Conference in the Clouds

Hello friends, and many salams from beautiful New York City.  I have just arrived in the Western world, and am fully enjoying the luxury of consistent electricity, hot water, and wifi.  Of course, a part of my heart is always in Tanzania when I am here (just as a part of it remains in NYC when I am there), but my work here is cut out for me, and I must dedicate this Fall season to fundraising in order to keep the Project going yet another year.

There will be much more news on that front in blog entries to come, but for today, I am writing about my recent trip to Lushoto with the planning committee for the International Association of Special Education's next biennial conference.

Earlier this month, Mary Gale Budzisz, Iris Drower, Sandra Trevethan, and Susan Pursch, the lovely ladies of the IASE, descended upon Tanzania from various points around the world.  Mary Gale, the past president of IASE, is a mid-westerner who currently lives in South Carolina, though she spends precious little time in any one place!  Iris is the current president of IASE and a professor at Arizona State University.  Sandra is an Australian transplanted in Malawi where she runs a project called Mwayi Trust which encourages secondary school students to volunteer and support youngsters with special needs.  And Susan is a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod who has a lengthy history with Sebastian Kolowa Memorial University (SEKOMU), where we all gathered for conference planning.

Just before heading out to Lushoto, where the university is located, a good five hours from Moshi town and another hour up into the clouds of the gorgeous Usambara Mountains, I met up with this formidable foursome in Arusha for "power-shopping" with Mary Gale.

Power-shopping, for those of you who don't know, is an extreme sport.  Especially when you go with Mary Gale.  It is not for the faint of heart, and you must - YOU MUST - bring your A game.

Every year, the IASE kindly bestows a certain sum of money on each of its various Volunteer Service Projects around the globe, of which Toa Nafasi is one.  This is a FANTASTIC benefit for Toa because we do not raise money for things, only services, and these "giving funds" from IASE can only be used for things and not services.  So, it is a really great way to top up the supplies needed by our teaching staff and students alike.  This year, IASE supplied Toa Nafasi with two laptops, one printer, school supplies for the children, and teaching resources for the teachers.  THANK YOU, IASE!  WE ARE SOOOO APPRECIATIVE!!

The following day, bright and early, the ladies (with Gasto in tow!) drove to Moshi to pick me up on the way to Lushoto for our "recon mission" to plan the 2019 biennial conference (you'll recall that I repped Toa at the 2017 conference this past June in Perth, Australia: http://toanafasi.blogspot.com/2017/07/superstar.html).

After a good rest in the fresh mountain air, we spent the day touring various venues for extracurricular site visits for conference-goers as well as lodging options.  Lushoto and its surrounding areas are really mountainous and tucked away, so the recon entailed a bit of driving, but we were able to identify sites and accommodations now so as to cut down on travel time for guests later.

The sites we are including in our offerings are Irente Rainbow School, a day school for children with special needs and physical disabilities; Irente School for the Blind, a small residential facility, originally dedicated to girl children only, but currently providing services for both sexes; and Irente Children's Home, an orphanage that teaches young local women to care for the tiny babies abandoned in the area.

 

 

All three sites are located in - you guessed it - Irente!  Because of their convenient locale, these three community-based organizations will make a really nice package for interested attendees to check out and see what kinds of services are available for special needs and other marginalized children in this part of Tanzania.

The next day, we spent the whole day at SEKOMU, the site of the actual conference.  Gasto and I stayed fairly quiet as we toured the buildings, and let the ladies, who are seasoned conference-goers (and planners) make the decisions about the auditorium, lecture rooms, and roundtables.

 

However, one we sat down with the local committee and began the process of delegating responsibilities, we both piped up where appropriate.  I think we did a good job for novices, though we both now realize the tremendous amount of work involved in planning an international conference.  Especially one to take place in the clouds!
 

