Week 2 Highlights!

I can't believe I have only been here for 2 weeks! Chris and I have already done and learned so much!
On Tuesday I finally learned how to make the ever so popular chapattis that the Mtoni school kids can’t seem to get enough of. Mama Elizabeth gave me a short lesson mainly on how to knead, shape, and roll the dough, then I passed them over to mama Sabina to fry. After doing this for a couple hours, Stanley (translator) stopped by and took me inside Mtoni School to meet with the assistant headmaster. Clarke Road Secondary School (in London Ontario) has established a twinning project with Mtoni. They have raised funds for supplies and provide an opportunity for learning between the students in each country. After waiting for over an hour, I told Stanley it would be fine if I just spoke with a teacher as I mainly wanted to set up a time for Chris and I to visit and take some pictures and possibly a video to bring back to Canada to show Clarke Road Secondary. The teacher was so nice and we have arranged to meet next week! I’m excited to learn more about the differences/similarities between the two school systems.

Market

            Chris had his first experience going to the Market with the Mamas to sell their yoghurt! He left around 12:00 noon and didn’t return back to the apartment until 6:00pm. His first words when he came in: “They work freaking hard!!” He is so right, I can’t believe these women, although I’ve only been here two weeks they’ve completely blown my mind! Chris had a very positive experience and I was happy to hear that they completely sold out! Looks like Chris doesn’t need to find a gym anymore, as all that lifting and walking is more than enough!

            On Wednesday I went on a little adventure with Mama Joyce to Bwiru which is where the Forever Angels orphanage is located.  We dropped off 6L of yoghurt for the children. A visit to Forever Angels is definitely on my to-do list while I am in Mwanza and Missy and I are planning to go for a more extended period.

Forever Angels Orphanage

Mission Statement

We aim to promote general charitable purposes for the benefit of the community of Tanzania in order to address and alleviate social and economic disadvantage to impoverished and HIV positive families and orphaned or abandoned children.

The first project was the building of a Baby Home in Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria in Tanzania. This Baby Home provides a stable, loving home for up to 50 orphaned and abandoned babies and infants from 0 to 5 years, who are severely disadvantaged. It is staffed by trained and dedicated Tanzanian carers and trainees and provides nutrition, love, health care, physical and emotional support until the child is either fostered, adopted or reunited with their family.

There are thousands of orphaned and abandoned children in Africa, often due to AIDS. In Tanzania, about 10% of the population carries the HIV virus. As a result of this, many babies and young children lose their mothers whilst still nursing. Other parents are simply too sick or too poor to care for their children. Traditionally, their extended family would help support these vulnerable children, but with the AIDS epidemic effectively stripping away this support network, more and more of these babies are remaining in families that are simply unable to care for them and so they often die from starvation or disease. Others are abandoned or left in Government hospitals to die alone.

            That evening we attended a fundraising dinner for the street kids program which is run by a couple of Missy’s friends. Once a month they have a special themed all you can eat buffet dinner for 10,000tsh (around $10.00CDN) with all proceeds going to help their program. This one was Italian and it was so delicious! There was bread, salad, lasagna, and pasta – finally some familiar food! It was a great evening filled with great people and food!

            On Thursday Chris and I had an extremely long, busy, but very productive day! We left the apartment at 11:00am and didn’t return until 8:00pm. Our first stop was NIMR (National Institute of Medical Research) where we were met with Dr. John Changalucha (Director of the Medical Research Centre). We introduced ourselves as the new western heads east interns and our reasons for being here. This was also our first time being in an air conditioned area since we arrived in Mwanza and as much as I love the heat, I admit it did feel refreshing after a long walk! We were then taken up to the lab where we spoke with Edita who is mainly responsible for preparing the probiotic culture for the mamas to pick up. After speaking with her, we quickly learned that there seems to be some miscommunication between what the mamas are telling us, and what the lab techs reported. The mamas are saying that the probiotics are never ready when they come to pick them up, whereas the lab techs say the mamas have stopped coming.

We received a tour of the lab and although they have all the necessary supplies to prepare the probiotic bacteria, the resources they have are much less in comparison to the conditions I worked in at in the Lawson Health Research Institute at University Hospital prior to coming here. The good news is they are fully equipped to prepare the probiotics so we got Edita’s phone number which we will give to the mamas so they can call her when they are coming and thus, the probiotics can be ready!

