Kenya Dyreparker Moshi Para Bjergene Morogoro Dar es Salaam Zanzibar Til Tanzania forside

Levevilkårene for børnene i Afrika er et alment emne, som vi alle må tage stilling til. Vi kan have forskellige opfattelser af, hvordan vi giver børnene de bedste levevilkår, også i Tanzania. Vi har derfor på turen set forskellige måder at yde ulandsbistand. Vi har set hvordan en privat forening hjælper forældreløse børn, vi har set en vej som Danida har asfalteret, vi har set hvordan kirken hjælper og vi har set hvordan Mellemfolkeligt Samvirker hjælper nu og for 25 år siden.

Målet for fire ugers rejse var at forene studietur med ferie. Målgruppen var var lærere og pædagoger og andre der har med børn gør, og det har vi alle mere eller mindre. 4 havde andet erhverv og to endnu ikke valgt, resten var lærere eller pædagoger. Efter denne tur har lærere og pædagoger fået meget stof med hjem til deres undervisning.

Turen er arrangeret af Birgitte og Anders Brandt i samarbejde med deltagerne. Det har ikke kunnet lade sig gøre uden opbakning fra Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke i Sydjylland og samarbejdspartnere i Kenya og Tanzania: Ally Shikony fra Moshi Izzadin Kabewa fra Usangi, Scantan Tours fra Arusha, Ibis Rejser fra Nairobi, TCDC i Usa River, Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke i Tanzania og Kenya og København.

Der ikke noget andet land der har så meget forskelligt natur at byde på . Vi nåede kun en del, men nok til at være overvældet. Det er enestående at se en løve i frie omgivelser uden gitter eller hegn. Man kan på få dage se utroligt mange forskellige dyr, men det er nok gnuflokkens størrelse der gør en tavs. Deres konstante brøl, små slagsmål, græsset der rives af lige uden for vinduerne på bilen, - ud over det hele.

Midt i Tanzanias øde dyreparker virker SMS på mobiltelefonen, så vores guider kunne hidkalde denne lion online.

Dagsplan for Tanzania Studietur 2005

0. Torsdag 23.06. Danmark – Nairobi. Afg. Billund 1840. Ank. Nairobi 0600.

1. Fredag 24.06. Karen Blixen farm. Bytur på egen hånd. Om MS i Kenya møde med Lotte Grauballe. Overnatte på Kvality Hotel.

2. Lørdag 25.06. Bus fra Nairobi til Arusha. Overnatte på Backpackers Paradise.

3. Søndag 26.06. Tarangire National Park. Overnatte i mobilcamp udenfor parkområdet.

4. Mandag 27.06. Serengeti National Park. Overnatte i mobilcamp ved Seronera.

5. Tirsdag 28.06. Samme.

6. Onsdag 29.06. Ngorongoro Cons. Area. Tur i krateret. Overnatte i mobilcamp på karterkanten. Her kan der være frostvejr.

7. Torsdag 30.06. Besøg hos Iraqw-folket. Til MS' kursuscenter (TCDC) overnatte der.

8. Fredag 1.07. Forelæsning på TCDC om “Political situation in Tanzania now”.

Ved middagstid: Til Arusha National Park, vandretur til Mirakamba Hut inde i Meru krateret. Overnatte i Mirakamba hut.

9. Lørdag 2.07. Hentes I biler så tæt på Mirakamba hut som muligt og tur I parken. Ud ved middagstid. Besøg på Usa River Children Centre. Til Moshi. Overnatte New Castle Hotel.

10. Søndag 3.07. Moshi. Besøge lokal bar med lokal øl. Familien Sabuni og Omari.

11. Mandag 4.07. Moshi: Møde skoledirektøren. Om Chagga-folket Teachers Resource Center. Se historiske steder i byen. Frokost. Se historiske steder i Old Moshi.

12. Tirsdag 5.07. Moshi: Om undervisning i Tanzania. Besøge Mwereni skole og afd. for blinde. Besøge familien Ringo.

13. Onsdag 6.07. Moshi: Ingen program.

14. Torsdag 7.07. Moshi: Lære at lave tanznianske pandekager, chapati.

15. Fredag 8.07. Moshi: Besøge christent center med biogas, kvæg og Montessory Skole. Besøge hospitalets afdeling for fysioterapi.

16. Lørdag 9.07. Formiddag: Bus Moshi- Mwanga-Usangi. Besøge Mwanga Teachers Ressource Centre, derefter til toppen af Pare bjergene. Rundtur i Usangi, som er en frodig landsby, hvorfra man kan se både til Kenya og langt ud over Masaisletten i Tanzania. Besøge privat familie og skole.

