Mbolea!

This week our team returned to Ngurdoto for HIV prevention and bio-intensive agriculture (BIA) training. While two of the volunteers lead a prevention class, I was the only counterpart teaching sustainable agriculture. Javeson (one of the GSC staff members) and I provided farmers with an in-depth lesson plan about BIA. Our classroom was nestled in the cornfields in a cement church building that overlooked Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro.

As I had mentioned before, my favorite aspect of SA is being able to apply the lessons taught in the classroom to the field. On the third day, we constructed a double dug bed that was 6 x 1.5 meters. In order to make a double dug bed, farmers must dig 1 foot of top soil, a second foot of sub-soil, and a third foot must be loosened. It may be hard to picture but this trench is massive! After digging three feet or 1.5 meters, farmers place the sub-soil back into the trench and then add manure or compost onto the sub-soil. This step is repeated for the topsoil layer. The double-dug bed in its final stages has a semi-circle tubular shape that allows for increased number of plants per unit area. The ultimate goal of double digging is to produce a "living sponge-cake" in the soil (produced by the soil-manure combination). Double dug beds improve soil moisture retention, air circulation, promote plant growth, and control soil erosion. Additionally, these beds have a lifespan of three years! If anyone is interested in forming her/his own double dug bed feel free to email me and I will provide you with detailed information. I highly suggest this method for growing your own fresh vegetables!

MBOLEA (Manure)

During the construction of the double dug bed, babas and kakas (fathers and sons) shoveled soil while mamas and dadas (mothers and sisters) carried buckets of manure from a farm on a hill to the farming site. While Javeson lead the digging, I helped women rake and carry mbolea from the home. These women were surprised by my physical strength and, as a result, nicknamed me "dada Africa." As we carried the buckets, farming songs were sung in unison. I was eager to learn the songs and move with the African rhythm. Shoveling manure, with only women by my side, made me profoundly respect the strength of African mamas who assume the roles of farmers, caregivers, and household keepers. With all of these duties, there is a mutual understanding between the women that farming plots (like the double dug beds) can be shared as a community. There is a widespread saying in Kiswahili termed "Tuko pamoja" or "We are all one." Ngurdoto farmers clearly apply this phrase to their way of life.

Offering Gifts

After constructing a double dug bed, I felt deeply connected to my class. The practical portion allowed me to interact with farmers informally. I became a Maasai babu's adopted granddaughter, a friend of the dadas, and individual teacher to the babas. Throughout the week, I took several photos and printed copies for each member in the class. They were all amazed by the abilities of the digital camera and appreciated my photos. On the last day of class, all of the women left the church and re-entered while singing the offering of the gift song and each holding a present for me! Tears filled up in my eyes as I saw mamas carrying sacks of beans and corn, bags of pineapple, mango and eggs, and two freshly cut banana trees! Peter, one of the village leaders, then delivered a written speach thanking Javeson and me for our teaching sessions. I found out later that this was the first time that Ngurdoto had a non-profit travel to their village to deliver farming training! Fortunately, we return to this village at the end of the month for follow-up training so I will be able to re-visit the compassionate, thoughtful, and kind people of Ngurdoto.

Ngurdoto

VILLAGE LIFE
This week our Sustainable Agriculture team camped in a village called Ngurdoto. The village is located 20km away from Arusha and is divided into 5 sub-villages. Kati, the town center and where our team camped, consisted of two small shops, two local bars, a "bus" stop and a produce stand. Ngurdoto was not touristy or busy. Camping in this village was the first time that I had felt completely removed from Western culture and immersed in Tanzanian life. Everyone in the village was extremely welcoming and curious about our group. Unlike Arusha, children greeted volunteers by saying "Shikamo" instead of "Mambo." Politeness and respect were widespread. People spent time after work socializing in the town center--children, adults, and elders all sat together laughing and loving each other. Men played checkers and pool while women cooked and sat at the shops. To join the social hour, our group introduced Frisbee to Kati. We threw the Frisbee in a circle that consisted of 3 volunteers and 10 locals. Everyone present in the town center crowded around the Frisbee circle to watch this activity. People of all ages were very amused and delighted to watch. Mamas and dadas seemed too bashful to play but children and adult males were all about Frisbee playing.

CHICKENS
Our team consisted of 5 volunteers (Mary-Ellen, Brendan, Gabbie, Kristy, and me), 5 GSC staff members (Somme, Crispan, Harry, Javeson, and Tom), and 4 community leaders who GSC trained throughout the week. Our program this week involved vaccinating chickens against New Castle disease; this illness is the most prevalent and deadly among chickens in TZ. GSC uses a vaccination called I-2. This medicine requires a cool environment and one drop must be placed into the chicken, rooster, or chick-let's eye. In order to keep the medicine cool, each group wrapped a wet konga (or cloth) around the bottle and placed it into a whisk basket.

