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Meeting with Village Leaders – Speech in Kiswahili

After discovering about some of our ‘issues’ here in the village, I composed a little talk for the village leaders. My friend in Kigoma, Bennie Muzzazzi helped me to translate it to Kiswahili so I could deliver it directly, knowing that what I wanted to say was being delivered. Here’s the video of the speech, followed by a transcript of my words (alternating between English and Kiswahili – some simplifications were made, but you’ll get the gist).

Of course – much conversation ensued, but it was all very positive and reassuring. The village leaders affirmed everything I said, even noting that the problems were not for the villagers but for the village leaders themselves. There were individuals within the leader group who were being outed without actually having their names said aloud. It was known by all who the ‘obstructors’ were and just by having this meeting, that was made clear and these ‘obstructors’ now know they are being watched by the leaders, the town powers, Lucas and me.

Meeting Village Leaders – July 17, 2012

Thank you for coming today for another meeting.  This time is very important for me because I only come for 3 weeks each year. When I come I like to find out how the project is going and what needs or problems there may be.

Asante sana kwa kufika katika kikao hiki kwa mara nyingine tena. Kikao hiki ni muhimu sana kwani nakuja kila mwaka kwa wiki tatu. Kila nikija nataka kujua kinacho endelea kuhusu ujenzi wa Amahoro.

First, I want to thank you for your continued support. I know this is a big project and I know that it requires much from you and your citizens. But, as you know, without this support, the school may never be finished.

Kwanza, nasema asante kwa mchango weno wa hali na mali. Najua huu mradi ni mkubwa sana. Najua kwamba tunahitaji juhudi zenu na wanainchi wenu.

I would like to talk to you about Amahoro Secondary School. Do you know why I am here building this school? _______  I want to be sure that you know – I am here because I was invited to offer support by chancellor Bitata in 2009. I don’t need this school and it would be easier for me to work in another part of the world, closer to my home. But, I told Chief Bitata that I would support Mgaraganza and I am following through with my commitment.

Napenda kueleza juu ya shule ya secondari amahoro. Mnajua kwanini nimechagua kujenga shule hapa? _____ Mjumbe Bitata aliniomba. Ningeweza kujenga shule sehemningine karibu na nyumbani kwetu. Lakini, milimwambia mjumbe Bitata kwamba napenda kusaidia Mgaraganza. Sasa nimetimiza ahadi yangu.

When I accepted this invitation to support Mgaraganza, I asked Lucas to join me. Together we founded Project Wezesha and established an NGO in the United States so we could raise money from individual, private donors. In the past 3 years, we have raised thousands of dollars, but it has not been easy. I have to ask often and I have to be creative when I ask people for money. Sometimes I have a sporting event and money goes to Project Wezesha. Sometimes I have a concert and people pay to listen to music. The money goes to Project Wezesha. Sometimes I ask people to donate to Project Wezesha at the holidays  – like at Christmas time. I also have local businesses donate items for sale and the money goes to Project Wezesha.

Nilivyo kubari kazi hii, nilimuomba Lucas kujiunga nami tuwe pamoja kutengeneza mradi huu. Tulitengeneza mradi unaoitwa Project Wezesha huko Marekani. Miaka mitatu iliopita tulikusanya  karibu dolar elfu arobaini kutoka kwa wafadhili mbalimbali. Nataka kuapa mfano wajinsi ninavyo kusanya fedha hizi siyo la hizi kupata fedha hizi. Mara nyingine, nandaa michezo mbalimbali kama vile riadha na watu hulipa kujiunga na mbio hizo. Mara nyingine, nandaa music na watu hulipia viingilio. Mara nyingine, watu hawanunui zawadi za Christmas nawaomba wachangie ujenzi huu. Badala ya kununua zawadi, wananipa fedha hizo.

People don’t give money for nothing. They like to know where their money is going and what their money is doing. For this reason, I make sure to give reports to the people who contribute. I use the internet and I share stories and pictures about our students, the citizens of the village, the builders and the leaders. It makes everyone happy to see the faces of the young people of these villages who will one day go to Amahoro Secondary.

Mnajua kwamba wafadhili hawatupi fedha bila kujua fedha hizo zinakwenda wapi na zinafanya nini. Kwasababu hii, kila mara nawapa habari wafadhili kupitia Internet. Nawapa habari na picha za wanafunzi, wanakijiji, wajenzi na viongozi wa kijiji. Watafurahi sana wakiona siku moja watoto wa kijiji hiki wakienda shule ya secondari Amahoro.

It also makes them happy to know that this village is not only accepting their money, but also contributing to the project through our Memorandum of Understanding – carrying stone, sand and water.  This year, they are excited to see the roofs go up on the next row of classrooms. They are also excited to see the new foundation be completed with the hopes of finishing the school next year.

Pia, watafurahi sana kusikia kwamba kijiji hiki hakipokei fedha tu, bali wanakijiji wanajitolea kwa nguvu zao wenyewe kwa kubeba mawe, mchanga na maji. Mwaka huu, wanataka kuona madarasa yamefikia kwenye renta na mabati na msingi wa madarasa mapya umekamilika. Ili mwaka ujao shule ikamilike.

There are many people who have donated to Project Wezesha in the last 3 years who want to visit next year. They are coming to open the school.

Wafadhili wengi waliochangia ujenzi wa shule hii miaka mitatu iliopita, wanataka kutembelea Mgaraganza na shule secondary Amahoro. Iliwahudhulie ufunguzi wa Amahoro Secondari.

As I mentioned, I only come here for a short time each year. I wish I could stay longer, but I have a full time job. Last January, I successfully completed my PhD. Now I’m Dr. Rai.  After finishing my PhD, I began working full time for the University of Utah.

Kama nilivyotangulia kueleza mwanzo, nimekuja kwa muda mfupi. Ninahamu ya kuka muda mrefu, lakini nina kazi nyingi za kufanya. Kwani mwezi wa kwanza mwishoni nilimaliza PhD chuokikuu cha Marekani. Sasa mimi ni Dr. Rai. J Na ninafanya kazi katika chuokikuu cha Utah.

The problem with coming for only 3 weeks is that usually, I discover the problems that have occurred over the entire year and I only have a short time to address all the problems. Do you know what the problems might be for this year?

Tatizo la kuja muda mfupi ni kwamba nimegunduwa  kwamba nikija nakuta kazi nyingi hazijafanyika, kwasababu watu hawajitolei kufanya kazi hapa. Mnajua matatizo yalio jitokeza mwaka huu?

This year, there are two big problems.

Mwaka huu, kuna matatizo makubwa mawili.

First, last year, I met with the village leaders and discussed the need for the Tanzanian government to support us to complete Amahoro Secondary School. I told them that I did not believe that Project Wezesha should pay for the entire school. In addition to the support of the villagers through small labor, I hoped that the Tanzanian government would contribute to help us with the cost of construction. Unfortunately, the village leaders did not submit a budget in time for the decision-making in January. As a result, there was no money set aside for Amahoro Secondary School.

Kwanza, serekali ya kijiji ilitakiwa kuwa silisha bajeti ya kijiji katika ofisi ya mkoa. Lakini, haikufanya hivyo. Kwa hiyo, hatukupata fedha kutoka serekalini.

