Wiki Tatu

The week began with the creation of English Lessons and tests for the week. I went to the market to pick up fruit and veggies and practiced the art of bargaining in Tanzania. I’m beginning to learn some of the tricks, and am becoming more comfortable using the phrase “Ni ghali mno”, “that’s too expensive” (Thanks M&A!) I’m also learning some of the truths of Mwanza… there is a women around every corner carrying bananas on her head and you see lizards as often as you see squirrels in Canada!

Around every corner…Banana Ladies and Lizards!

On Tuesday morning I rode my bike to the Starehe nursery school in Nsumbe. I spent the morning reading stories to a group of four and five year old children and we practiced numbers and the alphabet in English. We played in the courtyard and then took a break for a lunch of ugali and beans. In the afternoon the primary kids returned from school and we had homework club for two hours. I met with the couple who built and have organized the orphanage and together we came up with a plan so that I may begin to conduct my research study next week. I shared information regarding the health benefits of probiotics and they decided that they would like me to bring probiotic yogurt to the orphanage following the completion of my data collection.
Wednesday morning Mama Joyce met me at the WHE apartment and we spent the morning discussing a plan to suit the needs of the new yogurt customers. We set off to NIMR together, had a brief chat with Simon, and dropped off some milk to be inoculated with GR-1. I stayed at the library at NIMR where I spent the remainder of the morning replaying to emails. As I was leaving NIMR, I was trapped in a heavy rainstorm and hid in the shelter of a primary school. Luckily, I had a package of stickers in my bag and quickly became very popular with the primary students. When the rain let up I went to Mabatini to give an English lesson. Earlier in the week I received an email from Meaghan, the WHE intern who left Mwanza at the end of December. She sent a message in Swahili for the Mama’s. They were absolutely thrilled and asked me to take a picture to send to Canada. Past interns, they mentioned all of your names and send their love!

Mamas Joyce, Elizabeth and Sabina waving hujambo…
and very possibly distracting me to avoid writing their test!

In the evening Mama Joyce and I set off in the dala dala for a meeting with a woman by the name of Louiseanne from the Shaloom Health Center. Louisanne is a public health nurse and is in Mwanza researching herbal healing remedies (Imagine my excitement!). She just so happens to be a fellow Canadian and MacMaster University Alumni- such a small world! She met Mama Joyce at a trade fair in November and is very interested in probiotics. She works with families who are affected by HIV/AIDS as well, and is hoping to partner with WHE to in hopes of improving the health status within this community. This is going to be an excellent distribution opportunity for the Yogurt Mamas representing between 1,000-3,000 potential new clients.

Thursday morning I biked 5L of yogurt to the Shaloom Health Center for a trial run. I met several researchers within the facility and visited the youth center. Louisanne was kind enough to invite me into her home so that we could share our goals for our time in Tanzania. She gave me a copy of her report and explained at length the details of her study. She is working on a pilot project to see how plants native to Tanzania can reduce the incidence of malaria and decrease opportunistic conditions associated with HIV. Lemongrass, aka Moringa Oleifera, as a natural mosquito repellant and Kombucha fungus, a plant with strong antiseptic properties, natural immune boosting power and anticarcinogenic properties are among those she is studying. I’m really looking forward to learning more and following her project over the next few months.

Friday morning I worked on translating my own research study into Swahilli. I spent the afternoon at the kitchen and gave the Mama’s a review before their English test. I biked to the Forever Angels baby home in the afternoon to deliver yogurt and made it just in time for a dance party with the toddlers. I couldn’t peel myself away to take a picture, but just imagine 12 boys and girls between the ages of two and four years old dancing to Bongo Flava music. My face hurt from smiling and laughing! I can’t help posting a few shots of their adorable faces.

Point of realization- these cuties know and love the camera!

I ended the week off with another amazing hike on the island just opposite of Mwanza city called Sammane. A 5,000 Tanzanian Shilling round trip allowed me my first wildlife sightings in Africa. A Hyena, Gazelles, Monkeys and a Lion topped the list! I really can’t think of a better way to spend $5 Canadian! The island was stunning, and as always, the pictures do it no justice.

