Tuesday 31 August
Sitting in an internet cafe... can't persuade by webmail to open so I can do e-mail... only positive is it's nice and cool in here after spending just about all morning in Dar es Salaam traffic jams. And either I had a bad lunch yesterday or I shook hands with a child... but in any case my tum is not happy at all. So I'm feeling a bit grumpy on the trip I'd been looking forward to so much. (so what's new!!). Tomorrow's the long bus journey to Iringa; will I survive?
Dar traffic is something else; no sign of community spirit anywhere. Traffic just pushes in from all directions; amazing there are so few accidents (but several times the rate in UK!). Reuben's old Toyota copes fine and I'm amazed so many shiny new cars try to scrape themselves on us.
Big news this morning is that it looks like Barclays will give Dumuni, Reuben's project, an account. There was some doubt as the nursery school is not fully registered... and the land hasn't been surveyed by the government. You can't get registered if you don't hold a proper Title Deed. Anyway, they agreed we were a broad "community project" and will hopefully be willing to take our money. Reuben just has to fill a few more forms, get a solicitor's letter, etc.
Yesterday we also spent in the hot car in traffic; doing the bank, having lunch in a rather greasy cafe etc...
Reuben's kitchen for Dumuni is coming along. Foundations a bit iffy so had a long chat with the builder and he's improving things. As well as the 80 children in the nursery school, Dumuni has several families of pigs, some chickens and a vegetable garden; there are a couple of cows somewhere too... lots of small income generating projects. No water in Mongolandege where Reuben lives. He had a borehole but it stopped working at the time of the Asian Sunami. He's now digging a well; it's 11m deep so far and although damp at the bottom, no water. The diggers insist they'll find it.
Am staying with a lovely family who are in Reuben's committee. Peter works in a pharmaceutical company and the shop floor are working 12 hour shifts, 24 hours/day, on a big government order. They've just built a new house in the suburbs, very nice even with a garage (eventually). Only major drawback is it's about 20 minutes from Reuben who's over an hour from the city centre.
Sunday we all went to Magomeni Church; very passionate lady preacher. We were half an hour late but still got 2.5 hours of service. Met a professor at the university who's just published a book; he gave me a copy. He has great vision to see Tanzania moving forward and the book is called "Think and Communicate". The place is really changing quickly... grid lock in the city centre; an East African version of "Britain's Got Talent" complete with the grumpy judge, the positive judge and the glamorous judge... saying exactly the same sort of thing as they tell the contestants in UK!
Zanzibar
Saturday was good. I found the Zanzibar Coffee House even though it is Ramadan and the restaurants are mostly closed. Survived the 2.5 hour sail to Dar es Salaam and really good to see Reuben waiting.
The Cathedral is still standing though signs of cracks. I spent time on Friday with a local contractor who has agreed to do a budget price for the job. I worry, though, that the church aren't as enthusiastic about their building as I'd expect. There are some good guides to entertain visitors, but the presentation of a dirty, dusty building with lots of damaged stained glass does not inspire. A couple of the wall cracks have opened a little; would be great if we can get things moving early next year. Church gave me a breakdown of the funds they have available; a couple of years ago they climbed Kilimanjaro and raised around #35,000+. However, by the time the event expenses are taken off and the money lent to other church departments discounted, there's not a lot left... anyway, was good to be back and to feel that after all this time something might actually happen!
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