Wednesday, June 26, 2013


People I met in Tanzania....I thought it might be of interest to some people to hear about the Tanzanians who I have had come to know. 

I met Neema at my first placement in Morogoro.  You may recall she offered to help me with my housing issues and told me her name meant ‘Grace’, and she is aptly named.  Ney is 35 years old.  Immediately after her marriage she went to Holland to complete her Master’s in Public Admin.  Tumiani, her husband, visited a few times but it was a long and adventurous 2 years for an African girl.  Since then they have had two boys, Elija (pronounced e-lee-ah) and Alisha (just born at Easter).  The couple had to relocate to Dar for the final gestational month and delivery in order to ensure a safe birth even though she was not high risk.  She told me her decision was based on the fact that 5 of her friends (similar age and education/financial class) lost babies at birth in Morogoro. 

The house they rent in Morogoro is kept unoccupied for when they return plus they now rent a large apartment in Dar too.  They will stay in Dar until Ney returns to work because Thumiani is self-employed in Dar and usually commutes on w/e to Morogoro.   A smart business man he runs a car import business and has several other businesses in the developmental phase (e.g. chicken feed in Morogoro).  Ney’s parents were farmers with limited education but held a strong belief about its importance for their children.  Thumiani’s parents are both professors at the Agricultural University in Morogoro and were both associated with the university system in the Netherlands.


In Ney’s home you will find a fridge in the living room (only used for drinks), a microwave, a washing machine and dryer (none used) a huge stereo system and flat screen TV (used a lot by Thumiani), a leather couch and chair,  and modern glass tables.  There is nothing on the walls and the wall unit is empty except for photo-albums of their wedding.  There are 2 ‘maids’ to help with the 2 kids as Ney will be working again.  This is a common situation for those with money and one woman told me her maid has a maid. 

Family is the couple’s biggest focus outside of earning a living.  Entertainment or activities outside of work involves visiting family members, or more recently others visiting the young family (a constant stream with her mother and parents-in-law staying each for 3 weeks).  Sometimes on weekends, before the birth of Alisha, Thumiani would drive Ney and Elijah to Moshi (10 hour drive) so Ney could visit with her mother.  Thumiani would turn around and drive back on the Sunday only to return the following w/e and pick them up.  Ney would have visited various family members in the region during that week.  There are buses that run that same route but Elijah has not been exposed to the ‘germs of others’ and so Thumaini forbids the use of the bus at this point.  Much more comfortable travel for Ney but a lot of dangerous and arduous driving for a devoted husbanded and father,  not to mention the cost of petrol.  The gas costs are comparable to Canadian prices for a population that earns $45/month on average.  Of course that includes millions at the subsistence level and Ney and Thumiani are in the tiny middle class, with higher education and all that affords.  None-the-less owning and running a vehicle is very costly here.


When I visit Ney, I am always given a meal.  I have learned to bring small gifts in thanks and we go out together for meals and visits when we can (at least before Alisha was born).  Last time she provided rice, chips, beans, mchicha (a type of spinach), okra, Ugali, and King Fish.  The fish was cut in huge steaks and was fresh from the Dar market the day before (one of Ney’s first outings with Thumiani since her delivery in April).  As usual, it is plain fare, no spices except salt, but very fresh and delicious.  Even though I have moved around here in Tanzania, Ney has always stayed in touch via texting, email or calling.  I feel blessed to have gotten to know her and her family.
 
Aida was married young, with limited education and immediately bore a son.  One day her husband met a sophisticated woman and the two of them were speaking English together, leaving Aida out.  As they walked she gradually fell more and more behind until she could escape home.  At home she cried and was angry.  When her husband returned home and asked what happened she simply said she didn’t want to get in the way of their conversation.  For the next 6 months Aida studied English, in any way she could find.  One day her husband met the woman again but this time she surprised them both and participated in the conversation.  You see, rather than being jealous or angry at either of them, Aida had realized that the problem lay in herself.  She vowed determinedly never to let anyone or any situation make her feel small again.

That was the beginning of many changes in Aida’s life.  Now, she is divorced and living as a single-parent which is highly unusual in her small Muslim community.  A talented artist, she runs her own business designing clothing for foreigners to be made of the brightly coloured African cloth (Kangas and Kitangas).  The production of the clothing as well as embroidered and quilted pillow covers and bags, is all done by a group of women who work with Aida in a co-op.  She tells me that she is still a shy person by nature and finds she must push herself to be ‘out in the world’ but she has never gone back on her word to herself.

 
 
 

I asked if I could interview Hilda and she preferred to write this ‘bio’ herself.  This is what she wanted to share with my friends and family back home:
My name is Hilda Charles Lurinzu.  I finished my O-level (Cdn equivalent of Gr. 10...brackets Peggy) education in 1991.  My very first intention was to become a nun (sister).
 

In 1992 I joined Benedictines sisters of Tutzing, this is a Religious Constitution which is found in Songea, Southern parts of Tanzania.  I stayed there till 2002, from there I decided to drop out to live another style of life.
In 2003 I joined Form 5 as a Private Candidate, I studied HGL, meaning History, Geography and English as my Form 5 subject courses.
In 2005 I sat for my A-level (Cdn gr. 12) exam and when the results came out, I passed with good grades which enabled me to join University.
Beside that I’m a mother of two children all are boys.  The first born is called Felix who is now five years old.  And is learning at Carmel Kindergarten (a religious funded private school emphasizing education in English...PF).  Brian is my second son is still breasting is now 1 year and 2 months.
Now I’m a teacher teaching at Sega girls Secondary School, the school is at Morogoro region in Tanzania.  I started working this year.  I teach literature From IV (Cdn gr. 10...PF), history Form III (Cdn gr. 9...PF) and I (Cdn gr. 7...PF), also non-formal (Girls who haven’t passed exam to enter secondary school yet...PF) History.
PF:  What I would add is that Hilda is one of those consistently bright and cheery people, very attentive to others, and obviously caring.  She chats a lot with the other teachers sharing stories 1 on 1 which always involves rounds of laughter.  Hilda runs one of the two Music Clubs, bringing along her wonderful knowledge of harmony learned at her church choir.  What I find especially appealing about her,  is how lovely she appears, always looking professional and beautifully dressed!  Hilda is a wonderful addition to the lives of the Sega girls and the staff she works with. 
 
 

 
Amaas had very limited English to go with my very limited Swahili.  What I do know is that he did not complete secondary school and needed to go out to work to help support his mother and younger siblings.  His father is not around.  He does ‘petty’ work, mostly labour and working on farm plots for others, harvesting etc..  Sega has hired him to help with the creation of ‘organic farming’ plots.  An NGO is sponsoring the creation and running of 28 bed for education purposes and production of new and different greens and herbs.  It’s amazing to me how we have managed to mess things up so much that a nation who has lived on subsistence farming for eons, has to learn how to use ‘organic farming methods’ all over again.  Amaas dug these 28 plots to a depth of about 5 feet...could barely see his hat above ground...then mixed straw and soil to refill the beds.  The beds are located a short distance from my house and when he’s working I can hear a constant singing and often ‘rapping’ to his favourite Bonga Flava tunes. 

 

 
 

 

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