The 2013 Sweat  Equity trip is coming to and end and we thought we would take some time to update you on our work this week…First, Roger and Dave never got to the Ukerewe Island.  On the day we were supposed to fly to Mwanza our flight was cancelled by Precision Air.  There is only one flight per day to this city from Kilimanjaro International Airport. Because of the tight ferry and flight schedule we knew that if we waited even one day to get to Mwanza we would basically get to Ukerewe Island and then 18 hours later turn around and head back.  Most of our time would be spent in transit and only a few hours with the Rotarians in Nansio. Instead, we returned to Moshi to work with our partners in this region.

This week we have been revisiting medical clinics and dispensaries to confirm they are ready for the equipment  to arrive over the next six months.  This means traveling rough back roads in the Old Moshi Town, Msaranaga and further afield to Nganjoni.  

Today was especially fun as we visited the community of Nganjoni.  The clinic in Nganjoni was previously mention in the “Power to the People” blog entry last week which celebrated the success of the local Rotarians convincing the local government to fund the connection of the electricity to the clinic.   When we arrived at the clinic we were immediately greeted by group of women dancing and singing welcoming us, and celebrating the announcement that the electricity connection had been funded.  The joy in their faces and their enthusiastic singing clearly communicated their excitement about the change coming to the community.

The Welcoming Committeee

After a tour of the clinic and the newly completed doctor’s house we were presented with thank you gifts of shirts and kangas.  Our celebration was completed when Meaghan and Mackenzie were invited to join the ladies in a traditional dance.  It was a great way to celebrate the end of our trip.  We look forward to returning to this community and celebrating one final time when the electricity is on and the new equipment arrives.  The people will finally have the health care services they need and deserve.

Hello people looking at the blog its Mackenzie and i just wanted to talk about the meat we eat here. Now as you can see in the photo there’s a chunk  of raw meat hanging there. Pretty disturbing right? Ya well that is what we eat here (its not that bad) in Kilema.

There was also another time when I went to go ask the cook named Alex to cut my mango and Meaghan and I saw a dead chicken feathered and whole, with a cut along its neck. That was our dinner. I also heard that every one even saw it and heard its end coming! (Cluck, cluck)

Lets just say i didn’t eat the meat at dinner. But the gross part was when I sat with my dad for dinner and he said to me that the chicken leg he was eating was a little underdone and tough to eat. Dad has not admitted to any bad after effects….yet!

 ~Mackenzie Wray~

P.S

Sorry to any vegetarians who just read that :>

People are the key to successful projects.  The events of today have shaped the next actions for the Rotary projects in Tanzania.  We had an early departure from Kilema down the mountain to Moshi for a meeting with the District Medical Officer (DMO) who is responsible for the facilities and people who run the medical clinics and dispensaries in Moshi District.  (Local government).  The issue we need to talk about was the future on the Nganjoni Medical Dispensary. 

Some Background:

Nganjoni is a rural area outside of Moshi town that until recently had no medical facilities.   The community of about 15,000 is at the head of a valley with very poor road access.  In the rainy season the only way in and out in an emergency is by helicopter as the road are impassable. Three years ago local Rotarian recognized the isolation of this community and convinced the Canadian Consulate to build a medical facility in the community.  With local and international help the building now has running water, operating latrines and house for the medical staff.  (1 doctor and 2 nurses).  BUT…they have no equipment, no medication, and no electricity.   Two years ago District 7070 Rotarians and Friends along with local Rotarians visited the facility and committed to equip the facility if the building could be connected to the local electricity grid.  Last year the DMO committed to putting 6 million Tanzanian Shillings in the budget to begin the job of connecting the power.  The Global Grant to provide the equipment is contingent on the facilities having water and sanitation, electricity, proper staffing and local commitment to the facility.   

Today (2 years later):

There is still no electricity at Nganjoni and todays meeting was a last ditch effort to find a solution.  I’m sure it was a bit of a shock to District Medical Office to arrive at his office and find seven Rotarians waiting for him.   We were his first appointment of the day.  Local Rotarians Mama Lucy and Mama Valeria passionately pinned the bureaucrat to his desk with the questions “Where is the promised money?”, “When will there be power at the clinic”, and “Did he realize that without the electricity the medical equipment would not be supplied?”.  It soon became obvious that he did not have the authority to allocate the promised money.  He said he would bring it up at the next budget meeting with the District Executive Officer (DEO).  We could all see the paper shuffling starting and knew we were in trouble.  Before he could continue with his explanation of the process needed to get the money allocated the local Rotarians jumped in and said “NO” if you cannot help us we need to talk to the District Executive Office now.  To his credit the DMO, recognized that he was cornered and agreed to take us immediately to the DEO office.  After a very brief amount of time we were all invited in, introduced and the ladies passionately presented the case that the government had a duty to help the people of this community. Roger and I mostly stayed quiet and let the local Rotarians do their thing.

The Results:

By noon today, the President of the Rotary Club of Moshi, Mama Lucy, had a sign letter of commitment from the DEO for the six million shillings to be applied to the connection of electricity to the Nganjoni Dispensary.  Once the money is transferred the job of connecting the electricity can begin.  

Is this fully resolved? No…we will wait until the lights are on at the clinic before we fully celebrate, but this is huge achievement for the local Rotarians.  

Thoughts:

• Some things are very different in Tanzania, but bureaucracy looks very similar all over.
• Passionate, dedicated people can and do make a difference.