On IPPmedia.com 26th november 2009, it was reported that a woman fainted after returning home to find her 4 months old female baby, has had her genitals cut off while she was doing groceries shopping for teh family.
Alas, this is just one out of a 1,000 cases that get's reported. In most rural villages genital mutilation for female children is still part of the culture. It is not something for the public or other tribes to know ... this is why in most African tribes like my own - Chagga- we are continuously warned NOT to have partners from another tribe because you never know what you might be getting yourself into.
African tribal cultures/traditions are well protected and only those who belong in a paticular tribe gets to learn the real truth.
This is not the story of one woman, it is the story of many women who have to stay silent. These women need the power to fight for their rights and the rights of their children. It is still our world ..............
Woman faints recounting how her baby-girl was `cut`
By Edwin Agola
26th November 2009
A Dar es Salaam-based woman, Rachel Kasute yesterday fainted when narrating how her husband and mother-in-law conspired to have her four-month old baby girl undergo female genital mutilation.
Narrating how she was forced to run away from her dear family, Rachel said that her mother in law travelled from upcountry to Dar es Salaam, purposely to circumcise her first-born baby girl.
She was narrating her inside story at the launch of worldwide 16 days of campaign against gender-based violence in Dar es Salaam.
“I wasn’t aware of the mission. One evening, my husband asked me to go to the market to buy some items. I went without my baby.”
“On my way back I found my baby was already circumcised, crying uncontrollably, with a lot of blood.”
“I couldn’t stand what had happened. I decided to run away with my wounded child,” she sadly said, before fainting.........................''
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Why Recycling is important for environmental sustainability
Everyday that goes by, our Ecological footprint increases in strides. We have put an amount of focus on the damage caused by shipping industries, chemical industries etc. But we haven’t put enough focus on damage caused by unregulated dumping especially in developing countries.
Unregulated dumping are natural breeding places for mosquitoes, rats, flies and other beasts that are a source of multiple diseases including malaria, cholera, typhoid.
Also, rotting garbage emits greenhouse gasses that cause damage to the stratosphere as well as to our health. Many diseases of the lungs can be caused by poisonous gas emissions. Damage on stratosphere causes skin cancer.
Individuals can not control unregulated dumping. They depend on municipality and the governments to do their work.
Most individuals don’t understand the bigger picture and the long term health effects. Is it right that we should just let things slide? Shouldn't the municipality be held responsible for all the damage they allow to happen?
Sometimes it is easier, because our hands are tied in so many ways.........
Reported by www.ippmedia.com Saturday 17th October 2009
A woman washes her kitchen utensils near garbage surrounding her house at a Kigogo dumpsite in Dar es Salaam yesterday. The dump was reportedly closed by the Ilala Municipal Council but Omar Musa, a resident of the area, says garbage collection trucks still unload waste at the site.
Unregulated dumping are natural breeding places for mosquitoes, rats, flies and other beasts that are a source of multiple diseases including malaria, cholera, typhoid.
Also, rotting garbage emits greenhouse gasses that cause damage to the stratosphere as well as to our health. Many diseases of the lungs can be caused by poisonous gas emissions. Damage on stratosphere causes skin cancer.
Individuals can not control unregulated dumping. They depend on municipality and the governments to do their work.
Most individuals don’t understand the bigger picture and the long term health effects. Is it right that we should just let things slide? Shouldn't the municipality be held responsible for all the damage they allow to happen?
Sometimes it is easier, because our hands are tied in so many ways.........
Reported by www.ippmedia.com Saturday 17th October 2009
A woman washes her kitchen utensils near garbage surrounding her house at a Kigogo dumpsite in Dar es Salaam yesterday. The dump was reportedly closed by the Ilala Municipal Council but Omar Musa, a resident of the area, says garbage collection trucks still unload waste at the site.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
`Leadership failing Nyerere`s legacy`
By The guardian team
14th October 2009
Many dissatisfied by level of public accountability
Founding Father, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
As the nation marks the tenth anniversary of the death of the Founding Father, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere today, Tanzanians have expressed mixed feelings about the level of accountability among public officials.
Both academicians and politicians described Nyerere as an exemplary leader with qualities that most leaders holding public offices lack.
Prof Issa Shivji, who lectured at the University of Dar es Salaam and is now heading the Mwalimu Nyerere Professorial Chair in Pan-African Studies, said Mwalimu was a strong personality who believed in leadership principles, a quality not found in most leaders of our time.
The don was speaking at a special forum organised at the Diamond Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam ahead of the Nyerere Day today, to revisit Mwalimu's legacy.
He said until his last days, Mwalimu was a great believer of socialist policies and openly opposed the capitalist mode as it did not provide for the poor, who constitute the majority in the country.
Shivji said one of the most pressing challenges that the present leaders are facing, especially in developing countries, is exercising leadership in systems which enrich a few at the expense of the majority poor.
According to him, the capitalist system has promoted corruption and brought problems to the ordinary people and no solutions to the poor majority, mostly residing in rural areas.
“Mwalimu Nyerere fought against the capitalist system, because he knew that it promotes classes of the haves and the have-nots; classes of those who are suffering and those who are enjoying the national cake,” said Shivji.
“People now have no humanity at all, they think of how to generate and accumulate wealth - a tendency that Mwalimu didn’t allow or entertain during his leadership,” he added.
He, however, said the world was now tired of capitalism, a system which he blamed for fuelling corruption all over the world, and that some big nations were now thinking of adopting some socialist values.
Speaking at the same occasion, State Minister in the President’s Office (Public Service Management) Hawa Ghasia said Mwalimu was an example of good leaders who adhered to leadership ethics.
She said all leaders were trying to compare themselves with Mwalimu, a clear sign that for many he was an exemplary leader.
NCCR-Mageuzi national chairman, James Mbatia, said in his open letter to the public yesterday that his party would remember Mwalimu for being a champion of educating the public practically on matters of human dignity.
“This is shown in his life. Mwalimu Nyerere as a father of a family; in his profession as a teacher, in his socialist politics and in his leadership as the chairman of a political party, and particularly in his position as the first President of Tanzania,” Mbatia said.
He added: “For him, human dignity was a fundamental right given by God; it was the responsibility of the government to protect this right and it was a must for the society to develop it.”
Mbatia said “Nyerere taught us that God is one; Tanzania is one, and Tanzanians are one. He also reminded us that our National Anthem starts with the word God.”
The NCCR-Magaeuzi chairman said Nyerere insisted on national unity particularly by using one language, Kiswahili and the word Brethren (Ndugu).
“He believed and showed practically that the presence of classes in the community was against humanity,” he said.
Nyerere Day is marked annually on October 14 – the day Mwalimu died at a London hospital. He was born on April 13, 1922 at Butiama village in Mara Region and served as the first President of Tanzania, previously Tanganyika, from the country's independence in 1961 until his retirement in 1985.
Nyerere, son to Zanaki chief Nyerere Burito (1860-1942), is known by the Swahili name Mwalimu or 'teacher', which was his profession prior to politics.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
REF: http://www.ippmedia.com/
14th October 2009
14th October 2009
Many dissatisfied by level of public accountability
Founding Father, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
As the nation marks the tenth anniversary of the death of the Founding Father, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere today, Tanzanians have expressed mixed feelings about the level of accountability among public officials.
Both academicians and politicians described Nyerere as an exemplary leader with qualities that most leaders holding public offices lack.
Prof Issa Shivji, who lectured at the University of Dar es Salaam and is now heading the Mwalimu Nyerere Professorial Chair in Pan-African Studies, said Mwalimu was a strong personality who believed in leadership principles, a quality not found in most leaders of our time.
The don was speaking at a special forum organised at the Diamond Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam ahead of the Nyerere Day today, to revisit Mwalimu's legacy.
He said until his last days, Mwalimu was a great believer of socialist policies and openly opposed the capitalist mode as it did not provide for the poor, who constitute the majority in the country.
Shivji said one of the most pressing challenges that the present leaders are facing, especially in developing countries, is exercising leadership in systems which enrich a few at the expense of the majority poor.
According to him, the capitalist system has promoted corruption and brought problems to the ordinary people and no solutions to the poor majority, mostly residing in rural areas.
“Mwalimu Nyerere fought against the capitalist system, because he knew that it promotes classes of the haves and the have-nots; classes of those who are suffering and those who are enjoying the national cake,” said Shivji.
“People now have no humanity at all, they think of how to generate and accumulate wealth - a tendency that Mwalimu didn’t allow or entertain during his leadership,” he added.
He, however, said the world was now tired of capitalism, a system which he blamed for fuelling corruption all over the world, and that some big nations were now thinking of adopting some socialist values.
Speaking at the same occasion, State Minister in the President’s Office (Public Service Management) Hawa Ghasia said Mwalimu was an example of good leaders who adhered to leadership ethics.
She said all leaders were trying to compare themselves with Mwalimu, a clear sign that for many he was an exemplary leader.
NCCR-Mageuzi national chairman, James Mbatia, said in his open letter to the public yesterday that his party would remember Mwalimu for being a champion of educating the public practically on matters of human dignity.
“This is shown in his life. Mwalimu Nyerere as a father of a family; in his profession as a teacher, in his socialist politics and in his leadership as the chairman of a political party, and particularly in his position as the first President of Tanzania,” Mbatia said.
He added: “For him, human dignity was a fundamental right given by God; it was the responsibility of the government to protect this right and it was a must for the society to develop it.”
Mbatia said “Nyerere taught us that God is one; Tanzania is one, and Tanzanians are one. He also reminded us that our National Anthem starts with the word God.”
The NCCR-Magaeuzi chairman said Nyerere insisted on national unity particularly by using one language, Kiswahili and the word Brethren (Ndugu).
“He believed and showed practically that the presence of classes in the community was against humanity,” he said.
Nyerere Day is marked annually on October 14 – the day Mwalimu died at a London hospital. He was born on April 13, 1922 at Butiama village in Mara Region and served as the first President of Tanzania, previously Tanganyika, from the country's independence in 1961 until his retirement in 1985.
Nyerere, son to Zanaki chief Nyerere Burito (1860-1942), is known by the Swahili name Mwalimu or 'teacher', which was his profession prior to politics.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
REF: http://www.ippmedia.com/
14th October 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Customers unhappy with LUKU
By Gadiosa Lamtey
28th September 2009
Many incur `unrecoverable loss` as network collapses again
Pre-paid meters (Luku).
The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) pre-paid meters (Luku) network collapsed over the weekend, the third time this year alone.
The failure partly frustrated business and domestic life, a survey by ‘The Guardian’ has established.
Most vending stations were down for the most hours of Saturday and yesterday. Tanesco authorities have blamed the failure to hitches on the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Ltd (TTCL)’s network.
According to Tanesco, the TTCL is responsible for managing operations of the systems of its Luku vending stations.
Interviewed, some customers who endured the brunt of living in darkness for about 24 hours talked of unrecoverable losses they incurred as a result of the Luku system failure.
A Luku customer from Mwananyamala, Nuru Mhina, said on Saturday she slept in darkness and was forced to throw away some foodstuffs which were stored in the fridge.
“The food rot in my fridge because Tanesco failed to supply us power through its vending stations,” she complained.
She said the problem of network failure was now becoming common with increased occurrence.
Nuru was also very much concerned over failure of the power utility company to notify the customers on the failure.
Complaining about delays, she said: “You may go to a vending centre at 10 am and get caught in a long queue until say 12. Sometimes, we are being forced to postpone other activities just to buy power,” she said.
Another customer at Oilcom Science area Hamisi Songoro who spoke to ‘The Guardian’ while standing in queue waiting for his turn to get the service proposed that it would be better for Tanesco to return to the previous system of post-paying because the Luku system was becoming ‘cumbersome.’
“It’s very bad that the system is becoming inefficient…Tanesco should tell us what all this means and for how long this problem will continue,” a frustrated Songoro said.
Songoro said while it was true that some customers purchased power through mobile phone special services, the system covered only those with digital meters.
“They should bear in mind that a large section of customers are living in houses installed with old Luku meters which operates by using punching cards,” he said.
Tanesco Public Relations Manager Badra Masoud admitted there was problem of network on Saturday which was caused by the TTCL communication network failure.
Badra said such failures were ‘normal’ and wherever they happen customers shouldn’t worry or panic.
She said Tanesco vending stations were open 24 hours to ensure people get the service without problems or delays.
‘The Guardian’ survey established that the system went off around 2pm on Saturday until at around noon yesterday whereby customers around the City were forced to return back home without power thus incurring losses in their business.
Among the Luku centres visited include Mwananyamala Kwa Manjunju, Oilcom at Science area, BP Kijiweni at Sinza, Mwanamboka at Sinza and Komakoma at Mwananyamala.
The system failed at least twice this year alone apart from the weekend’s incident. The previous failures were attributed to attack by an unknown virus and apparent failure of the computer system.
Last September, the Luku network collapsed abruptly due to a technical fault in its main computer system controlling the pre-paid services.
Luku vending machines first came into use in Tanzania in 1995, with most of them installed in Dar es Salaam. Besides Dar es Salaam, Luku metres are in use in Arusha, Dodoma, Mara, Mwanza and Shinyanga regions and several other major urban centres.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
28th September 2009
Many incur `unrecoverable loss` as network collapses again
Pre-paid meters (Luku).
The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) pre-paid meters (Luku) network collapsed over the weekend, the third time this year alone.
The failure partly frustrated business and domestic life, a survey by ‘The Guardian’ has established.
Most vending stations were down for the most hours of Saturday and yesterday. Tanesco authorities have blamed the failure to hitches on the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Ltd (TTCL)’s network.
According to Tanesco, the TTCL is responsible for managing operations of the systems of its Luku vending stations.
Interviewed, some customers who endured the brunt of living in darkness for about 24 hours talked of unrecoverable losses they incurred as a result of the Luku system failure.
A Luku customer from Mwananyamala, Nuru Mhina, said on Saturday she slept in darkness and was forced to throw away some foodstuffs which were stored in the fridge.
“The food rot in my fridge because Tanesco failed to supply us power through its vending stations,” she complained.
She said the problem of network failure was now becoming common with increased occurrence.
Nuru was also very much concerned over failure of the power utility company to notify the customers on the failure.
Complaining about delays, she said: “You may go to a vending centre at 10 am and get caught in a long queue until say 12. Sometimes, we are being forced to postpone other activities just to buy power,” she said.
Another customer at Oilcom Science area Hamisi Songoro who spoke to ‘The Guardian’ while standing in queue waiting for his turn to get the service proposed that it would be better for Tanesco to return to the previous system of post-paying because the Luku system was becoming ‘cumbersome.’
“It’s very bad that the system is becoming inefficient…Tanesco should tell us what all this means and for how long this problem will continue,” a frustrated Songoro said.
Songoro said while it was true that some customers purchased power through mobile phone special services, the system covered only those with digital meters.
“They should bear in mind that a large section of customers are living in houses installed with old Luku meters which operates by using punching cards,” he said.
Tanesco Public Relations Manager Badra Masoud admitted there was problem of network on Saturday which was caused by the TTCL communication network failure.
Badra said such failures were ‘normal’ and wherever they happen customers shouldn’t worry or panic.
She said Tanesco vending stations were open 24 hours to ensure people get the service without problems or delays.
‘The Guardian’ survey established that the system went off around 2pm on Saturday until at around noon yesterday whereby customers around the City were forced to return back home without power thus incurring losses in their business.
Among the Luku centres visited include Mwananyamala Kwa Manjunju, Oilcom at Science area, BP Kijiweni at Sinza, Mwanamboka at Sinza and Komakoma at Mwananyamala.
The system failed at least twice this year alone apart from the weekend’s incident. The previous failures were attributed to attack by an unknown virus and apparent failure of the computer system.
Last September, the Luku network collapsed abruptly due to a technical fault in its main computer system controlling the pre-paid services.
Luku vending machines first came into use in Tanzania in 1995, with most of them installed in Dar es Salaam. Besides Dar es Salaam, Luku metres are in use in Arusha, Dodoma, Mara, Mwanza and Shinyanga regions and several other major urban centres.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Three albino killers to hang
By Correspondent
24th September 2009
Three albino killers, from left is Masumbuko Madata, Emmanuel Masangwa and Charles Masangwa escorted by police at Shinyanga Court.
The High Court, sitting in this Shinyanga Region town specifically to preside over cases involving albino killings, delivered its first judgement yesterday. It convicted and sentenced to death three accused persons.
Reading the ruling, which lasted about an hour, High Court Judge Gabriel Rwakibalila said the court was satisfied that the evidence presented by the prosecution side proved beyond reasonable doubt the involvement of the three convicts in the killings.
He said the trio conspired and killed schoolboy Matatizo Dunia (13), an albino, on December 1 last year at Bunyihuna village in Shinyanga Region’s Bukombe District.
Those found guilty and now on death row are Masumbuko Madata (32) of Itunga Village, Emmanuel Masangwa (28) of Bunyihuna Village and Charles Kalamuji alias Charles Masangwa (42) of Nanda Village, all in Bukombe District. The court ruled that they committed the crime as per Section 16 of Criminal Act No. 196, as amended in 2002.