Second, I learned that the citizens of the village are not contributing to the project as promised by the village leaders. Our agreement stated that the citizens would contribute by carrying sand, stones and water. Last week, we came to Mgaraganza village to find out that no one was helping with these tasks. As a result, the builders went home yesterday because they had no water or sand to make concrete, so they could no longer work on the foundation. This is a problem for 4 reasons. One – it is a violation of our agreement. Two – it means that the workers don’t have a job. Three – it means the school construction progress stops and it will take longer to finish this school than necessary. Four – Lucas tries to encourage work, but he is not a leader and he is not from this village, so this is not his job.

Pili, niligundua kwamba wanakijiji hawakuchangia mradi kama walivyo ahidi viongozi wa kijiji. Mkataba wetu ulikuwa kwamba wanakijiji watajitolea kubeba mchanga, mawe na maji. Wiki iliopita tulifika Mgaraganza tukakuta kuna chochote – hakuna mawe, hakuna mchanga, hakuna maji. Jana – mafundi walirudi mjini. Hili ni tatizo. 1) Mmevunja ahadi yetu 2) Mafundi hawakufanya kazi 3) ujenzi umesimama na hauta kamilika 4) Lucas anakuja hapa kila mara kuomba kumsaidia, na sio mwanakijiji wahapa na hakuna anaye msikiliza.

This is not a new problem but it is a big problem. In the past year, Lucas has come to the village to talk to the leaders about this problem. Some parts of the village are contributing, but not all. I want to say thank you very much to those who are contributing. I saw the piles of stones along the road to Mtanga and I know people are contributing. Unfortunately, not everyone is contributing and therefore, we had to stop working.

Hili sio tatizo jipya, lakini ni tatizo kubwa. Mwaka uliopita, Lucas alikuja hapa kuongea naviongozi kuhusu tatizo hili. Baadhi ya wanakijiji walijitolea kufanya shughuli hiyo. Napenda kutoa shukrani kwa waliyo jitolea. Niliona mawe makubwa barabara ya Mtanga na najua kwamba watu walichangia. Asante. Kwa mbati mbaya sio wote waliochangia, na tulisimama kufanya kazi.

This school is for your children. Last year, I talked with some of the students here. I interviewed them about their dreams for the future. Do you know what the children hope to be some day? ____ They told me they want to be nurses, doctors, the president of Tanzania, engineers, electricians.

Shule hii ni kwa ajili ya watoto wenu na wajuku zenu. Mwaka uliopita, nilizugumza na wanafunzi hapa. Niliwauliza juu ya ndoto zao za badae. Waliniambia wanataka kua manesi, madactari, maraisi wa Tanzania, walimu, engineer. Naomba mjua kwamba shule hii itatoa watu hao.

These children are still full of hope and their dreams are big. Let’s be sure to give them every chance possible – even here in the village. So much is possible with education.

Wanafunzi hao baado wanandoto hizo. Tuhakikishe tunawapa nafasi hizo. Kila kitu kinawezekana katika elimu.

But first, I thank you all for your support and ask that you continue to believe in this school and trust that it can and will make a better life for your children and therefore your village.

Lakini kwanza, tena, napenda kuwashukuru kwa kunipa mchagowenu. Naomba mtambue kwamba shule hii itawapa watoto wenu maisha mazuri na bora.

Thank you very very much. I like you all very much. Together we will build this school for the village to ensure great education for all. Thanks.

Asanteni Sana Sana Sana. Nawapenda wote, sana! Tushilikiane kujenga kijiji chetu kwa kuwapa elimu nzuri vijana wetu. Asante!

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An Epic Journey – Collaboration Leads to School Opening: January 2013!!

This has been a remarkably productive trip! Lucas and I feel more supported by the various government entities than ever before and that’s because, after flailing around on our own for 3 years, we’ve finally stumbled upon the right people.

The first year we simply said ‘yes’ to the request of Mjumbe (chief) Bitata to help with a secondary school for Mgaraganza Village, to serve the children of Mgaraganza, Mtanga, Bubango, Kigalye and Kagongo. The second year, I came with donors’ money and the builders worked until the money ran out – putting up a foundation and starting the walls on our first four classrooms. That year, we also talked to the village government about finding additional local support for the project – such as that from the regional and national sources of funding for the educational sector. On their part, that momentum died in that meeting and they never sought that additional support.

Back in Dar es Salaam, the capital, on my way home – I popped into the Ministry of Education for Tanzania. I was told that I could receive matching funds. I was told that a group from Norway pledged to raise a certain amount of money for a boarding secondary school and the government matched their efforts – up to $400,000! I was psyched to hear that, but was told to deal with the Ministry of Education in the Kigoma Region.

The following year, I insisted a little harder. We asked the local leaders to walk us through the usual process of building a secondary school in the village. To the best of my understanding, they said that the villagers and village leaders work together to gather bricks, water, sand and stone to start building the foundation and classrooms. After showing that they are invested and making headway, the regional leaders are advised, and subsequently check on the progress and support them as needed. In some villages, the larger support only comes after the entire school has been completed; it comes in the form of desks, chairs, teachers and teachers’ housing. Honestly, I think it varies from village to village, regional government to regional government and likely – year to year with the ‘changing of the guards’.

During this second year, Lucas and I tracked down some potential ‘powers’ to seek support or advice. We encountered a woman in an office who told us that we should be a registered NGO entity in Tanzania. She asked us to submit documentation of our NGO status. (We didn’t. We’re not a Tanzania NGO.) She also advised that we make sure the village leaders are selecting the children for our scholarship program to ensure that they are on the ‘most vulnerable children’ (MVC) list kept by the government (good information). We also met a man from the Ministry of Education for the Kigoma Region who told us that the Ministry of Education does not chip in until the school is finished. Huh?

During the third year, I was at my wits end with the lack of support from Tanzania to complete this soon-to-be government run, public secondary school. I flailed around with Lucas in one office – actually losing my cool and becoming a little emotional (i.e., shedding a tear in desperation). Then we went to the top boss – the District Commissioner, which I found out this year is kind of like the Governor. He was so gracious and took us in, no appointment, no special designation -just a couple of gumbies trying to get something done. He told us to seek support from the Ward level government to get a letter on behalf of the village government to invite the ‘right’ people to the village to see the school. He also said the local village government would have to submit a budget requesting money in order for the national government to even take this into consideration. (Complicated as it should be; I think I was naive and oversimplified it all in my head.)

You can probably guess what we did next and if not, my tales from last year might fill you in. Basically, the ward leader came with us to the village and gave the village leaders and the villagers a lashing for not contributing enough to this effort. I left that year with great hope that the budget would be submitted and the Tanzanian government would be contributing in a significant way to complete this school.

Sigh.

This year, I returned to see some great progress by our builders. As long as the funds flow, the work they are responsible for is completed. When the funds don’t flow, their work stops. Unfortunately, regardless of the funds, the contribution of the villagers as per our ‘memorandum of understanding’ should be continuous – but is minimal in a good week. The agreement was that they would contribute sand, stone, water and the local labor to get those materials to the building site.

Upon arrival this year, I was told two bits of discouraging news.

  1. The leaders did not submit the budget in time last year for consideration by the regional leaders to take to the national level for approval. (Fail)
  2. The local leaders (one or two in particular) were not encouraging the villagers in their district to contribute the carrying of stone, sand and water; they were in fact telling them to ‘be free, relax’ – in the name of votes come election time.

Last week, Lucas, our intern Katy and I went to the village to contribute by carrying water so that Isaya and the builders could continue to work on the next foundation. They did continue to work with our meager contribution (our necks got tired!).

The following day … the builders returned home to Kigoma town because they couldn’t continue working without the sand and water necessary to make the cement and without the stones to build a foundation.

