Are you off to a great year like us?

2023 has begun and we have hit the ground running! 

First, I owe you a MASSIVE thank you!

We raised a whooping AUD $8,300 during our Christmas Campaign - well above our $5,000 goal - for our Outreach project.

This means we can buy TWO NEW MOTORBIKES as well as cover all expenses to MEDICINE AND TREATMENTS, and MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. All of this is covered for a FULL YEAR. Thank s to you and your amazing support. 

We are beyond grateful for the generosity and trust you have shown us.

Our team has ordered the motorbikes and as soon as they arrive I will send you an update from the field. We can’t wait - and neither can the 35,000 residents of Nyamatongo.

What are we planning for 2023?

Healthcare

With our Outreach Team well supported, we are going to continue to deliver healthcare to residents who are unable to come to the health centre. Many times this is because of disabilities, or simply due to not knowing a condition should or could be treated. A lot of our work consist in sharing knowledge around prevention and treatment of injuries and diseases.

Kamanga Health Centre, our small-scale hospital, is also thriving. It is a busy place tending to more than 1,000 patients every month. Although we do not have a surgical unit only a small number of our patients (less than 3%) needs referral to the larger District Hospital. We are happy we can provide those who need it safe and stable transport in our on-site ambulance.

Ante- and postnatal care as well a safe environment to give birth is also a very important function of Kamanga Health Centre. We generally tend to 100+ pregnant women every month and deliver just short of two babies a day on average. Giving birth in Tanzania can be a deadly event and every day 30 mothers die during childbirth. In most cases, from preventable causes.

Every week we invite families to bring their babies under 5 years old to our ‘baby clinic’. Here we vaccinate children, weigh them and check their general health. We talk to families about nutrition and answer any health concerns they might have. This means we have a very high vaccination rate in our communities and generally we see about 30 children and their families every week.

We couldn’t do this work without our close relationship to the local Community Health Workers. These are locally elected health workers from each village or area and is often the first person to know if anyone in the area is in need of medical care. We provide medical training to our Community Health Workers and in turn they help spread knowledge on family planning, danger signs during pregnancy, and many other health related topics. They visit close to 250 households on a monthly basis.

Entrepreneurship

Last year, we finalised our pilot projet focusing on mushroom farming, entrepreneurship and Climate Change. Mushrooms are a great crop as it climate change resilient and you do not need to own land to be able to grow them.

Our Pilot was a great success. We learned a lot along the way and we are now ready to launch a full 12 month program after which it will be financially sustainable in itself. We are aiming to educate 200 residents every year and assist them to set up their own collaborative small-holder farms. The reason we are encouraging collaborative farms is to benefit from shared overhead costs and shared knowledge and responsibility. 

This project has so many benefits - I have listed a few of the major benefits below:

·       Increase in income for the whole household

·       Increase in income leads to better healthcare and education

·       Increase in self-esteem for women and people with disabilities

·       With self-esteem and independence comes healthier individuals and a higher uptake of birth control

·       A new and affordable nutritious crop available to the whole community

·       Mushrooms can help combat some of the nutritional deficiencies we see daily

·       More children in schools/less drop out caused by economic strain or health issues

·       Innovative low-tech and low-cost driers not needing electricity

·       Any excess production to be dried and access to international export channels

·       Project able to finance itself within 12 months

·       Excess funding and earnings to be used for scaling and other projects within our organisation

Of course, all of this is pending funding. We are actively seeking funding from all corners of the world. The full cost for a 12 month project is AUD $150,000 (approximately USD $100,000). If you want to know more about the Theory of Change, budget and project details please feel free to contact me directly by clicking the button below:

Climate Change and Green Kamanga

As everyone else, we are trying to do our part to combat climate change. In 2021 we planted 600+ trees germinated from seeds. We focused on quick growing timber and fruit trees such as mango, papaya and avocado. We continued this in 2022 and planted an additional 600 trees in Kamanga and surrounds.

But this is just the beginning. 

We are currently developing a 3-year project that will see to plant no less than 100,000 trees! Yes, you heard me right, 100,000 trees in 3 years! 

This 3-year project will build on establishing 100 community self-help groups, as well as provide education on environment and climate change through primary school clubs. Focus will also be on fuel-efficient stoves and the importance of using improved latrines and clean water. 

It is a project with BIG goals and a huge IMPACT or all our 35,000 residents. Of course this also comes with a need for funding with a budget of AUD $65,000 (~USD $45,000) per year for 3 years.