“This court has found all of you, first accused Masumbuko Madata, second accused Emmanuel Masangwa and third accused Charles Kalamuji alias Charles Masangwa, guilty of killing Matatizo Dunia, and therefore you will be hanged to death. However, you can appeal the sentence if you so wish,” the judge pronounced.
The long-awaited judgment appeared to please most of the people who had turned up at the court premises in huge numbers for an eyewitness account of the climax of the historic proceedings.
Judge Rwakibalila said the defence furnished the court with evidence meant to present the accused as innocent, adding: “But later evidence from the same side proved that the three accused were in fact solidly behind the killings.”
He explained that despite an inconsequential mix-up of some facts in submissions by the prosecution side, “the truth remained intact and hence the fairness of the judgment delivered by this court against the accused”.
The judge said among the trivial “slip-ups” he was referring to was the number of vehicles used by an unspecified number of police officers during arrest of the suspects.
“It is impossible for human being to remember every detail. However, this cannot change the truth,” he noted.
Added the judge: “The evidence presented in court included statements by Madata’s wife and Masumbuko’s third wife Yunis Peter, who stood as the second prosecution witness. The two women narrated in court how they saw their husbands returning home accompanied by Rajab Luchoronga, who is still at large. They also witnessed Matatizo’s severed legs being recovered from a nearby bush which Masumbuko frequently visited for soothsaying.”
Judge Rwakibalila pointed out further that the evidence presented in court by a bother to Madata showed how the accused fled alongside Luchoronga as the police approached.
“Again, third accused Kalamuji’s wife identified as Sofia Andrew explained how her husband disappeared from the family home on November 30 last year before it was reported that he had been arrested in connection with the killing of an albino,” added the judge.
Commenting on the evidence presented by the Chief Government Chemist, the judge said the first and the third accused were directly implicated in Matatizo’s brutal killing “as DNA samples collected from the boy’s blood technically proved them to have hand a hand in the killing”.
Soon after Judge Rwakibalila was through, the defence side declared that they intended to appeal the ruling.
Defence counsel Kamaliza Kayaga said he was not satisfied with the ruling against his clients and contesting it was the only option they would pursue.
The court adjourned until September 28, which is set for the hearing of another murder case. This time the accused is Joseph Lugota of Kagongwa Village in Isagehe Ward, who stands charged with killing Ng’wana Gimbishi (75) of Kilimbi Village in Mwalugulu Ward in Kahama District.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
www.ippmedia.com
24th September 2009
Three albino killers, from left is Masumbuko Madata, Emmanuel Masangwa and Charles Masangwa escorted by police at Shinyanga Court.
The High Court, sitting in this Shinyanga Region town specifically to preside over cases involving albino killings, delivered its first judgement yesterday. It convicted and sentenced to death three accused persons.
Reading the ruling, which lasted about an hour, High Court Judge Gabriel Rwakibalila said the court was satisfied that the evidence presented by the prosecution side proved beyond reasonable doubt the involvement of the three convicts in the killings.
He said the trio conspired and killed schoolboy Matatizo Dunia (13), an albino, on December 1 last year at Bunyihuna village in Shinyanga Region’s Bukombe District.
Those found guilty and now on death row are Masumbuko Madata (32) of Itunga Village, Emmanuel Masangwa (28) of Bunyihuna Village and Charles Kalamuji alias Charles Masangwa (42) of Nanda Village, all in Bukombe District. The court ruled that they committed the crime as per Section 16 of Criminal Act No. 196, as amended in 2002.
“This court has found all of you, first accused Masumbuko Madata, second accused Emmanuel Masangwa and third accused Charles Kalamuji alias Charles Masangwa, guilty of killing Matatizo Dunia, and therefore you will be hanged to death. However, you can appeal the sentence if you so wish,” the judge pronounced.
The long-awaited judgment appeared to please most of the people who had turned up at the court premises in huge numbers for an eyewitness account of the climax of the historic proceedings.
Judge Rwakibalila said the defence furnished the court with evidence meant to present the accused as innocent, adding: “But later evidence from the same side proved that the three accused were in fact solidly behind the killings.”
He explained that despite an inconsequential mix-up of some facts in submissions by the prosecution side, “the truth remained intact and hence the fairness of the judgment delivered by this court against the accused”.
The judge said among the trivial “slip-ups” he was referring to was the number of vehicles used by an unspecified number of police officers during arrest of the suspects.
“It is impossible for human being to remember every detail. However, this cannot change the truth,” he noted.
Added the judge: “The evidence presented in court included statements by Madata’s wife and Masumbuko’s third wife Yunis Peter, who stood as the second prosecution witness. The two women narrated in court how they saw their husbands returning home accompanied by Rajab Luchoronga, who is still at large. They also witnessed Matatizo’s severed legs being recovered from a nearby bush which Masumbuko frequently visited for soothsaying.”
Judge Rwakibalila pointed out further that the evidence presented in court by a bother to Madata showed how the accused fled alongside Luchoronga as the police approached.
“Again, third accused Kalamuji’s wife identified as Sofia Andrew explained how her husband disappeared from the family home on November 30 last year before it was reported that he had been arrested in connection with the killing of an albino,” added the judge.
Commenting on the evidence presented by the Chief Government Chemist, the judge said the first and the third accused were directly implicated in Matatizo’s brutal killing “as DNA samples collected from the boy’s blood technically proved them to have hand a hand in the killing”.
Soon after Judge Rwakibalila was through, the defence side declared that they intended to appeal the ruling.
Defence counsel Kamaliza Kayaga said he was not satisfied with the ruling against his clients and contesting it was the only option they would pursue.
The court adjourned until September 28, which is set for the hearing of another murder case. This time the accused is Joseph Lugota of Kagongwa Village in Isagehe Ward, who stands charged with killing Ng’wana Gimbishi (75) of Kilimbi Village in Mwalugulu Ward in Kahama District.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
www.ippmedia.com
New threat to albinos at school in Mwanza
New threat to albinos at school in Mwanza
By Staff writer
27th September 2009
Children with albinism admitted to a boarding school at Mitindo in Mwanza Region in efforts to keep them safe away from albino killers, now face a health threat.
According to the head teacher Juma Abdallah the pupils travel up to three kilometers to fetch water from a well far from the school. The school has a total of 148 pupils, 45 of whom are blind while 103 are albinos. Albinos lack pigments in their eyes, skin or hair, making their life difficult in Africa, where there is plenty of sunshine. They are more susceptible to skin cancer and sunburn.
“As you have seen, the pupils are forced to wait under the sun in a queue for a long time, risking their tender skins and weak eyes by exposing them to the sun,” he said.
Other challenges they face are shortage of blankets, bed- sheets, toothbrushes and tooth paste. The school also needs a professional matron and patron as well as regular heath check-ups. Mitindo School in Misungwi District was initially meant for blind children. Now, owing to lack of dormitories, two pupils are now forced to share a bed. “Following the outbreak of albino killings, the government directed us to accommodate the children, but their number is overwhelming and we’ve no alternative as our request for additional budget is yet to materialize,” said the head teacher.
The albinos have been killed for their body parts to be used in witchcraft by persons who seek wealth or sexual potency. At least 53 albinos have been killed since March, 2007 in various parts of the country, mostly in Shinyanga and Mwanza regions.
The killers sell body parts such including arms, legs, hair, skin and genitals to those who practice witchcraft.
Meanwhile, Mwanza Regional Commissioner Abbas Kandoro is currently cautioning parents and guardians to refrain from sending albino children there any more.
He said: "Parents too are duty bound to protect their children," adding that this is not solely a government responsibility. Kandoro called on each district authority in the region to construct a primary school where children with albinism would be mix with other children.
Government and lobby groups say Tanzania has about 170,000 albinos out its population of 40 million people.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
www.ippmedia.com
By Staff writer
27th September 2009
Children with albinism admitted to a boarding school at Mitindo in Mwanza Region in efforts to keep them safe away from albino killers, now face a health threat.
According to the head teacher Juma Abdallah the pupils travel up to three kilometers to fetch water from a well far from the school. The school has a total of 148 pupils, 45 of whom are blind while 103 are albinos. Albinos lack pigments in their eyes, skin or hair, making their life difficult in Africa, where there is plenty of sunshine. They are more susceptible to skin cancer and sunburn.
“As you have seen, the pupils are forced to wait under the sun in a queue for a long time, risking their tender skins and weak eyes by exposing them to the sun,” he said.
Other challenges they face are shortage of blankets, bed- sheets, toothbrushes and tooth paste. The school also needs a professional matron and patron as well as regular heath check-ups. Mitindo School in Misungwi District was initially meant for blind children. Now, owing to lack of dormitories, two pupils are now forced to share a bed. “Following the outbreak of albino killings, the government directed us to accommodate the children, but their number is overwhelming and we’ve no alternative as our request for additional budget is yet to materialize,” said the head teacher.
The albinos have been killed for their body parts to be used in witchcraft by persons who seek wealth or sexual potency. At least 53 albinos have been killed since March, 2007 in various parts of the country, mostly in Shinyanga and Mwanza regions.
The killers sell body parts such including arms, legs, hair, skin and genitals to those who practice witchcraft.
Meanwhile, Mwanza Regional Commissioner Abbas Kandoro is currently cautioning parents and guardians to refrain from sending albino children there any more.
He said: "Parents too are duty bound to protect their children," adding that this is not solely a government responsibility. Kandoro called on each district authority in the region to construct a primary school where children with albinism would be mix with other children.
Government and lobby groups say Tanzania has about 170,000 albinos out its population of 40 million people.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
www.ippmedia.com
Thursday, September 17, 2009
TANZANIA: In Tanzania, a Maasai Girl Escapes to Education
By David Conrad
ARUSHA, Tanzania (Reuters) - At 12, brown-eyed Neema Laizer persuaded her elementary school teacher to accept one liter of milk each morning instead of money because her father refused to pay for a girl to be educated.
At 13, her father selected a 30-year-old stranger to be her husband. The next day, she was supposed to drop out of school and begin a new life as a housewife and a mother within a year, a common fate for young Maasai girls in Tanzania.
Laizer had a different plan.
While her father slept, she and her mother quietly packed a small backpack of clothes, then she slipped on a pair of black rubber sandals and escaped by moonlight through heavy tears and forest brush, running more than a mile to her uncle's home.
The next morning, the two of them drove for six hours to a refuge 200 miles away that he had whispered to her about.
Now 19, Laizer is preparing to start college in the autumn -- hoping to be the country's first Maasai woman doctor -- and speaking out against female genital mutilation, forced marriage, and violence against Maasai women in the East African country.
"In the village, we only exist to earn cows for our parents and to serve a man we normally do not love," said Laizer, referring to the dowry of cattle paid for brides.
The Pastoral Women's Council, a non-government organization, estimates at least three Maasai girls run away from home daily to escape arranged marriages.
Hundreds of thousands of others are enslaved by oppressive traditions handed down by their elders, while the laws to protect them are rarely enforced, even as unsuspecting tourists marvel at their beadwork.
The Maasai, easily recognized by their colorful dress and traditional jewellery, number about 1 million throughout the hills of northern Tanzania. Fewer than 10 percent of girls reach secondary or high school and fewer than 12 have received a college diploma, according to Maasai schools and support groups.
Most young women are denied education, forced to marry men decades older, and face a life of servitude, abuse and rape.
"These aren't traditions worth protecting ... because girls are being refused education, they just don't understand," Laizer told Reuters. "Some are starting to say it's wrong, but only in secret. I am ready to talk openly about it. The Maasai must change."
SCHOOL OF DISCOVERY
The refuge that freed Laizer from her tribal traditions lies in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro at the end of a ruddy dirt road lined with banana trees and footprints, behind 10-foot (three-meter) high bushes and white steel gates.
A remedial school for 13-to-18-year-old girls, the Emusoi Center was founded by Catholic missionaries with the help of one of Tanzania's few female Maasai college graduates, and is now home to 75 Maasai girls.
Since it opened in 1998 Emusoi, a Maasai word meaning "discovery," has placed more than 400 in 80 boarding schools across Tanzania after housing them for one year. Of the 240 or so Maasai girls who started secondary school in the country last year, 119 had been through Emusoi.
Tanzania's government has created programmes to encourage semi-nomadic peoples such as the Maasai to educate their children and not marry off under-age girls, but to little effect. Laizer cited many tactics used by Maasai men to preserve the status quo.
In her village, she said, girls as young as six are forced into wedlock. Those who manage to evade marriage after elementary school may be raped -- a pregnant girl is not allowed to attend school in Tanzania.
"It is a strategy," said Sister Mary Vertucci, who created the centre with the help of 29-year-old Maasai graduate Anna Shinini. Girls who make it to Emusoi risk being raped if they return home for a holiday: "The men of their village will plan to do it ahead of time so the girl can't leave again."
Such practices are illegal, but law enforcement in Tanzania is often a struggle. Laizer's mother was hospitalized after being nearly beaten to death for aiding her escape. Laizer herself did not return home for four years after running away.
So Emusoi never closes. Seventy girls spent Christmas there last year.
WHAT'S TANZANIA?
The girls' year at the school in the resort of Arusha is also an introduction to electricity, running water and meeting people from other tribes, said Vertucci in a cement-floored office of bare walls, filing cabinets, bulletin boards and an aged Dell computer.
Many new arrivals do not even know they live in a country called Tanzania.
"We ask them what their nationality is. But many of them will just say the name of their village -- they've never even heard the word Tanzania before," she said.
"They don't understand that they are part of a bigger country ... (never mind) the concept that there is a whole other world of opportunities and lifestyles out there for them."
"Normally, circumcision and marriage is the way, not school or work or planning a future like that," said Vertucci. "These girls are really becoming role models who never existed before."
Emusoi students are set to be the first Maasai women to take up several professional roles in the country: one of the school's earliest students, Teika Simango, 25, is due to complete her legal training later this year.
The Maasai's seclusion -- and resistance among the males -- remain major obstacles, said teacher Shinini.
"I will go to the door of many girls' homes in remote villages, and tell them 'just graduate from primary school and then I know where you can go,"' said Shinini. "It's dangerous, but I want to help my people. What else can I do?"
Laizer finally returned to her village after she had finished secondary school. She smiled as she re-lived the moment: "Now, everything is fine," she said. "Even with my father, he understands now."..............
Ref: http://www.fgmnetwork.org/gonews.php?subaction=showfull&id=1201898129&archive=
ARUSHA, Tanzania (Reuters) - At 12, brown-eyed Neema Laizer persuaded her elementary school teacher to accept one liter of milk each morning instead of money because her father refused to pay for a girl to be educated.
At 13, her father selected a 30-year-old stranger to be her husband. The next day, she was supposed to drop out of school and begin a new life as a housewife and a mother within a year, a common fate for young Maasai girls in Tanzania.
Laizer had a different plan.
While her father slept, she and her mother quietly packed a small backpack of clothes, then she slipped on a pair of black rubber sandals and escaped by moonlight through heavy tears and forest brush, running more than a mile to her uncle's home.
The next morning, the two of them drove for six hours to a refuge 200 miles away that he had whispered to her about.
Now 19, Laizer is preparing to start college in the autumn -- hoping to be the country's first Maasai woman doctor -- and speaking out against female genital mutilation, forced marriage, and violence against Maasai women in the East African country.
"In the village, we only exist to earn cows for our parents and to serve a man we normally do not love," said Laizer, referring to the dowry of cattle paid for brides.
The Pastoral Women's Council, a non-government organization, estimates at least three Maasai girls run away from home daily to escape arranged marriages.
Hundreds of thousands of others are enslaved by oppressive traditions handed down by their elders, while the laws to protect them are rarely enforced, even as unsuspecting tourists marvel at their beadwork.
The Maasai, easily recognized by their colorful dress and traditional jewellery, number about 1 million throughout the hills of northern Tanzania. Fewer than 10 percent of girls reach secondary or high school and fewer than 12 have received a college diploma, according to Maasai schools and support groups.
Most young women are denied education, forced to marry men decades older, and face a life of servitude, abuse and rape.
"These aren't traditions worth protecting ... because girls are being refused education, they just don't understand," Laizer told Reuters. "Some are starting to say it's wrong, but only in secret. I am ready to talk openly about it. The Maasai must change."
SCHOOL OF DISCOVERY
The refuge that freed Laizer from her tribal traditions lies in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro at the end of a ruddy dirt road lined with banana trees and footprints, behind 10-foot (three-meter) high bushes and white steel gates.
A remedial school for 13-to-18-year-old girls, the Emusoi Center was founded by Catholic missionaries with the help of one of Tanzania's few female Maasai college graduates, and is now home to 75 Maasai girls.
Since it opened in 1998 Emusoi, a Maasai word meaning "discovery," has placed more than 400 in 80 boarding schools across Tanzania after housing them for one year. Of the 240 or so Maasai girls who started secondary school in the country last year, 119 had been through Emusoi.
Tanzania's government has created programmes to encourage semi-nomadic peoples such as the Maasai to educate their children and not marry off under-age girls, but to little effect. Laizer cited many tactics used by Maasai men to preserve the status quo.
In her village, she said, girls as young as six are forced into wedlock. Those who manage to evade marriage after elementary school may be raped -- a pregnant girl is not allowed to attend school in Tanzania.