 
At this time, we solidified the players on the local committee which included Pastor Mbilu, Professor Bagandanshwa, and Mr. K, all of SEKOMU, as well as - dum dum dum DUM! - me and Gasto of Toa Nafasi fame.  I had thought I was on the international committee, but it appears I'm double-dipping, hanging out on both sides of the globe.  Typical.  :)

On the very last morning, just before departing Lushoto, we had the pleasure of meeting with Mama Munga, the provost of the entire university, and a formidable force in her own right.  We rehashed what we had gone over with the local committee the day before, and after receiving her blessing, headed back to Moshi and Arusha.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip and I'm so looking forward to working with all these amazing folks to help make this conference a great success.  Mark your calendars: July 13 - 17, 2019 at SEKOMU University in Lushoto, Tanzania.  Be there or be square!

The War Against Women

Direct on the heels of my last post in which this year's Nyerere Day was celebrated with a nod to his philosophies about a Tanzanian citizenry that includes every member - women! - I found this piece from The Financial Times, which both saddens and infuriates me.

Around the world, vile abuses are still being perpetrated against the female sex in such high profile cases as the Dominque Strauss-Kahn rape; Roger Ailes sexual harassment; Bill Cosby's drugging of women; Donald Trump's groping and bragging; and Harvey Weinstein basically being a creature from hell.  And there are many more.

These headline-making cases are revolting enough, but the crimes that occur against women in a low profile context, in developing countries, or from low-income households, without voices, and without advocates are beyond sickening.

Take President Magufuli's ban against pregnant schoolgirls in Tanzania.  Not only is it one-sided and grossly sexist, it robs both these young women and their children of any right to fulfilling and productive lives while at the same time creating a double-headed drain on Tanzania's meager economy.

Whether his reasons for the ban are his strong religious beliefs, the patriarchal attitude that pervades the country, or the notion that these pregnant youngsters will somehow "infect" their peers, Mr. Magufuli needs to wake up and take a dose of reality.

Sex happens.  TEENAGE sex happens.  Nothing is going to stop that.  So his best bet is ramping up a sex education curriculum in order to prevent early and unwanted pregnancy among this sector of the population.  This includes educating the male students as well.

Second to that is providing services to these young mothers-to-be so that they may care for themselves and their children even without a formal education.

By cutting pregnant schoolgirls off from education and therefore employment, he is creating a situation in which they are left with no means of self-care; moreover, he is taking no preventive measures to stop the wave of teen pregnancies.

Mr. Magufuli might think he is punishing these women.  He is.  But, more to the point, he is punishing his whole country.
 
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Tanzania's Enemies of the State: Pregnant Young Women 

The country's president has condemned teenage girls who become pregnant as 'immoral,' banning them from ever returning to school.

The Financial Times has a strict no-reprint policy, so please do check this link to read the article: https://www.ft.com/content/c7507730-712c-11e7-93ff-99f383b09ff9 

All the President's Women

Check out the opinion piece below written by Sauli Giliard, reprinted from the Tanzania Daily News, titled "Why Women Should Remember Mwalimu Nyerere."

As most of you know, Julius Kambarage Nyerere was the first president of Tanzania and every year on October 14th, all across the country, Tanzanians commemorate the anniversary of his death. 

Nyerere worked as a teacher for most of his adult life until 1953 when he became to the president of the Tanganyika African Association.  This would be his first foray into politics and the precursor to the fight for independence which he eventually gained in 1961. 

In 1964, Tanganyika and Zanzibar united to form Tanzania, and Nyerere became the country's first President.  He resigned twenty years later, relinquishing power to his hand-picked successor, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, and remained chairman of the ruling party for five more years. 

Despite the fact that Nyerere's reputation is controversial, he is often regarded as the most popular president of Tanzania and Baba wa Taifa or "Father of the Nation."

The op-ed below describes the effect of Nyerere's beliefs on the role of women in Tanzanian society, and why today's Tanzanian woman might owe him a debt of gratitude.... 

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This week has been the "Mwalimu Julius Nyerere week."  As the nation is set to commemorate the 18th anniversary since Mwalimu Julius Nyerere departed on October 14, 1999, a lot has been discussed about him and his legacy.
 

The Arusha Declaration has been part and parcel of the discussions in radio and television programs and feature articles have been written in local newspapers.