Again, if you want to know more about this project you can contact me below.

We are looking forward to share all our wins and stories with you in 2023.

Do you give meaningful gifts?

Are you, like me, searching for meaningful gifts that won’t have to be returned or sold cheaply on Marketplace first week of January?

Do you end up with gifts that never gets used and gets hidden in the back of a drawer, or in a cupboard for years?

Gifts, that makes no difference and has no significance?

Then I have the perfect solution for you!

a Meaningful Present

From my own experience, sometimes gift giving is hard. It either feels like order-lists are given out (as opposed to wish lists), or gifts are just not quite hitting the mark.

And sometimes you just don’t really need any more stuff to clutter your home.

By giving a gift of a donation you are making a difference in more than one person’s life.

You can donate as little $10 and have a significant impact. Make it a monthly donation and let the receiver receive a thank you note every month. I am sure that will bring a smile to their face remembering what an awesome present you chose.

Each of our Outreach motorbikes enables a medical officer to deliver quality healthcare to patients in our community of 35,000 people every day. For less than $50 you have given the gift of fuel, medicine and maintenance of our motorbikes for a week! $48 to be precise.

An impactful present

Every year we make over 1,000 home visits to people who would otherwise have gone without medical care and support.

We provide training an education to the locally elected Community Health Workers who are visiting another 2,500 households every year. They provide advice on family planning, educate on danger signs on severe medical issues, and encourage families to vaccinate their children.

Our Health Centre sees approximately 1,000 patients every month, and we average 2 births a day.

In total, we provide medical care and advice to more than 15,500 people every year. That is worth having a part in, don’t you think?

We all wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a joyful time with your families.

WOW! That's all I can say!

You have been incredible.

It is not even December yet, and we have already surpassed our initial goal of $5,000.

We are deeply grateful.

That said, this doesn't mean an additional donation isn't going to help us. If we can raise another $5,000 then we have all the medical supplies, fuel and maintenance for the motorbikes for 1 year funded as well.

Do you think we can make it before Christmas?

I believe in you.

Fuel, medical supplies and maintenance of the two motorbikes costs AUD $5,000 each year.

This will enable us to deliver quality healthcare to children, people with disabilities and the elderly within our communities. People, who otherwise wouldn’t receive any healthcare.

You can read more about how our outreach project is changing lives here:

Thank you

Nina

P.S.

Please share this with your friends, in a post, in an email.

Hold a bake-sale, charity dinner, or raise money at your office or school.

Please sign up to our newsletter if you have not already.

Reaching out... For outreach.

Today I am reaching out to you.

We need your help. 

For the past 8 years we have run our outreach program providing quality healthcare to people who otherwise wouldn’t receive any medical care. 

But now we are struggling to deliver this service. The only way we can reach people is on our motorbikes and our old ones are literally falling apart. 

We need new bikes. Can you help?

1 motorbike costs AUD $2,500 and we need 2, so our total need is AUD $5,000

You can read more about how our outreach project is changing lives here:

https://www.australiaforcedartanzania.org/outreach-team-australia-for-cedar-tanzania-changing-lives

Thank you

Nina

P.S.

Please share this with your friends, in a post, in an email.

Hold a bake-sale, charity dinner, or raise money at your office or school.

Please sign up to our newsletter if you have not already.

Can a GP be a volunteer?

Hi everyone.

My name is Sian Ashby, and I am a GP (family doctor) from the UK. I was brought up in the beautiful Scottish borders, studied Medicine at Glasgow University and then completed my GP training in London. I had always wanted to work abroad as a doctor, so after finishing my GP training I chose to study the Diploma of Tropical Medicine in Liverpool, and it was here that I first heard about Cedar Tanzania.

What inspired you to volunteer with Cedar Tanzania? 

I was struck by Cedar Tanzania’s holistic approach to care. On looking at their website, I could see that they understood the importance of health and well-being in a broad sense, rather than being entirely disease-focussed. Cedar Tanzania approaches community well-being from many angles - health, education, female empowerment and entrepreneurship - and understands that tackling all of these factors is crucial if the community is to flourish.

From my research it seemed that Kamanga Health Centre, the health centre jointly run by Cedar Tanzania and the government, was a good fit for a GP, as there were many parallels in the types of patients seen. Of course, I knew that there would also be tropical illnesses which I had never encountered, and I hoped that I might increase my knowledge of tropical medicine by working in Tanzania.