A game of "Where’s Waldo?" Can you spot 6 furry critters?

If you blink, you can literally miss them! Gazelles are sooooo fast

I may have actually risked a limb for this one… But well worth it!

This lion had no problem letting me know where I belong on the food chain!

I wonder how far under water these rocks used to be??

Ruben contemplating how to catch the fish

Wiki Mbili

Sundays mornings begin with a 7:30am bike ride to Forever Angels were I spend 5 hours playing, cuddling and laughing with the babies and toddlers. We sang songs, read books in English and Swahilli, played house in the playground and ran around the jungle gym.

Taking a quick break to rehydrate!

In the evening, some local friends came for dinner and shared some tales of their life in East Africa. Grace, orphaned at birth, explained her story growing up with a family in Kenya on an opium farm. You can imagine how interesting her stories were! She is now a 25 year old proud mother of two, with a diploma in counseling. Her husband, Jontwa, is also a counselor for a Christian group and he works to educate and provide support within the HIV community. He explained his ambition to write, and detailed the book that he is currently creating based on the mind set of government leaders in East Africa. Jontwa explained to us that one of the biggest political problems in Africa is corruption, and stated that he believes the route cause of these actions stem from a childhood of poverty- a very plausible explanation.

Grace, Jontwa, their two children and I in the WHE apartment.

Monday morning began as I created English lessons for the week. I spent the day with the Mama’s making yogurt and practicing my Swahili conversation skills. We had an English lesson for two hours and I was able to meet a few of the children of the Yogurt Mama’s.

Yogurt Kitchen in Mabatini.

On Tuesday, I met with a teacher from Germany named Tini. I was able to share with her the grand opening of a nursery school that she has spent the past five years fundraising for. She introduced me to about 60 of the 117 children who live at the orphanage on the premise, and we spent the afternoon running around the playground and completing math homework. Tini has agreed to allow me to conduct part of my research project with the children at the orphanage. I will be comparing the diet and growth progression of the children at the Starehe nursery school (children who are not consuming probiotic yogurt) to the children at Forever Angles (those who are consuming probiotic yogurt). These are very similar populations as both groups of children arrived at the respective orphanage in infancy, and have consumed a similar diet of traditional dishes and local foods. I will begin data collection over the next few weeks.

Wednesday morning I ventured to the market in search for a basket for the back of my bike. My chariot is now officially the yogurt delivery mobile of Mwanza. I travelled to Sekou Toure Hospital with Ruben so that I could see where he conducts his research trials. There was an interesting trailer at the entrance of the Hospital…. A storage unit where one may go to purchase a coffin…. Not the most reassuring site to see!!! I spent the afternoon in Mabatini where the Mamas shared a meal of rice, spinach and onions with me, and we had our English lesson for the day.

The “choose your coffin” trailer at the entrance of the hospital

On Thursday I fought with the internet for several hours trying to post my blog. Plan A, and the contingency plan both failed. It has been quite the uphill battle with the internet. I can finally appreciate the patience of previous interns! I spent the afternoon chatting with Simon, the microbiologist that is in charge of the bacterial cultures for WHE. I was able to read some journals published from NIMR researchers in the afternoon. I rode my bike to Tunza in the evening for yoga and made a quick detour to shoot some pictures.

The sun glistening over the waters of beautiful Lake Victoria

On Friday morning, January 18th, I woke up to a Birthday song from Ruben and Pendo and had cake for breakfast! Together the three of us shared stories of our past Birthdays and spent the morning laughing. I spent the morning printing and photocopying (a 10 minute task in Canada, but a 3 hour job in Tanzania!). I travelled to the bank then onward to Mabatini to give the Mamas their English test for the week. I picked up 6L of yogurt, strapped it onto my bike, and headed to Forever Angles for the afternoon. I came back to the apartment around 7pm. I walked in an immediately dropped everything that I was carrying when I saw the cutest little kitten sitting in a box in the middle of the floor! Mama Coroko, the nurse who had Ruben and I over to her home for lunch last weekend has decided to “loan” Ruben a kitten for the remainder of his time in Tanzania! We played with the little cutie for a few hours then met some friends for a Birthday celebration dinner at the restaurant of hotel Tilapia. We had a delicious meal then spent the evening dancing at a local hangout. We grooved to African beats and stayed out way too late! The other volunteers that I have met here are such incredible people. I am so lucky to share this experience with such kind hearted friends who have made me feel so welcome in Tanzania. It was by far the best Birthday that I could have ever asked for!