More than a little irked, Lucas and I called a meeting with the village leaders. I wrote a speech in English and my friend in town, Bennie helped me translate the speech into Kiswahili. You can view the video that shows me giving that speech in Kiswahili as well as the transcript here.

In addition to this speech, Lucas and I finally stumbled upon the ‘right’ people in town with the help of the diwani or executive chief of the village, Patrick Maganga. First, Lucas, Maganga and I visited the Development Officer for the rural areas of the  Kigoma region (our villages included). His insight was invaluable, educational and hard to swallow – the latter because I wish we had known what we know now then. He taught us about the ‘chain of command’ and how to climb up it. Going straight to the top and working our way down last year was not the correct way to go about things. 

Also, Lucas learned that his continued efforts to nudge the village leaders into action during the past year were useless because they were not calculated. He told Lucas that any time he plans to meet with a village leader, at any level, about the project, he must do so in the office with the secretary to have everything documented. As such, when it reaches the top – there will be a paper trail showing that he has taken the steps necessary to prompt action without success. Lucas learned a great lesson this day as much of his efforts were in passing, on the phone, through a messenger.

After meeting this development officer, we visited the Chairman who supports the Director of the office that oversees Education for the Kigoma Region. He was immensely impressed that we had completed as much so far and was equally disappointed at the lack of support we were receiving from the village leaders. He told Chief Maganga that he and the executive chair needed to put politics aside (i.e., wanting votes for future elections) and do their jobs, which is to promote development, encourage productivity and energize his village. He said he wouldn’t stop until he saw the village in action. He insisted on a visit to the village to have a private (firm) meeting with the leaders, a viewing of the school and another meeting to motivate (i.e., scold) the villagers into action.

His talk with the village leaders at the site of Amahoro Secondary School as well as his speech to the villagers at large were compelling. He was a powerful, firm speaker but he also had them laughing and thinking.

In the end, I believe there was some contention as villagers argued over which districts were contributing and which were not, but after an additional calming talk with the big boss, they were all at ease.

 

 

 

The next day, as promised, Lucas, Katy and I showed up at Amahoro Secondary School in the morning after breakfast to carry water to the well. We were surprised and happy to see at least 50 people on site – working away.

There were women carrying sand and men carrying stone. We decided to start with the water because the tank was empty the day before. We didn’t check the tank – just headed straight to the stream.

 

Upon arrival at the tank we were shocked to see it was full! The women had been filling it all morning and they had just started on the sand.

 

We joined them in carrying sand and as the sun took over the day, we all retired.

It was a joy to see this process unfold. It’s been an uphill battle for many reasons – not the least of which are 1) Lucas and I are rookies. Lucas isn’t trained as a project manager and I’m just a linguist 😉 ; 2) I am a great motivator in person, but can do little from the US (and shouldn’t have to once promises are made?); 3) the villagers think if the builders aren’t on site, they don’t have to do their part; and, 4) there is little accountability when the leaders don’t want to enforce agreements.

After sharing with them my thoughts about their children’s future and my role in this process, in addition to the urging of important local leaders, I do believe we’ve turned a new leaf. Either way – we’ve gotten an awful lot done in a short amount of time since the funds started flowing in early June.

The roofs are going up on the next set of classrooms. The foundation is in place for the third set of four classrooms. The villagers are in action. And most importantly …

The Kigoma leaders who came to our side in support of this endeavor have pledged to finish the floors, windows and doors on the first four classrooms in time to OPEN THE SCHOOL IN JANUARY 2013!!

We’re so excited that children, who are currently in standard 7 in the local primary school, will be able to attend Amahoro Secondary School in six short months! The builders work is secured. The regional government is chipping in significantly. New teachers and headmasters will have a job with our school. It’s a huge breakthrough and we’re over the moon! 😎

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2nd Annual Raise the Roof Drums up Local Support

Can you believe we’re having the 2nd Annual Raise the Roof event? I hope one day I’ll see a double-digit number in front of that event name! Like last year, the Woodshed in SLC, UT is hosting – generously donating their space for our cause! Local businesses, organizations and artists are really coming forward with their support of Project Wezesha again this year!

We’ll have another silent auction and raffle. This year there will be one raffle draw at around 9:30pm. The silent auction will close with the final song by The Folka Dots at around 10:30.  Come out and see what the community has pulled together for you!

Event Details: Friday June 15th 8p-12a at the Woodshed on 800 South 60 East in Salt Lake City. See our Facebook Event Page and of course, ‘Like’ us on Facebook!

LAKE STREET GLASS by LAURA LEIGH KEMPER – GLASS JEWELRY

Laura Leigh Kemper of Lake Street Glass makes the most spectacular belt buckles, earrings and necklaces from glass that she repurposes. The colors and patterns that Laura pulls together have been a huge hit among men and women alike at her local trunk shows. For this event, you’ll have the opportunity to take home some amazing items from her collection – including a belt buckle, earrings and a bracelet! Unfortunately, her site was recently hacked but should be up and running again soon, so I’ll include the link for you to peruse when it’s ready: Lake Street Glass.

REPERTORY DANCE THEATRE (RDT)

I just love nonprofits for nonprofits! RDT in Utah has donated tickets to one of their performances. The mission of RDT, as stated on their website is encouraging the creation, performance, perpetuation and appreciation of dance. RDT’s primary focus is producing work of special importance which affects audiences on intellectual, emotional, aesthetic and kinesthetic levels, through the highest standards of technical training, performance, and production skills. If you’ve never been to an RDT performance, you should really start tracking their shows on Facebook . Read more about this wonderful, hard working group of artists on their website. Make sure to come out and bid and you might be seeing them sooner than you had planned!

SANSIVERA PHOTOGRAPHY

Sansivera Photography caputures texture, composition and story in the world around us and lets viewers enjoy the world in a way that’s just a bit more edgy and exciting than what we experience on the regular. Sansivera Photography has contributed a photograph to our fundraiser and you’re gonna wanna hang it on your wall! Check out her creative endeavors here: Sansivera Photography.

AVENUES YOGA – YOGA CLASSES

Avenues Yoga studio is located in a beautiful old mercantile building located in the Avenues (obviously!). The space has high ceilings, original brick walls and beautiful hardwood floors. There’s something about the open, large space and the lovely instructors that makes you just feel at ease from the minute you walk in the door. Avenues Yoga has donated a punch pass for yoga classes. Whether you win this pass or not, you should make your way over and take a little time out to reflect and breathe in this time of acceleration in which we are all plugged in way too often – tethered to our devices. Let Avenues Yoga free you!

CHRISTINE McDONOUGH – PHOTOGRAPHY

Christine McDonough, a fellow Irish lass is a gifted photographer and graphic designer.  We first met when she came out to support Girls Education International at a screening of A Small Act, a documentary set in Kenya about how one small act really can have a huge impact.  I found out that after seeing A Small Act originally at the Sundance Film Festival, Christine became penpals with a student at the school in Kenya.  She’s a kindred soul who wants to see positive change in the world – at all levels.  In this spirit, she has donated one of her beautiful photographs for this event.  See more of her work here: The Copper Shamrock

BLUE PLATE DINER

Who doesn’t know and love the Blue Plate Diner! I suppose I’m biased because I know and love the owners, John and Tamrika. In fact – it’s important to note that the absolute first and foremost reason that I’m even working in Tanzania is because of John and Tamrika! They introduced me to an individual that brought me to Tanzania as a volunteer in 2008. The rest is history! The Blue Plate Diner has donated a handful of gift certificates for our raffle. If you win, you’ll be able to enjoy some seriously delicious burritos, eggs benedict with vegan sausage, milkshakes, burgers and more! Plus, it’s where you wanna be and who you wanna be with on a weekend morning – so come on out and see if this is your lucky day! Learn more about how you can LOVE the Blue Plate Diner.

