A Community Mourns

It was with great sadness this week that one of the staff had died. Eda, one of our home-workers, had successfully had a large goitre removed a year ago, had fully recovered and returned to work. However, this single parent, aged 44, died on Wednesday after a short illness. On Friday the workshop closed so that the staff could attend her funeral.

 

In Tanzania, funerals are a community event. Following a service at her home where several hundred friends and family attended Eda returned to her traditional family home, a remote small-holding about 35 miles from Iringa where she was buried in a small family plot.

 

 Despite the distance and the difficulties in getting there about 200 attended the committal service. For the journey about 100 Neema staff crammed onto 3 buses with a total of 90 seats.

One bus broke its suspension on the rough tracks. This meant we all returned on 2 buses – most of us stood!!

For most people there are no formal undertakers to arrange the burial. Other than the officiating priest the task of burying Eda is shared by family and friends. Her coffin was transported to the small-holding on the back of a pick-up truck borrowed from the Diocese.

Hospitality is important and food was provided to the mourners prior to a short service.

The coffin is opened and mourners show theire respect and say goodbye to a friend by viewing Eda for the last time.

 

 

Sadly, as a single parent Eda leaves an 11 year old daughter, Efracia, who will in future be cared for by other members of her family

Friends from work carry her coffin to the grave.

The priest performs the final rites

Mourners helped in filling the grave.

Wreaths were laid and condolences shared

 

Funerals are a time for reflection.

First week 'In Charge'

Last week Ben and Katy left Tanzania for the UK. This meant that Malcolm is left ‘in charge’. However, just to put that in perspective, he is ‘in charge’ of the office (3 staff) whilst Liz and Dom are  ‘in charge’ of the rest of Neema (100 staff).

Before they left Zac and Alessi were able to invite some friends to play on the Tree House that Ben had built in the garden.  (This is probably the best, and most picturesque, Adventure Playground in Iringa).

Malcolm’s final act for Katy was to take her and their 2 children to Iringa Airport on Sunday so they could join Ben in Dar es Salaam for the flight to England. The local flight is a new service by Air Tanzania, and there are still teething problems. The flight was delayed for 3 hours, which meant that Malcolm had to abandon them so that he could return to Neema to receive a delivery of items. Facilities at Iringa Airport are rather basic!!

(Interestingly today the same flight left 4 hours early. Clearly Air Tanzania has an elastic timetable).

Twice a week Malcolm has been joining the staff for lunch rather than use the main café. On these days there is either a meat and rice dish, or beans and rice. Other days there is the local delicacy, Ugali (ground maize) which sits heavy on a pampered western stomach!

After work Malcolm found one of the staff having her hair done by another member of staff on the front of the Neema shop.

'Mexitted' - Malcolm has gone

Malcolm has arrived in Tanzania.

Door to Door, St Neots to Iringa, the journey took just over 50 hours, which isn’t bad for over 5,000 miles and an overnight stop in Dar es Salaam.

The city centre hotel room (Econolodge) was clean and comfortable, fully equipped with a TV. Unfortunately there was no power point to plug it into, but it was a nice thought.

 

On arrival it was time for a meal so Malcolm chose “ ’A’ Tea Room” for his first Tanzanian meal consisting of a meat (probably beef) chop, a potato and meat burger and coke – cost about £2.80. 

As the temperature was 35 deg C it was a good time for a coffee and vanilla ice cream cone. The shop assistant apologised that it cost about 5,000 tanzanian shillings (about £1.65). No problem, the UK price would be twice that.

The 11 hour journey from Dar es Salaam to Iringa was by coach.

Even though his first day in Iringa was a bank holiday (Union Day) Malcolm was soon at work at Neema Crafts

How Neema Crafts changes lives

This week we share some of the stories of staff here.

 

Eliza was one of the first staff at Neema in 2003, making paper from Elephant dung. She says: ‘ I am really happy to work at Neema  and cannot think of any place I would rather be. I have food, an income and joy here. Before Neema became known in Iringa, hearing people would ignore me because I was deaf, but now they know I work at Neema Crafts they communicate with me and are happy to be seen with me. I am part of the community where I live and have friends and a family here. Working at Neema has given me experience I could never have had if it was not here. God has helped me in the past  and I pray that He will continue to help me in the future.’

 

Benjamin is well educated with a qualification in Commerce. Yet, as a disabled person as a result of polio he was unable to get work, so he spent 14 years at his parent’s home repairing shoes for little money. He is now our Weaving Manager. He says: ‘Now I can afford daily needs and send my children to school. In Iringa people respect us and see our talents. They thought we could do nothing and could not be employed but this attitude is changing slowly. I love the work I do.’

Fatuma was a normal girl until she became deaf at 9. She started business as a tailor but because she could not hear, customers went elsewhere because they thought she could not communicate. She says: ’At Neema Crafts it is great, because I am amongst other deaf people and I like working in a group with friends. Neema has not only helped me financially but also spiritually. We do bible studies every week and one time the pastor of my local church invited me to come and visit. From then I started going to church and really enjoyed it. People sign there, and I can understand the talks and the Bible. I got married as a Muslim. I continue to go to church and believe it and my faith is as a Christian.'  

Match of the Day!

This week Malcolm went Neema's Deaf Football Team for a match at the school where many of our deaf staff were taught. Ally, who is popular with the current pupils, showed Malcolm around.

He met with the pupils who now use the small dormitory he used to sleep in.



Although some of the buildings are in good condition, some are closed because of subsidence as the school in built on marshy land. The classes are, by Tanzanian standards, small with about 10 in each class comparedwith the usual 60 to 80.

Pupils collect water for the kitchen at a pump about 100 yards from the school.

There is an outdoor oven that uses firewood.

Some other staff from Neema came to cheer on the team, including one of our deaf waiters. William was also a former pupil at the school.

The football match was closely fought. Neema were 1 nil down at half time

After a pep talk by the coach, Neema came back with 2 goals in one minute eventually winning 3 - 2.

In the end, bad light stopped play

The Cat Lady Returns – and other shocking developments

A few weeks ago we reported Irene’s once-in-a lifetime experience when a cat gave birth on her lap. 

And it has happened again (that’s twice in a lifetime).

The house cat has been pregnant and this week lay down on Irene’s lap. After a few minutes she started to strain and before long gave birth to the first of 4 kittens. I think we have found a new career for Irene as a birthing partner – but maybe it only works with cats!!

 

 In previous year’s we have talked about some of the eccentric electrical arrangements to be found in East Africa. Malcolm’s problem is he is too accustomed to the safety standards in Britain.

This week there was an electrical supply problem and one of our large carpentry machines was not working. When Malcolm inspected the plug there was what seemed to be a normal 13 amp fuse. Closer inspection revealed that the fuse was blown, and underneath was a spiral of wire. 

It seems that fuses are unnecessary parts of electrical equipment. Malcolm did try to buy spare fuses from a local electrical shop and the best hardware store in Iringa, but failed. Why use a fuse when a bit of wire will do?

 

To be fair plug fuses are a British ‘thing’ – 2 pin continental and American plugs do not use them. However, what was more worrying was that the main fuse protecting the building had also been replaced by a piece of copper wire. This is the large 100 amp fuse that in UK houses is sealed and should only be opened by someone from the electricity supplier.  This fuse is the last defence against a major electrical short circuit – or would be if it is in place.

But then, electrical problems don’t happen in Tanzania………………..

The final 'shocking' report is Malcolm's latest culinary disaster. You would think even he could manage to use an automatic bread maker. And yes, it tasted as bad as it looks!!