July 30, 2009 - “Plant the seeds and wait for rain…”

Today was another great day. It started out at breakfast where we chatted with a couple of the women (nurses) from Ottawa that I mentioned in my first post from Tanzania. They had an incredible day yesterday. A nurse from the area, whom they met when they arrived here, had asked them if they’d help her with immunizations at a remote Masai village a few hours away and they agreed. They spent 5+ hours there and vaccinated over 80 people under difficult conditions which included a language barrier. It would have taken the clinic nurse til midnight doing it on her own. They were totally exhausted but clearly pumped by the experience. As they were describing their day I felt so proud of them, as a fellow Canadian. Their willingness to help really made a difference in people’s lives today.

Today, Deo, and Nderingo took us to visit some more farmers at the Sub Village of Maghesho who had participated in a CPAR agriculture/livestock program. Okay, I wasn’t going to mention bumpy roads again but I just have to. Wow, the CPAR folks here travel some rough terrain to do their work. The first two farms we visited weren’t accessible by vehicle so we went as far as we could where there were roads, then walked in the rest of the way. At one farm, that meant hiking up rather steep and rocky hill.

The climb was worth it though. The woman, Rebecca was so nice. She received a piglet from CPAR 9 months ago and now it is fully grown and pregnant. BTW, program participants in the area share a male pig provided by CPAR, in case you are wondering, as I did, how that happened when she was given only one baby piglet! So in a few months she will have another dozen or so piglets. As per the requirements of the program she will pass two of them on to other farmers in her community and keep the rest. She named the pig “Kuti Kuti”, which in Iraqi (her local language) describes the sound a pig makes (like Oink). I thought she was calling the pig Cutie…ha ha…well, it was kind of cute; all pink and seemed to have a smiley face! Incidentally Rebecca makes that climb up the rocky hill about 3 times a day, often carrying 20 litres of water.

(Above) Rebecca and Kuti Kuti

(Above) The road to Rebecca’s

When we got back to the car and started to drive away we got hung up on a rock and couldn’t move, so the guys built up a pile of rocks in front of one of the rear tires and thanks to 4 wheel drive, we got out. Not too far from there, we went to see the village vegetable plot where the farmers are growing Chinese Cabbage.

Because of the lack of rain, they have to use water they purchase from a water station. The scenery here is very deceptive. It seems beautiful and lush (i.e. green) when you look out over the landscape, but the green things we see are draught resistant plants that can’t be used for food or feed. A common theme of visits over the past few days has been impending crop failure due to lack of rain. It’s very sad because people put such effort into these crops and are so reliant on their success.

Not far from the Chinese Cabbage plot was another crop that Dwight and the others went to visit. There was no shade where we had been standing so I decided to wait for them in the truck. I am definitely not designed for prolonged sun exposure! There weren’t any people around so I decided to pass the time playing my guitar. Before long, a few people came around the car…one fellow leaned in the window to listen and we chatted a bit. 

After a while, Nderingo came to take me where the others were. A young farmer and his wife had invited us into their “kiosk” (small store with seating area) for a soda. That was so generous of them. Before we left, we sang a song for the group. It was really a wonderful visit for us.

(Above) Soda in the kiosk

(Above) Singing at Moghesho

We returned to the office and had a delicious lunch of beans, rice, and greens, then the guys, Jean, Naisosion, and us walked over to Umatu, the Women’s Resource centre I wrote about earlier in the week. The women had just completed baking a big batch of carrot and some banana muffins that were amazing. The women at this Centre have been through some pretty rough times, so when we were invited to sing for them, we chose ‘Marching’ and ‘I Wonder’…two of our “girl power” songs. It was so fun singing for them.

(Above) Sampling muffins at Umatu

A quick stop back at the office to check email and the hotel to freshen up, before going out with the gang from the office for a nice dinner. They are such a great group of people who are doing such important work.

While the days warm up nicely, the evenings and mornings are fleece-jacket-cold. As I write this in our hotel room, I have a blanket wrapped around my legs and my jacket on.