Leaving home to travel for seven weeks means there are a thousand things to do. One by one things get added to the list, then one by one checked off. I am bound to miss a few. Like last year's trip to Tanzania for two months when I suddenly realized over the Atlantic that the only bra I had packed was the one I was wearing. This time I am making the trip to Tanzania alone which means Marian, pictured above fifth from the right, is here to help me get ready and take care of things while I am away. But it also means I will not have her at the other end, sharing experiences with me day by day. I will miss her companionship greatly.
Marian and I founded Project TEMBO in 2004. Our project work is among the Maasai in two villages in northern Tanzania - Longido and Kimokouwa - about half an hour from the Kenyan border. Through our organization, girls are sponsored to attend secondary school, secondary school graduates become teachers, an adult literacy program is taking shape, and women are able to generate income through small business initiatives. You can read more about our work on our website www.projectembo.org.
During last year's visit, we found partners in the area to help us set and shape objectives so that our project would be one that Tanzanians found useful. MWEDO (Maasai Women's Development Organization) and Dr. Steven Kiruswa, founder of Lilian Foundation and Director of LOOCIP (Longido Community Association) have deep roots in our project area and are highly respected by the villagers. This return visit will be to gauge the success of our efforts during the first year and facilitate new initiatives. I will meet 12 new girls TEMBO is sponsoring at Longido Secondary School (14 in all), meet some of the 5 new secondary school graduates who are studying to become teachers (the first two certified in 2005), see how two groups of women are doing raising chickens and goats plus help to initiate new groups, and work with the beadmakers to create Maasai jewellery we can sell in Canada. And there will be meetings with school and village officials, tribal leaders, families, other NGO's...and so much more.
Marian and I founded Project TEMBO in 2004. Our project work is among the Maasai in two villages in northern Tanzania - Longido and Kimokouwa - about half an hour from the Kenyan border. Through our organization, girls are sponsored to attend secondary school, secondary school graduates become teachers, an adult literacy program is taking shape, and women are able to generate income through small business initiatives. You can read more about our work on our website www.projectembo.org.
During last year's visit, we found partners in the area to help us set and shape objectives so that our project would be one that Tanzanians found useful. MWEDO (Maasai Women's Development Organization) and Dr. Steven Kiruswa, founder of Lilian Foundation and Director of LOOCIP (Longido Community Association) have deep roots in our project area and are highly respected by the villagers. This return visit will be to gauge the success of our efforts during the first year and facilitate new initiatives. I will meet 12 new girls TEMBO is sponsoring at Longido Secondary School (14 in all), meet some of the 5 new secondary school graduates who are studying to become teachers (the first two certified in 2005), see how two groups of women are doing raising chickens and goats plus help to initiate new groups, and work with the beadmakers to create Maasai jewellery we can sell in Canada. And there will be meetings with school and village officials, tribal leaders, families, other NGO's...and so much more.
I depart Sunday, Feb. 5 from Ottawa and arrive in Arusha Monday, Feb. 6. There is no electricity in our project area, so my plan is to post journal entries on the weekends when I return to Arusha. My first entry will be when I get settled in on Tuesday, Feb. 7. For now, it is back to the thousand things still to be done before my departure. See you in Tanzania.
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