Maghesho Focus Group Discussions

We are presently conducting a mid-term monitoring exercise of our Food Security Program. Focus group discussions held with women and men of Maghesho reveal that the period of the "lean season", i.e. months spent searching for food, has disappeared completely. Farmers have increased their food production and diversified their income-generating activities through our training and support for the practice of Conservation Agriculture, chicken rearing, dairy goat husbandry and vegetable gardening. Working together in groups -- farmer field schools -- has led to interesting changes in individuals' lives. Women in particular talked about their increased confidence in speaking out both at home and at community meetings.

Back to UMATU's Building Site!

After allowing a couple of weeks for the foundation to settle, work is once again underway at the site. By the time our 40 visitors who made all this possible arrive in mid-July, the walls will be going up and they'll be welcome to pitch in and help our fundis (builders) if they are up to the task after their grueling climb up Kilimanjaro. Here's a photo of Shabani, our master fundi, who is making all this construction look easy.

Impact of Farmer Field Schools

We are currently investigating results of CPAR's "farmer field school" approach in Karatu rural communities, and are very encouraged by the number of households that have increased their food production through the application of conservation agriculture methods. There has also been a huge impact on gender relations -- revolutionizing the relationship between wives and husbands at home, and among women and men in the communities -- through increased communication, self-confidence and respect!

Diggin' the trench!

This is hard work! Esilalei community members are digging the trench and laying pipeline to get water from the main source to Esilalei primary school. It's tough terrain with a lot of rock so it's heavy slugging. They've completed 750 meters and they've got another 5 km to go.

The youth huddled around the mobile phone are listening to Shakira. It takes some ingenuity to keep your phone charged in the absence of electricity.

Jengo Update

Things are looking good at the UMATU building site today!

Water for Esilalei School Kids

Last year, a group of artists from the United States visited Tanzania and were captivated during their visit to a primary school in the Masai community of Esilalei near Mto wa Mbu, Monduli District, a neighbour of Karatu. They met with the head teacher to learn about the challenges facing the school. When they heard that the school was using scarce funds to purchase water and have it trucked in, they decided to pitch in and help. They returned to the States and connected with AfricAid, an NGO supporting girls' education in Tanzania. AfricAid in turn linked up with CPAR Tanzania, and we are now working directly with Esilalei community to support their efforts to get water to their school.

The group of artists launched a successful fundraising campaign and work is now well underway to excavate a trench from a District water source, lay pipeline and establish water points at the school. CPAR has appreciated the opportunity to get to know Esilalei community and we've really enjoyed our meetings. Our meeting with the Laibon, the local spiritual leader who has 300 children, 16 wives and 3,000 head of cattle, was particularly interesting. We helped the community move some equipment to the construction site of the new Laibon primary school. Classes one and two will be accommodating 127 of the Laibon's kids. It's great that he's committed to their education. We would like at some point to engage the community in discussions on sexual and reproductive health issues, but we will first need to earn that right.

Excavation has begun!

Excavation has begun on UMATU's land. The happy people in the photo are Japhet from CPAR, and Prisca, Marietha, Sophia and Angela from UMATU. This has been a long time coming so we're all happy, relieved and a little nervous because, of course, we want the place to be perfect. Current plans include construction of:

- an office building, where UMATU can organize and implement its outreach activities. UMATU members go out into the community to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, and encourage people to test and know their status. Those who test negative are shown how to protect their status through active prevention methods. Those who test positive are encouraged to join the treatment program, join a support group and live healthy, fulfilled lives "positively", as demonstrated by UMATU's active members.

- a bakery because Karatu is in desperate need of some decent bread. Luckily, UMATU wants to fill that niche and run a successful business that will help them sustain their activities.

- a training centre (classroom) for ongoing education and skill-building activities in the community.