"It is a strategy," said Sister Mary Vertucci, who created the centre with the help of 29-year-old Maasai graduate Anna Shinini. Girls who make it to Emusoi risk being raped if they return home for a holiday: "The men of their village will plan to do it ahead of time so the girl can't leave again."
Such practices are illegal, but law enforcement in Tanzania is often a struggle. Laizer's mother was hospitalized after being nearly beaten to death for aiding her escape. Laizer herself did not return home for four years after running away.
So Emusoi never closes. Seventy girls spent Christmas there last year.
WHAT'S TANZANIA?
The girls' year at the school in the resort of Arusha is also an introduction to electricity, running water and meeting people from other tribes, said Vertucci in a cement-floored office of bare walls, filing cabinets, bulletin boards and an aged Dell computer.
Many new arrivals do not even know they live in a country called Tanzania.
"We ask them what their nationality is. But many of them will just say the name of their village -- they've never even heard the word Tanzania before," she said.
"They don't understand that they are part of a bigger country ... (never mind) the concept that there is a whole other world of opportunities and lifestyles out there for them."
"Normally, circumcision and marriage is the way, not school or work or planning a future like that," said Vertucci. "These girls are really becoming role models who never existed before."
Emusoi students are set to be the first Maasai women to take up several professional roles in the country: one of the school's earliest students, Teika Simango, 25, is due to complete her legal training later this year.
The Maasai's seclusion -- and resistance among the males -- remain major obstacles, said teacher Shinini.
"I will go to the door of many girls' homes in remote villages, and tell them 'just graduate from primary school and then I know where you can go,"' said Shinini. "It's dangerous, but I want to help my people. What else can I do?"
Laizer finally returned to her village after she had finished secondary school. She smiled as she re-lived the moment: "Now, everything is fine," she said. "Even with my father, he understands now."..............
Ref: http://www.fgmnetwork.org/gonews.php?subaction=showfull&id=1201898129&archive=
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Commercial sex workers `ready` to die for money, research shows
By Hellen Nachilongo
3rd September 2009
Women engaging in commercial sex have little room to negotiate on safe sex owing to lack of confidence because they value money more than their lives, according to research findings.
The research, which was conducted recently by Telecommunication Marketing Company, involved respondents from Haya, Nyamwezi, Ngoni and Hehe ethnic communities with an average age of 27 and educated up to primary school level.
The research discovered that most women are engaged in the high risk business due to lack of alternative sources of income.
It also found out that venues where commercial sex workers looked for customers were in bars, night clubs and on the road side.
The respondents disclosed that they had an average of 40 sex partners in the past months, adding that the average amount they were paid was between 12,000/- and 15,000/- per session while the lowest amount was between 2,000/- and 5,000 /-
However, according to the findings, the mode of sex mainly determined the amount they were paid.
Clients who preferred not to use condoms were willing to pay more, and so were those who preferred anal sex. However, according to the findings, the level of awareness of HIV and Aids was generally high among sex workers.
The research also revealed that a considerable percentage of the sex workers use illicit drugs with their partners. The main drugs used include bhang, cocaine and heroin.
According to the research, 72 per cent of cases of violence were not reported for fear or further victimization or loss of customers.
Commenting on the research findings, T.Mark monitoring and evaluation director Jovian Tibenda said the research aimed at finding out challenges sex workers faced, especially in rural areas.
She said in rural areas most sex workers were not aware of condom use and so ended up getting infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
“Most such women normally go for an HIV test when they are pregnant only and not voluntarily” she said.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
www.ippmedia.com
3rd September 2009
Women engaging in commercial sex have little room to negotiate on safe sex owing to lack of confidence because they value money more than their lives, according to research findings.
The research, which was conducted recently by Telecommunication Marketing Company, involved respondents from Haya, Nyamwezi, Ngoni and Hehe ethnic communities with an average age of 27 and educated up to primary school level.
The research discovered that most women are engaged in the high risk business due to lack of alternative sources of income.
It also found out that venues where commercial sex workers looked for customers were in bars, night clubs and on the road side.
The respondents disclosed that they had an average of 40 sex partners in the past months, adding that the average amount they were paid was between 12,000/- and 15,000/- per session while the lowest amount was between 2,000/- and 5,000 /-
However, according to the findings, the mode of sex mainly determined the amount they were paid.
Clients who preferred not to use condoms were willing to pay more, and so were those who preferred anal sex. However, according to the findings, the level of awareness of HIV and Aids was generally high among sex workers.
The research also revealed that a considerable percentage of the sex workers use illicit drugs with their partners. The main drugs used include bhang, cocaine and heroin.
According to the research, 72 per cent of cases of violence were not reported for fear or further victimization or loss of customers.
Commenting on the research findings, T.Mark monitoring and evaluation director Jovian Tibenda said the research aimed at finding out challenges sex workers faced, especially in rural areas.
She said in rural areas most sex workers were not aware of condom use and so ended up getting infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
“Most such women normally go for an HIV test when they are pregnant only and not voluntarily” she said.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
www.ippmedia.com
Friday, September 4, 2009
W.I.F.E.S – Winning Initiatives For Environmental Sustainability:
W.I.F.E.S – Winning Initiatives For Environmental Sustainability:
Summary:
Under W.I.F.E.S several projects will be created. The main focus will be development of local communities and environmental sustainability promotion . relevant partnerships will be built.
Green Waters foundation believes everyone can make a difference. It is our aim to reach out to diverse groups and individuals who are not yet participating in development, so as to empower the development engine by more Green Energy (The people).
With more people involved in environmental sustainability initiatives, we will move a step forward towards achievement of UN Millennium development goal 1 – eradication of extreme poverty and goal 7 – Ensuring environmental sustainability.
The first project under W.I.F.E.S is creative recycling:
The short term goals for this project are:
- To raise awareness of environmental impact cause by our daily behaviour.
- Teach creative recycling skills
- To create product lines which use recycle materials
- To create outlets for the product lines
This project will be done in stages:
Summary:
Under W.I.F.E.S several projects will be created. The main focus will be development of local communities and environmental sustainability promotion . relevant partnerships will be built.
Green Waters foundation believes everyone can make a difference. It is our aim to reach out to diverse groups and individuals who are not yet participating in development, so as to empower the development engine by more Green Energy (The people).
With more people involved in environmental sustainability initiatives, we will move a step forward towards achievement of UN Millennium development goal 1 – eradication of extreme poverty and goal 7 – Ensuring environmental sustainability.
The first project under W.I.F.E.S is creative recycling:
The short term goals for this project are:
- To raise awareness of environmental impact cause by our daily behaviour.
- Teach creative recycling skills
- To create product lines which use recycle materials
- To create outlets for the product lines
This project will be done in stages:
1. Creative recycling of waste:
We organise workshops that teach different ways of creatively recycling waste materials from households and various industries
2. Recycling Centres:
Waste collection centres that will also provide opportunities for internships, entrepreneurship and employment in sectors such as i.e cleaning & sorting of waste, recycling art workshops, awareness workshops, production.
3.Environmental sustainability awareness workshops:
Workshops offering various knowledge in environmental management.
We are currently on the first stage.
1.CREATIVE RECYCLING OF WASTE :
We started with creative recycling so as to transfer knowledge (capacity building) about different ways of recycling, that can have a positive impact on our household income and also on environment.
Our motivation is to reduce the ecological footprint (EF)
Ecological footprint:
Ecological footprint (EF) is an idea which was developed with a purpose to make people realise how their use of earth resources, limits the sustainability of the resources. Therefore, in the long run failure to reduce our EF will lead to the decline of the resources and the earth inhabitants won’t be able to survive or maintain existing lifestyles.
The earth is portrayed as a dome of which limited earth inhabitants and resources are trapped in. It is up to the inhabitants to learn the best ways of utilizing the resources in order to make them last longer and also to maintain the best quality and the possible renewal of the resources.
Our consumer habits impact environmental resources:
Examples:
1. The textile industry uses cotton as one of the main raw materials.
Cotton production requires use of large plots of land, and also use of pesticides. Most production is done in developing countries of which there is no regulation for use of pesticides such as DDT.
DDT is a highly poisonous pesticide and it’s use to kill insects that attack crops ensures a healthy crop.
However, DDT takes a long time o break down once it is sprayed on the grounds, during spraying the wind might blow the spraying to non targeted areas, and rainfalls carries DDT into rivers and other water sources used for human consumption and cause health damage i.e Poisoning, damage on the immunity system and Cancer.
2. The paper industry uses different kinds of trees for raw materials.
Trees are natural habitats for wild animals. Apart from providing living environment they are a main source for modern medicines.
They provide us with food and properties to make products such as sweets, chockolates, juices, hot drinks.
Other products made from trees are perfumes, food flavours,rubber, soaps, cosmetics, musical instruments, furniture, boxes, books and clothes.
Trees are used to capture greenhouse gasses emissions. This slows down global warming, which has caused extreme weather changes that have endangered human lives all over the world.
By extending the shelf life of products such as those made from the two examples we have discussed, we are reducing our ecological footprint.
Tired of old fashioned jeans? Recycle them into an inspiring product and make money from them!
Tired of receiving newspaper advertisements? Be creative, make splending products with low to zero investment costs.
Background:
Habits are established from a young age, therefore family and communities are important in influencing children’s behaviour and developing future values.
The values that we learn early in life, also influence our environment and the way we act towards each other, and during the time of a crisis.
The current economic situation, has had a negative impact on household incomes. Job security is not as it used to be, many people are facing unemployment.
Governments are facing heavy burdens in health insurance and social welfare because more people can’t afford to pay taxes, and more businesses are going bankrupt. ...........
To read more about W.I.F.E.S visit our organisation website http://www.green-waters.org/
Thursday, September 3, 2009
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!
‘Are you kidding me!!!!!!’
She shouted in a total rage,
Furious and foaming at the mouth.
‘I grew up with 6 brothers,
She continued ….
I had to clean, cook and fetch,
For each and every one.
I had to sweep the grounds outside,
And clean the whole house,
I had to cut grass for the cows,
And clean the sheds too,
I had to cut firewood for cooking,
Fetch water from the river,
rush home to do the cooking.
I had to wash their clothes,
Save their meals,
And as I grew older,
Serve their needs,
I never asked to be a woman,
I cursed the day I was born!
When I got heavy with child,
I didn’t know of which brother,
I still had to do the same.
And now I have 7 daughters,
With no father to raise them,
No man ever pleased me,
And yet I lived my life for them,
I see my daughters growing up,
With all the chances I had in life,
I boil with anger at injustice,
from everyone around me,
and you ask me this stupid question!????
Why can’t I read or write?
You ask!
Why don’t I care for my children?
You say!
Why do I curse and cuff their heads?
You ask!
I live in this nightmare,
In each and every day.
You know nothing of it!!!!
Family planning you ask?
Who the hell do you think you are!???
I’d rather slit my throat in peace,
Or drink some broken glass,
Than raise the anger of my husband,
Who saved me from those rats.
So yes he may beat me,
And I am pregnant every year,
At least I get some food,
Sometimes even a beer.
You don’t think I am so smart?
I try to save my daughters,
By being ready for my man,
Each and every night.
The pain doesn’t matter,
I never knew any better,
I have plenty of smarts,
I try to save my daughters,
Maybe they will still be virgins,
At least to the age of 10!
What does life have for them?
In this land owned by men?
My own father sold me,
For the bride price of a cow!
I never even tasted the milk,
As I was already gone.
I didn’t cry, what’s the use?
And you call this child abuse?
You don’t have no idea!
I am 16, a woman,
Pierced by my brothers,
At half that age!
What right have you,
to blame my husband?
Did he not pay a price?
Is he not feeding me better?
Do I not have a home?
Is it worse to be married
And save one man,
Than to be a ‘’child’’
And save all my brothers?
You call me a fool?
Are you kidding me!!!!!!
Go buy more trendy shoes
And be on your way!!!’
She finished in rage.
You ask!
Why don’t I care for my children?
You say!
Why do I curse and cuff their heads?
You ask!
I live in this nightmare,
In each and every day.
You know nothing of it!!!!
Family planning you ask?
Who the hell do you think you are!???
I’d rather slit my throat in peace,
Or drink some broken glass,
Than raise the anger of my husband,
Who saved me from those rats.
So yes he may beat me,
And I am pregnant every year,
At least I get some food,
Sometimes even a beer.
You don’t think I am so smart?
I try to save my daughters,
By being ready for my man,
Each and every night.
The pain doesn’t matter,
I never knew any better,
I have plenty of smarts,
I try to save my daughters,
Maybe they will still be virgins,
At least to the age of 10!
What does life have for them?
In this land owned by men?
My own father sold me,
For the bride price of a cow!
I never even tasted the milk,
As I was already gone.
I didn’t cry, what’s the use?
And you call this child abuse?
You don’t have no idea!
I am 16, a woman,
Pierced by my brothers,
At half that age!
What right have you,
to blame my husband?
Did he not pay a price?
Is he not feeding me better?
Do I not have a home?
Is it worse to be married
And save one man,
Than to be a ‘’child’’
And save all my brothers?
You call me a fool?
Are you kidding me!!!!!!
Go buy more trendy shoes
And be on your way!!!’
She finished in rage.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
THE VICTIMS OF POVERTY
Today I am going to do my part and bring to light some of the injustices imposed upon the already suffering victims of poverty.
Is it not enough just to be poor, not knowing when you are going to eat? when your child is going to die so that the suffering can stop as there is no money for medicines?
Is it not enough that one has to sell a daughter to the highest bidder so that the bride price can save the remaining family from social indignity?
Is it not enough knowing if the children live, they will lead the same life since as poor parents there are no means to support the children's education and ensure a better life?
Is it not enough seeing the leaders getting richer and richer, while the families suffering remains the same and gets worse everyday?
Is it not enough .....????
This is the questioned asked by many people experiencing extreme poverty.
Well ... apparently it seems, this is not enough, because there are others who take advantage of these suffering poor to make a living in a way that can only be described as extremely evil.
However, the question to ask ourselves here is, who else are the victims?
By reading this short article published by http://www.underthesamesun.com/ I see more than one category of victims.....
Persons with albinism in Tanzania face several major challenges:
1. The horror of a rapidly growing industry in the sale of albino body parts.
''This unimaginable evil is driven by the belief (in some areas of the country) that the bodyparts of people with albinism possess magical powers capable of bringing riches if used in potions produced by local witchdoctors. During the last year, official reports indicate that 43 people with albinism have been brutally murdered and their bodyparts hacked off and sold to witchdoctors. However, leaders in the albinism community believe the number of deaths to be between 60 and 70. Reports also indicate that albino bodyparts are being exported outside of Tanzania. In one instance, a Tanzanian trader was caught travelling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the head of an albino baby in his possession. He told police that a businessman there was going to pay him for the head by its weight.''
In my opinion, the real crime is being committed by those who are supposed to guide and protect the poor people from being in such a desperate situation, that they actually fall victim to the evil plan of the witch doctors.
The governments are prosecuting the witch doctors (BIG DEAL!) Who is prosecuting the governemnt for failing in their duties? What kind of justice is this? Is the government really committed to alleviate this situation? Is there a real plan that is being followed?
This worries me, I am a Tanzanian afterall.
I have the right to know that my government values the lives of the people regardless of colour, handicaps, religion or tribe.
Is it not enough just to be poor, not knowing when you are going to eat? when your child is going to die so that the suffering can stop as there is no money for medicines?
Is it not enough that one has to sell a daughter to the highest bidder so that the bride price can save the remaining family from social indignity?
Is it not enough knowing if the children live, they will lead the same life since as poor parents there are no means to support the children's education and ensure a better life?
Is it not enough seeing the leaders getting richer and richer, while the families suffering remains the same and gets worse everyday?
Is it not enough .....????
This is the questioned asked by many people experiencing extreme poverty.
Well ... apparently it seems, this is not enough, because there are others who take advantage of these suffering poor to make a living in a way that can only be described as extremely evil.
However, the question to ask ourselves here is, who else are the victims?
By reading this short article published by http://www.underthesamesun.com/ I see more than one category of victims.....
Persons with albinism in Tanzania face several major challenges:
1. The horror of a rapidly growing industry in the sale of albino body parts.
''This unimaginable evil is driven by the belief (in some areas of the country) that the bodyparts of people with albinism possess magical powers capable of bringing riches if used in potions produced by local witchdoctors. During the last year, official reports indicate that 43 people with albinism have been brutally murdered and their bodyparts hacked off and sold to witchdoctors. However, leaders in the albinism community believe the number of deaths to be between 60 and 70. Reports also indicate that albino bodyparts are being exported outside of Tanzania. In one instance, a Tanzanian trader was caught travelling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the head of an albino baby in his possession. He told police that a businessman there was going to pay him for the head by its weight.''
In my opinion, the real crime is being committed by those who are supposed to guide and protect the poor people from being in such a desperate situation, that they actually fall victim to the evil plan of the witch doctors.
The governments are prosecuting the witch doctors (BIG DEAL!) Who is prosecuting the governemnt for failing in their duties? What kind of justice is this? Is the government really committed to alleviate this situation? Is there a real plan that is being followed?
This worries me, I am a Tanzanian afterall.