Our next stop was the land office (which is actually veterinary services) and is fortunately located almost right next to NIMR. A guard of some sort let us into the area where we were faced with about 10 white building/offices that all looked identical. The area was completely deserted so we were a little confused about what to do. Luckily we soon heard some voices so gravitated in that direction. We spoke with a couple of men and Chris explained who we were and why we were here. They seemed very interested in hearing more from us, and told us to come back in an hour or so after one of the men dealt with a cow.

So, we decided to use our time effectively and head over to Kivulini where I wanted to speak to Maimuna (director). When we got there, Maimuna was involved with a workshop but told me to wait and would then be happy to speak with me. After waiting for about 1 hour, she invited us to join in with the lunch they had prepared for all the people attending the workshop which was a pleasant surprise! Following our meal of rice, fish, and cabbage she introduced me to the mamas working for the ChemChemi project that I am interested in volunteering for! ChemChemi is an NGO that works under Kivulini. The program focuses mainly on health and nutrition issues for malnourished children under five. They visit different regions in Mwanza 3 times per week and provide demonstrations for the communities on how to cook porridge using a mixture of millet, rice, peanut, maize, and soy flours. Weekly supplies are then allotted to each family so they can prepare the porridge for their children at home. They also track the children’s growth and weight on charts. I arranged to go with them this coming Thursday, so stay tuned for an update about my experience!

By now it was nearly 4:00pm, so we went back over to the veterinarian office in hopes that the man was still there. Luckily, after speaking with a few other people we were able to find him and had a good meeting regarding the issues the mamas are having with the piece of land they own. He seemed very willing to check up on their cows and help the mamas maximize the profitability of their land.

After all this we picked up Missy from Kivulini and started walking home. On our way, we stopped by a shop where some of Missy’s local friends work and chatted with them for a while. This then turned into a trip to Isamilo Lodge (richer area in Tanzania) which, despite the car running out of gas on the way, turned into a wonderful evening and a beautiful view of the sunset over Lake Victoria! We had such an adventurous productive day!

Interesting Facts about African Life

1.      Shopping

-          There are tons and tons of vendors set up all along the streets selling, shoes, clothing, electronics, tools, stationary, etc. They are all crammed into small closet like spaces. I have noticed that there are thousands of shoes (mainly sandals/flip flops) being sold everywhere; I don’t think I have ever seen so many shoes in my life! The other day I got a pair of Roxy sandals for 2000tsh, which is less than $2.00 CDN!! Apparently bags of used shoes arrive from the U.S, Canada, and Europe and come here to be revamped

-          Shops are also places for socializing. Most have some sort of wooden chair or stool out front where people will stop to chat with the store owner or people passing by.

-          This week I also experienced the fresh produce market where Missy and I set off to buy loads of fruits and vegetables. There are multiple vendors selling the same things, but some are nicer looking or have cheaper prices. The market was packed, and as soon as you show a slight interest in something the sellers will not let up on trying to persuade you to buy the item! We picked up carrots, avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, mangoes, garlic, onions, bananas, and peppers all for under 10 bucks! The exotic fruits like passion fruit, mango and avocado that would be very expensive back home are especially cheap!

-          There are also more westernized grocery stores but they are extremely expensive. For example cereal is about $9.00 CDN and olive oil is $10.00 CDN! As a result I think I will try and stick to the African ways of shopping until my “western food” cravings set in!  

2.      Bartering

-          The other day Margaret took me to the market to buy some new sandals and a skirt. She is such a tough lady and I wouldn’t want to mess with her! I saw a pair of sandals I liked which were first offered to me for 14,000tsh. After Margaret conversed back in forth in Swahili with the seller for a while she was able to get them down to 7000tsh! I am learning that nothing really has a priced attached to it. It’s really up to the buyer to negotiate a price with the seller, and this all depends on your bartering skills

-          This rule also applies when taking a cab. It is important to always ask the cab driver beforehand how much it will cost, because white people are always charged more than locals. It’s important that you know the correct price before hand so you can barter down to it. This is much different from Canada where the price is decided at the end of your ride.

