Looking Back and Looking Forward

Mount Meru from Olasiti

The past six months have been gratifying, as we've seen the walls of the new orphanage going up, with the help of local laborers, volunteers, and the kids themselves.  Imagine: clean water! electricity! Solar is an option. Banana and mango trees are growing. Two secondary students now have bicycles of their own.  Three cameras and computers have been donated.  Fifty-two students are attending school on scholarships.  Joseph is in advanced secondary (what we would call junior college)!  Our friend Gloria is in Tanzania now, opening a clinic in another village; in Olasiti she is producing a "Kids with Cameras" exhibit, and planning an auction of the photos.

Next June's service trip is in the works:  teaching English in the village school, and working on orphanage construction.  Are you ready to get muddy and change lives?

Batik Paintings by the Orphans Arts Club

Construction Progress!

Construction

Picasa Web album of construction progress

Walls Are Going Up!

Slide Show

Swahinglish!

One morning at Olasiti Lodge I ordered: mbili mayai na gibini na nyani. The cook looked surprised. Apparently I had ordered a baboon in my omelet! Instead of two eggs with cheese and tomatoes, I had used nyani (baboon) instead of nyanya (tomatoes)! You say tomato, I say baboon! At the Pangani ferry crossing, V, who is accomplished in Swahili, called a woman pregnant (tumbo--stomach--slang for pregnant) instead of inquiring about oranges (chungwa). Much laughter ensued...

It's boda-boda time!

Now that V and I are both housed at the Olasiti Lodge (although we are being "removed" again due to overbooking), we use the local transport daily. Motorcycle taxi service called boda-boda haul us to the opposite side of the village approx. 3 km for 1,ooo Tsh. Bumpy dirt roads create competition among push carts, bicycles, foot traffic, motorcycles, vans, goats, cows and trucks for the smoothest path. Yesterday, we walked to an outlying section of Arusha searching for a shop to laminate the newly created fliers for placement in local hotels. Given directions we set off for Jayarra...walking, walking, walking as the only wazungu in the neighborhood, caused quite a stir. Searching for Jayarra....o-h-h-h-h- JR!!! We locate a shop, negotiate a price and the process begins. Two crooked, bubbly laminated fliers and seven good ones----now, of course, we have consumed the entire supply of laminating material. Hakuna matata! A woman from the shop sets out on a boda-boda to obtain more. Meanwhile, we meet and converse with several customers and looky-loos including a local college student who assisted in translation. Once the fresh supply of laminate arrives V continues to ply the workers with chocolate to maintain output and to meet with my quality inspection. Three hours later we have 57 copies and many new friends. (this was supposed to have posted a week earlier--technical difficulties).

OLASITI ORPHANS CENTER 2010 MID-YEAR REPORT AS OF 10TH JUNE

OLASITI  ORPHANS  CENTER

2010 MID-YEAR REPORT AS OF 10TH JUNE

Geography and Life in the village

It is winter here in Olasiti village.  Following the long rains, the weather is getting colder and colder together with unpredictable rain showers.

Farmers in the village can be seen going with a bush knife to the farm and returning with a bundle of husks, green beans, animal fodder, bananas, papaya and green veggies on their heads and some on their bicycles. Workers can be seen walking slowly and awkwardly across road ponds to reach their workplace. Some remove their shoes and socks to make it easier, but that doesn’t work. They reach their work places with mud scars as an indication that Nature/God is superior.

This year we had real good rains; nobody complains about the rainfall.

The children in our center were able to plant fruit trees, maize, bananas, sunflowers, and passion fruits; after that they planted sweet potatoes.

Project  implementation report

January–June 2010

EDUCATION SUPPORT: OOC was able to provide school supplies ranging from school uniforms (skirts, trousers, blouses, shirts, sweaters, socks, shoes) to supplies like backpacks, pens, pencils and exercise books for 58 primary school students and 56 secondary school students.

