I Felt the Pulse of Tanzania

Pull Up Your Socks!

Students eagerly await their English exam.  Eagerly?

Exam week at Morning Star Secondary School has been grueling.  The students were required to take 2 hours final exams in all areas of study.  I was asked to proctor several of the exams including the English assessment that I was asked to design for them.

The students take 3 exams in one day with breaks and meals in between each assessment.  During their breaks they are finding shade and studying further either independently or in small “serious” groups.

Yesterday, after an extremely generous portion of rice and porridge, the students were scheduled to take their Commerce exam.  Well, you would have thought that Mr. Sandman had magically appeared.  Between a full belly, a warm room, and the anxiety of testing, they were falling asleep on their tests one by one.  As proctor, I spent most of the time attempting to shake them gently from far away dreams.

They certainly know how to “pull up their socks” and make a valiant effort to achieve their utmost potential.  I am continually in awe with their work ethic and their desire to achieve.

 The following song is one that the students enjoy singing and dancing to daily – enjoy the lyrics!

Pull Up Your Socks

Education is the key to success, so nobody can go with you, yeah!

So don’t surrender cause you can win, in the game of life,

So when you pull up your socks, so that you get success,

There’s no easy way back, if you only believe,

And that’s the way it is,

And that’s the way it is.

Your happy now to stay home only, but  not at the school, yeah!

So don’t surrender cause you can win, in this game of life,

So when you pull up your socks, so that you get success,

There’s no easy way bac­­­k, if you only believe,

When I look at your face, life came from those who believe,

And that’s the way it is,

And that’s the way it is,

Your married now, you don’t have an education,

So what are you waiting for?  Yeah!

I say listen to your teachers,

I say listen!

And do your duties, so nobody can go with you - yeah!

So don’t surrender cause you can win, in this game of life,

So when you pull up your socks, so that you get success,

There’s no easy way back, if you only believe,

When I look at your face, life came from to those who believe,

And that’s the way it is,

And that’s the way it is,

And that’s the way it is!

Medicinal Gardens

In conjunction with my visit to the Women's Center of Nyashana, the assistant coordinator, Johanna Sele, invited me to visit the medicinal gardens at the Igombe Center.  Igombe Center is located in a rural area of Mwanza overlooking picturesque Lake Victoria.  The center is supported by Jesuits, and it is coordinated and supervised by Sister Mechthild Keller.

In addition to the maintaining the gardens and producing medicinal remedies from varied plants, the center has a youth educational center and a small farm.  The center also acts as a retreat house, and it periodically provides seminars on medicinal uses of plants.

Sister Mechthild Keller sharing the different remedies that are produced on the property.

  Papaya

• Latex, the milklike juice from unripe papaya contains the most concentration of papain, some people say it can help remove freckles.
• The Papain’s protein in papaya makes it helpful against heartburn and indigestion. Mixed with a little honey and taken before meals, it may even prevent heartburn.
• Papain also help thin the blood and discourage clotting.
• The fruit’s proteolytic enzymes and other compounds, including a substance called carpaine, work against intestinal worms and other parasites.
• Experiments done on laboratory rats suggest that papaya seeds might reverse infertility.

Other Ailments where papaya is beneficial: Blood clots, indigestion, infertility, ringworm, worms, abscesses, arthritis, blood clots, bronchitis, burns, circulatory problems, constipation, depression, enlarged lymph glands, eye inflammation, flu freckles, gallbladder problems, gas, hardening of the arteries, heart disease, hematoma, hemorrhoids, hodgkin’s disease, infections, infertility, inflammation, neurasthenia, oral inflammation, pancreatic inflammation, parasitic infections, phlebitis, psoriasis, rectal disease, respiratory disease, sore throat, stomach disease, tissue swelling, tumors, ulcers, urethritis, uterine inflammation, vaginal disease, varicose veins, water retention, wounds, yeast infections.
Recommended Dosage of Papaya:

• 10 to 50 milligrams of papain
• 1 to 3 tsps of papaya juice
• 1 to 2 tsps of dried papaya leaves in a cup of hot water
• 1 to 2 tbsps. of fresh papaya, or ½ to 1 tsp of juice of papaya daily.
• In case of intestinal worms and other parasites, munch on a dozen or so papaya seeds.

Some plants are ornamental only - like the poinsettias pictured in the background. They bring added beauty to the garden.

Artemisia - introduce from China; its tea is known to be successful in combating malaria.

Aloe Vera for skin ailments

Goat's milk  enriched by the plants on the property.

Turkey, one of several fowl on the farm. Happy Thanksgiving!

Morning Star is a Hive of Activity

Sister Yulitha supervising the construction of the new dormitory.

In preparation for the new school year which begins January 7, Morning Star Secondary School is attempting to complete the new dormitory for male boarding students.  Limited funds, torrential rains, and crude materials hardly deter the enthusiasm of the workers or the school's administrator, Sister Yulitha. 

"Kanga Party"- or Words of Wisdom

The cloth wrap that I am wearing along with the female students is call a "kanga."  Typically worn as a skirt or a covering to protect one's clothing while doing chores or walking along a dusty road.  In the evening, it also protects one's legs from mosquitoes.

The kangas can be brightly colored, but they generally are made up of earth tone hues.  Their designs are intricate and are bordered with a Swahili proverb or message.  The messages can be of love, or caution, warning, reassurance, or just an act of self expression.

Female neighbors are known to passively feud by phrases that are written and exchanged on their kangas.  Friendships and a parent's love can be expressed on the border of a kanga.   The kangas are often used as gifts to celebrate the onset of a new school year, a marriage, or when a "point of advice" needs to be drilled in a little bit further in a subtle way.