** Pictures coming soon!

Dala Dala/Igoma

            On Sunday Margaret came over and invited Chris and I to her house (nyumbani). We were planning on having a nice relaxing day at the apartment, but were pleasantly surprised with her invitation. This was a really eye-opening experience and something I will remember forever. To begin, Chris and I experienced our first Dala dala ride. For those who are wondering a dala dala is a large van that transports people like a bus to various locations. They are essentially the “Tanzanian Buses” and the cost is equivalent to only about 25₵ CDN! However, it is definitely not the most comfortable or enjoyable experience to say the least. It can sit about 16 people, but this doesn’t mean there can be over 20 people crammed in, with the occasional random baby on your lap or butt in your face! There is also an overwhelming stench (mainly body odour), although it did remind me of the smell of my sisters soccer bag, so it was nice to experience some familiarity from home! I’m still trying to get a handle on how exactly they work and how you know which one to get on, but basically when you want to get off you shout out “stop” or “hapa!” (Here). It was definitely not the smoothest ride, and there were times I thought it might break down, but it gets you where you need to go at a low cost! I used to think the LTC bus system was bad, but after riding in a dala dala I doubt I will ever complain about it again!

            The ride to Igoma (the region Margaret lives) was about 15 minutes away from our apartment. I was so glad to arrive, but didn’t realize we would be walking for another 25 minutes. Margaret first took us to her mother’s home where we found her seated outside a tiny one room shack. She was incredibly excited to meet us and so welcoming! The look on Margaret’s face when we arrived was one of pure joy and almost brought tears to my eyes. After visiting her Mother, we went to Margaret’s home where she lives with her daughter Lola. Again, their home consisted of just two small rooms, with a few pots, two stools, and a small table. They have no electricity or running water, yet Margaret seems so proud of what she has and was grinning from ear to ear the entire time! This experience really made me think of how fortunate I am to have all I do back in Canada, and even here at the apartment. I feel a bit guilty having complained about cold showers and the sporadic power outages, when in reality many people don’t even have running water.

            Overall, this was a really unique experience and I am so glad I got to see another area of Mwanza. The people there (in Igoma and in most parts of Mwanza) have next to nothing yet everyone is happy and friendly, and seem to just live in the moment and enjoy the little they do have. This is something I suggest we all think about when we stress about bills, deadlines, grades, etc. Although we do have poverty, disease, and malnutrition in North America, here you see so much of it everywhere you turn.  

Monday January 24^th

            On Monday Chris and I had a very eventful day! We had an early start beginning with our hike to Mtoni Secondary School to make learn how to make Chappatis! It turned out that they didn’t need both of us there, so I went to the kitchen and helped Mama Elizabeth open the kitchen and get things set up for the days yoghurt and milk production! I was able to observe and help with all the processes so I think I’m getting a good handle on all the steps involved.

            After a couple hours we headed back to the apartment, where Margaret was awaiting my return to take me to pick up my skirt and bag from the tailors (I had two different styles of skirts and a bag made with one piece of material!). After this we bravely ventured into the main market to pick up some fish (samaki). This was a bit of nerve racking experience! First of all it was absolutely packed with people, I couldn’t see one step in front of me so I just held on to Margaret and my purse with dear life and hoped for the best! A lot of people were yelling things at me (Mzungo) and pointing but I’m starting to get used to it.

            After this, Chris and I went back to the kitchen to have our first meeting with the mamas! Surprisingly, we only started ½ an hour late and our translator showed up on time (very rare).  We learned a lot of information from the mamas and have a better handle on our tasks for the coming week. Before the meeting the mamas had prepared a mound of ugali and fish and we all sat together on the floor to enjoy the food! They were so impressed with how much I ate and said Tanzanian food will make me strong so “kula kula” (“eat eat”)!

Results of meeting/action plan

-          Problem: NIMR (national institute of medical research) not consistently having probiotics ready when mamas go to pick them up

-          Plan: Chris and I will visit NIMR and talk with the people responsible for culturing probiotics and see what the issues are

-          Need: Probiotics education

-          Plan: Prepare a presentation on probiotics including what they are, their health    benefits and suitability for everyone!

-           This week Chris will go to the market with the mamas and help/observe and see if there are ways to improve, and also look at their profit margins for both the Chapattis and  yoghurt

-          Find out if the Starehe Orphanage School is still open and if so seek opportunity to sell yoghurt here

Interesting Fact

Time

-     People tell time very differently here, and I still can’t get my head around it. In the Swahili culture the day starts at sunrise (in the Arab world the day starts at sunset and in the Western World the day starts at midnight). Sunrise in East Africa being exactly at the equator, happens at approximately 6:00am. For this reason 6:00am is like 12:00am in Canada. So essentially, Swahili time is delayed by 6 hours. Therefore 7:00am is “1:00 morning”

-      I was really confused at first when I asked one of the mamas what time they start making the Chapattis in the morning. She said 2:00am! I was shocked but then soon realized this actually means 8:00am. This is something I have to be very cautious about when arranging meetings so everyone knows what time to arrive.