TONY CAPUTO’S MARKET AND DELI – INTRO to FINE CHOCOLATE CLASS

Tony Caputo’s Market & Deli brings quality, authentic food products from Italy, Spain, France, Greece and other Southern European cities right here to Salt Lake City. Tony and his son Matt well known for their tasteful selection of European goodies. Also, in 2009 Caputo’s was the first recipient of Salt Lake Magazine’s “Best Food & Wine Educator.” So, in support of Project Wezesha, Adrienna has donated a gift box with selected Fine Chocolates and chocolate sauce. Yum!! Caputo’s Market and Deli has something for everyone – from an extraordinary deli menu to a cheese cave, a stacked chocolate bar selection and an in-house salame maker! Check out their website or even better – visit one of their three locations (downtown, 15th adn 15th or U of U): Tony Caputo’s Market and Deli

BREWVIES CINEMA PUB – MOVIE PASSES

In addition to playing this year with his band, The Folka Dots, Andy Murphy at Brewvies has generously donated several movie passes, which we’ll raffle off in two’s so that you and a friend can bike downtown for dinner and a movie. Brewvies always has a great selection of movies to choose from – often funny and usually ‘just the movie’ you wanted to see! If you haven’t been to Brewvies yet, you have to come out to the Woodshed, win some tickets and get on over there. Where else in Salt Lake can you eat a great meal, drink cold beers and watch a great movie on the big screen … nowhere! Gotta be Brewvies! Check out the website to scope the food and beer offerings and find out what movies are playing … like right now, it’s Brides Maids and Horrible Bosses … Hilarious! Brewvies Cinema Pub

KIM HALL – POTTERY

Talented local climber and skier, Kim Hall is perhaps best known for her great laugh, her sense of adventure and her amazing survival of a 1,000 foot fall in Little Cottonwood Canyon last winter! She is less known (thought that’s changing) for her amazing skills behind the wheel … in the pottery studio – but that’s soon to change! Kim has again donated more beautiful hand thrown pottery including two mugs, three bowls and 2 large serving bowls. Come see what you can go home with!

THE FRONT CLIMBING CLUB – DAY PASSES & KIDS CAMP

The Front Climbing Club is the hub for the hardcores and newbies alike who love to boulder! You check your ropes at the door and just pull on your shoes and you’re good to go. The route setting at The Front is stellar with some of the best climbers in Salt Lake City setting the problems that will progressively warm you up, push your limits and then stump you all together. In addition to great indoor climbing, The Front has yoga & pilates classes, ping pong, weights and cardio equipment – something for everyone! The Front donated day passes for our raffle and a one-week kids climbing camp for our auction – so come out and win, then pedal on over and spend the day getting psyched and strong! Learn more about The Front here: The Front Climbing Club

ROCKREATION – FIGHT GRAVITY CLASS

Rockreation Climbing Center is dear to my heart as I worked there for over a decade!! This gym has been around for a while and has top-rope and lead climbing options for those who like to rope up as well as a bouldering cave with lots of potential for exciting throws and body contortions. One of the strongest points of Rockreation is their education – for the novice and advanced climbers, they offer a wide range of classes and personal coaching. For this event, Rockreation has donated a Fight Gravity Beginner Climbing Class certificate – for TWO! The class certificate includes a week membership and rental gear. They have also donated a stack of day passes for our raffle. Check out their site and more information about the camps here: Rockreation Indoor Climbing

Misc. BOUTIQUE – VINTAGE CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Misc. (pronounced ‘Missy’) is a vintage clothing and accessory boutique located in downtown Salt Lake City in a beautiful space shared by The Green Ant. Missy, the owner has a unique eye for quality, previously cared for vintage clothing, belts, purses, shoes, swimwear and jewelry. The majority of her shop caters to women, but she does have a small selection of vintage western shirts for men. I have yet to pop into Misc. without leaving with a little extra something for my wardrobe – even when my intention was just to catch up with Missy. It’s impossible … just try it! I dare you.  😀 Missy has donated a gift certificate to her boutique for our event and it’s generous enough to afford you a whole outfit, with accessories if you shop wisely!! You want this, ladies! Misc. doesn’t have a website, but you can check out her style on her Facebook page here: Misc. Botique

JOSHUA TREE SKIN CARE – SALVES, BALM, SUNSCREEN & MORE

Joshua Tree Skin Care has you covered – literally! They provide organic skin care for the active lifestyle. They make amazing, all natural products to soothe chapped lips, protect sun exposed skin, heal climber’s worn fingertips and even keep that little fanny happy in the saddle! They gave us lots for the raffle and auction, so bring your skin to the Woodshed and prepare it for a pampering! Visit JTree.

JEN LOPEZ – GIRL GENIUS

Local artist Jen Lopez is very talented with her hands and can turn most materials into a work of art. Her pottery has a particular uniqueness about it. The mugs she has donated for this auction, for example, have undulating mouths and amazing texture. You just want to wrap your hands around them and close your eyes to imagine what Jen was thinking when she shaped them… ok, maybe that’s just me. Check out her unique style here at her etsy page: Blue Stegosaurus

PETZL

Petzl is another one of our Wasatch Range outdoor equipment companies. Petzl is a leader in all things climbing – making lightweight climbing harnesses that give you peace of mind, leading the field with efficient automatic belay devices, ensuring that our search and rescue teams are well equipped and of course pioneering lighting for outdoor activities that we just have to do at night! 🙂 They’ve donated a headlamp for the event, but they do so much more than lighting – so check them out! Petzl

MILLCREEK CAFE & EGGWORKS

Millcreek Cafe and Eggworks has a great menu of breakfast dishes, buts also serves up delicious burgers, paninis and wraps. The space is clean, modern and bright! Open from 7a-2p daily, they make the perfect stop on your way to the canyons to play in the outdoors! They donated a certificate for the event, so come see if you’re the lucky winner! Learn more about them here: Millcreek Cafe and Eggworks

KABERAMAIDO COOPERATIVE

Kaberamaido Cooperative is a nonprofit that operates in Uganda, Nepal and Bolivia working with communities of women by supporting them as they launch self-sustaining enterprises. Kaberamaido Cooperative has donated a lovely, chunky necklace made by the widows of Uganda for our auction. Uganda for Tanzania! Love it! View this Facebook album to take in some of the amazing crafts that Kaberamaido Cooperative produces.

PATRICK TUAO AH MU

Patrick Tuao Ah Mu is one of the most talented, disciplined men I know. His artistic crafts include an amazing talent for woodwork. Patrick can take pieces of scrap wood that no one would find anything special about and turn it into a high quality piece of furniture on the large end or beautiful, fine jewelry. He has mastered the art of designing Hei Matau necklaces. Hei Matau is the fishing hook of the New Zealand Maori culture creation story. It goes like this: A young man named Maui fished up the North Island using a hook made from the jaw of his grandmother – the fish-hook therefore represents the power and influence of the ancestors. The Hei Matau is also considered a talisman – bringing good luck and protection during a voyage. You better come on down and get your protective Hei Matau with mother of pearl inlay – gorgeous!