I have the right to know that my government values the lives of the people regardless of colour, handicaps, religion or tribe.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Believe Begin Become 2008/2009
I am aware that there are many motivated Tanzanians who want to make a difference in their country especially within their regional communities.
But I wasn't aware of the many challenges they have to face only to be disappointed over and over again.
This is quite difficult, because sometimes people in the rural areas have a practical plan, but just because BBB is focusing on the ''academic'' side of the plan, the rural people don't stand a chance.
I hereby present to you the list of participants for the BBB competition 2008/2009
http://www.believe-begin-become.com/Tanzania/BBB_Finalists_and_Voucher_Winners_jan_30_2009.pdf
Looking at the headings, I see some very good agricultural and food processing plans. Therefore I wonder .... what went wrong? Do we really value IT projects in Dar es salaam than food processing projects in Villages? Is it that we don't understand the value of such a project in a community and how much the livelihoods of the people are linked to a project such as food processing?
This BBB project is creating uneven development and I'd go as far as saying if this continues, there will be an expansion of the gap between those who have and those who have not.
I'd call it RRR - Re-think, Re-evaluate, Re-structure.
But I wasn't aware of the many challenges they have to face only to be disappointed over and over again.
This is quite difficult, because sometimes people in the rural areas have a practical plan, but just because BBB is focusing on the ''academic'' side of the plan, the rural people don't stand a chance.
I hereby present to you the list of participants for the BBB competition 2008/2009
http://www.believe-begin-become.com/Tanzania/BBB_Finalists_and_Voucher_Winners_jan_30_2009.pdf
Looking at the headings, I see some very good agricultural and food processing plans. Therefore I wonder .... what went wrong? Do we really value IT projects in Dar es salaam than food processing projects in Villages? Is it that we don't understand the value of such a project in a community and how much the livelihoods of the people are linked to a project such as food processing?
This BBB project is creating uneven development and I'd go as far as saying if this continues, there will be an expansion of the gap between those who have and those who have not.
I'd call it RRR - Re-think, Re-evaluate, Re-structure.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
''LOVE AS FLOWERS''
I thought I'd spend some leisurely time reviewing some of my old poetry.
Before I knew it, I was busy scribbling on my writting pad and just couldn't stop. It seem like so many things have happened since my last encounter with my inner voice.
It has always been my habit to write down how I feel, not all the time (that will be way too much) but those rare moments in life when the heart and the mind connects and words struggle to come out.
My first poetry collection ''love as flowers'' , mainly consists of my romance journey for the last 20 years. Many women can relate to some of the experiences, I hope you will enjoy reading.
You can order a copy now at http://www.lulu.com/content/7503789 the first publication by Demer Press will be out on January 2010.
Before I knew it, I was busy scribbling on my writting pad and just couldn't stop. It seem like so many things have happened since my last encounter with my inner voice.
It has always been my habit to write down how I feel, not all the time (that will be way too much) but those rare moments in life when the heart and the mind connects and words struggle to come out.
My first poetry collection ''love as flowers'' , mainly consists of my romance journey for the last 20 years. Many women can relate to some of the experiences, I hope you will enjoy reading.
You can order a copy now at http://www.lulu.com/content/7503789 the first publication by Demer Press will be out on January 2010.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
ORPHANS ARE EVERYONES RESPONSIBILITY
Curretly one of my biggest concerns is the increasing number orphans in Tanzania.
Like most developing countries, Tanzania is faced with a huge number of poverty related problems.
This means, like any developing country the government can only do so much for its people. There are no safety nets such as social welfare, general health insurance, free secondary school education or any government plan that can support a person if you can't make money for yourself.
At least if a child has a parent, we can help the parent to learn some skills so that he/she can be able to make money and support his/her children.
But what about the Orphans? Current statistics show that 6 out of 10 children are born with HIV virus. Most parents die at the very early stage of their children lives because HIV virus weakens the immunity, and this makes it easier for the number 1 enemy, Malaria, to kill even faster.
Unfortunatelly there is no magical way to control Malaria, unless we can hold a conference with the Anopheles mosquitos and say ''look here, you have done enough damage,can we make a deal?''
Anyway, our responsibility is to the Orphans. This new generation of young people need our support and all the love we can give, that they will never have from their parents.
Some orphans are lucky enough to get shelter, but at a certain age they have to leave this shelter. They have to leave this shelter at an age when their agemates who have families, are still at home and enjoying the support of their parents in every way. Where should these orphans go? What are they supposed to do with the rest of their lives with no formal education?
The saddest thing is that, when they become street children people avoid them even more.
Once I had to interview street children about their individual lives, and I was devastated to hear about the horrifying places they have to sleep. Most of them have been abused several times and there is no law to protect them. No one takes the word of a street child ...... they are social phariahs which is most unfortunatelly.
For their normal meals, they eat from dumpsters, which doesn't make their immunity system any stronger.
Many of the street children say,sometimes they are so hungry they have to steal food at open markets ... and this might come as a shock to you, but people actually chase and throw stones at the ''thieves'' and if they manage to catch the thief before the police arrive, they beat him/her up so much that you can't see any part of the body because of the bleeding.
Well .... so far this has been a normal situation, but we can start to change that. We can start by raising awareness and forcing people to remove the blinders and start to see orphans and street children as normal children who need love and care and all the other basic needs that normal children receive.
We can also develop networks to support these children to attend secondary school education after they finish basic school. After secondary school at least they will be of an age that they can be supported to learn skills or attend university, and become strong contributing members of the society.
If we don't start to do something now, I shudder to think what kind of future generation we will have in our country or any other developing country with similar problems.
The statistics for orphans become higher every year mainly because of Aids and Malaria.
If you want to support secondary school education for orphans directly you can contact any local primary school and get a list of names for orphans who will be finishing basic school that year.
You can then assit them to continue the next step.
I suggest boarding school scholarships because it is safer for them to live in the enclosed community. Therefore you can consider sponsoring them with one or all of the following:
- Boarding school fee (which for Tanzania is app. 250Eur Per year)
- Books (hardly 50 Eur per year)
- Transport to boarding school from their area of residence (hardly 50 Eur go & return per year)
- Pocket money (Hardly 150 Eur per year for emergensies such as saniray pads, medicine etc).
During holiday season they can also be sponsored to stay in the school dormitories if an extra meal allowance is paid to the school. This is safer for them than the streets.
Alternatively, you can visit our website www.green-waters.org and read project CHANCE and the plan we have for supporting Orphans to continue with secondary school education.
Like most developing countries, Tanzania is faced with a huge number of poverty related problems.
This means, like any developing country the government can only do so much for its people. There are no safety nets such as social welfare, general health insurance, free secondary school education or any government plan that can support a person if you can't make money for yourself.
At least if a child has a parent, we can help the parent to learn some skills so that he/she can be able to make money and support his/her children.
But what about the Orphans? Current statistics show that 6 out of 10 children are born with HIV virus. Most parents die at the very early stage of their children lives because HIV virus weakens the immunity, and this makes it easier for the number 1 enemy, Malaria, to kill even faster.
Unfortunatelly there is no magical way to control Malaria, unless we can hold a conference with the Anopheles mosquitos and say ''look here, you have done enough damage,can we make a deal?''
Anyway, our responsibility is to the Orphans. This new generation of young people need our support and all the love we can give, that they will never have from their parents.
Some orphans are lucky enough to get shelter, but at a certain age they have to leave this shelter. They have to leave this shelter at an age when their agemates who have families, are still at home and enjoying the support of their parents in every way. Where should these orphans go? What are they supposed to do with the rest of their lives with no formal education?
The saddest thing is that, when they become street children people avoid them even more.
Once I had to interview street children about their individual lives, and I was devastated to hear about the horrifying places they have to sleep. Most of them have been abused several times and there is no law to protect them. No one takes the word of a street child ...... they are social phariahs which is most unfortunatelly.
For their normal meals, they eat from dumpsters, which doesn't make their immunity system any stronger.
Many of the street children say,sometimes they are so hungry they have to steal food at open markets ... and this might come as a shock to you, but people actually chase and throw stones at the ''thieves'' and if they manage to catch the thief before the police arrive, they beat him/her up so much that you can't see any part of the body because of the bleeding.
Well .... so far this has been a normal situation, but we can start to change that. We can start by raising awareness and forcing people to remove the blinders and start to see orphans and street children as normal children who need love and care and all the other basic needs that normal children receive.
We can also develop networks to support these children to attend secondary school education after they finish basic school. After secondary school at least they will be of an age that they can be supported to learn skills or attend university, and become strong contributing members of the society.
If we don't start to do something now, I shudder to think what kind of future generation we will have in our country or any other developing country with similar problems.
The statistics for orphans become higher every year mainly because of Aids and Malaria.
If you want to support secondary school education for orphans directly you can contact any local primary school and get a list of names for orphans who will be finishing basic school that year.
You can then assit them to continue the next step.
I suggest boarding school scholarships because it is safer for them to live in the enclosed community. Therefore you can consider sponsoring them with one or all of the following:
- Boarding school fee (which for Tanzania is app. 250Eur Per year)
- Books (hardly 50 Eur per year)
- Transport to boarding school from their area of residence (hardly 50 Eur go & return per year)
- Pocket money (Hardly 150 Eur per year for emergensies such as saniray pads, medicine etc).
During holiday season they can also be sponsored to stay in the school dormitories if an extra meal allowance is paid to the school. This is safer for them than the streets.
Alternatively, you can visit our website www.green-waters.org and read project CHANCE and the plan we have for supporting Orphans to continue with secondary school education.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Ecological Footprint
The Ecological footprint of the world population is devastating when we look at the bigger picture.
We continue to analyse this based on categories of energy , water, natural resources,waste, transportation, pollution.
But whichever way we look at this picture, it comes down to one thing. We are all responsible.
Ecological footprint is currently a big issue, and the root for multidimensional problems including global warming and the resulting effects such as the changes on the weather/climate patterns, loss of plants biodiversity of which is a big significance on medical science etc
There are many problems resulting from the extremely high collective eco score of the world population (I'm sure we can all think of a few or research online).
Without a major change of human habits, environmental sustainability will continue to be just another academic subject and media hyper.
In my opinion, having community platforms to promote environmental awareness and creative green ideas that can be implemented at household levels, will have a positive influence on the mindset of the next generation.
Raising awareness should be a continuous non- isolated process.
Changed consumer habits will encourage producers to be more aware of their impact on the environment.
With consumers contribution, environmental sustainability could be the main price determining factor for the future.
Creative/innovative green ideas that are easy to implement on household level, can also be a way to save or earn extra money, and even become self employed.
Reducing EF is everyone's responsibility. It is a step by step progress that has to be sustained bottom -up and top-down.
We continue to analyse this based on categories of energy , water, natural resources,waste, transportation, pollution.
But whichever way we look at this picture, it comes down to one thing. We are all responsible.
Ecological footprint is currently a big issue, and the root for multidimensional problems including global warming and the resulting effects such as the changes on the weather/climate patterns, loss of plants biodiversity of which is a big significance on medical science etc
There are many problems resulting from the extremely high collective eco score of the world population (I'm sure we can all think of a few or research online).
Without a major change of human habits, environmental sustainability will continue to be just another academic subject and media hyper.
In my opinion, having community platforms to promote environmental awareness and creative green ideas that can be implemented at household levels, will have a positive influence on the mindset of the next generation.
Raising awareness should be a continuous non- isolated process.
Changed consumer habits will encourage producers to be more aware of their impact on the environment.
With consumers contribution, environmental sustainability could be the main price determining factor for the future.
Creative/innovative green ideas that are easy to implement on household level, can also be a way to save or earn extra money, and even become self employed.
Reducing EF is everyone's responsibility. It is a step by step progress that has to be sustained bottom -up and top-down.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Worrying developments in education yet women`s advocates are strangely silent
4th May 2009
By Columnist
Among of the recent developments, the education ministry cancelled all ordinary level boarding schools, a move which can be seen as a strong setback when it comes to women emancipation.
And some people have taken advantage of this decision already by constructing brothels (madanguro) in the name of hostels…Now, you do know what goes on in hostels, don’t you? And yet the women’s emancipation advocates remain silent on these and related issues...
From the early 1990s, gender advocacy networks have been fighting for women’s inclusion in political leadership through preferential nomination. They have made some progress in this area, but women are still marginalized in some aspects. My concern today is with the education system as the only sustainable means of making women achieve emancipation.
At a post-Beijing women’s emancipation conference at the University of Dar es Salaam some time back, one contributor to the debate made the famously controversial remark: “We build walls for our wives and bridges for ourselves.”
This was one of the hottest debates I have ever participated in. The presenter was trying to make the point that women were naturally created as socially divisive creatures and men as unifiers. So the women have to be kept in confinement lest they divide the world and put it in a state of total chaos.
This meant that it would not be realistic to give them a chance of leading others at any level because they could end up plunging society into anarchy. He went to express his support for men’s domination of all decision making from the local to the national to the international levels so that women remained focused on domestic chores.
On the other hand, the ladies and some men who were supporting the motion heaped blame on men who create superficial conditions that encourage enslavement of the women. These conditions include taking advantage of the biological traits that make women as child bearers and caretakers for most of their productive life and men as the holders of the economic pillars that they then use to exploit and abuse women.
“Take for instance a female graduate in her early 20s who plans to have four children. This woman will spend not less than 10 years with at least one child below three years and the rest below 10 years. These are total dependants who demand not less than 16 hours daily from their mother.” This was a strong statement from Nyasolo, one of the motion supporters.
To concretise her point, Nyasolo continued, “The last child will spend an additional five years before he or she starts schooling. Even during primary education and up to the early teens, these children will need at least eight hours daily with their mother. This makes this woman stick to the eight-hour workday. By this time the man will be having overtime with his employer. Besides, this father will be socializing or carrying out consultancy, politics and other lobbying for income generation after the working hours.
This makes him earn merits for promotion from the employer, in addition to giving him more income from the other opportunities. The man also gains more in terms of the social influence that can help him raise his status for political gains in future.”
Speaking on men and their economic hegemony, Nyasolo put it this way: “All this time, the woman is struggling with the kids at home while the husband chases coins and gains influence on the streets.
The man also gets all the credit for the healthy children (cared for by his wife), he is also honoured by having all the children called after his name. Society has ensured that the child will, for instance, be called Magori Chacha (after the father) and not Magori Nyasolo (after the mother). Despite gathering all these honours through his wife, all the extra money he collects will still be his own!
The husband will apportion this money in ways that suit himself alone; mostly imposing stringent conditions on the wife including confining her to the home to supervise domestic chores that have no direct income generation or to handle income generation that is, again, controlled by the man.
This makes her depend on her husband all the time. In this way, the women, who raise children that become the workforce in future, find their work not valued by anybody and find themselves constantly on the losing end. Something has to be done in making women’s work of child-rearing valued,” concluded Nyasolo.
A debate? Yes. It was a debate. Sadly, it is still a debate even today. How far behind or ahead are we on the Beijing conference resolutions a decade and a half since this summit took place? Are the current intrinsic and extrinsic approaches appropriate? Have the gender networks around the country addressed Nyasolo’s call for “something to be done”? What is that “something”?
Through these gender networks, we now have the ministry responsible for gender issues, we see women getting preferential seats in the parliament and, consequently, positions in the cabinet. It was also through these networks that we observed the parliament pass a bill that makes it a crime for men to sexually harass women. Much has been done and we have to appreciate all this.
By the time these networks started and, specifically after the Beijing conference, they were very active and it was very rare to find a newspaper carrying no article on gender issues.
Today, however, things are changing. Newspapers have gone silent as if women have already lost their chains! To some young people terms and phrases like “Tanzania Gender Network Programme” “TGNP”, “Tanzania Media Women Association” TAMWA” are missing in their vocabularies.
Why this downturn? Is it because the networks are satisfied with what has happened through their struggle? If the answer is “yes” then there is something seriously wrong with these networks. The word “preferential” is discriminatory in itself. It creates in the minds of people a misconception that one is incapable and can only achieve something by being assisted by others. This is even worse because this preference is given by men! So women cannot do anything unless assisted by men!
“…something has to be done…” In the eyes of any keen person, we are still having even more challenges than before with women and we have not addressed the real matter technically.
Any sustainable programme starts with the education system because this is the one that moulds the mind of any person. Besides, since women are behind the existence of any population, we need to do something about their child-rearing role so that they have equal chance of participating in leadership.
If these networks are really working for women emancipation, there is a need for making gender studies an independent subject at all levels with specialized awards at tertiary levels. In this study, women have to learn the best practices that make someone succeed climbing the political ladder apart from having preferential nominations.
There is a need for having more boarding schools as an option for girls from primary schools after their 10th birthday. This is because on reach that age, girls get consumed with domestic works and this makes them lag behind academically. It is also at this stage that girls start maturing and become prone to sexual abuse and early pregnancies if no extra care is given.
Yet, despite this recongnition, one of the recent developments is that the education ministry cancelled all ordinary level boarding schools, a move which can be seen as a strong setback when it comes to women emancipation.
This is because some people have taken advantage of this decision already by constructing brothels (madanguro) in the name of hostels. (You do know what goes on in hostels, don’t you?) Even day scholars visit these brothels for commercial sex.
