Wednesday, January 28, 2009

In the love of Kate Scully and Manga

Kate Scully has just posted her Peace Corps Partnership Project (PCPP). Who's Kate you wonder? Kate serves as the Peace Corps Volunteer doing health education work in my old village of Manga. What's a PCPP? This is like my girls dorm construction project back in 2006 that many of you supported. What's great about PCPPs is that you know every dime you contribute goes straight to the volunteer on the ground. The results are extremely impactful.

Kate is hoping to develop a new center and school to empower orphans/vulnerable kids of Manga and needs support. Developed out of a clear, pressing community need, this project will be implemented by Kate along with community leaders. This project is sure to benefit Manga's community for years to come.

In order to implement this project, Kate must raise $7200 from friends, family and other organizations in the US of A. She and the people of Manga are asking for assistance to turn this project into a reality.

The easiest way to contribute is to go to www.peacecorps.gov/contribute and select her project (Project Number 621-175). The web site is the safest and quickest way to make a donation.

Here's what Kate's written about the project (on PC site):

This project aims to found a Center and School for Orphans that will serve 88 orphans in a village in Tanzania. The center will provide those children who fail their 7th grade exams an opportunity to continue their education through vocational training right in the village where they live.

The school will be a training center for sewing and carpentry skills, and a classroom center for orphans who are still in primary school. The classroom center will help orphans prepare for their end of school exams and learn life skills and health information. Eventually, community members involved with the Center will receive income-generation training so that they can continue to expand the capacity of the Center. The number of orphans that this project hopes to assist is not finite. The school will continue to increase its capacity over the coming years and will, hopefully, help an increasing number of this village’s orphans.


If you're looking for a worthy cause, look no further.

Go Kate go. Najivunia wewe...

Monday, January 12, 2009

Initial impressions

This was how I was welcomed back to Tanzania - with a breathtaking view of Mt.Kilimanjaro out the plane window (while Mt. Meru was on my right). I was beaming.
I was then graciously shuttled by Enoch (not to be confused with 'eunoch') and Jenaya in a yellow 4X4 (nicknamed ndizi or 'the banana') to the Peace House campus under full moon light. I insisted on driving down the 5k dirt road to the school, which branches off the main road, eventually leading to the Serengeti plains. I know, I know - what a rebel am I. You don't understand. I was not permitted to drive for 3 years while in the Peace Corps. I feel like have finally arrived. To where? That's yet to be determined. But somewhere. Somehow. I have my driving test tomorrow to receive my official driving permit. It's a whole new world.
Since arriving, I've been settling into my new home, a 3 bedroom house on campus, which I'm sharing with Jenaya. It sits in quite a setting, isn't it? It is.

Our house on left; boarding facilities and dining hall in distance on right.
Karibuni nyumbani! Come visit. You'll be warmly welcomed by my roommate, Jenaya, and I. Promise. Jenaya's serving as the school's Volunteer Coordinator.
My highlight today: our school mini-bus getting stuck in the dirt in front of our house. Mmm. Our bus driver, Osca, a fellow Mbena, went overboard here, his genteel and charm overriding all sensibility. I love the guy. I knew I was at home when I met him. Origally from Iringa, he speaks my old village dialect and couldn't be more genuine. Everytime I use a Kibena greeting, he chuckles...and then translates what I said in Swahili to anyone around willing to listen. He'll be a good friend. Osca's behind the wheel if you can make him out, along with several of our students lending a hand.
The best part of this whole quandary:"God is Great" printed on this sweet bus's front window. Au siyo?

And that about sums up my first few days back in Tanzania. God is great. I'm beyond thankful to be home again and to have this opportunity to empower young people in such a spectacular setting. It feels like a mix of my last two sites: village and city; we're nestled in the peace and quiet of a village, yet we're a 20-minute drive from A'town hustle and bustle. I have to say - this beats living behind a mall.