-     Note also that the Swahili time doesn't use "noon" as the reference as in a.m. (before noon) and p.m. (after noon). The time is spoken using  "alfajiri" which is the early morning time during which the morning light has started to shine but the sun has not risen yet; "asubuhi" which is the morning time between sunrise and a little before noon; "mchana" which is from around noon to around 3:00 p.m.; "alasiri" which is from around 3:00 p.m. to sunset;  "jioni" which is the entire time period from around 3:00 p.m. up to a little before 7:00 p.m.; and  "usiku" which is the entire time period from around 7:00 p.m. to early morning.

Settling in

I am now starting to shake the jetlag after our long tiresome journey! Missy and Dane have been amazing hosts and have taken us around town for tours while pointing out some good shops (duka) and places to eat. I also had the privilege of being at the opening of the first coffee shop EVER in Mwanza! Apparently this is a huge deal to the people, and it was pretty cool to be there on the opening day. This is so different from Canada where there is essentially a Tim Horton’s located on every street corner. The new Coffee shop is located in the more upscale end of town and the atmosphere was so relaxing and beautiful, we must have spent at least two hours there, and I’m sure it won’t be long before we return.

Mountain Dew takes over Mwanza!

Another premier I am fortunate to witness is the arrival of Mountain Dew in Mwanza for the first time! This is a very big deal, and it is being advertised everywhere!

                                                   First Coffee Shop in Mwanza!

                                                           Making Chappatis

                                          Me and Jamie (named after previous intern Jamie Hemsworth)

Kivulini Tour

This week we toured Kivulini Women’s Rights Organization with Missy who now works there. We got a chance to meet the director (Maimuna) who is very nice! Unfortunately most people were not there because they thought Tuesday was the “real” day back, I guess Monday was the “prepare” to come back to work day.

Missy told us about the Research she is doing at Kivulini. She works in the advocacy department doing proposal editing/writing. She just finished creating a handbook for community leaders on how to respond to domestic violence. Right now she is doing research on domestic violence and maternal morbidity and mortality, as well as sexual violence against children. She said she absolutely loves the work she is doing, but sometimes the stories she hears can be very horrific. Kivulini is such a great organization and I’m so glad Mwanza has something like this.
Luchalele

After our tour of Kivulini, Maimuna took us to Luchalele which is a lake region about 20 minutes from Kivulini. We met with a lady who is currently managing a large farm all on her own! It was really quite inspiring, she works so hard. She has about 300 chickens, 3 turkeys, 3 ducks, 5-10 roosters, 20 rabbits, 15 baby rabbits, and 10 other unidentified birds. The farm is located on about 1 ½ acres of land in a beautiful area located right on Lake Victoria. Maimuna spoke to the lady (Sarah) and told her all about the Yoghurt Mamas. Currently, the mamas own a piece of land, but it is not being managed well and they are losing money from it. We think Sarah may have some useful tips for the Mamas regarding how to profit, including which feed/crops she uses, and how they can use their man power effectively. After this we watched a beautiful sunset over Lake Victoria, a perfect end to an eventful day!

Interesting Fact: Chris has a huge fear of chickens and we were in a pen of about 300 chickens! I’m so proud of him, talk about facing your fears!

                                                                   Sunset

Major Adjustments/Observations

I have now officially been in Tanzania for a week and already I have noticed many differences from Canada that will undoubtedly take some getting used to.

1.      Water

-          You cannot drink any water from the tap. It has not been purified and can contain various amoebas/worms which could make you extremely sick. It’s amazing how much we rely on water, and I have already found myself running back to get my bottled water before brushing my teeth. It’s the simple things like this that we are so fortunate to have in Canada. I know many people here are not as cautious and brush their teeth and wash their fruits in vegetables with tap water, but their systems are used to this, and I definitely don’t want to take any chances.

2.      Showers

-          Luckily it is safe to shower in this water; however it is freezing cold! This is a BIG change for me and is not easy! I think the first time I showered it was the fastest one I have ever taken. Nevertheless, I realize I should be fortunate that we have running water because for many people in Tanzania this is a luxury.

3.      Prices

-          I’m still trying to get a handle on how much things actually cost. The currency they use here is Tanzanian Shillings (TSH) and $1.00 Canadian dollar, is equal to about $1000 TSH. It’s quite weird when you look at the menu and you see that a meal costs 6000 TSH, but in reality this is actually less than $6.00 CDN which is quite cheap! It is also very rare to tip in restaurants and no one ever expects it. However, a large group of us went out to dinner and there was only one waitress working and the whole restaurant was very busy. She did such a great job so we gave her a tip and she was so happy!! Before buying something I always ask Missy how much I should expect to pay, because foreigners are always charged higher prices. So I’m working on my bartering skills (Punguza bei = lower the price).

