'Tis the season to be - sporty

We are delighted that our younger son, Stephen, came to visit us this Christmas. It is his first time to East Africa so it took him a short time to acclimatise. Still, he came prepared, leaving the plane that brought him to Iringa looking like Indiana Jones. 

We had been invited by one of the staff at Neema Crafts, Paulina, for a meal at her house – so we took Stephen. Paulina lives in a small 2 bed room house with her grandmother and her daughter. 

The house had been built by Neema Crafts, with the help of a charity and a 10% contribution from Paulina and so it now belongs to her. To provide a separate bedroom for her grandmother she has divided the lounge into two by constructing a partition wall – so it is now a 3 room house.

Not one to boast about his sporting prowess Stephen joined in with the various games played over the Christmas period.

On Christmas Eve we visited a local dairy farm and held a candle light carol service. No need for thick over coats and scarves here, even at midnight. 

Though there were one or two spectres that turned up.

We had a Christmas tree - though not the traditional sort we might have in Britain. Still, it looked festive especially with the jolly Christmas robin.

On Christmas day and Boxing day we were invited to two farms with a group of friends to share lunch. Clearly someone thought lunch should have been shared more widely.

 

 It may be hot, but it is the rainy season, so games were interrupted by a short but very sharp downpour.

Even though it is Christmas most people continue to work. As we enjoyed a stroll around the farm on Boxing day we met some children picking spinach leaves in a field.

Stephen enjoyed his visit to Iringa. At the end of his stay we are all going on a safari – but more of that another time.

Getting Ready for Christmas

After a busy year the workshop, staff at Neema Crafts get a well earned two week break over Christmas. As its time for a bit of a clear-out there was an auction to sell off surplus and other items. One item was a ‘Beach Bum’ bag which was keenly fought over by the bidders.

The last day of week was dedicated to a staff party and meal. Two staff, Connie and Augustino, were leaving so they were presented with presents and a cake. A custom in Tanzania is that as a sign of respect important people are fed cake. This happens at a wedding when the bride feeds the groom, and on this occasion when Connie feed the Bishop, carefully supervised by Augustino.

Connie is a key member of the deaf football team so the team-mates presented him with a new football shirt. (Does anyone else think that Connie looks a bit like the other football star of the 60’s, Pele?)

It is a busy time for churches. The Christian Fellowship had 2 services – a early evening Carol Service, and one which featured a team of puppets.

Talking of ‘puppets’, the ‘puppies’ of one of the guard dogs are doing well. So much so that their mum was willing to leave them for a few minutes so they could have their photo taken.

Presents, of a sort.

It’s that time of year when that man in red, Father Christmas (or Babu Christmassy), begins his world tour, and this week it was time for him to come to Tanzania. This was a bit of a shock to the old fella as he is used to the temperature at his home at the North Pole. 

Irene came across him when she attended a local craft fair. He certainly attracted a lot of attention with the children, especially when he handed out sweets and presents.

But the older children didn’t want to miss out either – there is no limit when it comes to Santa.

And when the African drums started there was no holding him back.

However, even Babu C is not as groovy as one of our shop staff, Athman. Although he has stunted growth he is a big character that always has a presence enjoying dancing to all kinds of music, even with someone hanging from his back.

At Neema Crafts Athman, as well as all staff, are represented by colleagues on the Democratic Workers Committee. This meets once a month with management (aka Malcolm for the next 4 months) to discuss areas of concern to staff. One of the treats at these meetings are plates of pop-corn.

Near to us is the ‘Gentle Hills Hotel’. Its name creates thoughts of green hills and clear flowing water. For some reason, however, the owner decided to decorate the entrance with a model of a leopard carrying home a dead deer, perhaps as a present to its family.

There was another sort of present this week. Earlier one of our guard dogs, Bella, decided to fine a safe place to give birth in the shelter of some rocks. This week she gave birth to 5 puppies.

We woz robbed!

As a long time follower of Crystal Palace FC Malcolm is used to disappointment.

This week there was a home match for the deaf football team from Neema Crafts. The supporters turned up with great expectation. Some of them even brought their own football, made to a local specification – from plastic bags!

Unfortunately, after a thrilling match, we lost 2-0. The unbiased view of Ally, the teams organiser, is that the loss was the referee’s fault – we woz robbed!

 

However, the fans seemed excited.

One of the attractions in Iringa for both tourists and local people is the Neema Crafts café which serves a range of meals, snacks and drinks. Ally is one of the waiters and, like all the waiters is deaf. Customers write their orders on a pad, or can try Swahili sign language.

Unfortunately  Ally ‘woz robbed’ for a second time this week. Mobile phones are probably one of the most valuable items that most Tanzanians own, where even a modest one costs about a month's salary (£60). They are even more highly prized than in the UK, not only for their cost but also because in East African culture communications and relationships are most important.

One day, during a tea break, a thief stole Ally’s phone from the ceramics workshop where it had been left to charge. However, the thief did not realise we have CCTV. Enquiries continue to see if the phone can be recovered. Although the thief is recognised he may have moved away.

There are a team of people in the Admin office helping prevent Neema Crafts being robbed. One of these is Mariam. Though of stunted growth she is not someone to cross!