On contacting Cedar Tanzania, I found the staff to be welcoming and accommodating. They were keen and enthusiastic about my voluntary placement and this naturally increased my own excitement!

Sian offering volunteer HIV testing alongside our permanent staff

How long is your volunteer placement?  

6 months provisionally.

What is your role at Cedar Tanzania?

My official title is ‘Volunteer Health Centre Advisor’. It’s a fairly flexible role, but for the most part I am working alongside the Quality Assurance Officer at Kamanga Health Centre, putting policies in place to improve the quality of care. I also work alongside the Tanzanian clinical staff, exchanging knowledge and skills, and I give regular teaching sessions. I hope that as my Swahili improves I will be able to practice medicine independently at the health centre.

Can you mention highlights of some of the activities that you have been involved in whilst you have worked for Cedar?

We have recently set up a teaching program here at Kamanga Health Centre and one of my personal highlights was the neonatal resuscitation training which I ran. We used dolls to role-play and simulate neonatal resuscitation, which was both fun and educational. At the health centre we deliver on average one baby a day (and the numbers are increasing) so it is vitally important that the staff are well trained on how to react if a newborn baby does not breath spontaneously.

Another highlight was the World Aids Day Fair organised by Cedar Tanzania. At the fair there were stalls offering HIV counselling and testing, free condoms, and information about the health centre and Cedar Tanzania projects. There was dancing, drama, and even a ‘catch-the-chicken’ game. But most importantly over 500 people were tested for HIV in a safe and non-judgemental environment.

What things have challenged you so far?

One of the main challenges has been the language barrier. I am currently learning Swahili but it is a slow process... I find it incredibly frustrating not being able to understand the patients, particularly if they are distressed and in need of assistance. I am constantly running around trying to find someone to translate which gets quite exhausting!

The health centre staff do speak English but many are not fluent, so we too have trouble communicating. Getting to the root of an issue is much more difficult when you do not speak the same language! If you are considering coming out to Tanzania, I would advise you to start learning Swahili as early as possible!

The other main challenge which I have noticed is the difference in healthcare economics. Coming from the UK, I am used to the National Health Service (NHS) which provides free healthcare for all UK citizens. Treatment is entirely based on need and not on personal finances. However, here in Tanzania there is a division – those who are exempt and those that have to pay for healthcare. The exempt group includes pregnant women, children under five years old, people over the age of 60 who cannot support themselves and people with chronic diseases like HIV and TB.

Although treatment at Kamanga Health Centre is relatively cheap (government prices), for those not in the exempt group, we still have to make management decisions based partly on the patient’s finances, which is something I find difficult. Sometimes patients cannot follow your advice because they simply cannot afford to. For example, we recently saw a patient with a large abdominal mass who required onward referral to a specialist hospital. However she could not afford to attend the hospital and pay the fee for the necessary imaging and surgery. Instead she returned a week later, the mass having increased in size and the pain having subsequently worsened. This is truly heartbreaking to see, and makes me really value the NHS.

What things have you found enjoyable or surprising about Tanzanian culture either socially or at work?

The Tanzanian people are incredibly welcoming. The health centre staff have been wonderfully accommodating and friendly towards me since my arrival and I have really enjoyed working here thus far.

Socially I love the culture of dancing.  In general Tanzanians seem to have a fantastic sense of rhythm and tend to be incredible dancers! The staff at the health centre have been trying to teach me (without much luck).

Through my work I have noticed that Tanzanian families are much more close-knit than at home. Grandparents usually live together in the house with the parents and children, and they help to care for each other. I think that this is something which has sadly been lost in the UK. I certainly noticed as a GP in London that I visited many elderly people whose children lived thousands of miles away and who were thus unable to care for them. I noticed a huge burden of loneliness, particularly amongst the elderly, but also amongst young people living and working in London - a city with so many people! Perhaps we need to regain the closeness of families and communities in order to reduce the escalating rates of loneliness, anxiety and depression in the UK.

To counter this, I have noticed that here in Tanzania there is very little, if anything, in the way of social support for those without the means to look after themselves. So if, as an elderly or disabled person, you do not have a supportive family then there is no support network to help you survive. We have encountered some difficult cases of disabled patients who have been mistreated or neglected, and this is very challenging work. This is why the work of the Outreach Team (the community-based rehabilitation project  run by Cedar Tanzania) is so important in providing support for those with disabilities.

What would you say to anyone who said that they could not volunteer because they didn't have a skill to offer?

Most people have something to offer. Speak to the Cedar Tanzania team and find out what skills they are looking for! It’s a really rewarding and fun place to work!