4.      Language

-          You can never spend too long exchanging greetings in East Africa! They vary depending on whether you’re speaking to one person or several, or to an older or younger person. People often spend a few minutes with their hands clasped, catching up on all the latest news. You are expected to shake hands often, and always using your right hand. If your right hand is full or dirty, you are supposed to offer your wrist instead. When greetings elders you say “Shikamoo” to be respectful and then they say “Marahaba.” There are so many greetings that all essentially mean the same thing, and I am still learning new ones every day. It is so amusing to walk by the children. They learn a few basic English things in school, and whenever they see a “Mzungu” (Foreign white person) they will sometimes say “I am fine”, “Teacher” (because many assume all white people are teachers), “give a me money” (because they assume white people are rich), or “good morning” even when it is the late afternoon.

Common Greetings:

Jambo – Hello
Habari? – Hello/How are you?

Mambo (Vipi) – How are things?

Shikamoo – Hello said to an elder

“Shikamoo” is a respectful way to say hello to elders or people of prominent position. In the English language there is no distinct word to signify that, which just shows how important introductions and greeting are taken in Tanzania.

-          Just making an attempt to say a few things in Swahili results in a lot of respect from the people here, so I am making an effort to smile at everyone and say “Mambo! Habari!” (Hi, How are you?). You can reply to almost any greeting using nzuri (good), salama or safi (fine). If things are really good, you can add sana (very), or kabisa (totally).

5.  Driving Conditions

-          First of all, the driver’s seat is on the opposite side as in Canada and people drive on the left side of the road or at least they are supposed to. In my opinion, there doesn’t seem to be any rules of the road, the lanes are not marked and drivers are constantly weaving in and out. The driving conditions are pretty horrific! As a pedestrian, you are risking your life every time you go into town. Cars, Taxi’s, Dala Dalas, and Pikipikis (motorcycles) are constantly honking their horns which basically means “move” because they will not slow down! Even being on the sidewalk does not ensure complete safety as vehicles will drive up on to the curb to maneuver around people or objects. In my opinion, if you are going to get injured in Mwanza, it will be from a motor vehicle!

The Project
Today Chris and I made some good progress! While I was at the Kitchen, Mama Joyce's son Stanley was there and he was helping me with my Swahili. I mentioned to him that I was looking for a translator to assist me with communicating to them because they don't speak English. He said he would be happy to help us! He is currently in College and his English seems pretty good. Next week I will follow up with him and arrange our first meeting with the Mamas!!!

Mtoni Secondary School
This week I was able to go to Mtoni Secondary School with the Mamas a couple times. This is where they run a breakfast program every weekday morning. Every morning the women go to the school around 7 or 8 to cook about 200 chappatis and 200 mandaziis as well as chai for the high school students. They sell the food and tea at a low cost to make sure that the students all have access to an affordable breakfast. Since the ingredients in the food are inexpensive the Mamas actually make a profit off of the program as well and it benefits everyone. The school kids really seem to love what the Mamas provide and the sales are great! Next they are going to teach me how to make them! :)

                                       Serving Chappatis!

My first taste of Fiti!

                                                           Meet and Greet with the Mamas

The AIDS epidemic in Tanzania

Western Heads East chose Mwanza, Tanzania as its initial start-up site for probiotic yoghurt kitchens as it illustrates the devastation of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Around 1.2 million people aged 15 and over (just over 5% of the adult population), are living with HIV in Tanzania. An estimated 100,000 Tanzanians were newly infected with HIV in 2009, which is around 275 new cases every day.

Women/Girls particular vulnerable

Women in Tanzania are particularly affected by HIV and AIDS. In 2008, 60% of the people living with HIV were women. In women between the ages of 15-24, this figure rises to 75%

"Across the globe, women, particularly young women, are not in a position to abstain. They are not in a position to demand faithfulness of their partners…women are unwilling to even raise the issue for fear of rejection or physical assault. A woman who is a victim of violence or the fear of violence is not going to negotiate anything, let alone fidelity or condom use. Her main objective is to get through the day without being beaten up” (African Renewal, 2004). “I have a child and when I go with a man like him, he can give me something to buy milk for the child.”Aisha, a young woman at a party in the Mkinga district.

