Moshi ~ Thursday

Thursday, January 23

Today was a whole new experience ~ we rode the dala dala!



This is the mini van used as local bus service. The one we rode in wasn't bad at all. It was a newer van and it wasn't full. We have seen many packed with people and in the countryside we have seen them putting goats and chickens in as well. It only cost about 400 tsh = $.25.

We went to another of the centers with Dana this morning. Upon entering we could see (and feel) it wasn't quite the same as the first center, however they are doing the best they can. The "teacher" in this center is again the mother of one of the children and has no real training. The children are pushed to the center in wheelchairs over the rugged roads or carried. Before the centers were established, these children just stayed at home. The rent for this center is too high so they are looking for another facility.


At Kiborlioni center we met:

Mama Gemma ~ the teacher


her daughter Gemma and her son Jackson who comes to the center in the morning with his mother and then goes to school around 10:30.





Mama Imani ~


Her son Imani and her daughter Angela who goes to school first and then comes to the center with her mother and brother.


Angela ~


Prosper ~


Calvin ~


Ugi time ~ porridge time ~ poverty and malnutrition are common in this country so porridge is an important staple for all school age children. However, it takes a major part of the morning to feed each of these children. We were able to help take up the slack today but normally some of the children are on their own while the teachers are feeding the others.








Mama Mary Moshi ~ center coordinator













Later in the afternoon, we went back to visit with Mama Elitha. Mama Roberti was not home last Saturday when we all got together so she invited us into her room today as a welcome. She served us more pineapple and more peanuts. She was also extremely grateful for the things we brought Roberti who is away at school. He finished primary school and then the government assigns children to a school that could be anywhere. Some are close enough for the children to continue to live at home ~ some have to go away and stay at the school. The government schools are "free" however the family must buy uniforms, books, pensils etc and if they can't afford to do that ~ the child doesn't go to school.

Then Elizabeth and Raehama asked us to come out. They explained to Dana that they have been waiting for years for us to come to Tanzania and they want to make us clothes!!!! So they measured each one of us ~ yes ~ John also ~ maybe we'll have outfits for the wedding after all!
OMG ~ can't wait to see this ~ but their generosity has no end.


Mama Elitha, Dana and Jessica from Upendo who came by to visit ~






We walked back to the hotel just in time for dinner ~ John is still pinching himself that he has good food to eat, a great place to sleep, hot water and electricity ~ it's a new Africa.