If Sian’s experience has whet your appetite to volunteer for Cedar Tanzania then begin the journey with this first step

Neema defies paralysis thanks to Cedar Tanzania

What would you do?

Have you ever imagined what your life would look like if an accident was going to happen to you? Would you have the strength to keep going on?

Neema surely has. Seven years ago, Neema went to one of the larger regional hospitals to get treatment for typhoid. Unfortunately, Neema experienced nerve damage during her treatment and lost most of the mobility in her legs.

Neema is now 31 years old and lives with her parents. She relies on their help for all her basic needs. Neema also has three younger siblings who all still go to school.

Being dependent of her parents has had a huge impact on Neema’s mental health. She has been struggling with depression and feelings of being a burden to her family. As the family already lives in poverty having a member of the family not able to contribute financially is a huge strain. On top of that, there are all Neema’s extra medical bills.

Finding Neema

Our Outreach Team met Neema in 2019 and has since been working in close partnership with her and her family. This free service has provided Neema with a variety of treatment options for both her physical and mental health. 

With the help of our team, Neema has regained some movement in her legs and has literally taken her first few steps towards independence.

It is Neema’s desire to get to a point where she can support herself and contribute to her family. She is grateful to her family, particularly her parents, for the support they have given her through the difficulty times she has encountered. She hopes she one day will be able to return the kindness she has received.

A new beginning

Neema is excited to start our entrepreneurial training.

She says “I have some basic knowledge on sewing. I learnt a while ago before I suffered from paralysis, and I am confident that I can regain some skills if I will get the opportunity to practice again. It is something am interested about and something I am capable of doing”.

According to Neema’s physiotherapist, the tailoring training will help Neema to re-gain her sewing skills and hopefully help her to earn an income. It will empower and strengthen her emotionally, mentally, and physically. Sewing provides an opportunity to rebuild physical strength and this project also provides her with an opportunity to be surrounded by others who are facing similar challenges. 

What is typhoid?

Typhoid is a bacterial disease spread through dirty water and can be life-threatening if not treated. 

The residents of Nyamatongo Ward do not have access to treated water. The only water source is water collected from the lake. With no sewage systems in place, long-drops or open defecation is the norm and is naturally led to the water. Typhoid, and other waterborne diseases are very common in the area.

In fact, diarrhea, which is often caused by typhoid, is the biggest cause of death for children under five.

Can you help Neema and people like her?

Will you give a tax-deductible gift to help Neema and others like her become agents of change in their communities? 

Your gift can pay for training, material and sewing machines to help people with disabilities learn income-generating skills and challenge social stigma.

Changing Lives begins with you. We can’t do it without you.

How a deaf and mute young man learned a trade in 6 months and now supports his mother and 3 siblings.

Today I am going to tell you about Fred and how our Entrepreneur Program has changed his life.

Despite Fred being both deaf and mute from birth, and growing up in a very poor household, he has been determined to learn a trade and become able to provide for his family. 

In this case study I will show you how our Entrepreneur Program makes a real difference for people just like Fred and his family.

Meeting Fred

Fred is a 21-year old young man living in rural Tanzania. Throughout his life Fred has had to rely on his mother for support. Going to school has been particularly hard for Fred as there are not any special education or help available in this poverty-stricken community. Only with the help of his mother he has learned to write and communicate with some simple gestures.

Fred grew up with his single mother and three siblings. It has always been his dream to be able to contribute to the household and to be able to look after his family. Although societies in Tanzania often disregard people with disabilities Fred and his mother never gave up hope.

Reaching Out

Our Outreach Team met Fred and his family on one of their daily rounds in the Nyamatongo Ward where we work. The Outreach Team provide medical healthcare services to people in their own homes for those of the 30,000 residents who are unable to visit our hospital, Kamanga Health Centre. 

Often the team stops and talks to families about life and the problems they are experiencing. They will share knowledge on a variety of healthcare topics such as nutrition, and treatments and services available. Sharing their own stories and speaking to people on a daily basis has made this team a trusted part of our community service.

After meeting Fred and his family our team instantly offered him a spot in our Entrepreneur Program. They couldn’t help but feel Fred’s determination and eagerness to be given a chance to learn a trade and finally give something back to his family and community.

Earning a living

Fred joined our Entrepreneur Program in October 2020 and now 6 months later he is well on his way to opening his own tailoring business. 

