Tanzania with Global Volunteers 2017

A mother and son’s incredible experience in Tanzania

TANZANIA December 2017

Teaching English in

IPALAMWA

Two weeks teaching English with Global Volunteers‌

Getting to Ipalamwa

Full Travel Itinerary Thr

14 Dec

Fri

15 Dec

Sat Sun-Fri Sat-Sun Mon-Fri Sat

16 Dec 17-22 Dec 23-24 Dec 25-29 Dec 30 Dec

Sun

31 Dec

Mon

1 Jan

Delta 1572 10:20a Tampa Delta 9667 3:55p Atlanta Delta 9349 10:15a Amsterdam FQ Hotel Auric Air #175 1:00p Dar Es Salaam Ipalamwa Safari Ipalamwa Auric Air #176 3:00 p Iringa Holiday Inn Dar es Salaam City Centre Daigle Tours - Zanzibar - transfer to airport Delta 9349 11:55p Dar Es Salaam Delta 47 9:30a Amsterdam Delta 408 3:00p NYC-Kennedy

11:53am Atlanta 6:00a Amsterdam (Fri) 10:45p Dar es Salaam

Delta Confirm: GQBVLA

2:30p Iringa

PRN Ref: 84026C

4:30p Dar Es Salaam

PRN Ref: 84026C

7:10a Amsterdam (Mon) 12:28p NYC-Kennedy 6:08p Tampa

Delta Confirm: GQBVLA

Emergency Contact Sheet: Please carry this emergency contact sheet with you during the service program

…in a mountain-top village with spectacular views All I can say is WOW!! Our village is Ipalamwa up on top of a mountain with spectacular views of the hills below. People here are so gracious and we have been practicing our greetings in both Swahili and Hehe (local language). Looking forward to spending Christmas with all the kids and families in the local church. Voices are incredible.

The RCP Project RCP Goals The RCP project aims at eliminating childhood stunting, which begins in utero, and if not stopped before the 2nd birthday, can be permanent. Stunting effects a child’s health and ability to learn, and is preventable through nutrition and disease prevention. There are 4 parts of the RCP Project’s goal: The 1st 1000 days – from pregnancy through the 2nd birthday Nutrition and food supply Health and hygiene Education

Global Volunteers Ipalamwa Team 5 Our team (the 5th to serve in Ipalamwa) was charged with: 1) English Camp for primary-school aged children who were out of school for Summer break, as well as distributing nutritious porridge to the children.

2) Workshops for mothers/pregnant women regarding: Fetal development and staying healthy Parental bonding with the child RCP home visits and what to expect

Our accommodations in Ipalamwa

Our home away from home

Luckily, we didn’t really need the nets, didn’t see any mosquitoes while we were in Ipalamwa

Danny typing the day’s journal

The RCP Center was very comfortable with electricity (via a generator), ceiling fans, and hot water heaters in every room. Unlike hot and humid Dar Es Salaam, the weather was perfect – cool in mornings (60°s F), and warmer in the afternoons (80°s F).

Introducing our Ipalamwa Team #5

BACK ROW: Mary • Debora (caregiver trainee) • Lulu (student) • Aneth (student) • Ashura (caregiver trainee) • Anna (team leader) FRONT ROW: Dawn • Anastazia (caregiver trainee) • Winnie (RCP Caregiver) • Sifuni (RCP Caregiver) • Regina (RCP Caregiver) • Danny

Mohamed (incredible driver able to maneuver unpaved mountainous roads with ease)

Anna led our morning and evening meetings where we shared thoughts, and our experiences of the day

Mama Tony (chef extrodinnaire)

A friendly game of Uno

First volunteer day – December 19, 2017 Journal

December 19, 2017

We experienced what Reaching Children’s Potential (RCP) is all about by visiting families at their homes. Between our 3 groups, 10 families received home visits. This experience gave the volunteers a clearer picture into the lives of the people in Ipalamwa and the challenges children and families face.

Measuring head circumference

During home visits, the care givers questioned mothers about diet (of child and parent) sleeping, immunizations, measured head circumference and the size of their child, and ask about any other issues that may have occurred since the last visit. Despite all the challenges the families face, all were very receptive and open to advice, as well as welcoming strange looking “wazungu” into their homes- even if some small children were afraid of our white faces.

I can fully appreciate the invaluable services RCP offers as parents are educated on how to deal with issues and what to look for as they raise their kids.

On our way to visit families

Home visits with caregivers At our evening meeting we shared our experiences of the day. Some of the issues we saw included - The use of hand-washing stations.

- Understanding the importance of an infant drinking breast milk rather than eating solid food.

- The issues that happen to a baby when it is shaken.

- Cooking inside over a fire is not good for the children’s respiratory health. Avoid smoke by cooking outside.

- The importance of good nutrition for both pregnant mothers and babies/children - How chicken coups and box gardens can help in nutrition of the families

Mary was particularly concerned about a 2-year-old showing signs of malnutrition.

Anna shared that RCP will soon be providing nutritional porridge to families. Mary hoped that help would come in time for this child.

Through all the challenges Anna shared how things have improved. It takes time to change behaviors to improve lives, and it is beginning to show. Things are bound to get better.

Learning how to use the hand washing stations Preparing garden boxes

English Camp: The third language for these kids‌ English camp was held outside on the school field in both mornings and afternoons. Danny planned the days lesson plans.

Each day incorporated games and a theme such as greetings, simple sentences, colors, numbers, and vocabulary. The number of kids varied daily between 15 and 60.

Aneth and Lulu helped Danny & Dawn at the camp, and Anastazia, Deborah, and Ashura alternated days between the camp and women’s workshops. Danny & I were proud to leave behind a favorite game (Capture the Flag), and our hand washing song.

