Village Life

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Families in the local area are subsistence farmers with an average income of GBP 70-100 per year. Government run primary schools are subsidised but the funding is not guaranteed and can be sporadic. An average family would have to contribute £30 each year to support a government run primary school at which the student to teacher ratio is over 80 to 1. Often families cannot afford school fees and so children just do not go. Children whether in school or not are expected to work on their land after school and during the holidays.

So after a day’s work we headed to the next trading centre for a taste of village life in the evening. It’s a 6 km walk and so on arrival we were in need for some sugar so first stopped for a soda - not forgetting to take the glass bottle back to ensure we get the refund for returning the bottle. Then we sat down and watched the locals playing a game of pool before having a go ourselves and not scrubbing up too badly (I even beat one of the local guys - being beaten by a mzungu girl will probably be a hard one to live down!). Sat on wooden stools by the side of the road in the village, people are cooking: banana pancakes, fried cassava, chapati and of course the rolex. A rolex (a great source of much needed protein) consists of an omelette style egg with raw cabbage and tomato on top and then all rolled up in a chapatti and served in a polythene bag - sound tempting?

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Photos

local shop
might have already uploaded this one!