The trainer and Fred’s fellow trainees have publicly acknowledged his passion and commitment to the project and his untiring support of others.

With only a limited number of sewing machines available in our program our students must take turns to practice. This means it takes even longer to gain the practical skills needed to finally be able to live independent lives. Fred is now advocating for more support and funding which could allow us to buy more sewing machines so more people with disabilities can join in the future. 

Apart from the practical tailoring skills our program is also teaching the participants simple bookkeeping skills, market research, project planning, and we offer support and help throughout the program.

Living with a disability in Tanzania

In Tanzania, living with a disability has a significant impact on health, education and work possibilities. More than 50% of children suffering from a disability never gets to go to school.

In Tanzania, having a member of the household living with any kind of disability presents a double burden. Just 3% of people with disabilities earn an income from paid employment which means they are extremely vulnerable to abuse and poverty.

This project provides an opportunity for the participants to gain the skills to reach independence and the chance to get a job or to open their own businesses. 

It also demonstrates, both to the people living with a disability themselves and to the community, that a disability is a barrier that can and should be challenged.

It provides people living with a disability with an important and valued role within the society showing they are equal members of their communities.

Tanzania in numbers:

•  There are about 57M people – 68% or nearly 40M people are living in rural areas and most of these are living in poverty. Life expectancy is 65 years.

• In fact, 49% of Tanzanians (26M people) are living on less than $1.90 a day. This is the international definition of severe poverty.

• Most people, 90%, is living on less than $5 a day. That’s about the amount you spent on that take-away coffee earlier today.  
  
  

Can you help people like Fred?

Will you give a tax-deductible gift to help more people like Fred to become agents of change in their communities? 

Your gift can pay for training, material and sewing machines to help people with disabilities learn income-generating skills and challenge social stigma.

FACTZ & ACTz

FACTZ

Seeing poverty on a daily basis cannot but leave an impact. 

Of Tanzania’s 57 million people, 49% (26 million people – the same as Australia’s population) are living on less than $1.90 a day. This is the international definition of severe poverty.

Most Tanzanians, 90% of the population (more than 51 million people), are living on less than $5 a day. 

That’s about the amount you spend on a take-away coffee.

When you are poor, education is an expensive investment. Research shows us that often families chose to focus that investment into one child.

That one child is most often a boy. Since he is the one you have betted on, he is likely to be the one who gets to eat first. This is an important fact as 38% of children under 5 in rural areas are stunted[1] due to malnutrition, prolonged and repeated infections, and untreated worms and parasites. Children, who doesn’t get enough food to grow, and who has to share this scarce nutrition with worms and parasites, are not likely to be able to focus on learning and schoolwork.

More than 90% of Tanzanians rely on ‘unimproved sanitation facilities’. That means no access to a bathroom or a toilet but a hole in the ground or nothing at all. ‘Doing your business’ behind a bush or in a lake is therefore not uncommon. This is the main reason we see continuous infections of worms, parasites and other waterborne diseases such as typhoid. In fact, something as simple as diarrhea is the biggest killer of children under 5.

Tanzania has a law banning teenage girls from continuing education should she fall pregnant. This rule remains also after she has given birth. Teachers will lose their jobs if they are found teaching pregnant girls leading to compulsory pregnancy tests at school. 

Abortion is also illegal and therefore not an option. Even so, 42% of girls aged 15-19 living in poverty have already had a live birth or are currently pregnant.

On top of that, 11,000 Tanzanian mothers die during childbirth every year. That is one woman every 50 minutes.

ACTz

Australia for Cedar Tanzania is creating sustainable positive change for the residents of Nyamatongo Ward.

We built a hospital from scratch. 

We bought the land, we constructed the buildings, we sourced the medical equipment needed and now we run the day-to-day management and quality assurance. 

We service 30,000 residents and tend to over 1,200 patients every month. Every month we vaccinate and give free health checks to 200 children and babies under 5. A baby is born at our hospital every day.

To be able to deliver healthcare to every single person in our area we taught a group of medical professionals to ride off-road motorbikes. Our mobile medical team are focusing on people with disabilities, children and community education.

Through educating and engaging community activists speaking to fellow residents about the benefits of equality and equity we have seen a decrease in violence against women and in new HIV cases in married women.

We teach local members of the community to deliver our youth project. Through soccer we are giving teenagers, both girls and boys, a space where they can discuss subjects like sex, puberty and gender roles freely. At the same time provide education on HIV prevention and offer free voluntary testing.

