Empower 5k Trail Run

It’s a sunny day in March – St. Patrick’s Day, actually – which is kind of like a national holiday for me, being the daughter of Irish immigrants! So with Spring springing all around and the tulips coming out of the ground, I’m inspired and motivated to get things done!

My big accomplishment this week was putting the final business in order for our first big fundraiser for Project Wezesha. On Saturday, May 15th, 2010 we are happy to host the Empower 5k Trail Run. As you may remember, Wezesha is the Kiswahili word for Empower! Folks who partake in this fun run are helping to empower the young children of Mgaraganza village in Tanzania. How? Well – all proceeds from the Empower 5k Trail Run go to the Amahoro Secondary School project. Continue reading “Empower 5k Trail Run”

Saying "I Do" in Kiganza

There is possibly nothing more alive than a village wedding! The colors, the food, the singing, the dancing, the laughing, the whooping… I had the fabulous last minute opportunity to go to the wedding of Hindu’s sister, Amina. On what I thought was my last trip to the village to see the kids, Hindu handed me a sweetly constructed letter inviting me to her sister’s wedding that Sunday. Knowing that I had resigned to staying in Kigoma town on Sunday to relax and pack and take in the last few moments in town before flying to Dar the next day – you’d think I would have hesitated before answering, but I found a big ‘yes’ flying out of my smile before I could even catch myself… Continue reading “Saying "I Do" in Kiganza”

Watoto Wazuri Wanasoma

The children continue to blow my mind here. They are so excited to learn and therefore so delighted by the smallest of gifts … like pencils or pens. They take them shyly, with the right hand – left hand placed gently on their right elbow as a sign of respect and then turn and run screaming back to their homes to show brothers and sisters what they just got from Rehema. I can’t help think … but what will they write on? Most of them won’t have paper or notebooks at home and yet, the gift of a pencil is so coveted.

I delivered my last round of books, notebooks and writing tools to the village the other day. We set up a library of sorts in the home of one of my favorite little ones – Saidi. His father was so delighted to meet me this year and he’s 100% behind the children’s education. He won’t let them tire of learning and insists that it’s the only way for them to go somewhere in life. When I suggested using his house as the learning center, he was more than happy to say yes. The kids in the neighborhood have already come up with a system of ‘checking out’ books to read or use for a day or two. We’ll see how long the books survive and if they come back once they go, but I think in a village this small – the checks and balances will work easily as they all know each other and want to hold each other’s respect and friendship.

Continue reading “Watoto Wazuri Wanasoma”

A Day in the Life – Tanzania

If you ever think to yourself, I’d love to join Rai on one of her adventures in Africa – then maybe you’d first like to know what a day in my life is like on this little education-building mission.

As I mentioned, I forewent the cheap guest house accomodation for a little peace of mind. I’m still paying a very reasonable rate for a nice cozy room and my own bathroom on the top of a hill overlooking the lake. I wake up and mozy on over for breakfast – which never changes in its options: fresh papaya, pineapple, banana, warm chapati, and a surprise tub of peanut butter and a side of jelly. Of course, chai, coffee and hot chocolate as well as fresh juice are always available! Not so shabby. The TV usually blares in the room, often from Aljazeera – which has me convinced that little good is happening in the world right now. The majority of the news I see is about police in Iran killing protesters, people in Israel taking over Palestinian lands and properties, US killing civilians in Afghanistan, Somali pirates kidnapping anyone and random and assorted details about trains and planes crashing in and around the US… so, I take all that with my fruit, wash it back with fresh juice and then begin my day with the intention of having a positive impact on a seemingly doomed planet! Continue reading “A Day in the Life – Tanzania”

Meeting the Village Chief

What an amazing experience!! I am humbled beyond belief and had to stifle the tears as I watched the day unfold. I was talking with my friend Lucas and his brother, Isiah, about my desire to increase the children I support, with the help of friends back home, from 6 to 12. I also tossed in the idea of perhaps helping one primary school with the building of a much needed classroom to accomodate the great number of students served by this school. This conversation evolved into a discussion about the greater need of this area to have a secondary school. I learned of a collection of about 5 villages that each have at least one primary school, but completely lack a secondary school, leaving the children the option of stopping after about grade 7 or so for life or trekking over an hour to go to the nearest secondary school. Build an entire school?? I think with a little help from my friends, the formation of a non-profit and serious fundraising, we can do this … so … let’s build a school! Continue reading “Meeting the Village Chief”

Secondary School Scholarship Recipients

My days were winding down fast toward the end of my time in Kiganza and it suddenly seemed like there was so much to do before leaving (which is rarely really the case, but it’s amazing how much extra you can create for yourself when there’s a deadline – I’ve always worked better that way as my parents and colleagues and friends and dogs and … well, everyone knows!).

One of my big projects and the most important I’m sure, was wrapping up a little idea called the Kiganza Children’s Education Fund. The idea came to me and Lucas once upon many of our hours together. It was always so disheartening to me to know how few children attended secondary school (relative to the number of children in the village) because their family simply could not afford it. For a child to attend Form 1 and 4, the cost is around $100USD per year because for the first and last years there are exam fees and other extra costs. For Form 2 and 3 the cost is only about $20USD per year, which is extremely manageable … for me! For these people, it’s still a steep expense in their life when their monthly income if they’re lucky can reach $30, but often hovers much lower – especially for those who march great distances to sell fruit or vegetables in neighboring villages, often coming home with only a few hundred shillings profit (equivalent of a few dollars). Continue reading “Secondary School Scholarship Recipients”

Watoto Watoto

Watoto is Swahili for children. Kiganza, a small village in the Kigoma region (not too far from Kigoma town) has no shortage of Watoto! The children are amazing and so beautiful, as I’ve said before. They are so independent and resilient. It is not uncommon at all to see a 10 year old carrying a load larger than herself on her head, walking the distance from Mwandiga to Kiganza (two villages connected by an hour on foot along a dusty dirt road). It’s also not uncommon to find young girls (as young as 4 years of age) toting their kid sisters or brothers on their backs, slung in a kanga with a big knot tied at their chest, the toddler on their back almost half the size of the sibling that’s carrying him/her – usually fast asleep – and all the while, the older sibling goes about with her actions: carrying a load, singing with the other children, walking to and from the market, or just sitting around, staring at the Mzungu (guess who that would be!).


Continue reading “Watoto Watoto”