MAZZA MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE

Mazza Middle Eastern Cuisine has two locations – 9th and 9th and 15th and 15th – and we’re pretty happy about that! Mazza has the most amazing dishes! I’m always in the mood for the baked eggplant sandwich and of course, the hummus and baba ganooj is like nothing you’ve ever had before. I know – hummus is hummus, right? No! Mazza’s hummus is proper! You can also enjoy some delicious wines from Lebanon and other regions of the world. Make sure to check out their patios this summer. They’ve donated a gift certificate for our event, so come on out and tempt your palate! Mazza Cafe

EVA – RESTAURANT

Eva is a small plates lounge with a cozy little cocktail bar. The first time I went to Eva, conversations from all tables trickled into one another. It was a late night in the summer and I felt like I was dining in Italy where the communal style is more common. Eva is intimate and delightful! The dishes are delicious and their signature cocktails are a treat. They have donated a nice gift certificate, but whether you win it or not, hit your bike and ride downtown to enjoy a little taste cozy, community dining. Read more here: Eva

THE BAYOU – RESTAURANT

Beervana! The Bayou is Salt Lake’s go to spot for over 200 beers from around the world – full strength in bottles from Austria, Ireland, Czech Republic, Australia and beyond! They also have lots of local brews on tap. Their menu is stacked with southern, cajun style food from the bayou – crawdad poppers,  blackened catfish, and of course the famous mixed sweet and regular potato fries with yummy fry sauce! They’ve given us a few items for the raffle, including beer glasses, t-shirts and a gift card! Check ’em out! The Bayou

SQUATTERS BREWERY 

Squatters Brewery is pretty amazing! They have a great menu with the most amazing Ahi Tuna salad and the ‘good’ kind of beef – organic, grain fed, local! In fact, whenever possible they support and buy local. They partner with many companies around SLC that you already know well and when they have to look beyond Utah, they seek out organic and conscious food suppliers. They have donated a gift basket for the event with a gift card that you can use to treat your lover or just fill your own belly! Check them out: Squatters Brewery

UINTA BREWING COMPANY

Uinta Brewing has been keeping us happy along the Wasatch for decades, making brews and labels to put a smile on our face after a long day in the mountains or while we’re listening to music at our favorite outdoor venue. For our event, they’ve donated a tour of the brewery with a tasting of all they have on tap (if you can handle it) for up to 15 people!! Read more about the brews you love best: Uinta Brewing

BLACK DIAMOND EQUIPMENT LTD

Black Diamond has always been at the forefront for outdoor equipment – whether you plan to climb rock or ice, ski down a chute or tour up a mountain, backpack for a week or just sit around a campfire drinking whiskey with friends, Black Diamond has you covered! Located in Salt Lake City, this ‘little’ business has been keeping folks happy and safe in the outdoors for decades! They have donated a few of their headlamps this year, so make sure you’re ready for the next nightime trail run! Check them out here: Black Diamond Equipment

IME UTAH – MOUNTAIN SPORTS STORE

International Mountain Equipment, Inc. (IME) is a great little mountain sports shop tucked around the corner from REI on 3300 South in SLC. The guys that work in IME are lifers and know pretty much everyone that walks in the door. If you go there, and they don’t know you – make sure you plan a little extra time to get to know them! You won’t regret it! IME is the quintessential local shop which thrives on the climbing and snow-riding community. They carry everything from climbing, camping and skiing gear to maps, books and videos to keep you safe and make you rad! They’ve very kindly donated a Black Diamond mini-lantern and Petzl headlamp. Check out what IME has to offer here: IME Utah

GREAT BASIN CHIROPRACTIC – COMPLETE WELLNESS ASSESSMENT

Dr. Mark, as he’s known by his patients, offers integrated chiropractic care inspired by his love of the natural world. The aim of his practice is to promote spinal health by enhancing overall health. He was contacted about this event by one of his patients – a friend of mine – who would likely not be standing upright if it weren’t for Dr. Mark. If you’ve ever wanted a complete evaluation with a focus on your spine’s health and how it affects your nervous system and more, then this is the ticket item for you! He has donated a complete wellness assessment, including report findings and a plan for moving forward. Read more about Dr. Mark and his practice here: Great Basin Chiropractic

MD SPARKS – JEWELRY

Monica is the styly, local Salt Lake City gal behind MD Sparks Jewelry. Her earrings and necklaces are delicate, well-made and lovely! It has a vintage look and feel, but it’s made newly by Monica with attention to femininity and fun. She has donated a lovely Delicate Rose necklace and an amazing locket. I’ll be competing at the bidding sheets for these items, for sure!

RAI FARRELLY –  PHOTOGRAPHY

I’m not much of a photographer, as in professional, but I do love to capture moments in life that inspire me to take pause, breathe deep and just appreciate living. I’ve printed and framed three images for the auction. One depicts Babu, Saidi’s grandfather in Kiganza, Tanzania who has won some hearts in years past through the blog and photo gallery.  There are also two images captured in Amsterdam. Maybe you’ll be taking ‘me’ home to hang on your wall!

Thank you everyone for your support! Thank you Rebecca Katz, Manju, Hadley, Hilary, Jessica, Valerie, Terra, Martina and …. everyone else for helping me make these great connections in our community! ~Asante Sana!~

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Business as “Usual”

Behind all the pretty pictures of the children and the growing progress of the school, there is the business side of things – which in Tanzania can sometimes be frustrating. At other times, it can be quite enjoyable to be part of – especially coming from another culture where business just unfolds differently.  I’ll start with the frustrations, since that’s what always greets me when I arrive after a year away.

First, I found out that some of the classrooms that I had hoped would have been built before I came weren’t built. I was hoping they would be finished so that we could get as many roofs up this summer as possible.  Well, that was an unfair request on my part and while I was initially a little bummed that Lucas had just been letting the money pile in the bank instead of building – ultimately, he was right to do so.  The money he didn’t spend was critical to reaching our goal of buying any roofs at all.

Expenses for roofing materials are high, to say the least – and they’ve only gone up since last year according to Lucas and our builder Isaya.  So, with every cent that we had, we chipped away daily at the list of items that Isaya made up for us.  And, since we’re working in a village, this list also had a line item for 3 separate truck transports from the town market to the building site.  We bought hundreds of 2x4s, 2x6s, several sheets of aluminum, nails of three different sizes and some iron to join sections of the roof.  Then we paid for 3 deliveries on two separate days.  I really didn’t think it would tap the bank, but these are the first roofs I’ve put in place and now I know what to expect for the next 3 sections of the school.

Of course, I never get to go shopping for materials because as soon as they see me, the price changes. So for me – being somewhat of a control freak and always wanting a fair price – handing over stacks of cash and letting the transactions take place in good faith is hard. (It’s always cash here.  No checks, no cards – even when spending thousands.)  But, as with Lucas, I trust Isaya – his brother and our builder and he always gets a receipt to show that what he estimated was the fair price.  He is a good builder and has a good relationship with the shops.  One day, I reached my max at the ATM and he had to be given some materials on his word until he could pay the next day.  They let him, and as we promised, the shop was paid the next day.  We’ve heard stories of people in town taking materials, promising to pay the shopkeepers back and months later – they still haven’t surfaced.  This ruins the trust for everyone, but luckily – Isaya is reliable and they know where to find him. J

The next matter of frustration was the laundry list of gossip and ‘corruption’ that Lucas presented me with.  First, “people” in the village were saying that Lucas was rich and that Project Wezesha paid him so much that he personally had $100 million USD.  Can you imagine?  As if I’d walk an hour a day instead of taking ‘boda boda’ (motorcycle taxi) every time or better yet, as if I wouldn’t rent an SUV in Dar es Salaam and fly it in on my private jet … if I had a million dollars, let alone 100 million dollars.  It’s just so outlandish, but nonetheless, it puts a lot of pressure on Lucas when people think he has that much money.  Along similar lines, my friend Jane was part of a women’s group that Lucas helped them form – it’s nothing new to the region.  There are many women’s groups and they all operate a little differently but the general point is to let the women serve as a bank to the group.  They pay a set amount every month into the pot and each month, one woman takes the pot.  In some cases, this is just a rotation and you know that every x number of months you get a chunk of cash.  If you have an emergency, the group can bump you up to help pay for the doctor or a funeral.  In other systems, you have to pay the pot back after you earn the money back from an enterprise that you start with that cash advance.   In any case, Jane – being a friend of Lucas and me – was also touted to have had $70 million dollars.  Wow.