As I mentioned before, young women who fall pregnant can no longer go to school. They are caught in a poverty trap and often also ostracized by their families. We are providing them with basic skills such as sewing, basic business management and market research. This gives them an opportunity to earn a living and to have a social network in each other.

Actually, “we” didn’t do all of this.

YOU did. YOU made all of this possible. YOU changed lives. YOU built a hospital. YOU are delivering mobile healthcare. YOU are making sure women are safe in their own homes. YOU are teaching teens about HIV/AIDS. YOU are helping young women to support themselves.

YOU can make sure these projects continue and getting many more projects off the ground in 2021.

This is how Changing Lives Begins with You.

---

[1] Stunting is when a child has a low height for their age, usually due to malnutrition, repeated infections, and/or poor social stimulation. The World Health Organization categorizes children who are stunted as those whose height is lower than average for their age, and at least two standard deviations below the WHO’s Child Growth Standards Median. 

The real-world impacts of stunting ripple well beyond linear growth. A stunted child may also have a poorer immune system, brain function, and organ development. Performing below average in these areas may also limit their future productivity and threaten the health of their future children.

Stunting cannot be reversed but can be prevented! 

https://www.concernusa.org/story/what-is-stunting/

Thinking Outside the (Cardboard) Box

When we talk about our community based rehabilitation outreach programme  for people with disabilities, we often mention the provision of Occupational Therapy services alongside medical services.

But what is Occupational Therapy exactly? In the words of our Occupational Therapist, Daniel: “Occupational Therapy is a client-centred approach which is focused on the promotion of the health and well-being through meaningful and purposeful activities that are age and gender appropriate as well as culturally accepted”.

Even in most Western countries, Occupational Therapy is not something that is widely known. Here in Tanzania, where many people don’t even have access to very basic healthcare services, you hardly find a person who has heard of Occupational Therapy let alone is familiar with the practice.

There is only one university in the whole country that offers studies to become an Occupational Therapist and in 2019, Daniel’s graduation year, there were only 30 students.

Apart from the service and its health benefits being rather unknown, another challenge Tanzanian Occupational Therapists struggle with is the procurement of specialised equipment. Not only is it hard to find, but once sourced, it can also be really expensive.

To bridge this gap, Daniel got creative! It is really impressive what you can do with a little cardboard and a utility knife – but see for yourself what he has crafted!

Occupational Therapist Daniel explains below his innovative use of everyday materials to aid patients regain movement.

The Puzzle

The beloved children’s game can function as OT equipment. Daniel is presenting us a puzzle made out of cardboard for his youngest patients. It improves the children’s shape identification and problem-solving skills and further enhances their motor and coordination skills.

The Range of motion Arc

This interesting looking therapeutic equipment uses a bio-mechanical approach. It promotes and improves the range of motion of the patient’s shoulder, elbow, wrist and joint and is used in all cases where the range of motion of the upper extremities is limited, for example due to a stroke, burn or head injury.

Lid Activity

The lids are used to practice and improve grasping skills, hand-eye coordination and range of motion by opening and closing the lid. It is used for all cases in which the patient shows a limited hand function and, with practice, helps them to perform activities of the daily life such as opening and closing windows and doors or – you guessed it – bottles.

In case you got curious and want to see more of the equipment Daniel and the team have crafted, check out how he created a device for mirror therapy .

Act now to support us further.

Thank you.

Who cares, wins!

Katherine Anne Lee, Chris Eskdale and the rest of Swiss group visiting is being greeted by many happy villagers

It’s still dark as the on-the-ground Cedar Tanzania team picks us up from our hotel in Mwanza. It’s been a short night after flying in from Switzerland, but we have been told that it’s worth catching the first ferry from Mwanza to Kamanga. While driving through the empty streets, I try to study the area to get a first impression of where we are. Now and then we pass someone on foot or a motorbike, loaded to the brim with goods or water. Life starts early in the morning in Tanzania. Moments later, I’m whisked into the organised chaos of the port. It’s fascinating, and at the same time epic, and I cannot imagine how anything works at all here. Large buses, puffing black smoke, push their way onto the old ferry. Women with small children tied to their backs, men with ready-to-sell food supplies and we five Swissies wriggle our way through the little space left on the boat for those on foot. The sun slowly rises as the ferry manoeuvres out of the harbour. 