In addition to the physical impact that HIV/AIDS has, women also take on the sole responsibility of caring for their children and households. This disease can leave family members and orphaned children to deal with ostracism and a vicious cycle of poverty and disease.

HIV/AIDS related stigma

“At home my mother and myself have tested and been found positive. She has told me not even to tell my relatives; not even my own sister because she is afraid I will be stigmatised” - A young girl from Tanzania.

Unfortunately, stigma towards those with HIV/AIDS remains high and has become a significant barrier to treatment and prevention in the developing world.

Discrimination leads to an unwillingness to take an HIV test and to disclose results to family, friends or sexual partners. Stigma, specifically fear of abandonment, job or property loss and violence were reasons for this delay. Such fear increases the chance that HIV will be transmitted to a partner, that preventative behaviour will be avoided and that uptake of treatment will be delayed.

A woman who discloses her HIV status may be stigmatized and rejected by her family. In most cases, women are the first in the family to be diagnosed with HIV and may be accused of being the source of it in the family.

Reducing stigma and discrimination goes hand-in-hand with providing help to HIV-affected households. Stigma sometimes causes shame or fear of ostracism, and deters household members from seeking and receiving community-based assistance. Stigma and the beliefs that it can perpetuate (such as an HIV positive person has been cursed by witchcraft) can lead to reduced motivation to seek treatment. “Pervasive stigma remains the most formidable barrier” to taking up free antiretroviral treatment in rural areas.

Kivulini Women’s Rights Organization

Kivulini is a registered NGO grassroots community based in Mwanza, Tanzania. It was founded in 1999 by a group of Tanzanian women who could not sit back and watch the violence against women and girls taking place in their communities. Kivulini strives to tackle the root cause of domestic violence by working closely with community members and leaders to change attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate violence against women. The organization’s vision of creating violence free communities is linked with women’s economic empowerment to reduce dependency and contribute to family income. When a women is aware of her rights in the community and is economically independent she improves both her health and socioeconomic position, as well as contributes more fully to the development of the community as a whole.  The University of Western Ontario collaborated with Kivulini to design the probiotic yoghurt project that has started providing a new source of income for women in Mwanza as well as contributing to the overall health of children and adults.

Tukwamunae Women’s Group (TWG)

Tukwamunae means “women working together to alleviate poverty” in Swahili. TWG is a registered NGO that consists of 10 female women who work together at a community kitchen (Jiko La Jamii) in Mabatini district which is just outside the Mwanza city centre. They act as the main producers of the FITI probiotic yoghurt. Since WHE’s inception, they have learned to make the yoghurt and continue to develop with the assistance of WHE interns. The production and sales of the probiotic yoghurt provides these women with a source of income resulting in the economic empowerment of the women’s group itself. Another portion of the probiotic yoghurt is distributed six days per week, free of charge to 125 local community members who are living with HIV/AIDS.

Summary of my Goals

Mwanza Tanzania

1.    Yoghurt production and distribution

-          Ensure good quality control measures are being implemented consistently

throughout the process of yogurt production and distribution. (i.e opening and closing procedures, sanitation, temperatures, safe food handling, etc.)

2.    Consistent High Quality Yoghurt

-       Smooth yogurt means the probiotics are distributed throughout and therefore the yogurt offers more health benefits

3.    Education

-       Provide women’s groups with education about the health benefits of probiotics, assess AIDS related stigma, work with the mamas to develop a public education plan that they can use to educate the community

4.    Ensure Meetings are held weekly

-       Structure meetings to be more action oriented and explore the desire for a mama as a leader for each key area of the program

¨      quality control, production/sales, bookkeeping accounting, human resources

5.    I hope to visit the other 5 kitchens in Mwanza (Mahina, Igombe, Kivulini, Buswela, Baraki sisters) with Esther or one of the Mamas

-       Evaluate quality control procedures currently in place, assess areas for improvement, develop a plan for yoghurt to become probiotic asap

Meet and Greet with the Yoghurt Mamas!

Missy took Chris and I to meet the yoghurt mamas in Mabatini district, which is about a 15 minute walk from the apartment. We were introduced to four of the mamas (Mama Sabina, Elizabeth, Cecilia, and Leah), they were very welcoming and excited to meet us. I felt very comfortable with them and am excited to spend more time at the kitchen and at the school where they make chapattis and chai every morning for the children at Mtoni school. We spent some time making the yoghurt with them and observing the processes involved. They gave us a glass of the yoghurt and it was quite good, but very different from the yoghurt I am used to in Canada. It is a little bit sour and the consistency is like a thin milk shake which most people drink.