The 1967 declaration, famously known as Azimio la Arusha contained the key features of socialism and Mwalimu Nyerere's philosophical point of view is strongly featured.

Though former Tanzania Assembly Speaker, Pius Msekwa, says there were some weaknesses during the implementation of socialism and self-reliance backed by the Arusha Declaration, he admits that there is a lot to learn and still to be implemented.

Decades have passed since the Arusha Declaration came into effect and the nation is commemorating the 18th anniversary since Mwalimu Nyerere passed away in London Hospital, United Kingdom.

Currently, human rights groups in the country have invested heavily in supporting gender parity movements in the country.  Education, economic empowerment, domestic violence, and gender-based budgets have been on top of its agenda.

On the other side, Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan has been very supportive to women on the rights movement geared towards rescuing women from all forms of segregation.

However, did Mwalimu Nyerere's brain child, Azimio la Arusha, lay the foundation for women's rights?  Examining the content of the Arusha Declaration, the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) had stipulated principles that entail a lot about the rights of women.

In this article, some of these principles are going to be discussed in relation to gender movements in the country.

It was declared that "all human beings are equal" and the Arusha Declaration believed that there should not be segregation in respect to sex, religion, or tribe affiliation.  Hence, in accessing social services, or utilizing available resources available in the country, women were not left behind in the declaration.

Therefore, gender movements aimed at bringing equality should be an ongoing process until all traditional customs which act as obstacles toward eradicating gender inequality in the society are addressed.  For many years now, Tanzania has been struggling for women's empowerment in economic, social, and political spheres.  As of now, women are seeking a 50-50 percent representation in the Parliament.

It was during Mwalimu Nyerere's tenure that it was declared through the Arusha Declaration of 1967 that "every citizen is an integral part of the nation and has the right to take an equal part in government at local, regional, and national levels."  The term "citizen" does not omit women.

Mwalimu Nyerere treated all human beings equally, hence the 50-50 demand of representation in the Parliament or any posts in the public and even private sector can also be traced from the Arusha Declaration.

"Every individual has a right to dignity and respect," is another loaded phrase proclaimed in the 1967's declaration.  Everyone needs to be respected regardless of gender, religion, or tribe affiliation.  There are some traditions that affect women, causing endless domestic violence in the community.

Stakeholders from both public and private institutions should spearhead initiatives to build a society that treats women with respect and dignity.

The Arusha Declaration stated that all citizens together should own all the natural resources in the country in trust for their descendants.  But in this context, land has been a contentious issue for many tribes in the country and left women behind in ownership of it.

Women have mostly been engaged in agricultural activities, but denied the right to own land.  Rights' activists have been fighting for this for many years in vain.  However, there have been positive outcomes out of the movement seen in some tribes, where women have been allowed to own land for agriculture and other economic activities.  In both formal and informal sectors, women are earning little in comparison to their male counterparts.

A CNBC feature titled "Men Still Earn More Than Women with the Same Jobs," published last year states that studies have shown that even when a woman has the same level of education as a man, the latter can be paid higher.

"Even when comparing the sexes with the same job title in the same company and using similar education and experience, the gender pay gap still persists.  Men earned 2.4 percent more than women on average, down slightly from last year."  Since inequality in pay between men and women has been a global issue, TANU spotted this and insisted on economic justice for all.

It is the role of the leaders and local activists now to team up and make sure that everyone in the society enjoys basic human rights and women's position in the society is recognized, not just as mere observers.

The Waiting

Hey kids, sorry this post is so late, things have been a bit hectic 'round these parts.  At any rate, this blog entry is kind of dedicated to Tom Petty, whose early demise this week at age 66 has all of us classic rock fans a bit shocked.

"The Waiting" is one of my favorite Petty songs, reminding me of sweet days with a college boyfriend before the world and my own insecurities got in the way....

Anyhoo, for the purposes of Toa Nafasi, however, "the waiting" refers to spending a day at KCMC (Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre), the referral hospital of Kilimanjaro region, situated in Moshi town, which I have written about on this blog many times before.

Last week, I had the opportunity to accompany one of the Toa teachers, Mwalimu Glory, on a referral visit for a student whom I am following closely.