MEAL PROGRAM: We have been able to provide daily meals of millet porridge with sunflower oil, beans, maize and sugar, with the addition of fruit twice a month and buns two times a week. The children’s growth rate by weight and height has been increasing. For example, the height of Kassimu Shabani has increased from 150cm to 170 while his weight has increased from 60 to 74 kg.

FARMING PROGRAM: The children were able to participate in collaboration with teachers in farming. We have been able to care for and develop a thorny fence for 50% of the total area. Goats and pigs are doing well. In Feb-May the children were able to slaughter and share 4 pigs to improve the children’s nutrition. Sixteen children were able to raise tree seedlings for sale and planting around their homes. Jumanne Omari  and Fanuel were able to make 30,000 Tsh each, which enabled them to solve their personal problems/needs and wants.
News! Two of our goats have newborns and are now providing two liters of milk a day.

ARTS PROGRAM: Rashidi was able to sell several of his art works.  He made a total of $215 from the sales. However, we still face marketing problems.

CENTER ADMINISTRATION: The OOC was able to hire and manage four permanent human resources--a program manager, a teacher, a cook, and a night guard--who have been hard working staff in helping our children. The center was full of energy [and operation gears like stationery and others.] We collected 34 contributions to our suggestion box recommending good work and wishing blessings for all of us.

MEDICAL SERVICE: 58 were able to get worm vaccines and 24 got different medical services including treatment for 12 cases of malaria, 3 cases of typhoid, 9 cases of pneumonia, 3 cases of gastric ulcers, 4 cases of oral fungus, 2 cases of genital fungus, 2 cases of amoebic infections, 6 cases of toothache, 2 cases of headache, and 1 case of eye problems. Each of the cases has been resolved.

ENVIRONMENTAL  EDUCATION PROGRAM: OOC Birding Club was able to visit Arusha National Park two times, Tarangire three times, Manyara two times, and Engikaret eight times. The participants learned a lot from each day’s visit, mainly about terrestrial ecology and human-wildlife conflict.

SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM: OOC was able to meet and talk to different school head teachers, district education offices and students. OOC has covered/paid all school payments (such as the cost of students’ meals, contributions for building repairs, and part of teachers’ salaries) for 42 students. In addition to school payments, OOC has provided all school supplies (books, uniforms) and tuition fees to 56 students.

OOC  has learned that 70% of our students are improving.

Good news! Four of our graduate students from Advanced secondary Education have passed their final exams with A, B and C averages. One is now enrolled at the University of Dar-es-Salaam and two boys are still expected to go to university. Two boys and one girl--Joseph John, Lightness Meloo and Baraka Malisa--are doing well in Green Ville High School in Uganda.


 ORPHANAGE CONSTRUCTION:

 
OOC was able to manage and implement the new orphanage plan. Now imaginations can be sensed by eyes! 40 young people from the same village benefited by getting temporary employment and learned new life skills. Some of them have been considered thieves and therefore non persons;  this gave them the opportunity to work with invitation around their homes. All participants were hard working and good people to work with. The first phase (foundation) is complete. We wait for the second phase (walls, columns, beams and slabs). Thank you God!

JEFF SCHOOL SUPPLIES PROGRAM: OOC was able to purchase and supply 12,500 large and small exercise books and 30,000 pens to Burka, Olasiti, Mateves, Murongoine, Mulala, New Hope and Sumawe primary schools in Arusha and two secondary schools: Ngiresi Secondary and Mateves Secondary. Each school received an average of 1,300 books and 333 pens, although some of the schools received more than others because of the large number of students and the size of the school.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

To FOTO [www.tanzanianorphans.org] and particularly

Virginia Hinkle for coordinating/funding scholarships and the new orphanage construction programs

Shelly Wolfe for coordinating/funding Olasiti Orphans Center

Prof. Jeff Fadiman for coordinating/funding the school supplies program

Karen Sieverkropp for coordinating/funding the medical  program

Others:  Maureen, Paulette, Maria, Rob, Liz, Diane of God, Diana Chung, Diane Religh, Gloria Upchurch, Alex Moseson, Dr. Lew Lama, David, the Daudi Peterson Family, the Mike Peterson Family, the Thad Peterson Family, Gaye  Samson, Josh, Rosalyn, Lewis and Clark students, Kory, and many others.