After a while at the kitchen, the mamas invited us to pay our respects to Mama Sheda. She used to be part of Tukwamunae but had unfortunately passed away in December from a disease that left her paralyzed from the waist down. It is very common to attend funerals here, and everyone is invited even if you didn’t know the person. The mamas led us up a very steep hill towards mama Sheda’s home, with uneven terrain, pot holes, and rocks. Missy told us many elderly people live up there and walk up and down that hill several times a day.  When we arrived, there were many people at her home, and we were invited inside a small room where we all gathered around in silence. This was a very unique but emotional experience as many of the mamas were crying. Pictures of Mama Sheda were passed around and we sat in silence there for over an hour. One thing that I found very upsetting was that she left behind three young children (all under 10), I am not sure if they have a father, or what the future now holds for them? Missy told us that unexpected, random events will come up all the time, which makes for a new adventure everyday!

Travel Info

And so it begins…I have finally arrived in Mwanza, Tanzania! Christopher and I were warmly greeted by Missy at the “New Mwanza” Airport and we could not be happier! After 3 days of sleepless nights, resting in airport lounges, and airport food we are so glad to have a semi -permanent home for a few months. Just to give you a perspective, we left Toronto Pearson Airport on Wednesday January 12^th, and arrived in Mwanza on Friday January 14^th.

I want to begin by saying I am extremely excited about the adventure that awaits me! I am very grateful for everyone who has been helping me prepare for my trip, all the advice and encouragement really means a lot! A big thanks to my family and friends for their support and love, and especially to all the past interns who have given me some amazing tips! I will miss you all so much!

Travel information

In Transit

T.O Airport

Arriving at the Toronto Airport with lots of time to spare proved to be a good idea. After figuring out that one of my bags was over the weight requirement (50lbs) I essentially had to unpack, transfer some things to my other suitcase, frantically decide what I could do without for 4 months to send home with my mom, and re-pack. Thankfully everything turned out OK and I avoided having to pay the $100.00 fee for excess baggage. It will be interesting to see whether this can also be accomplished on the way home, something tells me it may be more difficult!

                                                  Chris and I before we leave!

Toronto to Amsterdam!
            Our 7 ½ hour flight to Amsterdam went very well, all things considered. At the beginning Christopher and I were slightly concerned when we took our seats directly in front of a family consisting of a screaming baby and a young child who seemed to find it quite amusing kicking the back of our chairs sporadically. However, we made the best of it and told each other that this is “all part of the adventure.” Fortunately, very soon after take-off, the baby drifted off to sleep and the young child became fascinated with the entertainment provided on board, which was actually quite impressive. We were able to personally choose what source of entertainment we wanted such a s T.V, movies, games, audiobooks, news and more.

The long flight also gave Christopher and I time to practice some of our Swahili and quiz each other in preparation for our stop in Nairobi and ultimately our time in Tanzania!

We landed in Amsterdam around 7:00am local time which was 1:00am back home. Our flight to Nairobi was not leaving until 8:40pm that night, so we had a very long day ahead of us in Amsterdam! Surprisingly, neither of us was tired, so we headed to the nearest tourist information booth and learned we could take a train to Amsterdam Central (downtown Amsterdam). On our first attempt we got on the wrong train, but nevertheless we made it to downtown Amsterdam and had a great time!
            This was both mine and Christopher’s first time in Amsterdam and we found it to be quite a unique experience. Everyone seemed very friendly and laid back. Although Dutch is the primary language, most people we encountered could also speak English which made asking questions and locating places much easier! In the downtown area that we visited everything was very historical and quite beautiful similar to old Montreal.

There were a few things that stood out to us during our brief time in the city. One thing was the degree of multiculturalism that we observed; it was similar to Toronto in that there seems to be people from all over the world there. Chris informed me that this was probably because it was a colonizing city.  Another thing I found shocking was the number of bicycles around the city. There are literally people riding bicycles everywhere, far more than people driving cars. This was surprising considering that it is still quite cold there (about 6^oC). There are also racks and racks of bicycles at every corner (or so it seemed) and they are parked all along the sidewalks, buildings, or against trees and none of them seemed to be locked up. Finally there are hundreds of coffee shops, Christopher and I must have seen at least 25 after walking down just two streets!

After our 7 ½ hour flight to Amsterdam followed by a day of strolling through the streets, we had been up for over 30 hours and were definitely both ready for a peaceful flight to Nairobi!