Meet Malaika*, a student in the Standard One class at Msandaka Primary School, one of Toa's satellite sites.  Malaika is a lovable and much-loved child, with two caring parents and a roster of friends at school and at home.

Shida (trouble) is, she is not doing well in class, and currently weighs over 62kgs (132lbs) at age 7.  At birth, Malaika weighed 6kgs (13lbs), so I am pretty sure she has a hormone, thyroid, or endocrine disorder, but we have tested her for everything under the sun, and this kid is healthy as a horse.... and happy as a clam.

We have not been able to pinpoint the reason for her excessive weight, so we have just advised Mama to punguza chakula (reduce food), especially carbs and sugar.  Because Mama is caring and involved in Malaika's life, she has been more than happy to cooperate, and really appreciates Toa's support, both in the classroom and on the referral appointments.

Unfortunately, Malaika's excess weight on top is causing her wee bones to bend below, and her tibias are becoming bowed.  Hence, our most recent visit to the ortho clinic.

But don't feel too bad for Malaika because with Toa's support and the advice of the medical professionals in Kilimanjaro, this spry youngster will get the help she needs to succeed both in the classroom and in life generally.

And, of course, we thank you, dear readers and donors and friends and family.  Without you, Toa could not do the work it does, and we are so grateful to you for our achievements.

Below, find pics and video of our last visit to KCMC's orthopedic ward.  You will see beautiful, sweet Malaika; Mwalimu Glory with Malaika; and video of how we pass the time: any free moment is a teaching moment!

*Name has been changed to protect the identity of the child.

Tanzania's Not Tesla

I may just be grumpy.  Or old and kvetchy.  Or a "nasty woman."  But this recent piece from Forbes really chaps my ass.

I mean, okay, kudos, right idea with corporate responsibility, and alms for the poor, and all that, you model-dating bazillionaire, Mr. Musk.

But think for a second about the infrastructure required to put your Xbox or neuro-turbo what-what into play in a country like TZ?

Hello?  Have you ever even come here on safari??  There is no electricity in most schools.  Certainly no internet.  Not enough classrooms.  Not enough trained teaching staff.  Not enough learning materials, i.e. PENCILS.  Not enough teaching materials, i.e. CHALK.  Too many students.  Unengaged parents.  Uninterested school administrators.  The grossest "bathrooms" you will ever see.

I just feel like before proclaiming yourself the "Education Revolutionizer," you might want to come and see what's going on over here for yourself.

Meh.

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Possibly Elon Musk's Biggest Idea Yet - Revolutionizing Education 

An estimated 250 million children around the world cannot read, write, or demonstrate basic arithmetic skills.  UNESCO estimates that the world will need 1.6 million more teachers globally, a number set to double by 2030.  Enter Elon Musk.

Musk is famous for being the face of such organizations as Tesla and SpaceX.  He is also the co-chairman of the AI research company OpenAI and the CEO of neurotechnology company Neuralink, among other companies that he is involved with.  More recently, he provided $15 million to the Global Learning XPRIZE.  The goal is to develop methods to teach the 250 million children who do not have access to primary or secondary education the means to teach themselves to read, write, and do math within 15 months.

Today, XPRIZE announced the five finalists advancing in the Global Learning XPRIZE and awarded each finalist a $1M milestone prize.  XPRIZE awarded each finalist for the open source, cutting-edge learning software they have developed for the competition.  The five finalist teams will begin field testing their education technology solutions this November in Tanzania.

"Universal access to education is a major priority for XPRIZE, and we are proud to celebrate the change-making teams making impressive strides to ensure every single child has the opportunity to take learning into her own hands," said Marcus Shingles, CEO of XPRIZE Foundation.  "The leading solutions born from this competition could provide the key to unlocking literacy for children most in need, giving them access to an education they otherwise wouldn’t have."

An independent committee of 11 judges chose five finalist teams from 198 companies who applied for the award:

• CCI (New York, United States) is developing structured and sequential instructional programs, in addition to a platform seeking to enable non-coders to develop engaging learning content in any language or subject area.