When purchasing or selecting a kanga, one needs to be mindful of the expressions that are displayed, or you might take the risk of truly offending someone or embarrassing yourself.  Fortunately, when I was purchasing one for myself, I received assistance from an extremely patient customer who was present at the shop.  Otherwise, I was just about to purchase one that you would gift to a mourner at a funeral or another that was demanding that a neighbor leave immediately!  I often find myself the source of entertainment here in Mwanza.

The following are a few examples of messages that you may discover on a kanga:
Akiba haiozi: meaning - It is always good to save or invest for the future.

Akufukuzae hakwambii toka: a proverb used as a reminder that an individual's inner feelings are most often communicated through actions, attitude, and behavior, and less through words.


Japo kidogo chatosha kwa wapendanao: meaning - a little is enough for those in love.  It doesn't really need much to sustain a relationship.  A few words of endearment and assurance are more than enough.

Kitchen staff at Morning Star Secondary School

Not for women only!

True Love Waits

 In addition to the math (no pun intended),  I periodically provide health education.  I approached the subject of HIV/AIDS with the students and because of the language barrier, I had to instruct using a lot of gesturing.  I leave the rest to your imagination.  The class appeared successful with a lesson in verbal responses laced into the subject matter.  The lesson was designed to empower the students to recognize the importance of making healthy choices for a brighter future.

On the Seventh Day...Rest or was it Play?

Is a teacher's work every done?

Resting the infamous red pen!

Lunch "a la studente"

Peeling and slicing potatoes and onions.

Preparing the rice.

Too many cooks?

Stir frying the beef over an open fire pit.

More peeling and slicing.

...and there is always laundry; posing with classroom drapery.

Group II travels to the public swimming pool.

Back to school for 5 p.m. mass - time to worship and thank the Lord for the gift of a beautiful day.

Empowering Women and Children of Nyashana

On Wednesday, November 11, I had the honor to visit a Women’s Center tucked in the upper hills of Mwanza known as the area of Nyashana.  The center was first designed and pioneered by Father Raymond Manyangu of St. Francis Church Xavier in Mwanza.  In addition to serving members of his parish, Father Raymond frequently visits communities that have difficulty traveling to the church due to poor health conditions compounded with aging, roles and responsibilities within the household, and or eroded roads and the expense to travel.

In Nyashana , Father went “to the mountain” and initially served mass under the protection of a large mango tree.  With tremendous vision and assistance he was able to develop and create a center that has a protective all-purpose room for serving mass and varied activities. 

The vision had a rippling affect, the project needed to serve the women and multiples of children in the area.  Manyangu assigned an assistant coordinated, Johanna Sele, a native of Liechtenstein, from his parish.  With financial assistance from the parish and donors from all corners of the world, Johanna has designed and implemented life skills’ and educational projects that benefit the members that attend the center.

The projects are as follows:

1. Home craft:

    a. instructs neighboring women in healthy cookery and kitchen skills.

    b. tailoring program which instructs the members in sewing skills and dress design.

2. Montessori Kindergarten: instructed by licensed educators.

    a. provides a creative jump start to the children’s education in the community. 

    b. trains individuals who show an interest in primary education instruction.

    c. meals and a safe environment are provided to further nurture the child participant.

3. Library:

   a. characteristically students of primary and secondary education do not have the related texts for their studies; therefore     the lending library attempts to provide the texts that are utilized in the government schools.  Due to limited additions of each text, it is essential that students utilize the books only at the facility so that all may benefit.

   b. Library is monitored by area students who take pride  and responsibility in maintaining the library’s order.

4. Medicinal Plants Project:  due to challenges in travel and expense and availability of “modern medicine,” the project produces homeopathic remedies derived from plants that are indigenous to the area. 

Varied plants, seeds, and leaves that are used have treated the following illnesses successfully – to name a few:

a.     boosts one’s immune system to combat malaria and indivduals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

b.     peptic ulcers

c.      curtail one’s diabetes and or high blood pressure

d.     soaps are made and decoratively wrapped in a banana leaf for skin concerns.

e.     enhance a mother’s milk

All items are prepared and packaged by the women of the center under the supervision of Johanna Sele.  Items are sold or provided to members of the community.  In addition, items are also sold at the parish store to generate funds for the center and to aid in their goal to be self-sustainable.

Please note that the situation in many developing countries is quite desperate for immediate and proper health care.  Early intervention is so essential to everyone’s health globally.  However the rising price of medical drugs, modern patenting laws, and the fall in value of local currencies mean that local centers can not afford the luxuries or the cost of basic drugs.  It appears that cooperation and collaborative efforts between traditional healers and medical staffing is essential to the successful health care of developing communities.

5.  Bracelet Project: 90% of the product is handmade from recycled material.  The threads are colorful fishing line. The base of one of the bracelets is the plastic packaging strip found on Red Cross packages.  Also, large totes are weaved from the same and colorful plastic strips.  Nothing goes to waste.  I plan to meet with the women on Wednesday the 16^th to introduce the “French” form of knotting tying, macramé.  Can’t help myself!  I was in awe with their desire to be self-supporting  and industrious.

Modeling the bracelets

Assistant coordinator, Johanna Sele, displaying medicinal seeds and the bracelet project.

Project facility in Nyashana

Catechist, Tadeus
Laced in the programs is the initial goal of bringing the church to the community; the spiritual leader is catechist, Tadeus.  However all denominations are warmly welcomed and encouraged to attend the facility.

Cookery Project

Head cookery instructor

Member sorting leaves to be ground to powder for medicinal purposes.

Tailoring project

Sewing machines propelled by one's feet.

Montessori instructor and pupil

Librarian assisting a student utilizing its resources.

One shelf library...second one on the horizon!

Road leading up to the community in the hills and to the center.  Treacherous