It is also widely appreciated that girls are the most affected by the shortcomings of our dala dala transportation to and from school with many of them reportedly falling for “Fataki” baits; leave alone bus conductors’ harassment. This makes them report to school and home late thus enduring the wrath of their teachers and parents respectively.
For sure, only a few girls will excel academically under these circumstances. But as the media is crying out loud every coming day and night on these matters, the gender networks remain suspiciously silent. Perhaps because they managed to make women secure preferential leadership positions and they now think that is sufficient enough.
If they were passionate enough, these advocacy networks would not only be opposing this directive by the ministry, they would also be campaigning to have more daycare centres as a way of emancipating the mother from domestic chores. The daycare centres can take care of children while the mothers are at work.
This way the ordinary mothers would be in a position to take on some extra duties to boost their status in the opportunities market. To this end, government would consider subsidising such centers as it does with primary education.
Women are men with wombs that keep all men and women that existed or still existing on the earth’s surface. The brain is the most delicate organ in the body but yet with the most powerful influence over the whole body’s physiology co-ordination. You remove the brain, you die. Had it not been the skull.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
By Columnist
Among of the recent developments, the education ministry cancelled all ordinary level boarding schools, a move which can be seen as a strong setback when it comes to women emancipation.
And some people have taken advantage of this decision already by constructing brothels (madanguro) in the name of hostels…Now, you do know what goes on in hostels, don’t you? And yet the women’s emancipation advocates remain silent on these and related issues...
From the early 1990s, gender advocacy networks have been fighting for women’s inclusion in political leadership through preferential nomination. They have made some progress in this area, but women are still marginalized in some aspects. My concern today is with the education system as the only sustainable means of making women achieve emancipation.
At a post-Beijing women’s emancipation conference at the University of Dar es Salaam some time back, one contributor to the debate made the famously controversial remark: “We build walls for our wives and bridges for ourselves.”
This was one of the hottest debates I have ever participated in. The presenter was trying to make the point that women were naturally created as socially divisive creatures and men as unifiers. So the women have to be kept in confinement lest they divide the world and put it in a state of total chaos.
This meant that it would not be realistic to give them a chance of leading others at any level because they could end up plunging society into anarchy. He went to express his support for men’s domination of all decision making from the local to the national to the international levels so that women remained focused on domestic chores.
On the other hand, the ladies and some men who were supporting the motion heaped blame on men who create superficial conditions that encourage enslavement of the women. These conditions include taking advantage of the biological traits that make women as child bearers and caretakers for most of their productive life and men as the holders of the economic pillars that they then use to exploit and abuse women.
“Take for instance a female graduate in her early 20s who plans to have four children. This woman will spend not less than 10 years with at least one child below three years and the rest below 10 years. These are total dependants who demand not less than 16 hours daily from their mother.” This was a strong statement from Nyasolo, one of the motion supporters.
To concretise her point, Nyasolo continued, “The last child will spend an additional five years before he or she starts schooling. Even during primary education and up to the early teens, these children will need at least eight hours daily with their mother. This makes this woman stick to the eight-hour workday. By this time the man will be having overtime with his employer. Besides, this father will be socializing or carrying out consultancy, politics and other lobbying for income generation after the working hours.
This makes him earn merits for promotion from the employer, in addition to giving him more income from the other opportunities. The man also gains more in terms of the social influence that can help him raise his status for political gains in future.”
Speaking on men and their economic hegemony, Nyasolo put it this way: “All this time, the woman is struggling with the kids at home while the husband chases coins and gains influence on the streets.
The man also gets all the credit for the healthy children (cared for by his wife), he is also honoured by having all the children called after his name. Society has ensured that the child will, for instance, be called Magori Chacha (after the father) and not Magori Nyasolo (after the mother). Despite gathering all these honours through his wife, all the extra money he collects will still be his own!
The husband will apportion this money in ways that suit himself alone; mostly imposing stringent conditions on the wife including confining her to the home to supervise domestic chores that have no direct income generation or to handle income generation that is, again, controlled by the man.
This makes her depend on her husband all the time. In this way, the women, who raise children that become the workforce in future, find their work not valued by anybody and find themselves constantly on the losing end. Something has to be done in making women’s work of child-rearing valued,” concluded Nyasolo.
A debate? Yes. It was a debate. Sadly, it is still a debate even today. How far behind or ahead are we on the Beijing conference resolutions a decade and a half since this summit took place? Are the current intrinsic and extrinsic approaches appropriate? Have the gender networks around the country addressed Nyasolo’s call for “something to be done”? What is that “something”?
Through these gender networks, we now have the ministry responsible for gender issues, we see women getting preferential seats in the parliament and, consequently, positions in the cabinet. It was also through these networks that we observed the parliament pass a bill that makes it a crime for men to sexually harass women. Much has been done and we have to appreciate all this.
By the time these networks started and, specifically after the Beijing conference, they were very active and it was very rare to find a newspaper carrying no article on gender issues.
Today, however, things are changing. Newspapers have gone silent as if women have already lost their chains! To some young people terms and phrases like “Tanzania Gender Network Programme” “TGNP”, “Tanzania Media Women Association” TAMWA” are missing in their vocabularies.
Why this downturn? Is it because the networks are satisfied with what has happened through their struggle? If the answer is “yes” then there is something seriously wrong with these networks. The word “preferential” is discriminatory in itself. It creates in the minds of people a misconception that one is incapable and can only achieve something by being assisted by others. This is even worse because this preference is given by men! So women cannot do anything unless assisted by men!
“…something has to be done…” In the eyes of any keen person, we are still having even more challenges than before with women and we have not addressed the real matter technically.
Any sustainable programme starts with the education system because this is the one that moulds the mind of any person. Besides, since women are behind the existence of any population, we need to do something about their child-rearing role so that they have equal chance of participating in leadership.
If these networks are really working for women emancipation, there is a need for making gender studies an independent subject at all levels with specialized awards at tertiary levels. In this study, women have to learn the best practices that make someone succeed climbing the political ladder apart from having preferential nominations.
There is a need for having more boarding schools as an option for girls from primary schools after their 10th birthday. This is because on reach that age, girls get consumed with domestic works and this makes them lag behind academically. It is also at this stage that girls start maturing and become prone to sexual abuse and early pregnancies if no extra care is given.
Yet, despite this recongnition, one of the recent developments is that the education ministry cancelled all ordinary level boarding schools, a move which can be seen as a strong setback when it comes to women emancipation.
This is because some people have taken advantage of this decision already by constructing brothels (madanguro) in the name of hostels. (You do know what goes on in hostels, don’t you?) Even day scholars visit these brothels for commercial sex.
It is also widely appreciated that girls are the most affected by the shortcomings of our dala dala transportation to and from school with many of them reportedly falling for “Fataki” baits; leave alone bus conductors’ harassment. This makes them report to school and home late thus enduring the wrath of their teachers and parents respectively.
For sure, only a few girls will excel academically under these circumstances. But as the media is crying out loud every coming day and night on these matters, the gender networks remain suspiciously silent. Perhaps because they managed to make women secure preferential leadership positions and they now think that is sufficient enough.
If they were passionate enough, these advocacy networks would not only be opposing this directive by the ministry, they would also be campaigning to have more daycare centres as a way of emancipating the mother from domestic chores. The daycare centres can take care of children while the mothers are at work.
This way the ordinary mothers would be in a position to take on some extra duties to boost their status in the opportunities market. To this end, government would consider subsidising such centers as it does with primary education.
Women are men with wombs that keep all men and women that existed or still existing on the earth’s surface. The brain is the most delicate organ in the body but yet with the most powerful influence over the whole body’s physiology co-ordination. You remove the brain, you die. Had it not been the skull.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
Parents, society barriers to education for children with disabilities
By Guardian Reporter
27th April 2009
HakiElimu, a non-governmental organisation dealing with educational issues.
Parents and the society in general have been singled out as the key barrier to the education of their children with disabilities.
This is contained in a recent report titled ‘Accessibility to Education for Children with Disabilities’ carried-out by HakiElimu, a non-governmental organisation dealing with educational issues.
“In many schools, head teachers interviewed explained that they received very little support from parents and community in general regarding teaching and learning for CWD,” said HakiElimu executive director Elizabeth Missokia when launching the research findings.
She said that in the research some parents of CWD were a barrier towards their children’s educational development.
Citing examples, Missokia said one head teacher was quoted as saying: “Parents do not have any support. In fact they are a problem; they abandon their children once they are in schools.”
“The society doesn’t help anything in the education for students with disabilities. Parents don’t give any cooperation; once their children are in school they abandon them completely, and they don’t want to be contacted for anything,” another head teacher was quoted as saying.
In the research findings, some participants observed that disabled had not been given priority in some districts compared to other disadvantaged groups such as orphans.
“In our district, disability is not an issue compared to other disadvantaged groups, such as orphans. There are several organisations helping orphaned children in the district, but there is none commitment to helping students with disabilities,” another primary school head teacher said in the report.
The research was meant to explore opportunities and challenges in accessing education for CWD in Tanzania’s schools.
The research covered seven districts of Geita, Muleba, Iramba, Kinondoni, Kasulu, Newala and Ileje.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
27th April 2009
HakiElimu, a non-governmental organisation dealing with educational issues.
Parents and the society in general have been singled out as the key barrier to the education of their children with disabilities.
This is contained in a recent report titled ‘Accessibility to Education for Children with Disabilities’ carried-out by HakiElimu, a non-governmental organisation dealing with educational issues.
“In many schools, head teachers interviewed explained that they received very little support from parents and community in general regarding teaching and learning for CWD,” said HakiElimu executive director Elizabeth Missokia when launching the research findings.
She said that in the research some parents of CWD were a barrier towards their children’s educational development.
Citing examples, Missokia said one head teacher was quoted as saying: “Parents do not have any support. In fact they are a problem; they abandon their children once they are in schools.”
“The society doesn’t help anything in the education for students with disabilities. Parents don’t give any cooperation; once their children are in school they abandon them completely, and they don’t want to be contacted for anything,” another head teacher was quoted as saying.
In the research findings, some participants observed that disabled had not been given priority in some districts compared to other disadvantaged groups such as orphans.
“In our district, disability is not an issue compared to other disadvantaged groups, such as orphans. There are several organisations helping orphaned children in the district, but there is none commitment to helping students with disabilities,” another primary school head teacher said in the report.
The research was meant to explore opportunities and challenges in accessing education for CWD in Tanzania’s schools.
The research covered seven districts of Geita, Muleba, Iramba, Kinondoni, Kasulu, Newala and Ileje.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
Agonising hour at the gate of Shinyanga govt hospital
By Lucas Lukumbo
12th July 2009
The entrance of Shinyanga Regional Hospital
.....If you have tears prepare to shade them when you reach the Shinyanga Regional Hospital gate during a clinic day for pregnant women. I shed mine on Friday morning.
A woman, in her 30s, struggled to step down from a bicycle after braving a whole hour of agony on a bumpy road from her village, Ndembezi, situated five kilometres away. Too weak to stand, she fell to the ground.
The cyclist Mwandu Richard said: “She asked me for help, and I just carried her on my bicycle free of charge which costs Sh1,000.”
I learnt later that cyclists in the area transport such pregnant women on bicycles because the region does not have an ambulance. People here have christened the bicycles “dala dala,” apparently for the good service they render.
More pregnant women arrived at the hospital by the same mode of transport, and like the first one, several more fell to the ground.
According to Richard, sometimes women come to the hospital on traditional cattle-pulled carts. On their way back the agony is the same. Distances covered can be as far as ten kilometres.
Near the hospital entrance, I saw a pregnant woman negotiating for the journey back home but could not raise Sh1,000 to pay the cyclist. She was desperate, saying: “There is nothing I can do. I do not have even a single coin.”
I rescued the situation. She thanked me, and off she went away to look for transport home with her newly born baby boy.
A driver who parks his vehicle near the hospital entrance Julius Justo, known by the name Molekos said, sometimes accidents occur as cyclists transport patients to hospital.
“Many of these cyclists from villages come to town because they have a patient to carry but have difficulties following traffic instructions,” the traffic drivers said acknowledging that cyclists are playing a very important role in transporting patients to health facilities.
There are times when the Shinyanga police arrest the cyclist sthey find in the municipality.
“When the police do that, they actually kill our mothers because they cannot hire taxis,” he said.
I witnessed at least 30 pregnant women entering the hospital gate in that one hour, out of whom 29 came on bicycles. Only one of them came by taxi.
A seat at the hospital gate which was being used by women and other patients to get a little rest after a long walk or ride bare nails, possibly to deter people from seating on it.
At 9am, I had to attend a meeting of all regional and district functionaries in the region. Heads of government departments from all the districts came to the meeting, organised by a Dar es Salaam based organisation, EngenderHealth, as well as others like the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA).
It was an advocacy meeting meant to instill knowledge to the participants to the meeting on this year’s World Population Day theme - Responding to the Economic Crisis: Investing in Women is a Smart Choice.
It provided space with policy makers, decision makers and community leaders in the region on the importance of investing in women.
I knew, after making some observations on how women travel to the regional hospital, I would make my contribution to the regional meeting.
At the meeting I was driven out by conscience that I should not divulge the matter to the regional authorities
There was a sign of disapproval from the chairman of the meeting, a retired brigadier general named Yohana Balele, who wanted to disapprove of my submission that Shinyanga region has no ambulance.
“Regional Medical Officer, please stand up and tell us if it is true that we have no ambulance at our regional hospital,” he ordered the Shinyanga RMO, Dr Fredrick Mlekwa.
The latter stood up and replied that it was true that the regional hospital does not have an ambulance. The meeting burst into laughter. I was the winner.
With regard to women’s health in Tanzania in general, figures on the maternal mortality have, remained virtually unchanged in the past decade; and pregnancy childbirth kills some 578 women per 100,000 live births.
With low purchasing power, there is a likelihood of a further decline in social services. This vicious cycle will exacerbate the negative impact of the current economic crisis.
The World Bank has reported that the economic crisis could lead to a cut in budgets, accommodating these issues, leading to more women and children dying, more girls dropping out of school, more women and girls being targets of violence and more women unemployed.
Progress in social and economic development goes hand-in-hand with gender equality.
There is not a smarter investment, with such high economic and social returns than investing in health and rights of adolescent girls and women.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
12th July 2009
The entrance of Shinyanga Regional Hospital
.....If you have tears prepare to shade them when you reach the Shinyanga Regional Hospital gate during a clinic day for pregnant women. I shed mine on Friday morning.
A woman, in her 30s, struggled to step down from a bicycle after braving a whole hour of agony on a bumpy road from her village, Ndembezi, situated five kilometres away. Too weak to stand, she fell to the ground.
The cyclist Mwandu Richard said: “She asked me for help, and I just carried her on my bicycle free of charge which costs Sh1,000.”
I learnt later that cyclists in the area transport such pregnant women on bicycles because the region does not have an ambulance. People here have christened the bicycles “dala dala,” apparently for the good service they render.
More pregnant women arrived at the hospital by the same mode of transport, and like the first one, several more fell to the ground.
According to Richard, sometimes women come to the hospital on traditional cattle-pulled carts. On their way back the agony is the same. Distances covered can be as far as ten kilometres.
Near the hospital entrance, I saw a pregnant woman negotiating for the journey back home but could not raise Sh1,000 to pay the cyclist. She was desperate, saying: “There is nothing I can do. I do not have even a single coin.”
I rescued the situation. She thanked me, and off she went away to look for transport home with her newly born baby boy.
A driver who parks his vehicle near the hospital entrance Julius Justo, known by the name Molekos said, sometimes accidents occur as cyclists transport patients to hospital.
“Many of these cyclists from villages come to town because they have a patient to carry but have difficulties following traffic instructions,” the traffic drivers said acknowledging that cyclists are playing a very important role in transporting patients to health facilities.
There are times when the Shinyanga police arrest the cyclist sthey find in the municipality.
“When the police do that, they actually kill our mothers because they cannot hire taxis,” he said.
I witnessed at least 30 pregnant women entering the hospital gate in that one hour, out of whom 29 came on bicycles. Only one of them came by taxi.
A seat at the hospital gate which was being used by women and other patients to get a little rest after a long walk or ride bare nails, possibly to deter people from seating on it.
At 9am, I had to attend a meeting of all regional and district functionaries in the region. Heads of government departments from all the districts came to the meeting, organised by a Dar es Salaam based organisation, EngenderHealth, as well as others like the United Nations Fund for Population (UNFPA).
It was an advocacy meeting meant to instill knowledge to the participants to the meeting on this year’s World Population Day theme - Responding to the Economic Crisis: Investing in Women is a Smart Choice.
It provided space with policy makers, decision makers and community leaders in the region on the importance of investing in women.
I knew, after making some observations on how women travel to the regional hospital, I would make my contribution to the regional meeting.
At the meeting I was driven out by conscience that I should not divulge the matter to the regional authorities
There was a sign of disapproval from the chairman of the meeting, a retired brigadier general named Yohana Balele, who wanted to disapprove of my submission that Shinyanga region has no ambulance.
“Regional Medical Officer, please stand up and tell us if it is true that we have no ambulance at our regional hospital,” he ordered the Shinyanga RMO, Dr Fredrick Mlekwa.
