Kufanya kazi "Kivulini" (working at "Kivulini")

Over the last three days I spent a lot of time working with the NGO I am assigned at and it has been great. Two days ago (on Thursday) we went out to a village where this organization is working with a youth group there to reduce human trafficking related to child domestic workers. They quickly realized that before they could implement that kind of program, they needed to ensure food security and some other basic needs for these people. They've been doing these kinds of things with them and it is proving productive. But let me just start from the beginning of that day.

Lena and I left around 10am and we got in a car with three of the men who work at Kivulini, only one of whom we actually knew. There was a rather long car ride out to the village - about 20 minutes on actual road and then 40 minutes or so on dirt road/walking paths that were creatively made into roads. The ride out was truly beautiful - the village goes all along the coast of Lake Victoria and is situated among some beautiful Savannah and rock formations. We stopped first at two different village leader's offices to drop off some posters that they will distribute to community members to teach about domestic violence and family relationships. After that we went to the home of one of the families that is a part of the youth group. They invited us in and asked us to sit on their traditional chairs, which happen to raise your butt only about 10 inches above the ground. Here we are with a bunch of people we don't know out in the middle of rural Tanzania. As we sat there rather awkwardly, chickens clucked all around us, just inches away, followed by their little chicks. The little ones were just adorable, but the big roosters instilled some fear in me as they got closer and closer.

After stopping here we then went to check out the place where Kivulini is helping this youth group plant some tomatoes to sell. Two of the men joined us in our crowed little SUV by sitting in the trunk. I just wish we had a picture of this. We drove a bit and then walked about a mile to the plot of land the youth group purchased. It was really close to the lake and the view was breathtaking. I took some pictures, saw some monkeys(!), and generally tired myself out in the mid-day sun. We got back to the car and drove to the home of one of the men who was in the trunk where his wife made us lunch. Here we also sat on the traditional seats just inches off of the floor around a table about a foot high. I've never felt as "local" as I did then. It was a dish I've never had before, something more traditional which they eat in the villages, but it was surprisingly good despite its appearance. She also made tea and gave us some of the leaves from her garden so we could make it for ourselves back at our hostel.

We went back to the original home we stopped at to pick up tomatoes, but also apparently to eat again. They made us ugali with cassava, a traditional swahili dish, and some boiled chicken. Lena and I got the gizzard since we were their very special guests. Luckily I know how to say "I am already full!" so I didn't get stuck eating that like Lena did! We stopped and bought vegetables and things on the way home and I think I caused quite a scene. I can't imagine a lot of wazungus go out into the village there too often. After a long ride back home Lena and I definitely had to pinch each other wondering if we really did just spend an afternoon in an African village. Getting to see the different sides of TZ has definitely been a highlight of being in Mwanza.

Yesterday and today Lena and I were working on another project with the advocacy department of Kivulini. They are setting up debates/dialogs for next week in which local students will take some time to talk about domestic violence and HIV/AIDS. In addition to this, Kivulini is working with a group of girls at a nearby all girls school to put together a school magazine that features gender issues and the girls opinions' on problems in their community. This morning we went for a skill building and organizational meeting to help the girls figure out what issues they would like to cover and to get them started on writing articles and putting together the magazine. These girls are so inspirational and so much fun! I had such a great time just talking to them and hearing from them what they think about things like women in education, romance in school, prostitution and so on and so on. They were young, but yet so poised and confident in themselves. I talked a lot to Helen who I promised I would write to so we could become pen-pals after I leave. I already can't wait to go back and spend some more time with them!

Anyway, working at the NGO is definitely making Mwanza worth while, I just wish we could have more time here or that we could have started earlier so I could feel like I was actually doing something more substantial. Nonetheless I know even just this magazine can make a big difference in these girls lives. They were so excited and so animated about getting involved. TZ definitely needs more women to stand up and take a lead in their communities and deal with the really tough issues many women still face in the form of discrimination and abuse.

So away from the NGO, we were supposed to go on a trip this weekend to an island on Lake Victoria, but unfortunately our trip was canceled due to excessive sickness within our group. Callan is still recovering from malaria and both Andrew and Hannah have both now been diagnosed. Andrew had a 102 degree fever! They don't look so hot, the poor things. Leslie hasn't been feeling well either, but she doesn't have malaria as far as we know. I'm just hoping it won't be catching up with me next!

We've got one more normal week of classes before we go on safari to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater next weekend. Time is passing really quickly and I wish we had more of a chance to work with the girls at the school. I can't believe I've already been here for 6 weeks and I'll be leaving in just 13 days!

We met a new friend who works at Kivulini and is from Mwanza, but goes to school at Boston University. We're going to go hang out with her for the afternoon and hopefully our idle time will pass quickly!

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