Old Friends, New Friends

How often to get to return to a place you once visited, and get to see people you connected with while abroad?  I have travelled quite a bit, but generally never the same place twice, and never long enough to feel a strong connection or affection for those who have I met.

When I first arrived in Dar es Salaam, I didn't know a single person in the entire country, let alone Dar.  Through the kindness of other development workers, I was able to secure a permanent place to live for the remaining 2 months I spent in Dar in 2010.  One the corner of my street (Sofia Kawawa), there was a restaurant owner, Ali, where I got most of my dinners of kuku and chipsi (chicken and fries).  His food was delicious and cheap, so it was perfect during my self-funded volunteer position with Kiva.  However, we also developed a friendship, where he would bring me sweets back from Zanzibar, when he would go back to visit his family.  He also took care that no one bothered me in the street, and always asked me how I was doing and if I needed anything.  I never forgot about him and the kindness he showed me during my previous stay, so I made it a point to return and say hello.  

I almost didn't recognize him as he has lost a lot of weight.  When he saw my face, he looked confused at first, and then it registered that he knew me :)  It was wonderful and the food was just as good as I remembered.

Ali (his restaurant is located in city centre- on the corner of Sofia Kawawa and India Street)

I also got an opportunity to see the women I worked with at Tujijenge Tanzania, Kiva's partner microfinance institution in Tanzania.  I worked with a woman named Rita, whom I affectionately referred to as Mama Rita.  Debora is the marketing director at Tujijenge and although I did not work directly with her, she often taught me Swahili phrases, and kept my spirits up through laughter.   

When I first arrived at Tujijenge, Mama Rita was quiet and not very self assured, and she often told me that I was very strict in my training of her.  I had just arrived from Ghana, where the microfinance institution's relationship with strained, and I really wanted to strength the relationship in Tanzania.  

Debra, me, and Mama Rita

Mama Rita is one of the sweetest and caring people I have ever met.  She is also quite capable and smart, and I pushed her because I knew she was capable of so much more.  It is weird to push someone who is old enough to be your mother, but I couldn't help myself.  Once I left my placement at Tujijege, Mama Rita wrote to me to inform me that Kiva had increased Tujijenge's monthly fundraising from $45,000 to $95,000.  On this visit she informed me that their monthly fundraising is now $150,000 per month.  

Tujijenge has moved to its own building, and Mama Rita proudly showed me the new facility.  She has grown so much as a person and as the Kiva Coordinator since our first meeting.  It was very sweet as she thanked me for helping her double Tujijenge's monthly fundraising limit and said that her work with me helped her continue to grow their monthly fundraising limit.  Although it felt nice to know that my time at Tujijenge had a positive influence, I did not do the heavy lifting of the work, like Mama Rita.  Mama Rita deserves all the credit and it was so wonderful to see how well the organization is doing.  

I also got to meet the new Kiva fellow, Marion Walls, who is wrapping up her time at Kiva.  Her experience was very similar to mine, except she took a leave of absence from her job, and it figuring out where to go from there.  

Marion, Mama Rita and me

It's been over 3 years since I left my job as an attorney at a law firm, and although I haven't exactly figured my life out yet, this journey has been incredible!

Here are some photos and new friends I have met along this latest journey :)

Me, Essau (African Banjoist) and Ali

Ali, Moses (works for our partner Vodacom), and me

This little gem is Genesis (his father, Christian, works with us on the technical end of the project)

Finally into the field

Things have been pretty busy and intense trying to launch The Health Network Programme in Tanzania.  There are only about 34,000 health workers for the 44 million people currently living in Tanzania.  Our programme will hopefully connect 9,000 doctors, specialist, clinical officers and assistance, as well as dental officers.  It is one thing to sit in an office, and think these numbers are quite alarming, but it is another thing to go out into the field and see how many people wait all day to see the 3 health workers at the local dispensary or health centre.

The hierarchy of medical facilities in Tanzania (from lowest to highest) are as followings:  Village centers, dispensaries (which cater to 6,000 to 10,000 people), health centers (which cater to 50,000 people), district hospitals, regional hospitals and referral hospital (only 4 in the entire country).

One of our field visits was to the Kisarawe District, located in the Pwani Region, which is the region southwest of Dar es Salaam.  The purpose of our field visits was to test our technology for registration.  The health workers use their mobile phones to register for the programme using a USSD registration menu.

We visited three facilities that day - Kisarawe District Hospital, Sungwi Dispensary, and the Masaki Health Centre.  The dispensarywas located 20  kilometers (roughly 12 miles) from the hospital, and the health centre was another 5 kilometers.

The road from the hospital to the dispensary was dusty, rocky and hilly.  We past several locals on their bicycles climbing the hills with heavy loads tied to their bikes.  It made me wonder how people get from the dispensary or health centre to the hospital where the licensed doctors are.  The nurse traveling with us explained that each facilities had an ambulance, and if the ambulance was unavailable, the patient would generally hire a vodavoda (motorcycle) to drive them.  I couldn't imagine how difficult it must be to travel down that dirt, bumpy, hilly road strapped to the bed attached to a motorcycle.

Ambulance at the health centre, located 25 kilometers from the District Hospital

It was wonderful to finally get to see at least 3 types of medical facilities in Tanzania, but it was also very humbling to see these health workers with very limited supplies and personnel treating a large population of patients.  One health workers told us that he lived close to his dispensary and that everyone is the area had his mobile number if case of emergencies.  He also treated an average of 25 patients per day.  Although I never asked about pay, I am certain they are not paid nearly enough for the amount of work that is required to assist these patients.

And just to give you a sense of our surroundings during our field visit, here are two photos of the type of buildings in the rural areas of Kisarawe.