Awwwww!

On the weekend I set out for a hike to discover the beaten paths of Mwanza. I found myself in the heart of a little fishing village where I saw birds that stood about half my height.

Fishing village

Birds that stand almost 3 feet tall!

Around 3pm I went back to the apartment to feed Miss Kitty her favorite meal of dagaa, dried fish the size of sardines, yum! Ruben and I set out for walk, which turned out to be a second hike for me for the day. This time the travels were in the opposite direction, up the granite stone hills. We found a huge water tower, which at the time was the highest point that either of us had ever reached in Mwanza, so naturally, we figured it would be a good idea to climb. Not so! On my way down I was met by a group of locals and a man who shared a piece of his mind with me…. Apparently I have no business shooting pictures of the city. We spent a good half hour listening to this man explain his point of view. We came to realize the source of his frustration- the documentary “Darwin’s Nightmare”, which is a depiction of life in Mwanza. Pole sana bwana (very sorry sir). We continued our journey and shot several more pictures of the outstanding landscape.

We met several little cuties along the way, each pointing and laughing at the wandering wazungu. We stopped to play a quick game of soccer at the top of the mountain were I was totally outrun and out played- and I used to think that I had endurance!

Some faces of Mwanza

On our way back into town we were guided down the hills by some children who were carrying water to their homes the traditional African way.

Water delivery

This is the end of another amazing week in the beautiful country to Tanzania.

Wiki moja na Wiki mbili

The end of my first week and a half in Mwanza has already arrived, and what an experience it has been so far.
In the past week I have been in four different continents, have spent over 21 hours in the air, and have been on the longest stretch of sleepless nights in my entire life. The journey began on January 2nd as my 20kg max. suitcase was placed into the trunk and I had my last glimpse of snow (waist high) for the winter.

Barrie Spirit in January

My first 7 hour flight arrived in England at 8am local time on January 3rd, and I spent the day trotting the major cities of England. With twelve hours to kill, the tourist in me was unleashed and I sought off to see all of the big sights: Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the National Gallery of Art and so on.

The river in Queens Park outside of Buckingham Palace

A Canadian monument in England

My second flight was aboard Qatar Airways for a 6 hour flight and 3 hour layover in Daho, Qatar. Looking down from an altitude of 1.5 km, I could see only white on the ground- but this time, it was not snow- I was in the middle of the desert! I was not able to leave the airport, but I could appreciate several interesting structures and artistic creations from the sky and from the airport, namely the man-made islands off the coast and the intricate architecture of the nearby buildings.

Daho Airport, Qatar

My third flight of 5.5 hours brought me to the hot, sticky airport in Dar es Salaam where the midday temperature had reached a scorching 37 degrees. A shock for this Canadian who had a winter jacket crammed tightly into her carry-on. After a two hour layover I boarded my fourth and final flight for the journey. Two and a half hours later I landed safely in Mwanza, Tanzania! I shot a few quick pictures to "karibu" (Welcome) myself to Tanzania and set off to meet Alison Chen, WHE fall intern 2008.

Finally, I have reached this destination!

The luggage conveyor belt... or lack there of... in Mwanza

I was greeted with the big smiles of Alison Chen and her mother at the airport and a taxi from the Kivulini Women’s Rights Organization who brought us to my new home for the next five months. I dropped off my bags and we set out into the city for my first meal in Mwanza. We shared stories and laughs and called it a night early so that we could rest for the full day ahead.

