The Baby Room

The Tanzanian Presidential elections are drawing near. Flags have been flying from cars, travelling around town takes twice as long due to the frequent political rallies, megaphones are everyone’s new favourite method of communication and over 100 new children with albinism have been dropped off in Buhangija.

An interesting development in the election build up this year has been the passing of new legislation restricting criticism of the current government. A desire not have a run in with the Tanzanian authorities has made us cautious to point out what the perceived link between these elections and the increase in abandoned children in Buhangija might be. International press have not had to be so cautious. The Washington Post wrote this article about the current crisis.

The recent surge in numbers in Buhangija has created quite a few challenges. Children arrived quickly over the space of a few weeks with some days bringing 7 or 8 new faces. Stretched bed supply became even more stretched, thin porridge even thinner and in the middle of this chaos were 25 new children under the age of three toddling around completely bewildered. Too small to fend for themselves they went unwashed and sometimes unfed – missing out on food behind the experienced elbows of more savvy children. Abandoned and ignored in a place for the already vulnerable.

Thanks to donations and generous support, a new room has been renovated to make a safe and happy space for these 25 children during the day. Here they have their own toys to play with. They get morning porridge, a snack and lunch. Hands are washed, medicine given, stories read, the most beautiful scribbles drawn. A huge thank you must be given at this stage to Sarah, a friend of ours who lives in our town who works tirelessly in this room training two of the older girls in Buhangija to care for these small ones. Genni and Anna are understandably reluctant at times to sit on the floor and make endless block towers, but we’re getting there. Every day is a challenge as we try to encourage and equip these (sometimes stroppy!) teenagers to care for the smallest ones in their care. For some more photos, click here.

Swahili word of the day: Mtoto Vizuri (good child)

Happy Anniversary

We’ve been in Tanzania for a year. It’s hard to believe and yet it seems like a very long time since we said goodbye to our families at Dublin airport 12 months ago. While we never can claim being ‘from’ Tanzania, it has certainly begun to feel like home. Complaints and annoyances are frequent, but we’re still loving every minute.

Just like at home, every week has its ups and downs, frustrations and delights. Tanzania is one of the most materially poor countries in the world and we can’t escape that. At the moment, driving from Shinyanga to Mwanza, all of the rivers and most of the roadside dams are dry as we all wait expectantly for the impending rainy season. It’s also a country plagued by corruption at every level. That poses its own problems and has been the source of some of our most aggravating moments but you get used to that too.

The home of Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Lake Victoria, Tanzania is one of the most beautiful countries in East Africa. Combine this with Tanzania’s famous hospitality and friendly culture and it’s not hard to love living here. People are always willing to help, the language barrier regularly proving to be no barrier at all. We are fortunate to have met some great people in Shinyanga and it has become our new ‘home town’

Every day brings more lessons and we are constantly learning new things. The importance of boiling eggs on a Friday night to eat during the Saturday ‘black-out’, how to sweet talk a policeman and call their bluff now and again, that you can sweat from places you never thought possible, to make the most out of a beer when it’s cold and that no matter how much you plead Villareal v Viktoria Plzen watched by one old man takes precedence over the rugby world cup.

A lot of the time, life here feels very normal. We have a house, go to work, pay bills, go shopping. Then there are the times when you have to pinch yourself and realise that we’re still far from home!

Swahili word of the day: Mwaka Moja (one year)