It is the days in the Village that make all the hardship worthwhile. This is where it is really happening, where I feel that I am doing what I should be doing in Africa. I bought three packets of biscuits, and though I try to dish them out one by one, they each grab three or four. This is not because they are inconsiderate or impolite. It is because they are starving and clearly desperate for food.
Today I bought with my meager fund money:
10 chicks @ 3$ each
2 piglets @ 20$ each
2 goats @24 $ each
4 sacks of seeds @ 30$ each
They have built the chicken houses and the fields are ready to sow before the rainy season. They want to plant individual kitchen gardens at home, but I insist that it is a communal project. I feel that this will help bring them together and avoid unfair distribution, which I have experienced with the biscuits. They agree, and I pay an extra 20$ for two people to be in charge of the gardens for a month.
My new friend is with me. He is a local resident, and together with some friends has set up an NGO to promote self sustainable food projects, alternative energy and women's support groups. we have the same goals.
In the airport I met Alice. Alice is an ageless lady from California. She has been coming to Tanzania since 1996, has initiated dozens of projects including nursing, sustainable food projects, herbal medicine and building a bridge. She has many local brothers and sisters, and she has climbed the Kilimanjaro 12 times. She says it has been worth it and much more.
Jeremy
Sunday 22 February 2009
Sunday 15 February 2009
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