On Saturday January 5th Alison, Ms. Chen and I began the morning with a traditional African breakfast of Chapati, and set out to see all of the important places and people of Mwanza. City council, the bank, the Massai market, the international school of language, to name a few, and in the afternoon we met the Yogurt Mamas in Mabatini. They are all such sweet, kind hearted women that welcomed me several times over. I am very excited to have a chance to work with them for the next few months. We ended the evening at Tunza lodge, a popular hang out for volunteers and expats. Alison was able to say goodbye to some of the amazing friends that she made while in Mwanza.

On Sunday January 6th, Alison said her last goodbye to Tanzania and began her flight to Uganda. And so my life as the WHE Canadian intern truly began…

On Monday morning I caught up on some much needed rest and spent the day travelling around the city by foot in hopes to establish my bearings. I practiced Swahilli with the locals and picked up some fresh produce. I marveled at the sights, sounds and smells of the new city, all very foreign-kind of like the wandering “Mzungu”. It is a very socialist society here, you may not begin a conversation until you have asked a person how they are, how their family is, how their work is etc. It is really neat to see the importance of interpersonal relationships here. I also had my first experience with rotating electricity... very good for my creativity! I laid pretty low for the afternoon as I still felt very jet-lagged, and so I unpacked my bags in my new home. For dinner, I attempted to cook some millet that I bought at the market… much different then millet in Canada! Two and a half hours later it was still rock hard. Ruben and I were very hungry, tired and frustrated, so we decided that we would try to eat it anyway. The term “rock hard” became quite literal as we found ourselves picking little stones out of our mouths! I will have to attempt this meal again.

Tuesday was more eventful. I spent the morning with the Mama’s in Mabatini observing how they make yogurt and spent the afternoon tying up some loose ends at City Council so that the women may secure their contract with the TASAF coordinator. In the afternoon Pendo, our house employee, taught me that the millet that I tried to cook the night before is supposed to be ground into a fine flour in order to make the African specialty, uji. She also taught me that the flavor solution to most African entrees is to add butter and sugar- wonderful for a nutrition student! In the evening Claire, a volunteer for Catholic Relief Services, picked me up so that I could experience the treat of a lifetime, yoga on the beach with a panoramic view of Lake Victoria. It was here that I had enjoyed the first red African sky at sunset!

Sunset over Lake Victoria

On Wednesday morning I bought a bike to relieve myself of a dependence on taxis and dala dalas. Ruben and I went to the National Institute of Medical Research where I was able to meet many more faces of WHE. On the way home I snapped some quick photos of Lake Victoria in the daylight.

View of Lake Victoria

We travelled by dala dala to Buswelu, a small community and home to a mother and father who have two children and took it upon themselves to adopt 55 more. There were 57 children running around, all between the ages of 0-18 years old. We played games and ran around with the kids for a few hours, then I was treated to spa day in Africa as ten little girls decided I was in need of a makeover. I had my finger nails painted and about 20 different hair do’s that evening! I also had my own personal photographer who shot over 150 pictures within the hour. We enjoyed another traditional African meal of rice, beans and cooking bananas prepared in a tomato sauce and headed home after gazing at the stars, the only light in the sky!

Playing games

Getting a manicure in Buswelu, Tanzania

Dinner time

I woke up early on Sunday and biked to Forever Angels baby home. Alison introduced me to this place before she left and I will be lucky enough to spend time getting to know the children every Friday and Sunday for a few hours. I have learned some of their amazing survival stories, and have begun to learn their interests. I met a four year old boy that came to Forever Angels a year and a half ago completely emaciated with Marasmus, in heart failure and with full blown AIDS. After spending a year and a half under the love and care of the Forever Angels staff, and with an ample supply of food, he has now been placed on a diet because he has gained so much weight! Many of the children have a similar history, but Forever Angels has found many of these children loving homes. The compassion of some of the people in this world is so admirable.

