MYRT 8

Anyone who has been around children in a particular stage of language development knows that it is important to be careful with what you say. They will likely parrot it back to you without the slightest hesitation or knowledge of what they are saying. Sometimes college students similarly catch things that professors say and parrot it back with much glee. So I was reminded with the expression ‘Okey dokey’. I rarely use this expression, but all it took was one time and it stuck. Now my students here are ‘okey dokeying’ all kinds of things. I’ve tried to convince them that only ‘nerds’ use this expression, but then I had to define the word nerd. You try to define nerd; even harder in a different culture. None of this has deterred them from responding enthusiastically ‘Okey dokey!’ with a Tanzanian accent.

Cj

Making a Difference

This week we have a guest columnist with a story he would like to share with you. David Leonard Kabambo is currently a student at the College of African Wildlife Management but has previously worked extensively with children in need across Tanzania.

Nasra’s Wheel Chair

By David Leonard Kabambo

Article 23 of the Conventional on the Rights of a Child (CRC) states, “parties recognize that a mentally or physically disabled child should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions that ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child’s active participation in the community.”

Every child has the right to grow up in a family environment where they are respected and have a chance to flourish. This doesn’t happen for all children.

Children, especially those with a disability, need moral support from the community and families. No one wants to be born with disability but it is not a choice we have to make. To discriminate against a child with a disability affects him/her psychologically. For those who are studying, this may cause them to drop out of school. Forms of discrimination against children with disabilities in school, continues to be a serious and pervasive social problem not just within the school but also in the community.

While I was training and learning about child protection and behavioral change at Kiberege Ward (a primary school in Tanzania), I saw a child wearing a school uniform crawling like a young baby who can’t yet walk. I was intrigued by this behavior and eager to get a chance to talk to her.

I soon got that chance. Her name is Nasra John Masanja. “I’m 11 years old, studying standard three at Kiberege Primary School. I was born with a physical disability. My leg has a problem so I can’t walk; I must crawl. My mother supports me by carrying me to and from school, but it is hard for her and sometimes she is late to pick me up. Sometimes I ask assistance from my fellow pupils to carry me home some pupils but some are mean when they see me crawling,” she told me.

After hearing her story I decided to find her mother. Majuma, her mother, explained to me, “Nasra was born at St. Francis Hospital in 1998 with a physical disability. The doctor tried to solve the problem, but failed because the bone of leg was so weak. My husband, after he saw her, complained, saying it was a bad omen and that the child would never be able help with anything at home.”

Majuma said she needed the assistance of a wheel chair in order to get Nasra to and from school. Carrying a child is hard work especially as the child grows and gains weight. While she could carry Nasra at the time, she though soon she would no longer be able to carry her daughter.

I was inspired by Nasra’s story and wanted to do something to help. I decided to help her get a wheel chair and I started to raise money. Nasra was astonished and very happy when I told her what I wanted to do. She broke into tears at the news; it was a dream comes true, from darkness into light, a sign of love, devotion and support extended by Tanzania Child and Youth Hope (a non-profit organization) to improve her life. I worked together with Tanzania Child and Youth Hope and after three months I finally had enough to purchase a wheel chair for Nasra.

When she received the wheel chair, Nasra started crying and said, “Oh My God! I wasn’t expecting in my life that one day I would have a wheel chair. I thank you and all those who contributed to getting the wheel chair. You all have such good hearts. The wheel chair will be a big help when it comes to getting around.”

I had another talk with Nasra’s mother. She was very moved by the help extended to her daughter, and wanted to say, “I’m so happy my daughter got a wheel chair. I have been experiencing such a hard time carrying her to and from school daily. Having a wheel chair will keep my daughter from being effected by as many air-borne and water-transmitted diseases that you are exposed to when you crawl. With this kind of environment, it is hard to avoid taking in dust and being contaminated with various germs. I thank Tanzania Child and Youth Hope for supporting my daughter with a wheel chair.”

I want to give another bunch of thanks to the head teacher of Signal Primary School, the place where Nasra is schooling, and to Tanzania Child and Youth Hope for extending so much help and support to Nasra. I also want to personally thank anyone who contributed money to purchase the wheel chair for Nasra, for the ‘move’ and in general, and for standing up for children’s rights.

