‘I am not a stranger to the dark,
"Hide away, " they say
“Cause we don't want your broken parts"
I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars
"Run away, " they say
"No one'll love you as you are"’.
( ‘This is me’ from ‘The Greatest Showman’)
One of the difficulties
that poor, developing countries such as Tanzania have is caring for the less abled
members of the community. (This would have been the same in the UK until the 20th century). For poor, struggling families, every
member of the family including children have to work to raise enough food to survive. The birth of a child with a physical disability, or caused as a result of
common childhood disease such as polio, measles or rubella, is a catastrophe here. Such
diseases once feared in the west even a century ago are now rarely a problem in
the UK as a result of health care and vaccination. In countries with limited
and unaffordable health care they are seen as a curse, and families will often
hide the affected person to avoid shame. A disability is seen as preventing
someone contributing to their community and supporting themselves. To
survive the person often has to resort to begging.
It was to help those with
disabilities to earn a living, and to demonstrate to the Community that they
can contribute to society that Ben and Katy Ray came Tanzania to take over the
management of a workshop and café in Iringa employing about 100 adults with
physical or hearing disability. Staff have worked at Neema Crafts for
several years and most now own their own homes, and are now welcomed into shops
when previously they would probably have been rejected. (See our blogs from previous
visits to Tanzania in 2017/18 and 2019 for further information)
About 3 years ago Ben and
Katy and family moved to Arusha to set up a similar charity (SAFI –
Seeing Ability First International) which currently employs about 25 adults and
growing.
The newest ‘business’,
opening just before Christmas, is a café which is mainly staffed by those with
severe hearing problems. All the waiters, cleaners and reception staff are deaf
as are several of the cooks. It offers good quality European style food which
is attractive to middle class Tanzanians, ex-pats and tourists.
Last weekend the school
that Ben and Katy’s children attend held a sports day. The whole family is
extremely athletic (unlike Malcolm!). Ben and Katy both won their respective 'Sprint' Triathlon events (500m swimming, 15km cycling and 5 km running) crossing the
finishing line together. The eldest son, Zaki came third in the age 7-9 team Triathlon
and Alessia second in her team event.
One of the refreshment
stands at the event was operated by SAFI staff, serving large ‘Smash burgers’,
cakes and coffee. Adolf is the café’s cooking teacher, and Gloria and Rahel are
2 of the waiters. The stand was so busy that they didn’t even have time to eat
their own lunches!!
To empasise the need for inclusivity, as part of the School
production the children were taught sign language . They were joined on stage by two of the
waiters from SAFI, Gloria and Laide singing and signing the show’s song ‘This
Is Me’. The chorus is:
‘When the
sharpest words wanna cut me down I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown 'em
out
I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I'm meant to be,
This is Me.
Look out
'cause here I come And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies,
This is Me
There were many comments on how moving the song was.
Finally, as it is Easter the staff of SAFI enjoyed a meal of
their usual rice, beans and spinach but with the addition of half a chicken and
a soda!
Have a great Easter
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