In more ‘official’ realms, I learned that an important local leader was ‘resisting’ the villagers to help with traditionally contributed services – such as coming to the building site on scheduled basis (rotating districts of the village) to help carry sand, stone and water to the site for the building to continue.  He was hoping to secure support form the villagers for upcoming elections by encouraging them to relax, drink coffee, don’t feel pressure to help, “be free”.  So, Isaya was very disappointed in the villagers.  He said the same few people would come to help and even they weren’t coming much anymore.  He also said it was mostly women that were helping.  Most men here would join me in saying, “Of course.”

Then finally, there was the tiny matter of the village government trying to stake claim to the storage unit that was built to keep all building materials during the course of the construction.  It’s a moot point now because we still have months to go before we’re done, but the reality is that it will be broken down toward the end and the materials that make up the store will be used to make latrines.

But – now for the upside!

First of all, in my desperation about how much the roofing cost and my disappointment that more classrooms hadn’t been finished, I told Lucas – “We need support – big time.”  I was feeling like I wouldn’t be able to keep chipping away like this – being the only person responsible for generating income, pulling my friends into my efforts as volunteers over and over and constantly asking my friends and family to donate again and again.  As I’m well aware – it’s not sustainable and at some point, I will burn out.

So, Lucas and I worked our way up some government channels until we were in the big fancy office of the District Commissioner, explaining our situation.  He advised us on who to talk to and luckily it was someone that Lucas actually knew – the Division Commander of Mwandiga – a large region within Kigoma that oversees several villages, including Mgaraganza.  In our meeting with this gentleman, my shoulders finally fell back into place and I was breathing easy again.  He told us the next steps, said he would support us in our efforts by arranging a big meeting with the village government and then the village citizens and he expressed his sincere gratitude for our support of the village with Amahoro Secondary School.

On the day we were to meet the village government, I was reminded a few times that, as Lucas always says, “This is Tanzanian peoples, Rai.”  We showed up like Americans – right on time at 9am – having left my hotel at 7:30am to make it.  We took a dala dala to Mwandiga and then splurged on a ‘boda boda’ so we’d arrive, not only on time but not too tired or sweaty.  Of course, only two people were present.  They told us to ‘be free’ and come back around 10:30.

Unfortunately, Jane was at Gombe with Ashahadu, so we strolled to her mother-in-law’s house and chatted for a while.  I got to hold babies (as always J) and listen to Ashahadu’s mother tell me that I need to take her to America.  She said it again and again, laughing and pointing to the sky, motioning as if she could see herself in the plane.  She was so funny.  She has a notion that going to America would make life so much better.  I told her she’d have to work so much, she’d never see the sun again.  We talked at length about the cost of living, how we take loans to buy houses and pay the bank our entire lives, etc.  Here, they get enough money to buy 10 bricks – they buy ten bricks.  When they have enough for a house, they build.  After it’s built, they own.  Of course, I told her life in America was great and that it’s a beautiful place to live.  How could I not when all I could think of in that moment was trail running this fall among the changing and falling leaves.

The village government meeting started close to 10:30.  It consisted of the Division Commander, the village Diwani (chief), the Mtendaji (Executive Officer) and the Serekali (village government) Chair.  In addition, every village leader elected in 2010 was present – all the leaders from the various districts in Mgaraganza.  These 25 men and 4 women will be in office for 5 years – so we’re starting fresh, but they’ll be our team until we finish.  The format for the meetings is very formal.  They have a very specific order of speaking and everyone who speaks is introduced with a synopsis of what they will cover.  So, the order goes: Mtendaji, Chair, Division Commander and Diwani.  Then back down the ladder and back up the ladder until they’re ready to invite guests to speak, which in this case were Lucas and I.  Even then, they asked Lucas to speak first and then me.

The majority of the lead up to our speaking was a bit of a scolding about how disappointed the Division Commander was that more villagers weren’t helping on this project.  He was very compelling in his speech (in Kiswhaili, but here’s the jist) –“In the entire world, mama Rai chose Africa.  Now Africa is very big.  And in all of Africa, mama Rai chose Tanzania.  And Tanzania is ‘kubwa sana’ and in all of Tanzania mama Rai chose Mgaraganza Village.  And she is a woman. And she is a student.  She is not rich.  She has no money.  [points to the other women] You are poor, too.  Could you go to another country and help?  Could you go to Kenya and help? Burundi? Congo?  But mama Rai, she is here.”  This is how it goes … the words are strong, the persuasion level is high, heads are nodding, every few points earn a round of applause and then we speak.

Lucas introduced himself and our project.  He reiterated the importance of village support to get this job done.  I started to feel a little bad about all the scolding – but this is their custom and their approach is to repeat, repeat and reinforce the message over and over.  So, when my time to speak came – I expressed my sincere thanks to those who have helped.  I said I’ve seen the piles of stone and sand and I know people are contributing.  But, I said that we do need continued support …. etc, etc, – like those before me.  I told them I was so happy to be here and that I love this village, the people, the environment, the language.  I told them – if only you could see how many people have contributed and how much they follow this project and support the entire village from so far away in the US and Europe.

I also gave a fairly long speech about Lucas.  I told them he was my right hand and that I trust him with everything – the money, decision-making, meetings, etc.  I said that he was an invaluable resource because he speaks English, sends updates via email, takes photos to keep me in the loop, visits our students at their secondary schools to pay fees and check grades, meets with leaders when needed and visits the school site to check on progress.  And of course, he’s a dear friend and like a brother to me – so in addition to all the logistical support, he’s a joy to work with.  I explained that I take no salary at all from Project Wezesha and Lucas only takes a very small salary for his trips to and fro and all the bookkeeping and traveling that he does for the job.  I urged them to support Lucas by resisting people from engaging in gossip about him having a lot of money and purposefully keeping it all to himself.  “It’s just not true.”  I told them that he uses his small salary to feed his family – he lives with his mother, father, two younger brothers and sister.

I didn’t mention this in the meeting, but his family has very little income and relies primarily on Lucas and the sales of goats once in a while.  His parents’ have a farm four hours (walking) from the house and once a year, they go there for up to 4 months to grow and then harvest. At harvest time, all the children (not kids, per se but Lucas and his adult siblings) walk out to the farm and then help carry the food home.  The food consists of corn – corn only.  They don’t sell the corn.  They dry it and then grind it into flour and that feeds them for the rest of the year.  They eat the flour in the form of ‘ugali’, a sticky white substance made when you cook the flour in boiled water.  They also have some ‘mchicha’ (spinach) from another small farm closer to home that Lucas’ mother has.  With any actual money they have, they buy beans, small fish (ndagaa) and sometimes rice.  But mostly, it’s ugali, mchicha and beans.