The latter stood up and replied that it was true that the regional hospital does not have an ambulance. The meeting burst into laughter. I was the winner.
With regard to women’s health in Tanzania in general, figures on the maternal mortality have, remained virtually unchanged in the past decade; and pregnancy childbirth kills some 578 women per 100,000 live births.
With low purchasing power, there is a likelihood of a further decline in social services. This vicious cycle will exacerbate the negative impact of the current economic crisis.
The World Bank has reported that the economic crisis could lead to a cut in budgets, accommodating these issues, leading to more women and children dying, more girls dropping out of school, more women and girls being targets of violence and more women unemployed.
Progress in social and economic development goes hand-in-hand with gender equality.
There is not a smarter investment, with such high economic and social returns than investing in health and rights of adolescent girls and women.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Time to prosecute albino murderers
By Editor
2nd June 2009
The sacredness of human life is a reality that is not contested by anyone. We all have the right to live, which no human being can simply take away. Granted that we all have to depart from this world at a certain point in time, yet if any of us is dispatched to another world by the cruel hand of a murderer, such an action is not only uncalled for, but deserves the most severe punishment.This is why the law enforcing organs are supposed to work tirelessly around the clock, so that killers in our midst are nabbed and brought before justice.The systematic arrest of murder suspects and subsequent trials serve to instill confidence in the populace that people are being protected.We all know that both our law enforcing organs and members of the Judiciary have a difficult time in executing their tasks in a smooth manner due to possessing inadequate resources; yet they have done a wonderful job whenever called to ensure that the country does not face a situation whereby criminals have an upper hand.With that background in mind, we wish to recall the statement made by the Director of Public Prosecutions that his office is working around the clock to ensure that a proper environment is in place so that the prosecution of suspected albino killers would take place in several regions in the near future.Earlier, the association of albinos had initiated a court action to press the government to prosecute albino murder suspects. However, the organization backed away from proceeding with the case; perhaps because its leaders were assured that the prosecutions were definitely in the offing.Days keep passing, and it seems that the prosecutions, which are eagerly awaited by members of the population-and even more so by albinos, who feel that their existence is threatened-are going to take place later than sooner, and there are those who question whether the presumed high profile prosecutions will take place at all.Reports from neighbouring Burundi, a recently war-torn country--indicate that a trial of alleged albino killers opened last week, with prosecutors saying that the killings were being fuelled by demand for body parts from our country.An allegation this only serves to further damage our image before the world, by showing that we are yet to get on top of the problem.If the Burundian officials have been able to both nab and prosecute the suspects, there is no reason why the Tanzanian authorities should drag their feet in taking similar action. As it goes, justice delayed is justice denied.The authorities might be secretly doing a wonderful job in laying the groundwork for the long awaited trials. On the other hand, they need to remember that justice not only needs to be done, but it must also be seen to be done. Short of that, people might be tempted to wonder whether there are any persons who are protecting the suspects, who must be there because the killings are really taking place. Whenever there is a murder, there is a person who commits it.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
2nd June 2009
The sacredness of human life is a reality that is not contested by anyone. We all have the right to live, which no human being can simply take away. Granted that we all have to depart from this world at a certain point in time, yet if any of us is dispatched to another world by the cruel hand of a murderer, such an action is not only uncalled for, but deserves the most severe punishment.This is why the law enforcing organs are supposed to work tirelessly around the clock, so that killers in our midst are nabbed and brought before justice.The systematic arrest of murder suspects and subsequent trials serve to instill confidence in the populace that people are being protected.We all know that both our law enforcing organs and members of the Judiciary have a difficult time in executing their tasks in a smooth manner due to possessing inadequate resources; yet they have done a wonderful job whenever called to ensure that the country does not face a situation whereby criminals have an upper hand.With that background in mind, we wish to recall the statement made by the Director of Public Prosecutions that his office is working around the clock to ensure that a proper environment is in place so that the prosecution of suspected albino killers would take place in several regions in the near future.Earlier, the association of albinos had initiated a court action to press the government to prosecute albino murder suspects. However, the organization backed away from proceeding with the case; perhaps because its leaders were assured that the prosecutions were definitely in the offing.Days keep passing, and it seems that the prosecutions, which are eagerly awaited by members of the population-and even more so by albinos, who feel that their existence is threatened-are going to take place later than sooner, and there are those who question whether the presumed high profile prosecutions will take place at all.Reports from neighbouring Burundi, a recently war-torn country--indicate that a trial of alleged albino killers opened last week, with prosecutors saying that the killings were being fuelled by demand for body parts from our country.An allegation this only serves to further damage our image before the world, by showing that we are yet to get on top of the problem.If the Burundian officials have been able to both nab and prosecute the suspects, there is no reason why the Tanzanian authorities should drag their feet in taking similar action. As it goes, justice delayed is justice denied.The authorities might be secretly doing a wonderful job in laying the groundwork for the long awaited trials. On the other hand, they need to remember that justice not only needs to be done, but it must also be seen to be done. Short of that, people might be tempted to wonder whether there are any persons who are protecting the suspects, who must be there because the killings are really taking place. Whenever there is a murder, there is a person who commits it.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
Non sustainable hunting operations
Hunting Operations of the Ortello Business Company and their Impact on Maasai Rights, Wildlife, and the Environment
Few other African societies have been as romanticized and popularized by Europeans and Americans, while simultaneously neglected and underdeveloped, as the Maasai. Despite their image as ‘free and noble warriors,’ the Maasai have seen their grazing lands continuously reduced by colonial appropriation, the creation of national game parks, the steady incursions of agriculturalists, and most recently by the creation of private titles to individual ranches which are dividing the remaining land.
Prof. Elliot Fratkin, Ariaal Pastoralists of Kenya
In our Voices
This report explores the negative impacts on Maasai communities, wildlife, and their shared habitat of the Ortello Business Company, a United Arab Emirates hunting company operating in the Loliondo Game Controlled Area in northern Tanzania. A compilation of information gathered by the Maasai Environmental Resource Coalition (MERC), the report highlights environmental and human rights concerns, as well as the desperation of the Maasai people of Loliondo and adjacent areas in their efforts to be heard. The report calls for urgent action by the Tanzanian government and the international community to avert the looming ecological crisis in Loliondo. It also calls for a more in-depth, scientific examination of the important issues presented.
The experiences recounted herein are of those who have been most acutely affected–Maasai community members whose voices are so often neither heard nor heeded, like so many other indigenous peoples worldwide.
www.maasaierc.org
Farm tool prices too high, yes, so?
By Editor
9th July 2009
Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda on Monday honoured the ongoing 33rd edition of the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair at Mwalimu Nyerere grounds with a brief but memorable tour.An acknowledged advocate of the ‘Green Revolution’ and a firm believer in the power of agriculture to redeem the world from the shame of grinding poverty, the PM found time for an audience with several manufacturers of agricultural implements.Without mincing his words, he declared that the disadvantages of selling essential items like tractors and other farm tools at prices well beyond the reach of most Tanzanian farmers far outweighed whatever advantages there may be.The PM wondered aloud on noticing that the rise in the number of people or institutions engaged in the production of agricultural implements had not triggered any appreciable drop in the prices of the respective items.That he took time to dig deep down to the roots of the problems he was targeting may appear little more than part of his official routine. However, looked at more closely, it reflects the lessons he has learnt after decades of appreciation of the pivotal role agriculture can play in a nation’s development.Resisting temptations to make stereotyped political pronouncements seldom followed up with concrete action, Pinda stared the entrepreneurs in the face and declared: “Be realistic and charge farmers reduced prices for farm implements so that they can increase production and hence boost household incomes.”He well knew that it did not make much political or economic sense talking about the need to boost things like GNP and GDP without first making people understand the importance of uplifting the standard of living of the individual citizen and of the individual household.We see the PM phrasing and interpreting only a little differently the ruling CCM’s 2005 winning election slogan of ‘A Better Life for Every Tanzanian’.But we also see his remarks take a leaf from the wisdom of Father of the Nation Mwalimu Nyerere who, as long ago as August 21, 1964, made most apt comments about Tanzania’s development strategy.Part of that wisdom: “Only careful thought about our own problems and the relentless application of scientific and objective thinking can enable us to achieve the betterment of our lives to which we are committed. And there is no turning back. By our own actions we have started to push the bus up the mountainside which separates us from the land of plenty.”But he warned: “The brute force of our people’s strength alone will not be sufficient to reach the top. The strength has to be combined with the scientific use of every atom of skill in steering, in coaxing the engine, in changing gear and in applying the brakes and the accelerator at the right moment.”We see Pinda determined not to allow the effort to relax, thus letting the bus roll back and crush the driver and all those others around. Will he make it? Will the government help his dreams come true? Will wananchi rally behind the noble effort? Only time will tell; but we wish the effort resounding success.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
9th July 2009
Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda on Monday honoured the ongoing 33rd edition of the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair at Mwalimu Nyerere grounds with a brief but memorable tour.An acknowledged advocate of the ‘Green Revolution’ and a firm believer in the power of agriculture to redeem the world from the shame of grinding poverty, the PM found time for an audience with several manufacturers of agricultural implements.Without mincing his words, he declared that the disadvantages of selling essential items like tractors and other farm tools at prices well beyond the reach of most Tanzanian farmers far outweighed whatever advantages there may be.The PM wondered aloud on noticing that the rise in the number of people or institutions engaged in the production of agricultural implements had not triggered any appreciable drop in the prices of the respective items.That he took time to dig deep down to the roots of the problems he was targeting may appear little more than part of his official routine. However, looked at more closely, it reflects the lessons he has learnt after decades of appreciation of the pivotal role agriculture can play in a nation’s development.Resisting temptations to make stereotyped political pronouncements seldom followed up with concrete action, Pinda stared the entrepreneurs in the face and declared: “Be realistic and charge farmers reduced prices for farm implements so that they can increase production and hence boost household incomes.”He well knew that it did not make much political or economic sense talking about the need to boost things like GNP and GDP without first making people understand the importance of uplifting the standard of living of the individual citizen and of the individual household.We see the PM phrasing and interpreting only a little differently the ruling CCM’s 2005 winning election slogan of ‘A Better Life for Every Tanzanian’.But we also see his remarks take a leaf from the wisdom of Father of the Nation Mwalimu Nyerere who, as long ago as August 21, 1964, made most apt comments about Tanzania’s development strategy.Part of that wisdom: “Only careful thought about our own problems and the relentless application of scientific and objective thinking can enable us to achieve the betterment of our lives to which we are committed. And there is no turning back. By our own actions we have started to push the bus up the mountainside which separates us from the land of plenty.”But he warned: “The brute force of our people’s strength alone will not be sufficient to reach the top. The strength has to be combined with the scientific use of every atom of skill in steering, in coaxing the engine, in changing gear and in applying the brakes and the accelerator at the right moment.”We see Pinda determined not to allow the effort to relax, thus letting the bus roll back and crush the driver and all those others around. Will he make it? Will the government help his dreams come true? Will wananchi rally behind the noble effort? Only time will tell; but we wish the effort resounding success.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
Sunday, July 5, 2009
DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA
Development in Africa has always been a hot topic. But when we talk of development in Africa, all the planning is happening from top - down.
Approximately 80% of developing countries depend on agriculture as the backbone of their economy. Families depend on agriculture as a means to support their basic needs. Many think beyond the basic needs because of a number of reasons.
It could be that they don’t have access to information about what is going on outside their village.
It could be that they don’t think what is happening in the next country or as far as EU is any of their business.
It could be that they work hard to preserve their cultures and keep foreign influences of foreign concepts such as child rights, anti female genital mutilation campaigners out.
It could also be just ignorance or lack of time to invest in new knowledge.
It could be that there is no cooperation or trust between the ruling government institutions and the rural areas.
Which brings me to my point. I honestly believe, without more active involvement of all local people, as donors, governments or NGO’s we are simply pouring water in a basket.
By active involvement, I don't mean ''doing what they are supposed to do'' to reach a goal that is set by their government or external donors. Active involvement starts by communicating as equals, exchanging ideas, discussing fair ways of cooperation, reaching honourable agreements.
It is very interesting talking with the elders of villages, they will tell you how good life used to be 40 -50 years ago. Doesn't it make you wonder how that fits with our definition of development?
Generally people will be satisfied with basic needs ; food, water, clothes, shelter, affordable health care, education, information.
Therefore, development in Africa has first got to address these basic needs and reach a sustainable solution.
Sustainability of basic needs includes empowering the local people to get the best from their surrounding environment . Depending on location and availability of resources, the people can be empowered to produce various primary and secondary products for consumption and for commerce.
Sustainability also requires an established transportation system for commercial products from one region to the next. After sustainability of basic needs, it is easier to move to the next step.
Currently most African countries are suffering from effects of poverty, one of them being corruption.
I think it is really great that we are trying our best to fight corruption from top-down, but as long as we have a high population of hungry people corruption will always have room to thrive.
Therefore, sustainability of basic needs, has to be a number one priority.
When considering development of rural areas in Africa. These are questions we should ask ourselves:
Food: Is there enough supply of food for every individual within the local area? If a certain type of food is lacking, is there a way to get that from the next village and NOT Europe or Asia?
Water: Is there a good management system of water? Do the people have easy access to clean water for domestic use such as drinking, washing and for their animals? do they have access to water for irrigation of their crops?
Clothes: Can the people afford clothes to wear and maintain their dignity as well as protect themselves from the weather effects?
Shelter: Does everyone have a roof over their head? Under this roof, is it safe for all family members? Do they have enough room to maintain a certain level of privacy? Is there a good sanitation system within or attached to the shelter?
Affordable health care: Example, considering that within warm tropical climate with breeding areas for the Anopheles mosquitoes, Malaria is a number one enemy that can be prevented but can’t be avoided eternally. Also, it is extremely important to have health facilities such as clinics for child birthing and care for mothers. Is there affordable health care within at least an hour walking distance?
Education/information: Considering the importance of education and information. Are there schools available for young people as well as adult education? Because Adult education is important as a foundation of children education.
Access to information is important as well. While these are things we take for granted, in most rural areas there is no electricity therefore no internet or TV and rarely any newspapers reach these areas. Nevertheless, there has to be ways for people to get useful information that will guide them and help them integrate with the ‘’outside’’ world.
The only point I’m trying to make is that rural African communities have to be empowered to be able to utilise existing local resources to the fullest. People who are now viewed as victims or marginalised for one reason or another, have to be ‘enabled’ to take the reins of their destiny.
In this case, capacity building projects that target the literal or practical needs of the people are important.
Approximately 80% of developing countries depend on agriculture as the backbone of their economy. Families depend on agriculture as a means to support their basic needs. Many think beyond the basic needs because of a number of reasons.
It could be that they don’t have access to information about what is going on outside their village.
It could be that they don’t think what is happening in the next country or as far as EU is any of their business.
It could be that they work hard to preserve their cultures and keep foreign influences of foreign concepts such as child rights, anti female genital mutilation campaigners out.
It could also be just ignorance or lack of time to invest in new knowledge.
It could be that there is no cooperation or trust between the ruling government institutions and the rural areas.
Which brings me to my point. I honestly believe, without more active involvement of all local people, as donors, governments or NGO’s we are simply pouring water in a basket.
By active involvement, I don't mean ''doing what they are supposed to do'' to reach a goal that is set by their government or external donors. Active involvement starts by communicating as equals, exchanging ideas, discussing fair ways of cooperation, reaching honourable agreements.
It is very interesting talking with the elders of villages, they will tell you how good life used to be 40 -50 years ago. Doesn't it make you wonder how that fits with our definition of development?
Generally people will be satisfied with basic needs ; food, water, clothes, shelter, affordable health care, education, information.
Therefore, development in Africa has first got to address these basic needs and reach a sustainable solution.
Sustainability of basic needs includes empowering the local people to get the best from their surrounding environment . Depending on location and availability of resources, the people can be empowered to produce various primary and secondary products for consumption and for commerce.
Sustainability also requires an established transportation system for commercial products from one region to the next. After sustainability of basic needs, it is easier to move to the next step.
Currently most African countries are suffering from effects of poverty, one of them being corruption.
I think it is really great that we are trying our best to fight corruption from top-down, but as long as we have a high population of hungry people corruption will always have room to thrive.
Therefore, sustainability of basic needs, has to be a number one priority.
When considering development of rural areas in Africa. These are questions we should ask ourselves:
Food: Is there enough supply of food for every individual within the local area? If a certain type of food is lacking, is there a way to get that from the next village and NOT Europe or Asia?
Water: Is there a good management system of water? Do the people have easy access to clean water for domestic use such as drinking, washing and for their animals? do they have access to water for irrigation of their crops?
Clothes: Can the people afford clothes to wear and maintain their dignity as well as protect themselves from the weather effects?
Shelter: Does everyone have a roof over their head? Under this roof, is it safe for all family members? Do they have enough room to maintain a certain level of privacy? Is there a good sanitation system within or attached to the shelter?
Affordable health care: Example, considering that within warm tropical climate with breeding areas for the Anopheles mosquitoes, Malaria is a number one enemy that can be prevented but can’t be avoided eternally. Also, it is extremely important to have health facilities such as clinics for child birthing and care for mothers. Is there affordable health care within at least an hour walking distance?