… and we played lots of games!

Counting our “Capture the Flag” players – Boys vs. Girls

Mary’s kite was a new experience!

A game of “Red Light Green Light” after reviewing colors.

Our daily porridge

Mama Tony prepared porridge that was served twice a day during the English Camp as a way to achieve the RCP goal to improve nutrition for the children.

The plan is to deliver this porridge to the 100 RCP families in Ipalamwa on a regular basis.

RCP workshops for women

With her medical background, Mary was instrumental to the women’s workshops which were conducted twice a day. The first week dealt with fetal development, the second week focused on bonding and RCP home visits. Mary determined that 66 mothers and almost 150 children benefited from the workshops during the two weeks of workshops.

The team benefited from Mary’s vast knowledge and experience as a nurse in the Army

Journal December 23, 2017

Safari at Ruaha National Park

We (Mary, Danny & I) finally arrived at the Ruaha Hilltop Lodge after the long bumpy 120 mile ride from Ipalamwa Friday about 5:30pm. I was thrilled to look out over a spectacular view of the valley below, feeling lucky to be here. On the drive here, we spotted a troop of baboons scurrying across the road, and Mary was fascinated by the elephant poop on the road up to the lodge.

After a quick stop in our rooms, which was a climb up the mountain, we were back at the lodge taking advantage of the WiFi and meeting some of the other travelers. After dinner, we all headed up the path to bed early to be ready our adventure the next morning.

Saturday we were up before the sun and headed out to Ruaha Park with our driver Joseph and guide Moses. Danny & I stood up in the back of the truck with a 360 view, while Marylou was ready with her camera in the front seat.

A giraffe was the first to greet us followed by countless impala. We watched lots of hippos enjoying what was left of the river as a monitor lizard and hyrax scampered over the rocks. A crocodile was well camouflaged on the rocky bank. Moving on, we spotted lots of guinea fowl with their blue heads, and other birds such as eagles, kori bustards, hawks, and crowned head cranes. We learned about the different types of zebra from Moses as we passed several zebra families. The baboons seemed to like the dry riverbeds as they groomed themselves, while the vervet black monkeys were adorable to watch running up and down the trees. I was fascinated by the enormous baobab trees which seemed to be everywhere.

Moses was in touch with other guides and we searched in vain for 3 lions that were seen the day before. We were just about to give up on the lions, Mary calmly said “there is a lion behind that tree.”

She had seen the tail, but nobody believed her. Sure enough, in the shade of a baobab tree, there stood a lioness. As we gasped and grabbed our cameras, she slowly lay down and licked her paws.

Back on the road, we were able to spot 2 beautiful kudu and even caught a glimpse of a shy lesser kudu.

Warthogs were hiding in some shade, and the tiny dikdiks appeared by the side of the road every now and again. We passed several waterbuck in a dry riverbed—I think they were pretending there was water. We stopped by a herd of buffalo before we headed out of the park.

Our safari was a great success. There is nothing like experiencing Tanzania’s wildlife in their own habitat rather than behind cages.

Breakfast under a sausage tree!

Pictures will never give the total thrill of being next to these beautiful animals Although we kept seeing signs of them, I wasn’t sure we were really going to see any elephant. Their destruction was everywhere – downed trees filled with beetle holes.

Just before lunch, we spotted the first group. After that, they seemed to be everywhere. They were steps away from where we stopped for lunch.

Baobab Tree showing signs of elephant damage

Bush Buck

Greater Kudu Dikdik

Hippos Impala

Mongoose

Warthog

Christmas in Ipalamwa

Merry Christmas!

The day started trying to figure out how to sneak our secret santa gifts under the tree without being seen.

We had decorated the meeting room with a Christmas tree with colorful balloons Mary had brought from home. By 10, we headed to church.

I cannot get enough of the beautiful voices of the different groups in the congregation— not to mention the dancing! We were introduced and each spoke a few words of thanks before the children sang a song, each giving messages. I truly felt welcome in the congregation.

It started pouring during the service.

Mary came prepared and braved the rain, while the rest of us had Mohamed bring the car to get us.

Mama Tony prepared yet another delicious lunch before we went around the table and opened our gifts. Mama Tony came through with a special roasted chicken “cake” which Anna did her best to carve out 9 pieces for us all. A group of kids were waiting outside for us to come out for the tournament, so we went to the fields for the afternoon.

I am thankful for sharing this Christmas with our Global Volunteer family – and a special thanks to Lulu for my African spoon and basket!!

Christmas in Ipalamwa

Favorite scenes and faces of Ipalamwa

The enthusiasm of the kids was infectious

Mary was able to connect with the local Midwife

Favorite scenes and faces of Ipalamwa Construction of the Clinic Just outside our rooms, the clinic was being built. This must have been the quietest construction site I’ve experienced (no power tools/machinery). The workers were there every day from early morning to just before dark.

Mohamed gave a walking tour of Ipalamwa, showing us a local shop, and warned of the local “bamboo juice.”

Danny with the boys looking cool

My attempt to help the construction women move bricks Debora, Lulu, Aneth & Dawn with the girls

Favorite scenes and faces of Ipalamwa

Debora, Mary & Ashura

Danny, Mary & Dawn

Favorite scenes and faces of Ipalamwa

Solar panels fuel the satellite dishes in Ipalamwa

This is how to make bricks in Ipalamwa!

An Ipalamwa family starting to build their house

Advice for future volunteers

Just try not to fall in love with these amazing, resilient kids who are so generous with their enthusiasm and beautiful smiles!