The Ferry transfer from Mwanza to Kamanga

A passing ferry en the route

Lake Victoria and the intake for Cedar Tanzania's water purification system

Mark O'Sullivan speaking to the Swiss visitors about current issues and future plans

We visitors from Switzerland are not alone on the ferry - the Cedar Tanzania team is with us. Together with the Cedar Tanzania team, we are the only Caucasians on the boat, and you can spot from far who has done this before. Standing there open-mouthed, clinging onto my cotton bag and camera, I’m fascinated, and at the same time worried that the ferry could sink. The chaos that could break out between the black-smoke-puffing buses is unimaginable. It truly is a different world. Feeling a little lost and overwhelmed, I find it best to stick to the group and do whatever they do.  

Vivian, Claire, Adam and Dylan from the Cedar Tanzania team are sitting on the back of Mark’s pickup. It seems like a good spot, a little higher up, with some space of my own. We sit together there in the morning and evening, peeling oranges and talking about life, how the team is experiencing Tanzania, their work and what really matters. While sticky orange juice runs down my arm, I can metaphorically see their adventure in front of me and, for a short while, be part of the journey. They are totally dedicated to their work and the journey they are on. They are full of life, and what they are doing is inspirational. I cannot help but wish that I could one day do the same. I look forward to repeating the ferry procedure with them the next day, and to hear more of their tales.  

Arriving at the Kamanga Health Centre, we are given a tour of this tranquil place. They have made a great job of building the medical centre. After passing the gates, you enter a true oasis of peace and care. In a country that is not necessarily familiar with western medicine – in many areas, they work with traditional medicine, and we have to be aware that our way of living isn’t necessarily theirs – this is definitely a good basis on which to build trust. During the tour, we do see that there is definitely more we can do. In my last story about Emanuel’s walk, I talked about Lake Victoria and how the lake’s water is poisoning its surroundings. Kamanga Health Centre is on the lake, and depends on its water. Although water-purifying systems are doing their job, more is needed, and projects to filter the water in ponds are in progress. What amazes me is that the fish of Lake Victoria are moving with the water. The natural cleaning system seems to be a good spot for the fish, and this could maybe become an attractive side-line for the centre one day. Another problem we are made aware of is power. The hospital regularly experiences power-outages. Emergency generators can fill the gap, but this solution isn’t compatible with the aims of low costs and sustainability. Ideally, the centre should be powered by solar energy. I think this is a great project idea, and I truly hope it can be started sooner rather than later.  

Dr. Sian Ashby, Medical Volunteer, shares her knowledge

Katherine Anne Lee and the other Swiss visitors

At Kamanga Health Centre, we get to know Sian and Colinda. They are very talented doctors from the UK and the Netherlands, and I don’t know what the centre would do without them. Our group is allowed to join their training session for local medical staff. I have never done anything like this before, and try my best to keep up with the medical terminology. I actually catch myself wishing I could stick around a little longer and support them in their everyday tasks. It’s really fun to learn and be part of the group. They do an amazing job with their teaching, making Cedar Tanzania’s efforts more lasting, with a sustainable outlook. Day by day, the local medical staff can take over more and more of the centre’s tasks.  

What impresses me most is how devoted and happy the Cedar Tanzania team is. It’s such a great atmosphere and they all give the impression that they have found profound happiness in what they do. I’ve heard the term “who cares, wins” in a financial business context, but I feel this is also true in the case of the Cedar Tanzania team. If you ever get the chance to visit them, I can only motivate you to do so! My big thank-you goes out to the Cedar Tanzania team. Thank you so much for having me, for showing me your world, for inspiring me. You all do a great job! My third story is about you, because you are on my mind, and you did change my view for the better.  

As much as I admire the passion, fearlessness and work of the volunteers on the ground, those back home also help immensely and show passion for good work. I can remember a speech by his holiness the Dalai Lama. He was talking about volunteering to help others. A guest told the Dalai Lama how it makes him feel bad to not be on the ground, helping those in need. He wanted to know if the Dalai Lama would suggest that he should give everything up and travel to a country in need of support. I feel this is a question that bothers many of us. The Dalai Lama reassured his guest by telling him that it would never work out if we were all to give up what we are doing and head out as volunteers. Two kinds of people are necessary in order to keep a healthy system running: those who provide the support on the ground and those who stay home and keep our world working. What is important is that we all do our best, be thoughtful and care, because, ‘who cares, wins’!

By Kathrine Anne Lee
Katherine Anne Lee is a published author with her first novel "From Dust to Dust and a Lifetime in Between"receiving public acclaim.

Habari Kamanga! Hello Kamanga!