• Chimple (Bangalore, India) is developing a learning platform aimed at enabling children to learn reading, writing and mathematics on a tablet through more than 60 explorative games and 70 different stories.

• Kitkit School (Berkeley, United States) is developing a learning program with a game-based core and flexible learning architecture aimed at helping children independently learn, irrespective of their knowledge, skill, and environment.

• onebillion (UK/Malawi/Tanzania) is merging numeracy content with new literacy material to offer directed learning and creative activities alongside continuous monitoring to respond to different children's needs.

• RoboTutor (Pittsburgh, United States) is leveraging Carnegie Mellon's research in reading and math tutors, speech recognition and synthesis, machine learning, educational data mining, cognitive psychology, and human-computer interaction.

"Our five finalists are developing the most promising software solutions to enable children to teach themselves basic reading, writing, and arithmetic, as determined by our panel of expert judges," said Matt Keller, senior director of the Global Learning XPRIZE.  "As we move to the final field testing phase, we are one step closer to scaling transformative technology solutions that foster child-driven learning and provide a world-class education for all."

To field-test the five finalists' solutions, the Global Learning XPRIZE partnered with UNESCO, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Government of Tanzania.  Approximately 4,000 children in 150 villages in the Tanga region of Tanzania will use 8,000 Pixel C tablets donated by Google to test the top software solutions for approximately 15 months.

At the end of the field testing phase, the team whose solution enables the greatest proficiency gains in reading, writing, and arithmetic will receive the Grand Prize of $10 million, to be announced in April 2019.  Each of the five finalists will be required to open source both their code and their content which will be free and available for anyone to build on.  By ensuring each finalists' solutions are open source, XPRIZE also aims to proliferate solutions worldwide at the intersection of technology and learning.

(t)Winning!

Check out the recent article from The Citizen reprinted below for a story that will give you the warm and fuzzies.

It goes without saying that these girls are pretty amazeballs, pursuing their dreams of becoming teachers, even in the face of true adversity.

But, as a sister myself, I have to give them major props for doing it TOGETHER, and for not killing each other on the way!  There is no fight in the world like a fight between two sisters!! 

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Optimism High As Tanzania's Conjoined Twins Join University

Iringa — It was a dream come true for the conjoined twins Maria and Consolata as they made their first day at university Wednesday to pursue their goal of becoming teachers.

They were grateful to their lecturers for the warm welcome accorded to them in addition to the suitable learning and living environment that has been prepared for them at Ruaha Catholic University (Rucu).

They arrived at the institution ahead of other students to try and cope with the environment and get ready for their academic path ahead of them.  They start their computer lessons today.

The twins said it was all thanks to Consolata Missionaries that they have reached this stage of their life.  The missionaries brought them up and encouraged them as they pursued their elementary education.

The girls, residents of Iringa, were thankful to their sponsors who have offered to cover their education expenses.

A nun at Consolata Missionaries, Sr. Jane Lugi, said the twins' arrival at university before all other students would enable them to prepare ahead so as to cope with the others.

"We cared for these twins way back when they were still in Kilolo District.  I'm sure they will live a normal life here at university.  Sisters of Theresia have prepared a good home for them.  We are satisfied with what has been put in place for them and wish them all the best," said Sr. Lugi.

Three rooms have been prepared for the conjoined twins, which include a sitting room and a kitchen, all fully furnished.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration, Fr. Kelvin Haule, expressed his joy upon receiving the twins at the university.

He said the academic year begins at the end of October but computer classes start today.

Ruaha Catholic University's computer tutor Robert Manase promised to guide the twins well as they embark on their computer lessons.  "I have come to learn that Maria and Consolata have basic knowledge of computer but because of their nature, I know we have more time and I will do my best to teach them more things regarding computer, this is why they are here earlier than the rest," said the computer tutor.

Arrested Development

Oftentimes, people who do not live here or have not worked in development ask me, "What's the hardest part of the job?"

