Singidaaaaa

Can you believe I've been here 6 months?  As they say here, the days creep, but the weeks fly; it's so true! I get too overwhelmed with all I could share to actually sit down and write, so I apologize for not blogging sooner.  I figured I have no choice now that I've been with electricity for the past three weeks.  (I GO HOME TOMORROW morning!!)  I could not be happier.  I never thought I would miss my village so much!! 

So what have I been doing these past three months?  I've been working on a Village Situational Analysis, which is similiar to a needs assessment.  I visited every sub-village (my village has 5) to talk with the leaders and villagers, I volunteered and observed at the health clinic, I observed the teachers at both the primary and secondary schools, and I just simply hung out with villagers, to figure out what the needs were in my village. I had almost two meetings a week, ranging from a simple school board meeting, to an entire ward meeting, with all the village officials in my ward. This was all done to better understand what they would like to see as future projects.  What was apparent to me from arrival, was the lack of access to water (but I had to make sure this was also a concern of my village).  I have been catching rain water, and using that for bathing, cooking and washing clothes.  My villagers and neighbors use a dam, which here is called a lambo.  Some sub villages are as far as 4 kilometers, and they walk that in one direction, to fetch water everyday.  During the rain season (which is from October to March) rain water harvesting is simple and efficient.  However, I, like my villagers am concerned about the dry season.  They dig holes underground (similiar to excavation) and wait for the water to rise; I suppose I'll be doing the same once the dam dries.  Needless to say, at some point during my service I'll be working on a water project.  I've been doing a lot of research of best practices/methods, potential NGO's to partner with, and how to network with Water Authorities here in Tanzania/Singida.  Another large issue in my village is food security. Everyone grows corn, sunflower and beans.  Not the most nutritious food, but it's food.  The sunflowers are used to produce sunflower oil, and that's a large income generator (along with onions) for many of the farmers around me.  We can only access tomatoes and mangoes in my village; for everything else we go to town (about 48km) which is difficult for some.  I considered trying to work on bringing a market to my village, but along with the other potential projects, including access to water, I think that one is out of my reach. 

After talking with my advisor here in Peace Corps, we've decided my intial projects won't require money, and will be strictly capacity building, (which is perfect, because that's our purpose here); to facilitate, and help our villages help themselves.  I have started a health club at my secondary school, and we will begin meeting every Monday, next Monday.  I have a counterpart who wrote the application with me, and helped pick the best leaders, who can take what they learn, and teach it to the students at the primary school.  Other potential projects include a tree nursery at my primary school, a sweet potato garden for income generation, and teaching permagardening (first with my health club, and having them teach others).  I also REALLY want to work on HIV/Aids education and address HIV stigma because that is a large ("swept under the table") issue in my village.  STI's and UTI's which indicate people are having unprotected sex, are the second and third most treated illnesses at my health clinic, yet there are ZERO reported cases of HIV/Aids.  Due to lack of privacy (and now lack of a doctor) no one uses our health clinic for these resources, or to be tested.

I also have a Women's Empowerment group who are so EAGER and ready to work with me.  They are the most self efficient and sustainable group I've come across thus far.  The only thing they need from me is facilitation; they are amazing.  They make wonderful pottery from soil in the village over (a WONDERFUL income generating project) and all they need is a venue to sell it.  We are currently working on making charcoal for cooking from paper, harvesting a small shamba (farm) and will be starting a "group bank account" when I return. 

So what's next?  When I return to my village, the plan is to fix my garden so that I have an example once I begin teaching others how to make them.  The chickens ate all of my seeds, so the first step is to build a fence.  I'm not sure I'll be able to plant until the rain season returns due to lack of water.  However,  I have found an NGO based in Arusha that will give packets of seeds of indigenous vegetables here in Tanzania, so seeds are not an issue!  I will start teaching life skills and health education to my health club, and volunteer at the Zahanati (as we no longer have a doctor!).  I also want to plan a regioanl Girls Empowerment Conference (with fellow volunteers in Singida!) for the month of August.  My last goal is to attend a grassroots soccer Zinduka training, which teaches us, and two members of our village techniques to teach HIV/Aids education through soccer.  My next blog will be an update of my WORK!!!, now that I can finally begin.  I'm so excited to return to such a wonderful place, and thankful for all the lettters, packages, and support from home which keep me going!  I promise, the next blog will come quicker than this one!