Fortunately we are not ‘robbed’ by the scenery here. The Sunset Hotel has a spectacular view over Iringa, and Irene enjoyed sharing this with Zachi, the son of Ben and Katy, the Directors of Neema Crafts.

Football Crazy!

Many of the deaf men at Neema Crafts have formed a football team which go out, with one of the Diocese Priests, to villages for the Sunday Church Service and to play the local team. Last weekend Malcolm decided to travel with them.

The 50 mile journey took about 3 hours. This was partly because of the state of the dirt road, but also included a delay of about half an hour due to the only road to the village being flooded. Although it had not rained much this area is prone to flooding as the rainwater comes off the surrounding hills into the valley. 

 

After many of the team waded into the flood to test the depth and waiting for the water to subside the driver risked driving across the 50 yard gap – leaving Malcolm behind to take the photo, and then to wade across himself. Fortunately there were no crocodiles!

The church was packed, and the sun very hot. For many this meant sitting out in the sun as the church is only partly constructed, not having any roof. Fortunately for us we had the shade of a thatched canopy.

 

During the service one of the team, Ally talked about the work of Neema Crafts in proving how productive and useful to society disabled people can be.

 

After lunch the teams prepared to clash. Malcolm lead a large group of children in cheering for Neema Crafts (which you may think was a waste of time as our team was deaf …..  but the opposition weren’t!!!!). After a hard fought much, including a penalty, Neema won 3 – 1.  Now just a 3 hour journey home!

Following on from last week, window frames have now been put into Julius’s house. Malcolm visited again to meet the family, and to see their old home which is a mud-brick hut.

 

Your're Fired !!! You're Hired.

One of the hottest jobs at Neema Crafts is the ceramics area where there is a kiln for firing pottery and fusing glass for jewellery. This week the kiln was fired up by one of the potters, Maneno. 

The kiln was designed by a visiting specialist and can fire up to 45 mugs at a time. It is designed to run on sawdust bought from the nearby saw mill. The sawdust is placed in a large hopper and fed into the kiln by a series of pipes.

Last week we introduced Agustino who was making hanks of wool ready for dying. This week the hanks were dyed and left out to dry in the same work area as the kiln.

One of our tailors is Julius. He was the first born in his family, but because of his disability of having undeveloped legs he was not regarded as of any value, and hidden away at home. 

As an adult he made some meagre money by sewing sacks by the side of the road. One day, the farmer who owns the farm we visited last week noticed him and offered him a job. Julius’s skills were later recognised by Neema Crafts and he was trained as a tailor. He is now one of the most productive workers here.

One of the schemes of Neema Crafts is to raise funds to build houses for the workers to buy at a discount. With his earnings Julius saved enough money to purchase a plot of land and to make a 5% contribution to the cost of building a house on it. The 2 roomed house has recently been built and is just waiting for doors and windows to be fitted. (Julius will think about installing electricity and water sometime in the future). When we visited last week he was levelling the garden by hand and plans to rebuild the 50 yard track leading to his house, again by hand. Enabling staff to own their own homes is a key step in making them valued members of their communities.

We sometimes think that certain people should be hidden away. In the following video being shot for one of the UK companies who assist Neema Crafts by supplying rolls of felt at cost price, someone makes an un-welcome appearance (taking the photo of Julius above)

You’re fired!

 

Remembrances

Although he thinks he knows a bit about history, and about the battles in the Great War in France, Russia, Turkey etc, Malcolm doesn’t remember that fighting in the 1914-18 war took place in Tanzania. One of the war cemeteries is near Neema Crafts in Iringa. This week the UK’s High Commissioner for Tanzania came as part of a nationwide visit to meet UK citizens living in Tanzania and she held a brief remembrance ceremony to honour those killed in war.

 Later she took the opportunity to visit the workshop with her Vice Consul, to speak with the staff and to find out how their lives have been transformed by having employment. She also went away with a car full of goods bought from our shop!!!! The next best place for retail therapy to Oxford Street.

The week always begins with a service in the chapel led by our chaplain. This is an opportunity for staff to pray for the coming week and for the work of Neema Crafts. It will also be one of Malcolm’s duties to make announcements of what will happen in the coming week – he had better start remembering some Swahili!!!!

Some of the techniques used here are a reminder of the traditional ways of working. There are several weavers using hand machines. Agustino is one of the older disabled workers and he turns cones of natural wall into hanks ready for dying, using a traditional wooden machine turned by hand. These hanks are then used by the weavers to make cloth, or to make table runners on the smaller table top looms.

Miriam (Mim) is a physiotherapist working at Neema Crafts. Because many of the severe physical disabilities in adults are a result of child-hood difficulties not being treated properly she provides care to children in the community. Paulia suffers from cerebral palsy due to a difficult birth which has resulted in weakness in her ankles and left arm. Today she received her new, reused, boots to help her to walk.

There have been opportunities for relaxation. This week was the 2^nd birthday for Alessia (daughter of Ben and Katy Ray, the Directors of Neema Crafts). Fortunately Irene remembered to bring a roll of pre-made icing to decorate the cake.

A regular feature of life here is to visit a local farm on Saturdays to play Volley ball. This farm has been in the same family for generations – and for a moment the farmhouse reminded us of Merrie England.

 Until we saw the scaffolding which certainly doesn’t meet UK Health and Safety standards.