Education/information: Considering the importance of education and information. Are there schools available for young people as well as adult education? Because Adult education is important as a foundation of children education.
Access to information is important as well. While these are things we take for granted, in most rural areas there is no electricity therefore no internet or TV and rarely any newspapers reach these areas. Nevertheless, there has to be ways for people to get useful information that will guide them and help them integrate with the ‘’outside’’ world.
The only point I’m trying to make is that rural African communities have to be empowered to be able to utilise existing local resources to the fullest. People who are now viewed as victims or marginalised for one reason or another, have to be ‘enabled’ to take the reins of their destiny.
In this case, capacity building projects that target the literal or practical needs of the people are important.
Friday, July 3, 2009
MANAGING THOUGHT PATTERNS
Part of developing the inner self, is to develop a thought pattern.
Recognising how certain thoughts, create certain emotions and/or feelings.
Tracing the root of the feelings and/or emotions and the personal reactions because of those feelings/emotions.
Sometimes, it is possible to trace the root from as long ago as childhoold, but sometimes the thoughts have been causing emotions/feelings for such a long time that they have become part of a habit.
We may not even realise that our thoughts affect our emotions/feelings, especially if we have been doing things the same way, within the same environment for a long time. Everything happens automatic.
For instance, take a white paper and put a dot on it. If you ask 10 people what they see on the paper, 9 out of 10 will say they see a dot. Only 1 out of 10, might see the white paper.
It is the same with our relationships.
Changing the pattern of thoughts, helps a person to see things a different way. The feelings, emotions and reactions which were linked to the old thought patters are altered as well.
Recognising how certain thoughts, create certain emotions and/or feelings.
Tracing the root of the feelings and/or emotions and the personal reactions because of those feelings/emotions.
Sometimes, it is possible to trace the root from as long ago as childhoold, but sometimes the thoughts have been causing emotions/feelings for such a long time that they have become part of a habit.
We may not even realise that our thoughts affect our emotions/feelings, especially if we have been doing things the same way, within the same environment for a long time. Everything happens automatic.
For instance, take a white paper and put a dot on it. If you ask 10 people what they see on the paper, 9 out of 10 will say they see a dot. Only 1 out of 10, might see the white paper.
It is the same with our relationships.
Changing the pattern of thoughts, helps a person to see things a different way. The feelings, emotions and reactions which were linked to the old thought patters are altered as well.
Monday, June 29, 2009
MIND AND SPIRIT
Human beings are spiritual beings by nature. The mind is part of the spirit.
By digging deeper in the levels of conscious thoughts, feelings, motives and conscience, we are acknowleding our existance as spiritual beings with a higher purpose in life.
With this awareness, we can go to a deeper level and analyse the quality of our thoughts and understanding, and start to be selective as detached observers.
We are responsible for our thoughts, what we become is mainly based on the quality of the thoughts we choose to have.
Thinking is an art that starts with the ability to stand back and look inside our own mind.
I believe, if I don't take the conscious responsibility of choosing which thoughts to have, what is happening externally will simply affect my thoughts, feelings. and reactions.
By taking responsibility of my thoughts, it enables me to choose my destination therefore I decide which steps to take to work towards it.
This process involves clear separation of what is happening inside and what is happening outside.
Naturally I still have to give a reasonable amount of attention to my external world, without being distracted from my spirit journey.
Whenever I get frustrated by the process, I analyse the feelings as a doctor.
What feelings and emotions am I experiencing? From which place are they coming from?
As I dig deeper, I always trace the root from my pattern of my thinking.
The good news is, we can all make our own patterns!
By digging deeper in the levels of conscious thoughts, feelings, motives and conscience, we are acknowleding our existance as spiritual beings with a higher purpose in life.
With this awareness, we can go to a deeper level and analyse the quality of our thoughts and understanding, and start to be selective as detached observers.
We are responsible for our thoughts, what we become is mainly based on the quality of the thoughts we choose to have.
Thinking is an art that starts with the ability to stand back and look inside our own mind.
I believe, if I don't take the conscious responsibility of choosing which thoughts to have, what is happening externally will simply affect my thoughts, feelings. and reactions.
By taking responsibility of my thoughts, it enables me to choose my destination therefore I decide which steps to take to work towards it.
This process involves clear separation of what is happening inside and what is happening outside.
Naturally I still have to give a reasonable amount of attention to my external world, without being distracted from my spirit journey.
Whenever I get frustrated by the process, I analyse the feelings as a doctor.
What feelings and emotions am I experiencing? From which place are they coming from?
As I dig deeper, I always trace the root from my pattern of my thinking.
The good news is, we can all make our own patterns!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
DETACHMENT AS A POSITIVE QUALITY
Detachment is a positive quality that is sometimes misunderstood as 'cutting off ' or 'running away.'
Detachment in the real sense means learning to separate things, the inside world and the outside world. Being able to see the difference between the two.
By outside world, I'm refering to eg. the job, study, finances, relationships and other external things.
By inside world, I'm refering to things that are less easily measured i.e feelings, conscience, personality, emotions all things that are happening inside my inner self.
The inside world, is influenced by thoughts. The way we think, can shape the way we live.
By creating positive thoughts, we influence the inner world eg. our feelings, our personality. This changes the quality of our lives.
Detachment in the real sense means learning to separate things, the inside world and the outside world. Being able to see the difference between the two.
By outside world, I'm refering to eg. the job, study, finances, relationships and other external things.
By inside world, I'm refering to things that are less easily measured i.e feelings, conscience, personality, emotions all things that are happening inside my inner self.
The inside world, is influenced by thoughts. The way we think, can shape the way we live.
By creating positive thoughts, we influence the inner world eg. our feelings, our personality. This changes the quality of our lives.
TAKING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Very often when something that we don't like happens, we tend to start by looking outside.
Gandhi famous observation was that, by pointing a finger towards someone, we are pointing three fingers towards ourself.
This is just a small example that, if I start by thinking what is happening ''out there'' is responsible for my situation, I too need to remind myself that I am responsible for creating my own thoughts and responses, to various situations.
I'm responsible for what is happening inside my inner world, my peace of mind, my well-being, love, and happiness. It is not someone else or something else, that is responsible for my inner state of being.
In good and bad times, we have to learn to accept responsibility. When we don't take responsibility over what is happening inside, we allow external forces to influence us.
When we allow external situations and people to influence us, we no longer have control over the quality of our experiences.
The world at present, is filled with many horror stories. But it is not wise to allow ourselves to react to everything that is happening around us otherwise what is happening inside us, is neither going to be positive,beautiful or peaceful.
It is a challenge, but it is necessary to make a decision whether to take an all the existing negativity or train ourselves to respond creatively and only with positive thoughts and feelings, from our own inner self.
Gandhi famous observation was that, by pointing a finger towards someone, we are pointing three fingers towards ourself.
This is just a small example that, if I start by thinking what is happening ''out there'' is responsible for my situation, I too need to remind myself that I am responsible for creating my own thoughts and responses, to various situations.
I'm responsible for what is happening inside my inner world, my peace of mind, my well-being, love, and happiness. It is not someone else or something else, that is responsible for my inner state of being.
In good and bad times, we have to learn to accept responsibility. When we don't take responsibility over what is happening inside, we allow external forces to influence us.
When we allow external situations and people to influence us, we no longer have control over the quality of our experiences.
The world at present, is filled with many horror stories. But it is not wise to allow ourselves to react to everything that is happening around us otherwise what is happening inside us, is neither going to be positive,beautiful or peaceful.
It is a challenge, but it is necessary to make a decision whether to take an all the existing negativity or train ourselves to respond creatively and only with positive thoughts and feelings, from our own inner self.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Real people inspirations
Today I’d like to share with you, ''real people inspiration'' behind Green Waters. There have been many people but I have chosen to mention only a few who made a big impact in my life.You all know my number one hero, the late father of the nation (TANZANIA) Julius Kambarage Nyerere, whom the memories of his character, his deeds and his faith, will always remain a part of me. The moment I met him, I took the first step towards my destiny. However it has been a long journey filled with trials, learning and triumphs. It is my personal culture to acknowledge those who contributed to my growth in many different ways as I go along, because one never knows if they would live to see another day.My best friend Freda Chomi, who has always been there for me in all turns of life. She is an amazing person and the most loyal friend one can hope to have. She is my rock.My dear late friend Halima Rubanza, whose death came as a dreadful shock. After many tears of regret, I was left with a need to help others where I couldn’t help her.My late father H.E Onesiphorus Henry Tesha and my mother Marriet Tarsilla Tesha, from whom I learnt many important lessons that guide me in various situations.My dear friend Mama Rukia (Macrida), who always shares everything with everyone in need. I have never met a person with a bigger heart, and I am blessed to have her in my life.A hard working and loving mother, Mama Shida. She made me see the poor as ''real people'' with love, problems, friendship, hopes, dreams and courage.My Uncle Eddy and Aunty Adeline Lyaruu. They have been real role models as parents. All children would be lucky to have such loving parents.My Aunty Autropia Vitta, who is both a parent and a dear friend. She is the most loving and strongest woman I have ever met. My late grandfathers Mtuweta Tesha and Hipolyte Lyaruu. They built the foundation of whom I am. Their eternal guidance couldn’t be measured.My late Grandmother Magdalene Tesha, who raised 9 amazing children as a widow since 1945. I am blessed to be a descendant.My Uncle Hugh Tesha who taught me how to read and use my brains at the age of 4. I never had a bigger and more enjoyable challenge. He travelled from Moshi to Dar es salaam every month with a new bundle of books for me.My late uncle Dr.Louis Tesha, whose violent murder really shook me. I never saw violence at so close before.My late cousin Mary Alice Tesha who died at a young age. Although she had a short life, she made me see it is okey to be different and stand up for what I believe.My late cousin Joseph Tesha. He fought against Iddi Amin’s army 1977 -1978, and later died suddenly with malaria 1994. The hole he left in everyone’s heart, can only be filled with time and dedication to all he stood for. Peace and friendship. My beloved late grandmother Maria Lyaruu Hipolyte, at the age of mid 95 she still had amazing grace, charm, instinct and the diplomacy of a born leader. Her departure to the soul world has left a huge void in everyone who knew her.My dear daughter Melissa Yvonne Tesha, whose depth of love, wisdom and patience is limitless. She inspires me to fight for all children to achieve the same and leave behind a better life for their generation.My first real employer Alex Moshi, whose faith in me from the beginning of my career, gave me the tools that are useful for me today. I can´t thank him enough.Crosby, who set me free ....... this was the biggest gift of all, although I didn't see it that way at the time.My friend Gregory Barbet, who make me see that the love I have for others, is a rare gift and not a curse.My former colleague Milly, who was my mentor in many ways. Her wisdom and passion for life is expressed through the commitment in whatever she does. A value I won’t have known to master, if it wasn’t for her.My former boss Martin, without losing my job I won’t have realised that I was not following the right path. I really appreciate that now.My inspiring primary teachers Mrs Eliya, Mama Mndolwa and Mrs Semboja, Makubi, Mjuahuzi and Katende. Because of them Mlimani Primary school reputation has always been and remains outstanding. They are the true leaders.Reverend Mother Consolata, a majestic and strong woman who led Kibosho girls secondary school with an iron fist for almost 3 decades. She never gave up on any of us girls. The greatest lesson she always taught us is that ; knowing how to care and to act should be our motto in life. (Kujua kupenda, kutenda ndio ngao kuu, tudumishe)My new dear friend Bianka, an incredible woman who is very humble in her influence. She made me realise that everyone has a gift to contribute towards development and all they need is to believe in themselves.I have truly been blessed in meeting the people who shaped my path till now. I thank each and everyone of them. I believe, everything happens for a reason , even if sometimes we don’t like it. By overcoming challenges, we move a step towards our destiny....The journey continues ….
What do I want in a man?
Every woman asks the question
And yet we never stop to answer ourselves
What do I want in a man? I ask myself today,
I want a man who attracts me from the beginning
And be able to hold my attention everyday
I want a man who is charming and bright
And yet not manipulative or dishonest
I want a man who is intelligent and challenging
And yet not proud and hard
I want a man who listens to what I say
But even important listens to what I don’t say
I want a man who is an equal
And yet a shoulder I can lean on and feel safe
I want a man who wants me for me
Not me for sex, appearance or fame
I want a man who knows he is special to me
And makes me feel I’m special for him
I want a man I don’t have to question
A man who is not unwilling to be questioned
I want a man who accepts and loves me for me
A man I can accept and love for himself
I want a man who can stay up late talking
Or fall asleep reading a book
I want a man who can analyse serious world issues
And yet be able to enjoy a simple adventure or comedy
I want a man who is tall and has a great smile
I want a man I can be myself with
And enjoy making love with
Not only the traditional man woman way
I want a man who is in touch with his true nature
For nature has no limits and no boundaries
I want a man who likes making love in the woods
Under a blanket of stars , or on the beach
I want a man who enjoys life as it comes
One who can live on a 100 million dollar house
And yet enjoy the simplicity of a hut
I want a man who supports my true desires
For my desires are my dreams
To give life to those who have no hope
To create a life for those who will never have
For everyone in the world was created for a purpose
We all have to reach our true destination
And yet… every person is balanced by another
A true balance creates value
A forced balance diminishes potential
The truth of life is life itself
As souls live forever and go through recreation
Life after life after life
An incomplete circle of life
Is not the end of life as thought
Only the end of this life …..
I want a man I can laugh with and cry with
I want a man I can argue with
I want a man who is secure in being himself
And allows me to be myself
I want a man I can trust with my life
I want a man I can love till my last breath
Not only in this life, but after forever
For there is no forever…there is always more
And yet we never stop to answer ourselves
What do I want in a man? I ask myself today,
I want a man who attracts me from the beginning
And be able to hold my attention everyday
I want a man who is charming and bright
And yet not manipulative or dishonest
I want a man who is intelligent and challenging
And yet not proud and hard
I want a man who listens to what I say
But even important listens to what I don’t say
I want a man who is an equal
And yet a shoulder I can lean on and feel safe
I want a man who wants me for me
Not me for sex, appearance or fame
I want a man who knows he is special to me
And makes me feel I’m special for him
I want a man I don’t have to question
A man who is not unwilling to be questioned
I want a man who accepts and loves me for me
A man I can accept and love for himself
I want a man who can stay up late talking
Or fall asleep reading a book
I want a man who can analyse serious world issues
And yet be able to enjoy a simple adventure or comedy
I want a man who is tall and has a great smile
I want a man I can be myself with
And enjoy making love with
Not only the traditional man woman way
I want a man who is in touch with his true nature
For nature has no limits and no boundaries
I want a man who likes making love in the woods
Under a blanket of stars , or on the beach
I want a man who enjoys life as it comes
One who can live on a 100 million dollar house
And yet enjoy the simplicity of a hut
I want a man who supports my true desires
For my desires are my dreams
To give life to those who have no hope
To create a life for those who will never have
For everyone in the world was created for a purpose
We all have to reach our true destination
And yet… every person is balanced by another
A true balance creates value
A forced balance diminishes potential
The truth of life is life itself
As souls live forever and go through recreation
Life after life after life
An incomplete circle of life
Is not the end of life as thought
Only the end of this life …..
I want a man I can laugh with and cry with
I want a man I can argue with
I want a man who is secure in being himself
And allows me to be myself
I want a man I can trust with my life
I want a man I can love till my last breath
Not only in this life, but after forever
For there is no forever…there is always more
TRUE LOVE IS A DESTINATION
Sometimes we take the wrong bus
and travel for a while
at the end of the journey
we realise it’s the wrong place
Sometimes we need to take a bus
get off and take a metro
with the right connections
you reach your destination.
Sometimes the trip is short
we don’t appreciate the distance
convinced a voyage taking longer
Must be worth more
Sometimes we pay a price
To reach that paradise
when we settle at the place
it’s all a fake pretence
Sometimes we don’t look
and true love is right there
The more we try to deny
The stronger it grows inside
Do you remember, the fist time you fell in love?
Do you remember the first time you fell in love?
I remember at the time, everything felt different,
The excitement during the day, the pounding heart,
mixed emotions, day dreaming, heated dreams,
The feeling of expectation and uncontrollable passions,
The wildness, innocence and unlimited possibilities.
Remember the first time you fell out of love?
I remember the time, everything seem meaningless,
The tears all day long, the sleepless nights,
The feeling of despair, the heaviness of the heart,
The desperation, and the wish to die,
The uncontrollable pain, the endless aching heart.
Every time I fall in love, it is the first time,
The endless possibilities of a new love,
The desire to please the one I love,
The wish to have my first as last love,
Down deep inside, we all long for first loves,
who one day, may be our last loves.
Yet the time comes again we fall out of love,
And with that end we learn a another lesson,
to love who is worthy a day at a time,
to treat each day as a special gift,
Love gives life to a beautiful day,
As the sun shines inside your heart.
I remember the first time, I fell in love.....
I remember at the time, everything felt different,
The excitement during the day, the pounding heart,
mixed emotions, day dreaming, heated dreams,
The feeling of expectation and uncontrollable passions,
The wildness, innocence and unlimited possibilities.
Remember the first time you fell out of love?
