Goals, Expectations, and Placement

Habari za leo! (Good day, how are you?) It's the middle of the night on my fourth day and I wanted to take a little bit of time to send you an update.

Yesterday was a full day. We started at 7:30 and didn't end until dinner at 7:00! We did orientation for the morning and spent the afternoon learning more about our placements. Our first task of the day was to identify goals for the time we are here and to identify our expectations for the program, for our volunteer placement and for the country. The first was an individual reflection to which I had the following goals:

1. to make an impact in the community, especially in helping to empower the women that I will be working with and helping them to further develop and refine their entrepreneurial skills as it relates to their local business
2. to experience the Tanzanian culture through food, local interaction, and site visits
3. to learn Swahili

The second was a group activity, but generally speaking, we identified expectations of security (which we very much have - Mack Daddy is our overnight security guard, you can't feel safer than with someone like that guarding your gate!), support, to teach as well as learn ourselves, and to become comfortable outside of our comfort zones. It was a great exercise in reflection!

We did a scavenger hunt, but I'll go into more details about that in the next post.

The afternoon gave us an opportunity to meet the leadership at our placement.

Mama Martha is the founder and head of Uwawayaki. Uwawayaki was formed in 2002 in response to Mama Martha's loss of her brother to HIV. After his death, Mama Martha found herself caring for his wife and their three children. Because of this experience, Mama Martha recognized the need for a support group for widows and orphans that have HIV. Uwawayaki has many facets and I'm hoping to get some time working with each of them. The group has a nursery school for children from 3 years old to 6 years old, a primary school for ages 7 to 12 and a secondary school for ages 13 and above. The women's group helps to teach as well as provide money for resources for the school (books and porridge for meals). Additionally, Uwawayaki helps to provide care for the sick and elderly. Often, they will make home visits to those members that cannot leave their homes because they are too sick. In the homes, they help provide the family with food (rice, sugar, etc.) and clothing if needed. They help out with hospital bills and hospital transport if necessary when they can. Mama Martha was very adamant in stressing that they only help out a minimal amount, but as much as they can.

In order to do all of this, Uwawayaki has three business ventures - a chicken farm, a pig farm and a basik making business. The chicken farm is used to get eggs that are then sold into the community. The pig farm raises pigs for butcher and the basik-making is a clothing making venture. All of the excess money is then put towards the education of the children and to helping with the health care needs of the other group members.

It was a humbling conversation and I let Mama Martha know that I want to be put to work in any way that will most help Uwawayaki. I start work tomorrow!

We finished off the afternoon with a quick jaunt to the city. We got a guided tour of the city and found some of the local hangouts, coffee shops and bars, and visited an amazing artist and a basik-making shop. I plan on going back to the artist and he even offered to let us do some painting on our own! I am also having a couple of things made from the basik-making shop, the Unique Boutique!

All in all a grand day...more on my scavenger hunt next.