My name is Katherine Anne Lee. I live in the beautiful city of Zug in Switzerland and, a few weeks ago, was given the unique opportunity to visit the Kamanga Health Centre in Tanzania, which was opened by Cedar Tanzania one year ago. My friends and family back home have been very excited to hear about my latest Africa journey, in which I saw many things, some beautiful and some hard to grasp, even painful. They are all stories about everyday life in Tanzania and the wonderful work the Cedar Tanzania team is doing. I’d like to share my first story about my visit to Peruzi, and maybe I can share some more later on. I hope you will enjoy reading this, and see how your support for the project matters.

Peruzi’s light

It’s only a short drive from the Health Centre in Kamanga to a small village nearby. Clay huts line the busy, graveled street. It isn’t a classic street as you would imagine in the western world - the main street of Kamanga is along stretch of dusty gravel that connects remote communities. Sooner or later, everything that is making its way from A to B, has to end up on this street, dodging portholes and stray dogs. Overloaded buses, children who walk for miles to go to school, cattle in search of a new grazing spot and locals on their way to the market or maybe the Health Centre, pass by. It’s a bustle you could watch for a while if you wouldn’t become coated in red dust every time a heavy lorry passes by. But we’re not here to observe the street. We are here to visit Peruzi. Jackie and Neema from the Outreach Team project are showing us their work. The Outreach Team is to offering quality health services to those unable to reach any form of medical support.

It’s only a short jump down the bank from the dusty road and we’re standing in front of a tiny mud house with two simple doors. Both are open, but it’s dark and difficult to guess what’s inside. An elderly lady is nervously sweeping the floor outside, and greets Jackie and Neema. She is missing some front teeth but nevertheless has a happy smile, and points us towards one of the small doors. As we come a little closer, I can see an old, weathered mattress on the floor. There are colourful sheets on top of the mattress, all muddled up. And there, in between the colours, I see a face and part of a leg sticking out between the sheets.So small and fragile, as if it were a child lying there. It’s Peruzi, a 40-year-old woman, marked by her heart-breaking past.

Peruzi is challenged with epilepsy. The illness was more under control in her younger years; she lived within the village and even gave birth to a son. In her twenties, her epileptic outbreaks increased to the point where she was no longer in control of her own destiny. Her mother, a small lady, closely interwoven into the local community and swayed by social stigmas, was unable to cope with her daughter’s deteriorating situation. Embarrassed by the local talk that her daughter was afflicted due to the failure of her mother, she thought the only thing she could do was to tie Peruzi to a rope and lock her into a small dark room. There, Peruzi vegetated for a full twelve years on the bare, cold, clay floor, without any form of comfort, light or proper nutrition. It was a pure coincidence that the Outreach Team found Peruzi. The degeneration of her body left the team with no option other than to transfer Peruzi to the nearby hospital. While Peruzi received care, the team patiently educated her mother to correct her misbelief about disabilities being a consequence of personal failure, and persuaded her to share her old - and only - mattress with her daughter.  

Peruzi’s situation left me feeling ashamed, and reluctant to enter the dark room. I didn’t want to disturb her; maybe she would be afraid or feel uncomfortable at having us all looking down at her. On the other hand, I didn’t want to appear rude by not visiting her. While I waited, I deeply wished I could do more for her. A new mattress, some fresh clothes, sanitary material; this would be easy for us to organise. Having so much, but having nothing in my hands to help gives a feeling of powerlessness. Her big brown eyes gazed up as I entered her room. I wished I could comfort her, tell her it will be better now that Jackie and Neema have found her.

A few weeks later, back home, I was happy to hear that the Outreach Team had been able to improve Peruzi’s situation. They brought her a wheelchair, bedding and sanitary material. I can picture Peruzi sitting outside, enjoying some fresh air and finally feeling the sunlight touch her cheeks again after twelve years in the dark. It must be an exciting moment for her to be part of the community again.  

Only a few days later, I received the terrible news that Peruzi has sadly passed away. Her poor health and missing nutrition had taken its toll. Were we too late? Or could we have made a change? While frustration and deep sadness cloud my heart, I decide to light a candle for Peruzi. Gazing at the flame, I whisper to her and thank her for her time. The candle burns all night in our window. In the morning, the flame flickers one more time before turning to smoke and I realise that Peruzi’s story matters. Peruzi’s light has been seen.

By Kathrine Anne Lee
Katherine Anne Lee is a published author with her first novel "From Dust to Dust and a Lifetime in Between"receiving public acclaim.