From 6AM to 10AM, our team split up into smaller groups to vaccinate chickens in one of the 5 sub-villages. Vaccinations occur early in the morning because families have not let the chickens out of their coup so it takes less effort to catch the fast-running animals. I was fortunate enough to work with Crispan (the director of SA), David (the town mayor), Peter (a village leader), and Kristy. The majority of our mornings included walking in the corn fields to homes, educating farmers about I-2, and dropping the vaccination into the chickens' eyes. At each home, a community leader recorded how many chickens were vaccinated, how many died, how many were eaten, and how many were sold. Upon completion, we all reconvened in a church to discuss challenges and questions. Javeson provided further information to the community leaders about the disease and strategies for sustainability.

I loved the process of vaccinating chickens! Before entering every home, it is polite to say "Hodi" or "May I enter." Then, it is important to say "Shikamo" to all elders and greet children. My Kiswahili has improved over the past few months so after the initial greeting I was able to interact with family members (particularly mamas and dadas) at each home. Along with socializing, I loved snatching the chickens and vaccinating them. At one home, I vaccinated 129 chickens!! The estimated cost of a single chicken is around 2,000TSH. Many times farmers sell the eggs or chickens to the larger markets for profit. The vaccination PREVENTS chicken death and supports families' income!

WALKING
After lunch every day I walked around the village. On the first day, Mary-Ellen and I walked and walked and walked and ended up getting completely lost. Villagers were more than willing to direct us. One dada climbed up a tree and picked 3 mangoes for us to eat on our long journey back to our campsite. Another day we walked until a rainstorm struck the village. When the intensity of the storm increased, we were immediately welcomed into people's homes. We ended up sitting at a home with a mother named Judith and her two sons. Judith, who appeared to be in her early 2os, was more than accommodating. She served us hot pouridge with sugar and insisted on us staying until the storm subsided. After the storm passed, it took every ounce of energy for me not to cry. This family offered me everything that they could possibly provide (shelter, food, kindness). I will be forever grateful to have experienced this kind of humanity.

Overall, my experience in Ngurdoto made me realize the potential for a close-knit community. Although poverty and illness and lack of education are widespread, people LOVE, RESPECT, and CARE for each other while using the earth's resources for survival.

sustainable agriculture (SA)

This past week I started the sustainable agriculture program. The majority of our training sessions will be taking place in villages outside of Arusha. Last week, our SA team and a group of 30 nurses who are volunteering for GSC for the month of January, camped out in Mto wa Mbu (literal translation River of Mosquitoes!). Mto wa Mbu is 150km away from the city and borders Manyara Park. The village is somewhat touristy because many safari companies stop for a night on their way to the Crater and the Serengeti. Store vendors sold typical tinga tinga paintings and Maasai carvings, while mamas sold bundles of RED and yellow bananas. Fortunately, we camped about 1km away from the village center in a family's backyard. The family consisted of 5 lively children who loved to sing bongo flava mixes, dance, and play games. Our campsite at night transformed into our classroom during the day. Every morning, Brendan, Mary-Ellen, and I taught brief SA lessons to a group of 30 farmers, while Javeson (one of the SA experts) proceeded to expand and translate our points.

GSC promotes bio-intensive agriculture (BIA). This is a special form of organic farming which is rooted in maintaining sustainable soil fertility by use of "compost." Compost is produced by resource materials grown/found on farms. BIA is a chemical free form of farming which discourages use of chemical sprays and artificial fertilizers. It is a method of raising crops which is cost conscious, simple to learn, and based on scientific technology. There are 6 components of BIA, including: compost making and its utilization, deep land preparation by double digging, plant diversity/companion planting, natural solution against plant pests/diseases, close plant spacing, and maintenance of natural seeds. The 6 topics are taught over a 5-day period.

In addition to teaching farmers, there is a practical portion of our lesson. Farmers are able to apply what they have learned in the classroom setting to the field. With the guidance of the GSC staff and volunteers, farmers practice making compost, a double-dug bed, and sack gardens. The farmers of Mto wa Mbu were eager and enthusiastic to apply what they learned in the classroom to the field. They enjoyed working together as a team to construct the compost and double-dug bed. At the end of the week, they expressed interest in organizing a community farming group among themselves! As part of the program, GSC will return to Mto wa Mbu in 3-months for a follow-up session. I have faith that these farmers will continue practicing the sustainable methods due to their heightened enthusiasm and willingness to change.

As a SA volunteer, I prefer the practical portion of the experience because I am able to actively provide a service and I am far from an expert on this subject so teaching feels like a daunting task. Ultimately, for the next few weeks I hope to participate in as a much mindless, physical labor as possible!