So, back at the meeting – all went well.  They allowed for a few leaders to speak and they mostly said they were grateful for the support and happy to have us in the village.  They pledged their continued support and said they would encourage people in their districts to help.  The village government also said they would meet with the Division Commander to draft the letter of support for the DC to take to the government to secure funding for the school in the next budget session (hopefully).  I think it seems very likely!  The Diwani said he would invite the DC to come to see the school in order to show them that it is happening.  They are also planning to register the school so that they can perhaps open it in sections and have students begin attending Form 1.  Then, as the blocks of classrooms are completed, the students will continue to be admitted until finally, we have a complete secondary school with students ranging Form 1 to Form 4.

After this small meeting with village heads and the Serekali, we were invited to have lunch with several of them in the office.  We had dried fish, rice and cabbage in a tomato sauce with Coca Cola.  A feast of honor.  Then, well – the next meeting was fun!  The entire village was invited to come out for a Village Public Hearing.  It unfolded similarly to the smaller meeting in terms of order of speaking and content, but added to the content was another harsh scolding because the villagers came over an hour late and even when they did show up, it was only a fraction of the village.  But, by the time the meeting was wrapping up, a nice crowd had come.  I got to speak again and introduce myself.  It was funny because in our smaller meeting, they told me that some people still didn’t believe that there was a woman from America behind the school.  So, I told them – “See, I do exist and my name is Rai.  You can call me dada Rai rather than mzungu now.” And they all laughed.  I told them about Lucas and his importance to the project and that they can trust him deeply.  I told them about all my friends and family back home who support them from afar – “Hundreds of people in America have made this happen, not me alone.”  I thanked them for coming and for any support they have given.

Then, I said – “I like coffee.  Napenda kahawa … sana!” And they all laughed. “And I know that after I drink coffee, I have a lot of energy!” And they laughed again.  “So, next time – after you finish your coffee and you have extra energy, take a walk up to the school and just see if Isaya needs your help.” And again, they laughed and nodded.  Side note: the truth is, they seriously do sit in these large covered open air huts drinking coffee and playing games most of the day … the men only.  The women are off chopping firewood, caring for babies, making food, and fetching water – no exaggeration.  Some men are very hard workers and you always see them pushing a bicycle piled high with pineapple, charcoal, flour, bananas or any other items for sale or consumption.  But more than less are just meandering about.  Even the leaders were confirming this to be true.  They were asking about life in the US and the Division Commander was wishing Tanzanians would work a little more like Americans.  It’s a sacrifice in either direction – pace of life vs. development of society.

Throughout the entire public hearing there were many thanks to Project Wezesha for the support we’ve given by way of the school building and scholarship program.  At the end of the meeting, they invited me up front and offered me a gift.  The Diwani said, “We have little to offer you to say ‘thank you’, only our words.  But we also want to gift you these kangas, which represent our tribe and our culture.  We hope you will never forget Mgaraganza Village.  Keep us in your mind always.  May God bless you with good health, with continued support for this project and safe travels home. Thank you so very much from all of us here in Mgaraganza.”  It was really quite overwhelming.  I put my hand my elbow to take the kangas (showing respect when receiving something), curtseyed a little and turned to tell the entire village – “Urakoze Cane” which manes ‘Asante Sana’ (Thank You) in Kihaa, their tribal language.  They all laughed and clapped.

After some small talk and greetings with a handful of villagers and some familiar faces, we hopped up on our motorcycles and sped off into the sunset.  Literally.  The Division Commander wouldn’t let Lucas and I walk back because ‘the time was not enough’.  So, we took a boda boda to Mwandiga, took a dala dala to Kigoma and after saying ‘bye’ to Lucas I continued on foot along my dusty trail to the hotel to inhale a Kilimanjaro beer and some fish curry. Lala salama, dada Rai.

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Update on Amahoro Secondary School – Sept 2011

On Thursday, Lucas and I went to Kiganza village to scoop up Hindu and Saidi and head over to Mgaraganza for our first big day of labor.  We figured we’d have them come along so we could catch up while on our walk and as we wait for the work to begin.

When I stepped off the dala dala in Kiganza, first I was almost bowled over by Hindu as she came running up the street as if she had known I was going to step off the dala dala.  Our excitement to see each other was huge and yet, seeing her again – it was like I only left last week, not last year.  Then before I knew it, another body was flying toward me – Mama Juma, one of my favorite mamas in the village.  PW followers might remember the picture of baby Hawa, barely a month old smiling in my lap last year (surely gas, but a cute picture nonetheless).  I’ve known this family from the first year I came here and I quite love their kids – Juma and Musa.  She was whooping to see me and gave me a big hug, then kept laughing and saying my name between greetings and check in questions.  Her smile – Love!!!

We went to Saidi’s house and he was squatting over a piece of paper with a magnifying glass held up so that the sun was beaming through – trying to start a fire.  I crept into his ‘courtyard’ and then I jumped forward and said ‘BOO!’ and he didn’t even look up! … so I laughed. Then he jumped back and stood up to greet me, laughing with surprise.  He’s grown at least a few inches since last year, which for him is just bringing him up to speed as he was always the shortest of his peers.  We spent a quick minute greeting his babu and his sister Zainabu, but then we started making our way over to Mgaraganza.

The walk to Mgaraganza from Kiganza is about 40-50 minutes and it flew by as we caught up and Lucas chatted to them about folks they all knew and about school stuff.  We went straight up to the school site and waited for Isaya to arrive with the first big delivery of bao or wood for the roof.   Isaya is Lucas’ brother and our general contractor.  We had just met with him that morning in town to hand over a stack of cash to get the first installment of roof materials delivered.

The roof will be completed on 4 classrooms and two offices while I’m here!  But it will also tap the bank.  The wood for the job fills two large dump trucks and the aluminum will make a third load.  Each load costs just under $80 to deliver.  The wood and aluminum cost a pretty penny and then the nails tack on another few lines of the budget.  All told, the cost for the roofs on this row of rooms (6 in total) is 8.6 million shillings plus labor to pay the skilled workers that put the roof on – 8 million shillings … in USD, is about $7,000.  So …. Thank you so much to everyone who came out for our Raise the Roof fundraiser in SLC this past August because without the $4,000 that came in from that event, we surely would not have been able to make this happen this summer!  And huge thank you to everyone else who donated outside of this event in the past year.  I guess I should really say that we are making it by the skin of our teeth.  Which of course, means that I’ll have to hit the fundraising hard this coming year to keep the project rolling forward!  Incidentally, I also met with the district director in the government here in Kigoma – he advised me on how to go about creating a request for support from the Tanzanian government with the village government, so we’ll be meeting the local leaders on Monday to write up that request … fingers crossed, the TZ government meets us half way to speed up this process!

The wood arrived in two trips separated by the time it took for Isaya to go back with the transport crew and reload in town (about 2 hours).  After the first drop of the wood, Lucas, Hindu, Saidi, Kalekwa and I stacked the hundreds of 2x4s that they dropped off.  I didn’t realize we’d be working so hard and I told Saidi and Hindu not to feel obligated to help – but of course those two would never just stand by watching.  Our backs were about broken when we were done (well old dada Rai’s was anyway) and we were all exhausted and so hot.  Lucas and Kalekwa ran to the Mgaraganza market and stocked up on bananas while I sat and chatted with Hindu and Saidi.