In this way, we had lunch with God!

By Zenan Gasper

Program Manager

June 2010

Pili-Pili: Lost in Translation

Good bye campground!  Breakfast at Olasiti Lodge after a mosquito-free and ant-free night!  Chef will cook your omelet to order, mmm-mmm.  After noticing there were no salt or pepper shakers on the table, I decided to show off by asking in Swahili, "Pili-pili nyeusi." Then what to my wondering eyes should appear but a little dish of red and yellow fiery hot peppers!  Back to English.  I should have used Paulette's method of Swahenglish with hand gestures.  The staff of course is perfectly conversant in English, and they humor us by providing free Swahili lessons followed by frequent pop quizzes... Hakuna matata!

Never Stop Trying!

This was my first time visiting the Tanzanian Orphans in Africa. These children are brilliant. Their brains are like sponges! This one child had trouble multiplying double-digit numbers in class. But, when I was on my way back to the campsite I saw the same child sitting on the ground writing something on a tire. I approach him and see that he is trying to solve the same question that I had asked him in class. Even outside of class he is trying to learn from his mistakes. This proves that even though these children may not have as much as the rest of the world, they never stop trying to reach their goal. They have hardly any resources but are still just as hard working as the rest of the world.

The smallest things make these children smile. One day, I brought presents to the orphan center. Bahati, the head teacher, handed them out. I had brought animal hats, flip-flops, books, pens, pencils and toothbrushes. These children loved the hats so much. It was very enjoyable to watch. They paraded around the school wearing their new flip-flops and hats. The boys ran around proudly holding their new toothbrushes. This was the most rewarding experience I have ever had. The smiles on these childrens faces was unforgettable. These children have inspired me to work harder towards my goals and have helped me realize that it is not whether or not you reach your goal, but rather how you reach your goal that matters.

Vumbi Sana! Dusty Adventures in Maasai Land

What's traveling if not off road?  We joined Zenan and the birding club for an excursion to the dry north side of Mount Meru.  Binoculars in hand, we spotted the rare and endangered Beasley's Lark.  Our two Maasai guides seemed unperturbed by the 50mph winds.  The coaster, however, was a different story.  Since all Land Rovers were in use, we got a non-4-wheel-drive van.  Once off road, it sank hubcap deep in powdery dust. Picture 25 kids gathering sticks to put under the wheels, then pushing.  Vumbi!  Clouds of dust in their faces.  After three tries, success!  Now, get back to the road.

But no, there's more. Next we searched for the rare gueranac, a desert antelope.  Alas, it remained  elusive.  Wait! Are those the tracks of the gueranac I see?  No... a goat.  Oh.

Fun anyway!  Mount Kilimanjaro was above the clouds in the distance.

Road "Fixating" with Orphan Road Crew

Three hand-made road tools: $75. Four truckloads of sand and gravel: $500. Working side by side with happy, playful, hungry, curious children: priceless! Riding in gigantic truck lurching through narrow village paths, Zenan's door flying open, view of puddles through truck floor: "hakuna matata." Last gravel dump near dusk, must finish! One quarter mile of road leveled and repaired, sodas for the crew. Mission accomplished.

Kudos to V!

This post repeats the message of the comment on the blog's inaugural post (new blog author here learning how the system works - and not wanting this important message to be hidden.)

Huge respect and gratitude to V Hinkle: she gets back to Olasiti every summer - introducing new travelers and teachers to the wonders of Tanzania and engaging them to help the orphans. Thanks to her for our great up-to-date website, now our new blog spot, and the steady flow of donations - which often come from her youngest students. She's helping them learn the habit, and feel the rewards of generosity towards friends half a world away who need so much. Asante sane, V - and bon voyage ! Travel safely and send us more great pictures and stories.

Construction Begins

Construction has begun on the new orphan center!  The dream will become reality.