One of the highlights from Mto wa Mbu was building a sack garden for a HIV positive mother. Somme, a nurse volunteer, and I traveled to her home and taught her how to make/use this versatile garden. The mama and her children will now be provided with sustainable nourishment for 3 consecutive farming seasons due to the sack!

A sack garden is a farming alternative used in areas where there is a lack of land/water or by farmers who are too weak/sick to maintain large farms. To make a sack garden, a sack must be filled with a compost-top soil mixture. After filling the sack with 2 buckets of the mixture, a pole is placed in the center of the sack. The center stick's main purpose is to evenly distribute the water throughout the sack. After the sack is full with the mixture, the center stick is removed and gravel and water are placed in the cylinder-like center. For the completion of the sack garden, a farmer must make small slits along the outside of the sack for planting seeds. These slits are made in a triangle pattern for optimal growth. The sack garden can grow leafy vegetables such as Chinese cabbage and smaller vegetables such as carrots. Potatoes, tomatoes, and other larger vegetables are not suitable for a sack garden because their bodies are too heavy.

Kendwa and Nungwi

After spending a night in Stonetown, we traveled one hour north to Kendwa and Nungwi. Both villages are known for their beaches and touristy atmosphere. In Nungwi, I befriended the owner of a small hotel and later returned to his accommodation at the end of our trip. The Nungwi hotel was an ideal getaway in paradise--hammocks overlooking the Indian Ocean, stretches of endless beach, a fire pit, and freshly prepared meals of our choice. We called this hotel a hidden treasure due to its friendly staff (who treated us like family) and its tranquility, set a part from busy downtown Nungwi.

Every day in paradise, I walked into the villages to buy fruit, eat cheaper local meals, and talk to residents. Like other resort destinations, the contrast between the wealthy and poor was stunningly apparent and disturbing. Many locals are jobless and spend their days sitting at shaded shops. Job opportunities are limited in Zanzibar due to poor education and limited foresight of future. Many Zanzibarians solely rely on agriculture for survival. They farm every day in their villages and do not travel to other areas of the island. Lack of travel means lack of exposure and experience. Lack of travel is obvious due to the fact that there are no cars on the Zanzibarian roads with the exception of taxis. Ultimately, extreme poverty exists everywhere on this island. Locals are struggling to survive, while tourists are enjoying the comforts of their hotel and Zanzibar's immaculate beaches.

electrical problems

The ferry arrived in Stonetown around 7PM. We decided to stay in a cheap guesthouse called the Haven. The owner of the house charged us $15 per night for 2 beds, mosquito nets, and bucket showers. He then informed us of the electrical situation on the island. Unfortunately, for the months of December and January, Zanzibar did not and still does not have electricity. The Zanzibarian government claims that there is only one electrician who is capable of fixing the country's power outage and that this electrician is on holiday in the Netherlands until the end of January. This means that posh hotels, restaurants, and businesses must operate using generators for water supply and other amenities. It did not take long to realize that the Zanzibarians were suffering due to this major problem. Without power, there is no running water. Locals must therefore rely on city wells and pay 500TSH per bucket of water. WATER=LIFE and many locals do not have enough money to constantly be paying for a daily supply.

During my time spent in Zanzibar, it amazed me that people somehow managed to survive given their severe circumstances. I just cannot believe that a government would allow its citizens to suffer for such a long time in the grueling heat. An electrical outage, like the current situation, occurred during the months of June and July 2009. It is obvious that Zanzibarians are becoming fed up with the government's laissez-faire approach.

Mtae-->Zanzibar

Wow, what a day for traveling! Mary Ellen and I started our day at 3:30AM on the Fasaha bus from Mtae to Lushoto. The ride was twisty and turning and bumpy. We then bought I.T. "luxury" bus tickets for 8AM to Dar es Saalam. We had one hour to pack our remaining clothes from the tourist office, eat breakfast, and board the bus. Unlike our voyage from Arusha to Lushoto, this bus line stopped several times throughout the 7-hour journey. Fortunately, before departing for Dar, Aggrey (our hiking guide from Lushoto) gave us the contact of his friend who sells ferry tickets to Zanzibar. We called the friend and used this contact to our advantage! We arrived in Dar around 3:30PM and the last ferry took off at 4PM!! We hopped in a taxi with Aggrey's friend and raced to the coastline. When we arrived at the ferry station, 6 Tanzanian men surrounded our taxi and told us to "HURRY UP" and purchase transport tickets. We frantically threw our money and passports at the workers and ran onto the boat. With the help from Aggrey and his friend and a bit of good fortune on our side, we made the afternoon ferry to Zanzibar.

traveling with Mary Ellen (Lushoto, Rangwi, Mtae)

My traveling adventures commenced on December 19th and proceeded until January 5th. We started our journey in the Usambara Mountains in a village called Lushoto. After departing Arusha at 5AM, we crammed into a minibus and drove for 8 1/2 hours. We stopped one time for a bathroom break on the side of the road and many times to pick up passengers. Overall, the bus system in Tanzania is very unorganized and hectic--ticket prices fluctuate depending on the passenger, departures are never on time, vendors desperately try to sell biscuits, water, and random trinkets, and fruit at every stop, and many times there are 3 if not 4 people sharing seats designed for 2 people. As we approached Lushoto, the contrast of colors amazed me; mamas sold fresh plums and guava, palm trees were planted at the base of the rocky mountains while lush farmlands surrounded the bus route. The road leading up to Lushoto is crevessed in the mountains and is a steep uphill climb into town.