I remember the time, everything seem meaningless,
The tears all day long, the sleepless nights,
The feeling of despair, the heaviness of the heart,
The desperation, and the wish to die,
The uncontrollable pain, the endless aching heart.
Every time I fall in love, it is the first time,
The endless possibilities of a new love,
The desire to please the one I love,
The wish to have my first as last love,
Down deep inside, we all long for first loves,
who one day, may be our last loves.
Yet the time comes again we fall out of love,
And with that end we learn a another lesson,
to love who is worthy a day at a time,
to treat each day as a special gift,
Love gives life to a beautiful day,
As the sun shines inside your heart.
I remember the first time, I fell in love.....
Sometimes ...time is everything
Sometimes time is everything,
Sometimes time means nothing,
Sometimes time is all there is,
Sometimes there simply isn’t time,
Sometimes time stands still,
Sometimes time gallops to the hills,
Sometimes it seems like yesterday,
Sometimes today is simply today,
Sometimes, tomorrow is all there is,
………..Sometimes………..
Sometimes time means nothing,
Sometimes time is all there is,
Sometimes there simply isn’t time,
Sometimes time stands still,
Sometimes time gallops to the hills,
Sometimes it seems like yesterday,
Sometimes today is simply today,
Sometimes, tomorrow is all there is,
………..Sometimes………..
Sometimes the future blends with the past
Sometimes, the past seems like a story
With a book at hand, and chapters inside
Looking back as clear as reading
Memories lived, revisited, embraced
Habits, experiences, characters shaped
As the past mingles with the present
Sometimes the future has been lived
For the past as the present will be then
Listening to memories that have been
Familiar faces, sounds and stuff
With the present far from now
With the past close at hand ……
Sometimes the past seems like a story
Sometimes the future remains in the story
With a book at hand, and chapters inside
Looking back as clear as reading
Memories lived, revisited, embraced
Habits, experiences, characters shaped
As the past mingles with the present
Sometimes the future has been lived
For the past as the present will be then
Listening to memories that have been
Familiar faces, sounds and stuff
With the present far from now
With the past close at hand ……
Sometimes the past seems like a story
Sometimes the future remains in the story
Reminiscing on love
I remember when love used to be simple
Meeting a guy and knowing just by looking at his eyes
He is the one I love, because my heart speaks.
From the very beginning I always listened to my heart
No matter how wrong my past choices have been
I still listen to my soul … my heart.
But now I let my mind ask …why?
Why do I love this guy?
Is it his eyes … always my great weakness :)
Or is it the sound of his voice, which makes my heart melt ?
Is it what I see in the nature of his character
That shows him to be ambitious and hard working,
Courageous, loving, kind and honest?
These are qualities I can live with.
Yes, I remember when love used to be simple
Now luckily it is complicated
Even more so, as I know what I want
And I could never settle for less.
I hope now I’ve answered the question
Which many keep on asking me
Why don’t you make up your mind?
All I can say is, the day will come, someday …
He will be my soul mate, my friend, my love
When my heart speaks and my mind agrees
He will be, The one.
Meeting a guy and knowing just by looking at his eyes
He is the one I love, because my heart speaks.
From the very beginning I always listened to my heart
No matter how wrong my past choices have been
I still listen to my soul … my heart.
But now I let my mind ask …why?
Why do I love this guy?
Is it his eyes … always my great weakness :)
Or is it the sound of his voice, which makes my heart melt ?
Is it what I see in the nature of his character
That shows him to be ambitious and hard working,
Courageous, loving, kind and honest?
These are qualities I can live with.
Yes, I remember when love used to be simple
Now luckily it is complicated
Even more so, as I know what I want
And I could never settle for less.
I hope now I’ve answered the question
Which many keep on asking me
Why don’t you make up your mind?
All I can say is, the day will come, someday …
He will be my soul mate, my friend, my love
When my heart speaks and my mind agrees
He will be, The one.
There is no love greater
Sometimes love hurts so much
It makes you wish for life to end
Sometimes love feels so right
You wonder why one doesn’t love you back
Sometimes love makes one so mad
You end up saying things you don’t mean
Sometimes in love we feel confused
And end up hurting the ones we love
Sometimes love runs it’s course
yet we hang on to it as a habit
Sometimes love turns to hate
When one is made to lose self respect
Sometimes love seems so near
And yet some things blinds us
Sometimes you love and lose
And yet with losing you find yourself
No matter how much you may love
There is no love greater
It makes you wish for life to end
Sometimes love feels so right
You wonder why one doesn’t love you back
Sometimes love makes one so mad
You end up saying things you don’t mean
Sometimes in love we feel confused
And end up hurting the ones we love
Sometimes love runs it’s course
yet we hang on to it as a habit
Sometimes love turns to hate
When one is made to lose self respect
Sometimes love seems so near
And yet some things blinds us
Sometimes you love and lose
And yet with losing you find yourself
No matter how much you may love
There is no love greater
than of yourself.
LOVE AS FLOWERS
Love as flowers grows with roots
Some roots grows on the surface
Some roots grow much deeper
Those that grow deeper are usually stronger
Love as flowers grows and blooms
Some flowers bloom faster
Some flowers bloom slower
Those that bloom slower, withers slow as well
Love as flowers needs nutrients
Sunlight, air, water and attention
All the attention you’d give to love
Some might grow some might die
Love as flowers changes with seasons
Some blossoms in spring and die in winter
Some blossoms all the year round
Some need the right touch or the right person
Love as flowers has no owner
It lives and dies as it pleases
Love as flowers is beautiful or not
Yet the world will be a duller place without
Life remains the same
Life, has a mind of it’s own
Sometimes we follow it’s path
Sometimes it follows along
Each day brings miracles
Sometimes we get to see
Life lies wide awake
Even when we sleep
Memories lives in life
Time and time again
Another life of the same
Nothing is ever lost
There is much to learn
challenges seem new
solutions remain the same
determination, courage, hope
Sometimes we follow it’s path
Sometimes it follows along
Each day brings miracles
Sometimes we get to see
Life lies wide awake
Even when we sleep
Memories lives in life
Time and time again
Another life of the same
Nothing is ever lost
There is much to learn
challenges seem new
solutions remain the same
determination, courage, hope
Every soul has a story when it comes from a life once lived
Souls are part of history, with other souls,
Some pieces complete each other’s story
Some pieces conflicts with another story
We are all part of a story that never ends.
Some pieces complete each other’s story
Some pieces conflicts with another story
We are all part of a story that never ends.
Dreams don't lie
Dreams do not lie
Some live in our waking hours
Some live in tomorrows
Some live in previous pasts
Some we try killing today
We grow up and realise
Dreams don’t lie
Dreams don't die
We simply bury them alive
and live another life
until we live again
and dream again
Some live in our waking hours
Some live in tomorrows
Some live in previous pasts
Some we try killing today
We grow up and realise
Dreams don’t lie
Dreams don't die
We simply bury them alive
and live another life
until we live again
and dream again
1 minute
1 Minute could change everything
Maybe for good maybe for worse
I could tell you no matter how much I love you
I’m always scared of losing you forever
1 minute to tell me how you care
Can change the way I feel about us
Maybe make me strong and secure
and make me love you even more
1 minute to share our worries with each other
Will make us more understanding of each other
and help bring down the wall in between us
And accept the challenges that come with love
1 minute to think of me and search your heart
You will see me as I am and know that you are my heart
My love for you will always be true
and no one can take it away, except you
1 minute to understand my heart desires
Will make you the only man I need
The one who loves me for who I am
The one who chooses to be with me
1 minute can change our lives
1 minute of doubt, 1 minute of love
1 minute of understanding, 1 minute of fear
1 minute, is all it takes to change everything.
1 minute thinking of the man I love
Made me write this poem for you
For I wish to show you my heart
As I always long from you …
THE PEOPLE ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
These are the words of Tanzanian father of the nation, first president, the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere.
When I was growing up, I listened to his conversations and inspiring speeches, he never failed to remind us ''watu ni msingi wa maendeleo'', he never credited himself for all good he did for the country, and for the rest of Africa.
I regard Julius Kambarage Nyerere, as a living legend, a hero. He was not a ''me first '' person, he led with principles, compassion, wisdom, discipline and a clear vision. Although he was revered by all his people, he remained humble and devoted all his energy in building the foundation for our country. The peace and unity we Tanzanians enjoy today are the fruit of his efforts, which is why we see him as Father of the nation. He planted the seeds of his wisdom, principles, discipline and compassion among us, but with the changing times, few take time to remember the many sacrifices he made as a person, to be a good leader for his country. It was easy to follow Nyerere, because he was someone we could trust as a parent. Unfortunately now that he is no longer with us, Tanzania remains like a family with foster parents.
Many organisations have expressed interest to help Tanzania and the rest of Afrika with various development projects. Not all organisations have the people’s interests at heart and not all organisations take time to analyse the causes of problems within the community they are trying to help, they simply make a project plan that is sustainable to enable them to earn a living. Analysing the cause of the problems region by region, can help to create projects that will eliminate the problems one by one and therefore take care of the negative multi-dimensional impacts.There are organisations whose underlying interests are mainly to accomplish personal and organisational goals, to meet deadlines or simply to make profit.For many developing countries, this can create chaos within local communities and/or policy makers and also brew opportunities for many things to go wrong. This is why, the father of the nation was against foreign interventions. If the people are the foundation for development, and they are not empowered with the right tools, what kind of a foundation are we creating for poor countries? And what kind of a nations are we building for the future generation?
Currently my biggest concern is that, many regions in Tanzania are not targeted for development projects. There are regions such as Moshi, Arusha, Dar es salaam, Mwanza, which have donor friendly environment and they are well endowed, these are places that have the most projects from non governmental organisations. This situation, replicates in most African countries.The problem is that, with some regions developing so fast, we have an imbalance within the country. For instance, in some regions there are a lot of education facilities and health facilities, and in some regions there are few or none. We have seen how the imbalance created by colonial past, has had impact in our present, such as the case of the Hutus and Tutsis.
Within Europe, it is important for development organisations working in Africa to hold meetings with African embassies to understand various concerns and be aware of opportunities that are needed in different communities, before making a decision on where to set a project. It is important for research to be made about the cause of problems so that a project can be created to attack the root of the causes, instead of doing plastic surgery on the problems. It is important for international organisations to involve migrants from the countries they are establishing the projects. Migrants have to be empowered to bring change in their home countries, they have to be empowered and polished to be tools for change. This is the road to sustainable development and the way to forming empowered sustainable partnerships. Migrants are an important resource for development organisations, and until now they have not been given much thought.
Furthermore, empowerment within developing countries, should be taken more serious. Until now, some organisations have been doing well, but there is more that can be done if more people are given the tools to make their own contribution towards development. By tools, I mean skills, support and any relevant knowledge, that will enable them to participate in income generating activities. Let’s face it, without economic means the circle of poverty will continue and as we are clearly aware, organisations simply help ‘’target groups’’ and whoever falls out of the target group, has no chance unless they are empowered to help themselves.[
The majority of the population within developing countries, have traditional skills even though most of them lack advanced formal education.Organisations can tap into this resource and polish it to be a finer tool, and in so doing empower more people to participate in production.It is not possible for Africa to depend on foreign aid forever, and it is not possible for developing countries to repay all existing aid.
Dependence on developing aid, dis-empowers developing countries and creates more poverty related problems.For instance, it is impossible for poor countries to make policies that restrict import of products within a poor country, while at the same time the poor country depends on this rich country to assist in health care.
In the end, by accommodating the wishes of the donor country, more problems are created for poor countries, such as 80% of the population which consists of farmers losing their market, and the impact falls on the households and spreads to other businesses in local community and country wide. The trend needs intervention, and therefore reviving primary industries has to be one way of rectifying the current situation for a better future for Afrika.People need to be able to provide for their basic needs, without wondering who will be dropping in with their next meal.When people's stomachs are satisfied, Tanzania and the rest of Afrika might be able to maintain a record of good governance and getting rid of corruption. This kind of environment is good for business investments and provides fair export- import trading opportunities.
Furthermore, what has happened in Zimbabwe and South Afrika, should be taken as a warning. If the higher majority of the poor population can't manage to earn a sustainable living, the end result is undesirable for everyone. One can not reason with a hungry and angry person.
The solution is in our hands. We can either empower the people to be active participants for development, or wait for the people to be empowered by opportunists from the weapon industries.As we have seen, development and destruction are two sides of the same coin.
The people are the foundation for development.
Honouring the memory of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere,
by Stella Evelyne Tesha
http://www.green-waters.org/
When I was growing up, I listened to his conversations and inspiring speeches, he never failed to remind us ''watu ni msingi wa maendeleo'', he never credited himself for all good he did for the country, and for the rest of Africa.
I regard Julius Kambarage Nyerere, as a living legend, a hero. He was not a ''me first '' person, he led with principles, compassion, wisdom, discipline and a clear vision. Although he was revered by all his people, he remained humble and devoted all his energy in building the foundation for our country. The peace and unity we Tanzanians enjoy today are the fruit of his efforts, which is why we see him as Father of the nation. He planted the seeds of his wisdom, principles, discipline and compassion among us, but with the changing times, few take time to remember the many sacrifices he made as a person, to be a good leader for his country. It was easy to follow Nyerere, because he was someone we could trust as a parent. Unfortunately now that he is no longer with us, Tanzania remains like a family with foster parents.
Many organisations have expressed interest to help Tanzania and the rest of Afrika with various development projects. Not all organisations have the people’s interests at heart and not all organisations take time to analyse the causes of problems within the community they are trying to help, they simply make a project plan that is sustainable to enable them to earn a living. Analysing the cause of the problems region by region, can help to create projects that will eliminate the problems one by one and therefore take care of the negative multi-dimensional impacts.There are organisations whose underlying interests are mainly to accomplish personal and organisational goals, to meet deadlines or simply to make profit.For many developing countries, this can create chaos within local communities and/or policy makers and also brew opportunities for many things to go wrong. This is why, the father of the nation was against foreign interventions. If the people are the foundation for development, and they are not empowered with the right tools, what kind of a foundation are we creating for poor countries? And what kind of a nations are we building for the future generation?
Currently my biggest concern is that, many regions in Tanzania are not targeted for development projects. There are regions such as Moshi, Arusha, Dar es salaam, Mwanza, which have donor friendly environment and they are well endowed, these are places that have the most projects from non governmental organisations. This situation, replicates in most African countries.The problem is that, with some regions developing so fast, we have an imbalance within the country. For instance, in some regions there are a lot of education facilities and health facilities, and in some regions there are few or none. We have seen how the imbalance created by colonial past, has had impact in our present, such as the case of the Hutus and Tutsis.
Within Europe, it is important for development organisations working in Africa to hold meetings with African embassies to understand various concerns and be aware of opportunities that are needed in different communities, before making a decision on where to set a project. It is important for research to be made about the cause of problems so that a project can be created to attack the root of the causes, instead of doing plastic surgery on the problems. It is important for international organisations to involve migrants from the countries they are establishing the projects. Migrants have to be empowered to bring change in their home countries, they have to be empowered and polished to be tools for change. This is the road to sustainable development and the way to forming empowered sustainable partnerships. Migrants are an important resource for development organisations, and until now they have not been given much thought.
Furthermore, empowerment within developing countries, should be taken more serious. Until now, some organisations have been doing well, but there is more that can be done if more people are given the tools to make their own contribution towards development. By tools, I mean skills, support and any relevant knowledge, that will enable them to participate in income generating activities. Let’s face it, without economic means the circle of poverty will continue and as we are clearly aware, organisations simply help ‘’target groups’’ and whoever falls out of the target group, has no chance unless they are empowered to help themselves.[
The majority of the population within developing countries, have traditional skills even though most of them lack advanced formal education.Organisations can tap into this resource and polish it to be a finer tool, and in so doing empower more people to participate in production.It is not possible for Africa to depend on foreign aid forever, and it is not possible for developing countries to repay all existing aid.
Dependence on developing aid, dis-empowers developing countries and creates more poverty related problems.For instance, it is impossible for poor countries to make policies that restrict import of products within a poor country, while at the same time the poor country depends on this rich country to assist in health care.
In the end, by accommodating the wishes of the donor country, more problems are created for poor countries, such as 80% of the population which consists of farmers losing their market, and the impact falls on the households and spreads to other businesses in local community and country wide. The trend needs intervention, and therefore reviving primary industries has to be one way of rectifying the current situation for a better future for Afrika.People need to be able to provide for their basic needs, without wondering who will be dropping in with their next meal.When people's stomachs are satisfied, Tanzania and the rest of Afrika might be able to maintain a record of good governance and getting rid of corruption. This kind of environment is good for business investments and provides fair export- import trading opportunities.
Furthermore, what has happened in Zimbabwe and South Afrika, should be taken as a warning. If the higher majority of the poor population can't manage to earn a sustainable living, the end result is undesirable for everyone. One can not reason with a hungry and angry person.
The solution is in our hands. We can either empower the people to be active participants for development, or wait for the people to be empowered by opportunists from the weapon industries.As we have seen, development and destruction are two sides of the same coin.
The people are the foundation for development.
Honouring the memory of Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere,
by Stella Evelyne Tesha
http://www.green-waters.org/
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