Another good week

This was a very busy week.  Monday night, Zoe, Amy's sister arranged a boat ride on Lake Victoria for some children, staff and volunteers.  We left the Baby Home at 5:00 pm and got on the boat in Mwanza at Hotel Talapia.  It was a beautiful evening and the sunset was gorgeous.  The kids behaved so well.  One of the girls left today to go to Zanzibar and then back home to the States.  She was very sweet and positive and didn't complain.  We do have a complainer left and it gets very tiresome indeed.  This one is also very young and I try to be understanding but I did not come here to be a mother to a teenager. 

We went to Amy and Megan to Bugando Hospital to the HIV Clinic with several children for a check up and to do some blood work.  It is always interesting to see what happens there - it is a health system that is very frustrating for those who live here.  The kids were great and we got through quite quickly.  They will remain on medication and overall are doing very well, despite some developmental and speech delays.  Later on Catherine and I went into town again as I had to pay for my airline tickets to and from Zanzibar.  I leave here on the 23 rd of March and go to Dar Es Salaam.  My friend Mary has to go to India for surgery so she arranged for me to stay in her hotel for the night of the 23rd and then I will take the ferry to Zanzibar on the 24th and stay at Sunset Beach Bungalows in Kendwa - it is supposed to be beautiful and my little bungalow faces the sea.  I come back to Dar on the 27th by air and then leave that evening for Canada.  I am looking forward to the last few days just for me - to kind of process things and prepare for a busy and hectic April at home. 

There is a very small school next to the Baby Home and a wonderful man named Ernest is the teacher.  I met him last week on a walk with some kids and told him I would love to give him school supplies that I brought from home - pencils, crayons, markers etc.  He was so thrilled as they have nothing - the school is in an aluminum building that doubles as a church.  I went by to visit this week to give him the items and he was thrilled as were the kids.  I was very happy to be able to do such a small thing.  I will try to visit again before I leave.  I attached a picture of Ernest and the kids - one is his son who is deaf. 

Today, I worked a cover shift with the Tiny Babies from 7 am to 1 pm.  We have a new 2 week old baby girl who arrived this week.  Another very sad story - her mother - obviously suffering from mental health problems or post partum depression, threw the baby into the sewer.  She is now in jail and the baby is with Forever Angels as the father can't look after the baby for now.  She is very tiny but feeding well.  After my shift, we took three children into town to visit Kuliana's Street Kids Project - they have 40 something boys - the youngest is age 6 who live there and go to school.  There are many kids on the street and life is violent and horrible as you can imagine.  At the project, they are safe and able to go to school.  Currently there are some wonderful volunteers from the UK who are teaching them.  They came last Sunday to visit the Baby Home and are so sweet with the kids.  Today, they painted with the three kids we brought.

I thought about what I will miss and it is definitely the constant visuals and colour that you see all the time - just normal everyday life - so very different from Canada - just walking in the village to and from the Baby Home is always an experience.  I think my drive from Aurora to Oak Ridges is going to be very boring in comparison.  I love it here but think I am ready to come home.  I would love to come back in two years - we will see...................I will miss the kids for sure - I just love them and all their little individual personalities - just when you get to know them and they you - you have to leave...............

More excitement....

Yesterday, Catherine and I went into town.  My back had been strained for a day or so and I badly needed an afternoon out.  We took the Dala Dala to town and went to Hotel Talapia to have lunch.  Catherine had not been to the hotel and had not seen the beautiful view of Lake Victoria.  We had a great lunch and chat.  She is such a wonderful person and we get along so well.  After lunch, we took a taxi to a market.  After neogating the taxi fee - they always charge more to white people -and off we went.  We arrived at the market and I opened the taxi door after paying the driver.  A man on a bicycle ran straight into the door of the car and fell off his bike.  I was shocked and so frightened that he had been hurt - I had visions of being arrested in Africa.  He brushed himself off and said "no problem" and rode off.  Then we tried to shut the car door and it would not shut.  I looked at the driver and he looked at me.  I thought I might have to buy him a new car door.  He said, "no problem" and I said "but it is a problem".  I gave him 10,000 shillings which is a lot of money here but only $10.00 Canadian.  He was so pleased and I was relieved and again apologized.  Off we went to the market.  That is when Catherine realized her favourite sweater had been left in the car.  She was annoyed with herself.  About 15 minutes later, guess who appeared - the taxi driver looking for us so he could return the sweater.  We were amazed at his kindness - she gave him another 5000 shillings and we took his number and name - Paul.  Catherine calls these moments - "Champagne Moments" and they truly are.

Today, I went to the Baby Home early and part way through the morning, I took Pili and Zwadi for a walk back to the volunteer house to get my camera and to give them some juice.  They are so happy to get out for a walk.  We also took some headbands back to the Baby Home so the kids could try them on and have them for their dress-up bin.  My good friend Ellen who owns "Beaners Fun Cuts for Kids" in Newmarket gave them to me to bring here.  Well, they were such a hit - attached see a picture of the girls - the boys also tried them on - even the Mama's.