Upon arrival, we were instantly greeted by tourist workers and asked to visit the Cultural Tourism Center. Lushoto's tourism industry was developed in the 1990s and has been a blossoming industry ever since. There are many tourist options, including cycling, hiking, tasting cheese and rye bread from a farm, etc. Mary Ellen and I decided to arrange a 3-day hike to a small village called Mtae which is on the western side of the Usambara Mountains.

We began our hike from Lushoto to Rangwi. We hiked uphill and through a forest to a road. Due to the scorching heat, we waited for a bus to take us to the village. In Rangwi, we explored and spoke to villagers. The majority of people here are farmers and rely on harvesting cabbage, corn, and beans for income and survival. Along with Rangwi villagers, 60 percent of the Usambara region is Muslim while 40 percent are Catholic. On the first day of hiking, it was the Islamic New Year! Muslim men, women, and children happily danced and paraded and sang and celebrated their holiday in the streets of Rangwi. What a vibrant time!

The second day of hiking was spent in many different terrains but my favorite time was hiking through a pine tree forest. We spoke to lumberers and children who balanced and carried bundles of timber on their heads. Adults and children sell, transport, carry, and chop timber and export the wood to Dar, Mtae and other Usambara villages. As we left the forest, many children carrying timber on their heads approached me with curiosity. I taught them a song called "Boom chicka boom" and we chanted it together while trekking down the path. There are so many colors in Mtae between the landscape and bright kongas found on mamas and children.

On this day, we also visited a traditional healer. The healer deals with minor illnesses such as stomach pains and malaria. I asked him many questions about his abilities and his opinions about Western medicine (which he supports). He also informed us about witch doctors who are similar to healers but curse those they come in contact with. The healer performed a spiritual ritual for Mary Ellen. He smeared black coal on her body and repeated prayers and chants. He believed that these acts would protect her from bad spirits. It was a mystical experience and I would have loved to spend more time at his home to witness traditional healings.

Serengeti National Park

After hiking Kilimanjaro, I was hesitant to go on a 4-day safari because the thought of sitting in a land cruiser seemed sedentary and indolent. Unexpectedly, I absolutely loved camping in the middle of the wilderness for 3 nights listening to the cries of the hyenas and mischievous bamboos. Philbert, my safari guide and friend, is the most enthusiastic and passionate person. He made each game drive exciting and educational. At the entrance of the Serengeti, we spotted an injured lion and a baby zebra following a safari land cruiser for protection! The following day, I witnessed the hunting of a zebra by a male lion who tracked his prey from a sausage tree. I saw an elephant stuck in a fresh water hippo pond, a cheetah resting under a kopjes (large rock), herds of elephants and buffalo, baboons, reed bucks and water bucks, hyenas, hyrax (cousin of elephant), zebras, leopards. . . so many animals! It is hard to believe that in only 4 days I was able to be among many species in their natural habitat.

The Serengeti is the first an largest national park. It was established in 1951 and is 14,763 sq kilometers (larger than Connecticut!). It protects the wild beast migration and is considered a World Heritage site. There are 28 hoofed animal species and 530 bird, plant, and insect species. In Tanzania, 25 percent of its land is considered protected area. There are 11 National Parks within the nation.

During our safari experience, we briefly visited the stunningly beautiful Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater. The Crater is considered to be a conservation area in Tanzania. The Maasai have designated bomas to live in at Ngorongoro. The government is using a Community Based Conservation approach; they believe in the empowerment of rural Maasai communities to sustain, manage, and use natural resources. This approach seems to mirror the Western strategy of Indian reservations. Indigenous tribes are forced to live on a designated plot of land and are expected to succeed.

When we visited the shamba of a Maasai tribe, we entered a family's shamba (constructed out of cow dung), saw their primary school, and participated in a traditional Maasai dance. Although the experience was eye-opening, I could not help but question the effectiveness of the conservation approach. Maasai people 5 km outside of the boma, for example, were suffering from dehydration and malnutrition. The Maasai's herding lifestyle seems difficult to manage due to weather conditions like long droughts and globalization/the impact of tourists.