Nasra is a one among many children living with disabilities in Tanzania. Most of the children like Nasra resemble her in their life stories and experiences.  My wish is that we can work together give these children the help and support they need to live full lives. May we join hands in empowering children and make them realize their full potentials by realizing children’s rights and protect them.

Since 1991 the government has made much progress towards promoting and protecting the rights of children with disabilities. The government, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), have worked hard to improve the situation. However the government still has a long way to go toward fulfilling child rights. There are many children like Nasra that still need our help.

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR CHILDREN

MYRT 7

One banana, two banana, red banana, black banana. So many varieties of bananas! They are cheap and are often eaten as a main meal, or as desert. You eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They even grow in my backyard, which means I can eat them without my ecological conscious revving up over the fossil fuel used to transport them to Minnesota. They come in many sizes. My favorites are the little ones and the red ones.

CJ

MYRT 6

Coming from Minnesota where the land is frozen most of the year and the growing season short, having fresh fruit and vegetables is a treat that comes only for a few months each year.  Here in Tanzania, fresh fruit and veggies are always in stock.  Depending on the season you can get fresh plums, watermelon, pineapple, oranges, avocadoes, grapes, passion fruit and more.  In addition to the seasonal fruits, other things like cucumbers, tomatoes, greens and bananas can always be bought fresh at the market.  These foods aren’t just fresh, they are delicious too.  Luckily, we are returning to the States in time for the first early-season harvests.  However, going back to fruit shipped thousands of miles next fall will be a hard switch.

MYRT 5

Cufflinks, those little fasteners that men wear to close their dress shirt cuffs. Maybe I’ve hung around the wrong crowds or just haven’t been observant, but in the US these nifty little ‘do-dads’ seem to have gone out of fashion. Does anyone still use them in the States? Here on the other hand they are ubiquitous! They add that extra touch to a suit that imparts a personalized, distinguished, stylish and even regal look.

Likewise dresses for women are much more common here than in the US. In the US professional attire for women is largely skirts or slacks and dresses are generally reserved for weddings or more formal affairs. Here women wear dresses and skirts and rarely slacks. The dresses and skirts are usually hand made out of beautiful African print fabrics that are color coordinated and often embroidered. Most are individually tailor-made and so fit perfectly. The end results are unique, stylish and very attractive.

CJ

MYRT 4

There is no such thing as a bad sunset in Tanzania.  No matter the conditions, there will always be an amazing sunset.  In the evenings, before the sun disappears, the light is so wonderfully golden in a way no other country can imagine.  The landscape is bathed in rich colours of mahogany, saffron and purple slate.  The sky ranges from vivid red to pastel purple to the deep blue-black of night.  Even on cloudy days the sun breaks through at the last moments to provide a beautiful show against the carnival-coloured clouds.  The sunsets happen quickly but every moment is worth catching. We used to be amazed by the pinks and oranges but now we simply take these sights for granted.

 

  

 

MYRT 3

Most processed good found in Tanzania are produced out-of-country.  Almost anything that comes in a jar, bottle, box or can has writing both in English and Arabic.  In the beginning this was always intriguing.  It wasn’t every day that you saw a can of tomato paste with Arabic lettering.  But now it is something that we are much used to.  Even my phone can write in Arabic!  Perhaps now when I go home it will be strange that nothing has Arabic writing. 

A can of Pepsi complete with Arabic writing 

Attachment

Attachment

By Cindy Johnson

For several years, I have escorted undergraduate students to Africa for a class I teach on the conservation biology of Tanzania. This is a wildlife safari complete with elephants, lions and zebra as well as traditional bushman who still hunt and gather wild foods. During the safari, I am confident that each student will experience some changes in the way they view the world. They all leave the US with anticipation of seeing elephants, lions, cheetah, monkeys and giraffes. They return with these memories; not at all disappointed. However they also come away from the journey with ideas they didn’t expect, big life questions and touching memories of Tanzanians.

Safari campfire discussions about Tanzanian lifestyles and standards allow students to reflect on their own lifestyle and standard of living. Students begin to probe deeper and question issues of sustainability, ethics and questions such as “What does it take to be happy in life?” “Does material wealth mean happiness?” Most of the students arrive home with serious questions about their need for material goods. Images of impoverished but happy Tanzanians complicate their reentry into the US. So if Tanzanians can be happy with so little, what is wrong with Americans, who can’t seem to find happiness despite all the material wealth? Though not evaluated or graded, this clearly is one of the most important lessons learned on the trip.