I talked to them about school and the situation here in the village schools.  It was not the most uplifting conversation – they told me some grim statistics about the success rate of children passing secondary school final examinations.  I shudder as I type this, but in one secondary school – where I have a few students in attendance, 7 of 200 students passed their final examinations last year.  SEVEN!  The biggest problem as the students see it is that the teachers don’t always come to class and only the teacher has a book for the subject he teaches.  The students rely on the teachers to give good lectures, provide good notes and help them review for exams.  But, I ask you – how can a teacher really make sure students understand what you’re teaching when you have 60-90 students in one class?

One bookseller in town said that for student success, it’s 80% the books and 20% the teachers.  Of course, he’s a bookseller, but I think there’s a lot of truth to this statement.  If students have money to buy books and study outside of school, they will fare well – if they don’t, then they stand little chance.  Most students can barely pay the 20,000Tsh/year school fees let alone spend 10,000Tsh on a text book.  Many of our scholarship program students are in Form 4 and will take their final examinations this year in October.  Only two of our students are in Form 1, and one of them is Saidi.  Saidi is truly one of the best and the brightest and I’m thinking strongly about putting him into a private school. … is that ok to do? Regardless, we’re planning to buy some books for the students.

More stories and updates to come as the new week unfolds!  Happy Weekend.

 

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‘Raise the Roof’ – A Fundraiser for Project Wezesha

On Friday August 5th, there will be a lot going on around town – but the music-packed event that you really should not miss is the ‘Raise the Roof’ bash at The Woodshed in Salt Lake City, UT! The goal of this event is to raise as much money as we can to put roofs on the classrooms that we’ve finished on Amahoro Secondary School over the past year. To date, we have the foundation and walls completed on 8 classrooms (and more going up daily)! When I head back over to TZ in late August, I’m hoping to bring with me the funds to finish these classrooms! In the coming year, we’ll continue fundraising and round the bend on this school with hopes of a ribbon cutting in summer 2012 – ahead of schedule!

Let's Raise the Roof on this School!

Help us make this happen by saving the date and spreading the word about our summer fundraiser on Friday August 5th! As someone noted recently, Salt Lake is saturated with things to do this summer – from music in the parks to movies in the canyons, from farmers markets to the Outdoor Retailer show, from 5k fun runs to big mountain marathons … just squeeze a little room on your calendars for this night of great music for a great cause!

The musical line-up includes Better Off with the Blues, Koko and Camaro, The Last Look, singer-songwriters Cambriah Heaton, Kaleb Hanly, Sara Baldwin and Eric O’Keefe.  Save the date and spread the word. If your friends are there, where else would you want to be! So – bring ’em all!

Click here to read about all of the local businesses and artists who have donated to make the raffle and silent auction very much worth your while!

Where – The Woodshed – 800 South 60 East, SLC UT

When – Friday August 5th; kicking off around 7pm

Music – Cambriah Heaton, Better Off with the Blues, Koco and Camaro, The Last Look, Kaleb Hanly, Eric O’Keefe and Sara Baldwin

$15 at the door; includes one raffle ticket.  More for sale inside, plus a silent auction!

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Empower through Education

Project Wezesha is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2009 by Lucas Lameck and Rai Farrelly.  We founded Project Wezesha to address the needs of children in rural villages within the Kigoma Region of Western Tanzania.  Wezesha is the Kiswahili word for Empower.  The aim of Project Wezesha is to empower local communities through increased access to education for the children.  By engaging the community and relying on village leadership, Project Wezesha is able to target the locally identified needs of the community.  Our current programming includes a secondary school scholarship program for children most in need as well as a building project to provide Mgaraganza Village with its first ever secondary school – Amahoro Secondary.

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Utah Artist, Hadley Rampton, Supports Project Wezesha through Art Sales

Upcoming June-July sales of Hadley Rampton’s watercolors from the ‘Zanzibar’ series will benefit Project Wezesha!  Keep reading to learn more!!  We’re so excited!

Hadley Rampton is an exceptional artist from Salt Lake City, Utah.  She is perhaps best known for her remarkable plein air oil paintings of wilderness landscapes in Northern Utah.  However, her talents with watercolor are equally impressive.  For her watercolor inspiration, Hadley makes annual trips to Europe to capture the history, architecture and culture of old cities.  She strives to find the story of time gone by in the old buildings and cobble stone streets.

Hadley Rampton painting the sunset over Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania

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May 2011 Update on Amahoro Secondary School

It is so exciting to see the progress on Amahoro Secondary School.  Project Wezesha is lucky to have Lucas as our co-founder and in-country director because he is really driving this project with his encouragement, diligence and excellent photos.  He just sent 27 photos via email to share the progress!

Since November, there have been some interruptions in the work due to intense rainy periods and some illnesses.  Our General Contractor, Isaya, got very sick in January, but he’s better now and back to work – keeping his crew motivated and doing stellar work.

Recent building progress was possible thanks to contributions from friends and family over the holidays and into February when the Ignite Salt Lake presentation garnered some attention for the work of Project Wezesha.  I also drove some funds into Project Wezesha as my birthday wish on Facebook this year.  We’ll have to arrange a few good fundraisers in the summer before I head back in August to make sure all the completed classrooms can get their roofs this summer.

The first big successes of the winter building endeavor were the two additional classrooms that Isaya and his crew finished.

 

After completing this row of rooms (4 classrooms and 1 office space), Isaya began work on the foundation for the next set of 5 rooms.  This required the very difficult job of clearing the land and digging the trenches for the foundation.  The foundation consists of a cement/lyme mix poured over boulders placed in the trenches.  These stones and the sand that gets mixed with the cement are valuable to local villages – in this case, the village of Mgaraganza has donated all the stones and sand as well as the labor required to get these heavy stones and buckets of sand to the site from a nearby dry riverbed.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, those buckets are HEAVY and the women carry them with no hands, babies on their backs and flip flops on their feet.  I’m ever impressed!

 

Again, without Lucas the work would likely get done at a much slower rate.  Lucas is often visiting the village and talking with the local leaders to remind them that the school is a community project.  After the rainy season, Lucas stirred everyone into action again by checking in and encouraging them to pitch in.  I think he’s getting good at giving pep talks (as you can see in the picture where he’s captivating them). 

In addition to the villagers of Mgaraganza, a group of students in the Project Wezesha scholarship program came out to help!  These students are already going to secondary school at Mwandiga Secondary School and PW helps with their school fees, uniforms and materials.  But still, they have come out to Mgaraganza with Lucas to chip in!  They carried sand and water and then took some breaks to make sure Isaya was staying on task. 🙂
 
After a strong push to get the foundation dug and round up enough stones and sand, the workers finished the foundation for the next row of classes!  The next step will be to buy bricks, transport them to the site and start raising them to the sky!  So exciting!!

 

Lucas, you rock! Asante Sana!!
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PW Students Visit Amahoro Secondary School

Last week, Lucas passed through Kiganza village en route to Mgaraganza village to collect more pictures of the school.  On his way, he picked up some of the Project Wezesha students who were making the long journey home from school in Mwandiga.  For those that live in Kiganza village, such as Hindu, Edina, Ismael and Diana, that trek is about an hour long on foot.  For those that live in Mgaraganza, there is another 30 minutes through the forest to get home – that impacts Zainabu, Silvasia and Khadija.

On this sunny day, Lucas invited all of them to go the extra distance through Mgaraganza village to the school building site to see the progress. They wandered through the lush forest (rainy season just passed) and up to the school where they were so excited to see the progress. Along the way, they also picked up Matamshi and Judith, two of our students who go to secondary school in Kagongo village. In this picture, they are crossing the river that divides Kiganza village and Mgaraganza village.

 
Crossing the River that borders Kiganza and Mgaraganza Villages

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