After work, Catherine and I went to pick up a skirt she had made in the market from Sophia - she let me take her picture.  People here do not like having their picture taken and are offended by it.  You have to be very careful about this and always have to ask permission.  Imagine, someone you don't know coming up to your house wanting to take pictures of you and your children.  I asked Sophie if I could take her picture and she said "yes" and posed away.  Then we went to the market and I had little barrettes, little stuffed animals and some balls for the kids.  Today I decided to give a few out to some children.  The lady at the vegetable stand said I could take her picture of her and Angel.  The ladies at the Duka shop were so excited to have their picture taken.  I will make sure to send a copy.  We buy eggs, milk, water and phone time at the little Duka shop.  So it was a good day.................except little Lily is hospitalized for a few days as she has been so sick and no one seems to know what she has.  Little Anthonly has just been discharged from hospital.  This is such a problem here - there is always something going around,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sorry - an extra picture is attached.........

The Baby Home

The Baby Home is amazing.  Amy and her staff have a routine and a schedule like no other I have ever seen.  She is passionate about the children and it's like she is the Mama to all of them.  Meghan, Zoe, another Amy, Jade  and staff all work very hard as well to make this orphanage a very smooth running spot.  It is like a 24-7 child-care except the children don't go home at night.  They are brothers and sisters to each other - sometimes nice to each other and sometimes not so nice - like all kids.  Children in Tanzania are raised much differently than children in the Western world.  You see little wee ones walking on the roads with cars buzzing by, little kids holding other smaller kids, kids without toys, playing the dirt with a stick but they do not seem unhappy.  However, many children are not protected from things they should be. Many children get hurt or burned by falling into a cooking fire.  A mud hut collapsed the other day near here, killing one child and seriously injuring another.

 Amy is adamant that her staff speak and act appropriately in front of the children.  A few recently have been let go because they were speaking about things that were inappropriate.  She pays them well above the minimum wage and offers them good benefits and opportunities as well as training.  There are many people out of work here so there are always many applications for jobs.

The children are so wonderful and I am getting to know them better every day.  There are so many volunteers coming and going - we get attached to them but they don't really get attached to us.  It is up to us to make their day interesting and fun.  We have had a lot of rain lately so they are stuck inside - and they get cranky like all kids do.  Since I have been here, I have watched Noah and Moses learn to walk.  They came to the Baby Home a few weeks before I came here.  Their mother died and their elderly grandmother could not care for them.  They were malnourished, have very low muscle tone but are catching up quickly.  When Noah walks, his whole face is smiling - he is so happy with himself.  They hardly smiled when I first met them but now are much happier.  I must admit, I have a soft spot for them.   We spend time with all the children but my favourite times are the quiet times feeding the tiny babies.  They just gaze up at you and it melts your heart - especially when you remember that many of them do not have families and might never get adopted.  Some of the kids have been sick with random fevers, skin conditions and coughs.  Amy and her staff just figure it out and give them the medication they need. 

While the children are at "Forever Angels", they are loved, fed well, cared for and educated.  This is a great foundation for them - to have the nourishment, attention and love that will hopefully help sustain them for whatever is in their future.  Life is not easy here, especially for children who are so vulnerable. 

This picture is of a very special little boy who will hopefully be going to live with his new Mom and Dad very soon.  I made songboards for the pre-school and the teacher Rosemary is doing the "If your happy and you know it" one with the kids.  I got such pleasure just watching how they enjoyed it - taking turns - sitting quietly and watching.

One month left...........

Time is going so fast and there is so much I still want to do.  I want to visit other orphanages and spend some time at a project for street children in Mwanza.  They have a project where 47 boys from 5-17 are living and going to school.  I have met some of the volunteers and it is a great project.  The boys also make jewellry which is beautiful.

This week I went to another community called Igoma - the town of Stouffville, Ontario is a partner of the Health Centre there and they have been raising money since 2004 - Mr. Matari showed me around and it is great.  They do a lot of prenatal care, childbirth, have two doctors, and will be expanding soon to do small surgeries.  I have heard about this from my clients in Stouffville and it was great to visit and hear about the great work they are doing.  People come from far villages to seek treatment which is mostly free.

This coming week, I am doing child development workshops for the Bethany teenagers who are training at the orphanage - these girls are wonderful and will hopefully find a job and be independent once they finish training.  I am looking forward to this opportunity - also have a translator but most speak some English.

I am working harder than I have worked in a long time - it is physically exhausting but I have just as much energy as the 20 year olds.  They have all been sick and I have yet to be ---let's hope that continues.

I am still in awe of the work that Amy and her staff do here.  I am learning so much about life in Africa.  I am grateful to live in Canada - we take so much for granted - like health care and education......I am attaching two pictures - one of Catherine (from the UK) and myself wearing Kanga's and carrying babies on our backs the way people do here.  The Mama's were laughing to hard putting the babies on our backs- my baby is very small so hard to see.  The other picture is me and two of my favourite twins -  they are three months old and beautiful.  They have elderly grandparents who are very, very poor - the babies might go back to family at some point.  That is always the goal, if possible.  Adoption is nearly impossible - it takes now three years for international adoption and the parents have to live here during that time.  Everything here takes a long, long time.........