Over the years I have wondered myself about Tanzanians. Are they truly happier? Do they know something Americans and others don’t know? It has always seemed trite to me to say that Tanzanians are content with what they have. Though this may be true, it implies that they don’t want more material wealth. Perhaps they do want more. Is there a difference in world views that enable Tanzanians to be happier than Americans?

It wasn’t until residing in Tanzania for several months that a confluence of events allowed me to recognize some of the differences. It all came together, innocently enough, on a day that I had set out with a Tanzanian friend to day hike up the slopes of Kilimanjaro. I was excited to see the forest, challenge my muscles and enjoy the company of my friend. We had packed our lunches, driven to the park entrance and I anticipated a glorious day on the mountain. My anticipation and expectation quickly turned to disappointment and anger when we learned that we couldn’t hike that day.

I was unwilling to let go of my disappointment and anger. I had become attached to the outcome of hiking up the mountain and could not easily let it go. In the States, generally plans go in accordance with the preparation and I had prepared. The injustice of not being able to do what I wanted to do was unsettling. My friend on the other hand, though disappointed, was able to shrug his shoulders and offer another plan. He was not attached to an outcome in the way I had been.

As we adjusted our plans and drove to our new destination I reflected on why I couldn’t let it go. I come from a culture where one can plan and anticipate outcomes. I realized how keenly attached to the outcome of hiking I had been. My friend comes from a culture where things change constantly; he was not attached to the outcome. I couldn’t easily detach myself from an outcome. My friend shifted easily and almost instantly. I was unhappy while he was quite content. I wondered as we drove, what was wrong with me, why couldn’t I make this transition as easily as he had. Maybe Tanzanians are simply happier people.

This is a culture in which change and unpredictability are certainties. Even rules and regulations are trumped by reality in whatever form it takes. Though Tanzanians can anticipate an outcome they do not become attached to it due to the likelihood that it may never happen. As I pondered this, many things suddenly made sense. In the States we can plan. We have rules and regulations that allow us to achieve what we set out to achieve. We have support systems that function efficiently.

This is not the case in Tanzania. One can plan here, but things may or may not happen in the way you anticipate. Allow me to illustrate the difference with a simple example. In the States when students plan to go to college, they get the necessary loans and with the help of clearly stated loan regulations they can plan to attend college for four years. Sometimes if the loan paperwork wasn’t processed properly there may be problems, but for the most part it is a smooth, predictable and relatively easy process. A Tanzanian student on the other hand faces more uncertainties in acquiring a loan for college.

Just as in the US the process is govern by regulations and tedious procedures. However, unlike the US, in Tanzania, even the successful applicant is not guaranteed the anticipated outcome of completing a degree. Recently I read in the paper that there isn’t enough money for student loans. In Tanzania the government issues the loans and pays the institutions directly. So if the government doesn’t have money, it doesn’t matter if the student is entitled to a loan. With no incoming government money the universities and colleges hold the students “hostage”. They are not allowed to take final exams unless they are financially solvent with the college. So an entire semester can be lost in the end. Or as happened to other students, the government simply neglected to process the paperwork in a timely fashion and final exams were jeopardized.

My sensibilities cry, ‘Injustice!’ because I am American and consequently largely entitled. My Tanzanian friends, though angry and discouraged expect these uncertainties and are much quicker to accept the outcome. They do not dwell on it, for dwelling on these uncertainties would certainly lead to an unhappy life. Instead they accept it in stride. It is important to note, that they don’t necessarily like the outcome. They too are angry and discouraged, but it takes them much less time to accept and move on.

The lesson for me is clear. We can’t control outcomes and remaining attached to a particular outcome only leads to unhappiness. So is this the secret? Is this why Tanzanians are happier? Perhaps. It seems to me a more likely answer than believing that Tanzanians aren’t interested in having material things. Students here, like students in the US, covet fancy computers, cameras and iPods. We all posses the desire to have more, do better and achieve, but we don’t all have the resiliency, nor acceptance for unpleasant outcomes.