17. Søndag 10.07. Bus Usangi-Morogoro

18. Mandag 11.07. Vandretur til Ulungurubjergene. Eftermiddag i Morogoro, bl. a. markedet.

19. Tirsdag 12.07. Besøg i den gamle ANC lejr, hvor mange sydafrikanere boede i apartheid tiden. Stedet blev støttet af MS, og tilhører nu universitetet. Bus Morogoro-Dar es Salaam sidst på dagen.

20.Onsdag13.07. Dar es Salaam. Besøge MS landekontor. Orientering om MS’ arbejde i Tanzania. Besøge kontoret for Teachers Ressource Centre.

21. Torsdag 14.07. Færge Dar es Salaam - Zanzibar. Opleve Stone Town. Overnat på Malindi Guesthouse.

22. Fredag 15.07. Zanzibar Stone Town. Krydderitur

23. Lørdag 16.07. Zanzibar Stone Town. Besøg i Jozani Forrest Reserve på vejen til Paradise Beach Bogalows.

24. Søndag 17.07. Stranden

25. Mandag 18.07. Stranden

26. Tirsdag 19.07. Overnatte på Malindi Guesthouse

27. Onsdag 20.07. Zanzibar-Nairobi-Danmark. Afg. 07.30. Afg. Nairobi 10.15. Ank. Billund kl 21.20.

Dear friends in Tanzania.

First we will say thank you for making our visit to Kenya and Tanzania so fruitful.

We learned more than we expected. We experienced more than planed. We tasted more than our limit would have accepted before. We met people who were more open-minded than we are used to in Denmark.

First we passed Karen Blixen Farm and had a round trip in Nairobi with a short visit to City Marked. It was very tame to sit at the hotel after we had been expecting Lotte Grauballe, director of MS Kenya to tell about the work for poor farmer and their rights to land, and the political reactions. Lotte had to cancel due to meetings in the same issue. Ibis Safari was a great help for the program in Kenya.

In Tanzania the first topic was the nature, which was better than ever. Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Arusha National Park were visited. We saw more wildlife than I have seen before. In Arusha National park we walked in front of the buffaloes to Miriakamba Hut, because the nature is more exiting on two legs than trough a windscreen. It was Scantan Tours who guided us trough this program with enthusiasm and fun.

We visited Usa River Children Center; which is strongly supported by individuals mostly from Denmark, and volunteers from Denmark work at the center.

The visit to TCDC was very nice. It is still a peaceful Danish “folk high school” in Africa. Some of us had lived there for 3 month 25 years ago. We had a very nice lecture on the Tanzanian political history by Joachim Kisanji.

Next was Moshi where we were supposed to have more quiet days and time for “feeling home”, learning a place to know. We had booked 9 rooms at New Castle Hotel. We learn a lot because Ally Shikony was very serious in planning. A lunch break was not only some food, but was turned into a lesson in Tanzanian culture of eating.

Out of plan was our participation in a goodbye ceremony for Alfred Ringo’s brother, who retires from his service as a priest in the KKK church. It is impressing to participate and hear songs and playing music in a church.

Our first topic in Kilimanjaro area must be to taste local beer. We went to the family Sabunis place to taste “mbege”, which is made out of special bananas and finger millet. Theresia Sabuni had prepared a nice tasteful meal with many different dishes. Mr. Omari told about the production of mbege. All took place in a peaceful Sunday afternoon in the middle of the village.

Monday morning some of us, on behalf on the group, met the Municipal Education Officer. We had a small talk on development in education.

Later Rumisha Massam gave us a briefing about Chagga people. Rumisha is a teacher at the school for blind children, and he is blind himself. Rumisha did a long speech without a manus, except of few letters printed with dots. We got a pamphlet on the topic.

Later we went round in town with Estomih Makayara to see historical places. We saw the German gallows and the old German office were now turned into a meeting point for the elder members of CCM. It was a warm meeting. We went to the railway station and saw that trains are reduced in use because the cars go faster.

After the nice lunch at the Teachers Center, we continued with T.R. Lyatuu to Old Moshi to see more historical places from German rule and from beginning of Christian influence. It gave us small sense and a beautiful view of the life at the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Some of us were also “surprised” of driving at the roads at Kilimanjaro. We had an experienced driver from the area.

Tuesday morning started with an informative lecture by Ally Shikony on Education in Tanzania. Also led by a pamphlet. Ally is head of Mawenzi Teachers Resource Center. We went to Mwereni Primary School and were warmly received by Damas Urenge, who with enthusiasm told about what was already done and plans. Damas told that they get more money from the government, and they come from debt relief. The blind school is a unit here, and blind children musically entertained us. The teachers at the blind unit were very eager in their work, so we promised to help with balls with a bell inside.