Two Angels, Joseph and Baiti

Little Princess

On Sunday, Ruben and I were invited to the home of one of his coworkers, Mama Coroko, a nurse at Sekuo Toure Hospital. She cooked us a feast of African delights and gave us a tour of her home and backyard. She has her own personal fruit and vegetable garden and grows everything from pineapple and bananas, to cassava and maize. We were also given yet another glimpse of socialism in Africa, as her Unlce has built a restaurant on her property, her brother a school, her other brother a store, all the while her sister and her sisters family live in the same home as she- such a strong social safety net here in Africa! We met her neighbor who was cooking outside, and played with Mama Coroko's kittens for a while. We also had a peek at the school on Mama Coroko's property, a chemistry lab for secondary school students. The facilities are slightly different then those of UWO.

Mama Coroko and her daughters introducing Ruben and I to some African vegetables

Typical cooking facilities in Tanzania

Chemistry lab (Take a look at how chemicals are stored…in Dasani water bottle!)

We left to go to NIMR to check our emails and send some messages home. One of the guards at NIMR pledged an offer of thirty cows to my father in return for my hand in marriage. Although very tempted, I think I may pass at this point. I will end this novel here and promise to be more concise in the weeks to come! I will be posting (internet pending) weekly for the remainder of my internship.

Last day in Canada...

Well, after 8 months of preparations and anticipation, I finally have my bags packed and have crossed off the last calendar day leading up to my journey to. I am so thrilled to be able to contribute to this amazing project, and I really look forward to sharing the experience with you.
Before I depart, I want to say a great big thank you to everyone who has inspired me to participate and for the kind words of support over the past few months. A special thank you goes out to the whole Western Heads East team, from the past interns who shared their journey and offered advice, to the compassionate steering committee and the hard working faculty members and researchers who have made this project a success. To my supervising professor, Dr. Hekmat, and all of the other professors at Brescia who have shared their expertise and helped to prepare me for the adventure that lies ahead. To my entire extended family and my amazing support network of friends, I love you all and I can not thank you enough for all the good times! I truly want to thank you for being the amazing people you are.

A few members of the WHE team.
Past intern Jackie, Jaimie, Meaghan, Cynthia and Jonathan (1,3,5,6,7 from left to right)
Future intern Tara (second from left)
Present intern, Me (Middle)

Time and time again I have been asked the question, “What are you going to be doing while you are in Africa”. For the sake of clarity, I have put together a list of objectives that I hope to achieve, but I have promised to remain open and keep in mind the infamous “AWA” mantra of Meaghan and Alison (Fall Intern, August-December 2007). Ah yes, Africa Wins Again. A quotation used in reference to the pace of life in Africa. Although the cell phone revolution has taken over, the high speed wireless internet, blackberry, deadline driven mind set is yet to be wide spread (In fact, AWA represents a beautiful sense of culture and community). This is a change that I will need to become familiar with, respect and truly embrace. I have always measured my productivity in the number of items that I cross off my To Do: list in a day, and now I will be on the agenda of others….

A brief description of my plans:
-To continue to pursue efforts of the past interns in terms of project growth as we work toward sustainability (ie// complete TASAF (Tanzania Social Action Fund) transactions so that the Mama’s may gain access to a new plot of land and cows, SIDO, SACCO etc)
-Assist the Yogurt Mama’s to further develop their business as they become a registered NGO
-Continue to teach the Mama’s English-To work with and learn from local NGO’s
-Explore opportunities with other local groups both in Mwanza and its surroundings and in the city of Dar es Salaam to continue the forward movement of WHE
-Volunteer with other local organizations (ie// Forever Angels orphanage, Starehe Nursery School etc.)
-Personal research for course credit (continue studies spear headed by past interns Jaimie and Alison, that is, to evaluate the nutritional content of the local diet and compare the macro/micronutrient composition of yogurt consumers and non-consumers in hopes to confer the health benefits of probiotic yogurt, and to compare the diet and health status of HIV/AIDS probiotic yogurt consumers and non-consumers, as well as a sensory evaluation of probiotic yogurt in several variations)
-To experience what it means to be a minority and experience what it is like to be immersed in a foreign language
-To experience as much of Tanzania as possible in five months!

I hope you that you are able to enjoy the journey as well!