Though perhaps all humans desire to have more material wealth it is not an expectation to which they are attached as it can be in the US. For Tanzanians the desire to achieve (tasks or wealth) is strong, but uncertainties restrict attachment to these achievements / outcomes.

Though this may not explain why Tanzanians seem happier, I know there is a lesson here for me. Happiness resides in an ability to let go and to not form attachment to outcomes. I am not entitled to any specific outcomes and the sooner I let this notion go, the happier I will be. Once I was able to let the mountain hike go, we had a wonderful day of birding with the added bonus of swimming in a lovely tropical springs surrounded by luxuriant figs and palms.

In my musings that day I also realized that easy acceptance of outcomes explained yet another trait I had observed. Tanzanian students appear to settle for outcomes almost too easily. Extending these thoughts a bit further helped me see that the extreme of acceptance is acquiescence. Tanzania students are not acquiescent; nor are they militant about fighting for their rights. There are times when being attached to outcomes and persisting is important. The wisdom is in knowing when to let go and when to persist.

The truly happy people are those who have achieved a balance; people who have learned when to let go and when to persist. Perhaps material wealth isn’t one of those important things.

MYRT 2

Tea.  Or chai. Tanzanians love their tea time.  Everyday in the late morning a special time is reserved for tea break.  When tea time comes everyone stops what they are doing and faithfully observes the break.  The tea is always the same but very good.  The black tea is served with milk and so incredibly hot that I always wonder how the Tanzanians can drink it straight away. (I have come to the conclusion that their tongues are some how genetically equipped so as to be impervious to hot temperatures.) 

As well as a love for tea, Tanzanians have a very fond appreciation of sugar.  Very fond.  After a Tanzanian receives his/her steaming cup of tea they will immediately add three or four or more heaping spoonfuls of sugar.  Whenever I observe this, the first thing that always comes to mind is ‘saturated solution’.  I’m not sure if Tanzanians are aware of this, but there is a limit as to how much sugar can be dissolved in one cup of tea.  If you take a modest amount to sugar, say two spoonfuls, you will get a strange look that translates into something like ‘crazy American’.  The strange part is that most Tanzanians don’t like sweet things.  They don’t crave desserts or eat candy like Americans but they add enormous quantities of sugar to their tea.  I’m not sure I understand that one.

Tea is often taken with a small food bit such as chapati (a flat bread) or maandazi (think doughnut minus the frosting). 

I have become much attached to the concept of tea time.  First, I like the idea of a second breakfast (though for most Tanzanians it is their breakfast).  Second, it provides a nice break in work.  And third, there is the social component that draws people together.  For these reasons, I think a tea movement should be started in America to instate a tea time in our daily lives.  I have gotten used to tea time and I don’t want to see it end. 

MYRT 1

Today we start with the Mundane Yet Remarkable Thing number one.  This happens to be livestock.  A very mundanely remarkable thing.  What is so remarkable about livestock, you ask?  Well, first think about livestock in America.  What is most likely to come to mind is the classic black-and-white Bessy placidly chewing cud in a serene green pasture surrounded by a white-picket fence.  In Tanzania, there are very few of these kinds of cows.  Instead the predominant breed here is what I like to call the camel-cow.  These cows have humps on their upper backs that remind me of camels.  There are also a fair number of long-horns in some areas of Tanzania. 

The Camel-Cow

Another common livestock in the States is chicken.  But here they wander around in peoples’ backyards instead of being confined to mass cages on industrial farms.  In the beginning we remarked on the  frequency with which we saw these birds (they seem to show up everywhere, from ditches to restaurants to buses), but now this has become commonplace.  Oh, and roosters don’t just crow at sunrise.  They do it whenever they feel like it. 

The two other common livestock are goats and sheep.   These often graze the roadside ditches with cows.  This is the second remarkable thing that has become commonplace.  Livestock here are not restricted to pastures but graze wherever fodder is available which is often on roadsides.  Drive along any road and you’ll eventually see livestock busily munching roadside greens or plodding leisurely across the road. (Naturally, the more of a hurry you’re in, the more leisurely the livestock plod.) Initially we were intrigued by the herds crossing the roads followed by their herder but these days we hardly notice.