Our evening meal was taken at the family Alfred Ringo's place. It is always very warm to visit them. We were late because of problems with transport. A car broke down and some taxi’ tried to overcharge us. Therefore our introduction how to grow bananas was a little to short. It has been very dry weather the last two years, so many banana plants had died and Ringo had to plant new in open spaces. The irrigating system could not compensate for the less rain. Alfred and his wife are teachers beside running a small farm.

Next topic was how to make nice “chapati”. At Amina Omarys private place we were all invited to learn to make this special pancake. Angela Kilonzi and others assisted Omary. It was god to try a practical topic.

At Friday we first visit the Christian center Ushirika wa Neema, where we got a detailed introduction to education of Montessori kindergarten teachers. At Usirika wa Neema we also learned about biogas and more. Ward coordinator Benedict Maro escorted us. Nest was a visit to KCMC, the big Christian hospital. We visited the occupational therapy unit. Occupational therapist Peter Masaka told us enthusiastic about the development in the department, which is supported by volunteers from Norway. Peter Masaka is the son of our former housemaid, when we were living in Moshi.

Outside timetable the participants visited the marked, post office, shops for tourist, different restaurants and learned a little about a town in Africa.

Saturday morning the bus arrived and we started our journey to Mwanga, where Izzadin Kabewa received us and first we got an introduction to his Mwanga Teachers resource Center, and later we continued to his home village at the top of Pare Mountains. You have to walk the last 10-15 min to go to his house. His family warmly received us and we got a very nice lunch. Later we had a long walk to the highest point to se far into Kenya and in lake Jipe we could see floating island of water hyacinths, which soon are killing the lake. The villagers received us kindly, and it was not the first time the teacher had a walk round in town with people from Europe. The very nice dinner with many different dishes we enjoyed outside the house at a long table. Izzadin had visited our home in Denmark, and Izzadin had invited us to stay overnight in his house. In the dining room was placed 4 double beds, so the young ones sleeps there. Rest of us shared 3 bedrooms.

Next day we had a long journey to Morogoro. We used the road paid by Danida. We past some traffic accidents and we were lucky to have the patient driver Samuel. We had a nice walk in vicinity of Morogoro to Morning Site, a former German, now left without maintenance. Mogens and Jytte, two of the participants lived in Morogoro from 1980-83. They used this walk as Sunday trip at that time. Now the rain forest is reduced very much, so farmers can grow vegetables at the steep slopes. It is very shortsighted, because the rain will soon make and end of the soil. We were lead by Azizi Matiga who is very engaged in the conservation of the rain forest. The Danish Ornithological Society supports the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania.

It was with special expectations we entered Mazimbu, the former refuge camp for refuges from ANC in South Africa. Now the apartheid is ended and the camp is now under the Sokoine University. We had a warm introduction by the headmaster. It was nice to see that the university could use the facilities in a proper way. It was impressing to see that Danish architects had made plans for 25 years ago, which is very useful for an university. It is seen that Danish Volunteers make a difference.

Then we went to Dar es Salaam, where the main topic was to see how Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke (MS) is working today. Now we have seen different partners and projects, which has been supported by Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke during the past 25 years. We have also seen project supported by government, private donors, churches etc.

Director of MS-Tanzania Finn Petersen started by telling about development of the office buildings, but the participants corrected him because they were here 25 years ago. Two people, a former assistant Carsten and his wife extended the group. Inside Finn continued telling about the program. It has changed radical to a program where partners are in focus, not the volunteer. The participants appreciate the focus on support to local initiatives. Finn is leaving the job, and he is very busy preparing for a new director, who is already living in Dar es Salaam.

We went to see a partner who is supported by MS. We had chosen to see the office to coordinate the work at Teachers Rsource Centre. It has been a hard task for MS and the development worker to build up the office. Chance of staff due to unprofessionally work, had delayed building up routines at the office. It has also been difficult to get in contact with Teachers Resource Centers all over the country. It is very important for teachers resource centers to get central support, and we promised to support the work from Denmark.

It is difficult to find good medium hotels in Dar es Salaam. It was the most expensive one on the tour, and we were bitten in the beds. The managers were kind, but that cannot help the pain.

Next day we left for Zanzibar. First we stayed at Malindi Guest House and we learned Stone Town to know. We had a very serious introduction to the growing and use of spices. We greeted the Red Colubus Monkeys in Jozani Forest on our way to Paradise Beach Bungalows at the east coast, to have some days at white sandy beaches with palm trees.

We ended 4 weeks holiday and study tour in Zanzibar Airport. We were very serious, that all baggage was proper labeled, because 1/3 was missing by arrival, and when we landed in Denmark no baggage at all arrived. Most was delivered to our homes the day after, except for the ones, who few days later should go to Thailand. They got the last suitcase less than 24 ours before departure. It is more reliable to make plans for 4 weeks tour in Tanzania, than to plan for transfer of suitcases in Europe.

Yours

Birgitte and Anders