Daily Life

Up early with roosters crowing, birds chirping, dogs barking and the call to the Mosque at 4am.  I try to walk early with whoever else is walking - usually Jade, a long term volunteer from Australia.  You see so much walking - other villages, people cooking breakfast, washing dishes outside, washing clothes, cooking on an open fire, kids walking to school and other kids playing in the dirt.

This morning we walked along the shore of Lake Victoria and came to a spot that we could not cross because of about 30 feet or more of water.  Fishermen were laughing at us and for 500 shillings -50 cents, brought their rowboat over and gave us a lift to the other side.  It was so funny.

We work different shifts - 6:30 am to 11:30 am or 3 pm to 7 pm but I usually work longer as I want to get more out of this experience.  I am also going to do workshops for staff and the Bethany teenage girls on child development starting next week.  I am also helping them come up with more ideas in terms of sensory activities etc.  We do activities with small groups of children, take them for walks to the market, take the teeny babies out to the garden on a blanket.

We get local produce at the market, vegetables and fruit - amazing mangoes.  In the market there are Duka shops to buy water, eggs, bread etc.  There is a seamstress, Sophie who made a couple of shirts and bags for me.  They know me now and always have a greeting and a smile.  Yesterday, I took pencils, balls and hair clips for the kids.  They were so excited.

I am attaching two pictures - one with the kids playing with Insta-Snow I brought - they just could not understand the concept of snow but it was fun - also a picture of a great Mama - Rosalie and me.  She wants me to bring her back to Canada with me.  I wish I could!!

On Safari

I went on safari with Shelley from Chicago.  We left on Friday morning - driver Charles and cook Yasim picked us up at the volunteer house at 8:30 am and we were at the Serengeti gate by 12 noon.  I don't know when I have been so excited.  We begin to see animals right away, Impalas, alligators, giraffes, elephants, hippos, wildebeest, wild buffalo, warthogs, leopards sleeping in a tree - this was day 1.  The landscape constantly changes as we drive with beautiful umbrella trees.  It is surreal to see these animals in their natural habitat.  Charles has been guiding for 15 years to is very knowledgeable and answered my many questions.  We arrived at camp on Night 1 - beautiful sunset, ate dinner, slept in an uncomfortable tent hoping I did not have to go to the washroom. 

Up early in the morning for a game drive and then back to camp for breakfast.  Off we go again to see more animals and visit a Masai village.  It was amazing - men can have more than one wife - marriages are arranged - you are rich depending on how many cows you have- they only eat meat and goats milk mixed with goats blood.  The make the most beautiful jewellry - women make the houses, raise the children, make the jewellry and the men look after the animals.  I have so much to say about this tribe but there just isn't room today.

Then on the the Ngorongoro Crater area.  The crater is 20 km. wide and absolutely beautiful with forests, swamps on the crater floor.  The local Masai people share the crater area with the animals and have many villages here.  They have the grazing rights for their cattle.

We saw many more animals - another uncomfortable camping night - note to self - book lodge next time.  During the night, wild buffalo were in the campsite grazing.  We could hear them munching the grass and snorting a little.  I was happy to see morning.

We drove back to Mwanza today seeing more animals on the way - an 8 hour drive.  Finally home for a welcome shower.  This truly was an experience of a lifetime that I shall never forget..............

Time is flying by...........

It is very busy here - working early or working late - going in for extra hours to feed babies, cuddle and play.  They never seem to get enough one-to-one time - always group time.  Some of my favourite babies are Anna, Amani, Sharlom and Charles, George, Moses, Noah, Margaret, Emmanuel, Angel and Ella and many more.  They are beautiful.  It is so sad that many mothers died giving birth to these children - hard to believe in this day and age.  Most people cannot afford medical care. 

A few of us went on a hike the other day up to Dancing Rock - a beautiful view on top of these giant boulders which Mwanza is known for - called Rock City- surrounded by enormous boulders.  It is on Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake and the second largest fresh water lake in the world.  It is the second largest city in Tanzania but feels more like a town - just two hours from the Serengeti.

Most locals rely on fishing and small scale farming for a living.  There is a strong Indian influence here with mosques and also Hindu temples as well as many Christians.  The main tribe here is the Sukuma - largest ethnic group of Tanzania.

I am enjoying the simplicity of life here, forget the hair, forget the make-up - just sunscreen and mosquito repellent - unless we go out for dinner.  Weather is great so just flip-flops and T-shirts.....We wear clothes we don't care about to the Baby Home because we get spit up on, peed on and you know the rest.  We walk everywhere unless we go into town.  In fact, a few of us are walking daily now for fitness........feels good.

There are things I don't like - living with lots of people, very little privacy, being woke up by dogs barking, roosters crowing and the call to the Mosque at 4 am.   I miss my home routine but time is going quickly and I will be back soon enough..........