Could be a lot of answers to that one single question.  Culture shock.  Language barrier.  Lack of amenities.  Electricity cuts.  Minimal bandwidth.  Squat toilets.  Eating foods that require you to use squat toilets whether you want to or not.  Strange creatures, large and small, creeping and crawling, outside and in.  Strange illnesses, severe or moderate, that hit you like a ton of bricks or linger on for weeks on end.  Dust dust dust, or alternatively, mud mud mud.

But I think the hardest part of working in development is other people.  Not to go all Jean-Paul Sartre on you or anything, it's not because of the people themselves, but because of the communications and miscommunications among all the different types involved.  Whether we are Westerners or locals, the problem is the same: communication - the act of conveying intended meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules.

When I first got here, Moshi was very different than it is today.  I will not deny that I have seen a lot of change over the past ten years.  Sky-high buildings with "offices to let."  Cafes serving barista-made coffee drinks with colonial-style wraparound porches.  Nail salons and massage parlors.  An enormous "superstore" selling everything from Heinz baked beans to flat-screen TVs.

But what has not changed is the way in which development occurs, or does not occur in this case.  All the old gaps are still there, the redundancies, the lack of partnership, the bickering and squabbling in both the NGO community as well as the local government community.

Everyone seems to put some sort of proprietary sense of "my Moshi" above what really matters - communication - something of which I have been guilty at times too.  When you look at it logically, "my Moshi" means something different to every single one of us, whether you're an expat New Yorker looking for the meaning of life or a Chagga schoolchild trekking a couple kilometers to and from class everyday.  I think it's fair to say that if Moshi has room for all of us - so nationally and culturally diverse - so should we find a way to make room for "all of Moshi."

Tanzania had a population of 45 million people when I first came here in 2007.  Now it's 55 million.  The shilling was 1250 to the dollar.  Now it's 2250.  Is it reasonable to assume that if we all worked together, if we actually communicated, the case might be different?

Among the Western community, it's a shame because we pretty much all came here with the same purpose: to help others less fortunate than ourselves.  But then sometimes we get wrapped up in our own narratives.  Which is fine to some extent because this is how we have chosen to live our lives.  But to another extent, there's a selfishness, a need for others' approval and platitudes.  "What wonderful work you are doing!"  "God bless you!"  "You're a saint!"

I am not a saint.  For one thing, I'm Jewish.  For another, I'm distinctly flawed.  And that's okay.  Being flawed is human.  Being human is real.

Among the local community, it's a shame because there is still an overall lack of responsibility in the uplifting of one's own nation.  People don't vote, have given up hope of any kind of fair governance, have lost faith in their nationhood.  I still see the same people at the same places doing the same things talking the same game.  There's very little sense of agency, of movement.  There may be passion simmering beneath the surface, but it hardly ever amounts to action.  Complacency abounds.  Communication falls short.

Kilimanjaro and Arusha in the Northern Zone plus Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar in the coastal region are basically the only places in which the country has any proper infrastructure.  The tourism industry booms with safari, mountain-climbing, beach getaways, and any number of adventure sports. 

Wazungu (foreigners) are attracted to these places because the rest of the country is basically one giant tumbleweed.  Myself included.  I make no bones about it; I am a city girl and need at least the basic amenities to get by, so I won't even front.  You will not find me roughing it in a Maasai boma made out of cow poop.

But the "real" Tanzania is a place I feel I have not even experienced.  A place I would not even recognize.  Sometimes, I chide myself for living "the good life" here in Moshi and not out in the bush somewhere where the needs are surely far greater than here.  I mean, there's pizza delivery in Moshi these days, for God's sake!

But then, when I am tempted to reproach myself into a place of shame and guilt, I remember the individual stories, both those that I have heard and those that I have told over the years, and even though I do not live in a cow-poop hut, "my Moshi" is a story that matters.  Really, a series of stories over the course of a decade during which people have touched my life, both mzungu and local, and I theirs.  Communication.

So, I guess "development" is subjective as well as objective.  Perhaps the country as a whole remains behind, still lost in a post-colonial and poorly-run republic.  But what I, and others like me, came here to do cannot be underestimated.  Nor can those strides made by those we seek to support, those individuals whose lives have been made better because we worked together.  Because we communicated.