Kiti Moto and more observations

On Thursday, I went into to the TACOPE office, with various things I had put together for them. I’d worked on a booklet, which shows the history of the organisation as well as putting their profile, which I had streamlined, together. I had typed out letters, which they were going to send off asking a few of the bigger companies if they would consider supporting this group, and I’d also typed out their 2008 budget. So a fair bit had been completed, and the idea is that, when they get a computer, I will be able to leave them with these things, which they can then use as and when they want.

Have I mentioned about the computer? Think I have, but a quick recap – they do have a computer in the ‘office’, but it doesn’t work. They paid Tsh 280,000 for it and had a further balance due to pay of Tsh 120,000 – but the hard drive is broken and the memory is insufficient. Basically it’s useless. They haven’t been able to track the guy down who ‘sold’ it to them, and it seems that the Tsh 280,000 (£140) could be lost!! Part of the money we paid to do our volunteering goes to the charity we work with – this is called Community Trust, and as I said at the beginning of my time here, I felt somehow that was what the group were looking forward to receiving. In fact the budget shows income from foreign volunteers! The spend is supposed to be discussed with the volunteer, the charity and SAIDIA – but it looks like my contribution to TACOPE will be the purchase of a computer. Add to this the fact that I will have to help them set it up, show them how to use it and put some useful items on it so that they have templates, etc for future use. I said to Joey that as we only have three weeks working left, I felt it was time to go ahead and get the computer.

So on Friday I decided to work from home – I’d been asked by the TACOPE guys to assist them with the proposals they put to donors, and we thought it a good idea to have a workshop, so needed to do some preparation for that, and, thought I could go with Joey to look into buying the computer. Had a good morning at home and got some good stuff together (lets see how this works in a workshop tho!) and then Joey came to take me into town. I needed to go to a bank to make a payment to a lodge we are staying at during our trip/safari prior to the wedding, wanted to get some photo’s printed and to look for the computer. Well, managed to succeed with just one of those tasks. The bank was successful – the rest wasn’t. It was Friday afternoon, and a lot of the Muslim shops were closed, there were crowds of people moving in and out of the mosques (of which there are many here) and no joy in finding the computer or anywhere open that would print photo’s off a memory card. So will try again next week. Shopping is strange here – there don’t seem to be shops as such (or as we know them). There are rooms, like shop fronts, but they don’t seem to hold stock – you just go to someone who knows something or someone and then move onto another ‘shop’. There is lots of chat and “sawa sawa” (okay) and it all takes ages, but that’s how it works here. I may be more informed later when we actually manage to buy a computer – who knows!

Whilst at the office on Thursday, just as I was leaving, a lady came in and filled the place with her charisma. Her name is, Tabu Kakwaya - Tabu she told me with great pride means ‘trouble’. Her English was just a bit better than my Swahili, but between us and Mr Messo interpreting, I understood that she is the Home Care visitor. She is the one who goes around to people’s homes when they find out they are infected with HIV/Aids. She is a volunteer – and visits 100’s of people. She talks them through how to take their drugs, what they can do and can’t do, the fact that the drugs have to be taken at specific times EVERY day, and have to be taken with food, which sometimes is not available! She supports them and their families, and comes over as an amazing lady. She was an absolute bubble, full of smiles and talk and was really something else.

She left twice and each time came back with more to say and laugh about. She dragged one of her ‘clients’ in who had just been to the hospital for his drugs – they are issued free every other month, and she wanted me to see them. She then told us, me, that she is having a party on Sunday. They are planning to kill one cow and two goats for it – so it’s a big one, and she invited me to come with Donald, and Jen & Joey. She knows Joey and had been trying to meet Jen, (or they had been trying to meet up with her). She was most insistent – so I said that I would try to come, depending on what the others had planned. J&J thought it sounded a possible, so we will see – but Joey said that if we do go, we will be treated like honoured guests – so??

Last night went out with J&J and another couple of their friends, and we had the local delicacy (not sure if it is at all delicate!) Kiti Moto – which literally means hot chair! It is what is also called “a pile of pork”. There are a few local restaurants (I say that in the loosest term) which specialise in this, and when a pig is killed word gets around which kiti moto to go to, because you only want to go when the meat is fresh (obviously!) Actually it is really tasty. There are two forms you can have – one is dry cooked and the other is with sauce. Basically like Chinese spare ribs. It comes with ugali (maize made into a thick past – like stodgy mashed potatoes) which you roll into a ball (with your right hand!) and then dip it into a sauce. The platter is a communal one (tho we had three) and you just dig in. It was a really good night out, and the food was great. (and this is being written the next day, so no after effects)

Today (Saturday) Donald and I went for a walk around our neighbourhood. We hadn’t explored really, and so we set off with our suntan cream plastered on, hats on, camera and phone in pocket and bottles of water in Donalds back pack and walked. We went up to the top of our road and turned right, we’d never done that before, always been left. Walking! – there are always loads of people walking here. The sound of the feet/shoes shuffling along the road is a constant. So we weren’t alone, but we were just walking for the sake of it, not as a means to an end. Whilst we were walking on the main, and tarmaced road, we past clusters of shacks interspersed with bigger houses which were enclosed with big walls and big metal gates. Whenever a car comes up to their gate, they don’t get out to open it – no way – they sit in the car and toot the horn. If the gate isn’t opened quickly enough they toot again, with more impatience, until the houseboy or gate man, clatters the bolts and opens the gates so the car can enter its compound. Meanwhile, life in the smaller houses is very much open for all to see. A lot is done outside the house – washing, eating, cooking, etc. Think the shelter of the house is only used when it rains and for sleeping at night. By the looks of them there is not much inside them anyway. But we got lots of smiles and waves along the way – the usual cry’s of ‘Muzungo’, ‘How are you?’ etc.

We meandered along the road for some time, till it came to an end, well the tarmac did. The road continued and we followed and then veered off on to pathways until we came to the Lake, which is what we were hoping we would do. The lake itself seems to be everywhere, or maybe Mwanza just hugs the side of it. As we walked towards the lake we were aware that there were a lot of young lads walking either in the same direction or coming back. A lot of them carried buckets, and they just sauntered along singly or in groups. We pasted a couple of schools, big secondary ones, along the way, and when we got to the lake we realised what was happening. Obviously Saturday morning is clothes washing day for the boy’s school. There were loads of guys at the waters edge, washing their clothes, and themselves. The lake by the way is known to be the cause of Bilharzias (spelt incorrectly I’m sure!) which is a nasty parasite which has very bad effects of those who contract it, not even sure if it is fatal – but maybe they are immune.

The scenery on the way was fabulous – I think I have mentioned before that Mwanza is known as Rock City, and the rocks are just amazing. Huge smooth odd shaped boulders precariously balancing on each other – I’ll try to put some photo’s of them on the blog to show you what I mean. They are amazingly powerful to look at!

Having mentioned shops to you - I should also mention the mobile shops. These are basically stuff carried by guys who just walk along the road, trying to attact sales by calling you as you drive or walk past, or even knocking on gates as they go. The goods are carried either on heads, on a long pole which holds hangers or just now I saw a guy walking on the road with about 50 ties losely around his neck - a Tie shop!

OK – think I’ve done enough for now, will continue with my ramblings again soon, lots of love J