing. The plan we so painstakingly chose prior to coming here is clearly not the best. Steve's Verizon works well with his Blackberry. Our Scandinavian roots seem to demand a few 'time outs' from community living once in a while. We love the people here; love the setting and are well cared for. We just need our offices and connection to our 'kids'.

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Take me to the Educate Tanzania website.

http://educatetanzania.org

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Photos

AIDS Control - Few People/Much Work
Working 'smart' to help AIDS orphans