                                  Chris catching some Zzz's in Amsterdam International Airport

Amsterdam to Nairobi

After that extremely long day in Amsterdam, we were more than ready to board our flight to Nairobi. Again, everything went very smoothly, other than the flight feeling like it never ended. I was in and out of consciousness for the entire 8 hour flight, but for some reason it felt like everytime I woke up, no time had passed. On a more positive note, I was seated beside a very interesting man. He was an experienced traveler and had been living in Africa for over 30 years. He gave me lots of advice about living in Africa which could not have come at a better time as my apprehension intensified upon our landing in Nairobi.

            One particular thing that stands out, and something I have never heard, was his advice regarding preventing malaria. He eased my mine a little when he said he had had malaria many times and that it was no big deal, as long as you get treated properly within a few days. However, for the past 10 years he has been eating the seeds of the “pawpaw” fruit after reading an article by a lady who has lived in Africa for 25 years and never had malaria. She claims the seeds of this fruit to be the miracle for her health. He said the fruit is similar to a melon and when you cut into it you can obtain the seeds. He said to dry the seeds in the sun. grind them up, and eat a spoonful every day. I thanked him very much for all his advice, and I am sure he is the first of many people I will meet throughout my journey.

            I must admit I was a little nervous about stepping into the Nairobi airport, but this was definitely a waste of energy! It was 100x better than I had anticipated as there were many tourists and I felt very safe. Christopher just kept telling me to use my common sense and when in doubt smile and nod! The biggest perk of all was when I heard that the temperature when we landed was 18^oC and would be rising to a high of 27^oC.

Nairobi to Mwanza!

           Finally the last leg (or so we thought). Chris and I were both a little confused as to why the flight from Nairobi to Mwanza was over 2 hours considering their close proximity on the map. It all made sense when we learned we had to stop at the Kilimanjaro Airport first! But, it was not as bad as we thought and we only had to weight there for about ½ an hour which turned out to be worthwhile because I ended up sitting beside an amazing woman from Mwanza! We met because I was accidently sleeping in her seat before the plane took off and she politely tapped me on the shoulder and said something in Swahili that sounded completely foreign, luckily I only ended up having to move over one seat. I thought this was the perfect chance for me to practice some of my Swahili! So I asked her where she was from (“unatoka wapi?”). Her face lit up and she said Mwanza. We conversed back in forth, me using some of my broken Swahili and she using what little English she new. She was such a nice lady, and told me she worked at the Central Bank in Tanzania on station road and gave me all her contact information. My wonderful first encounter with a Tanzanian made me that much more excited to arrive! The flight was a little rocky, and my stomach definitely did a few somersaults, but we arrived in one piece at the New Mwanza Airport!

I was probably the most relieved I had been the whole time when I saw my luggage being loaded off the plane (one of my biggest fears was having my luggage lost). After we got everything sorted out with our Visas we met Missy (past intern who is currently living in the Apartment we are staying at) and took a taxi back to the apartment. Soon after Dane arrived (also living in the apartment) and we all got to know each other. We also met our house lady Margaret and her daughter Lola who are both so sweet and constantly said “karibu, karibu” (welcome, welcome). Maragret only speaks Swahili so this will also give me a chance to practice.

            My first impressions of Mwanza is that it is a very vibrant and busy city. Dane informed me that it is the fast growing city in Tanzania. I was also intrigued by the number of children. On the way to our apartment there were herds of children everywhere, it probably seemed this way even more so because most were just ending their school day. But, then I thought about it, it made sense for there to be a lot of children and younger people around considering the life expectancy in Mwanza is only about 45 years.

            After a delicious dinner at the New Mwanza Hotel, I was so ready for my first full night sleep in 3 days!

Pre-departure notes

Introduction:

My name is Shannon Smith and I am a 4^th year student at Brescia University College in the Food and Nutritional Sciences program. From January 14^th to May 26^th, 2011 I will be primarily situated in Tanzania Africa in the cities of Mwanza and Arusha along with Fellow intern, Christopher Taylor. Internet access may be limited/sporadic so responding to e-mails may be difficult at times. I will be using this blog to document my time in East Africa as a “Western Heads East” (WHE) intern. The purpose of this blog is so that my family, friends, project stakeholders, and others interested can receive regular updates. My hope is that this will be a useful place for me to document the progress of my goals, accomplishments and daily challenges, cultural differences, bonds formed with different individuals, and interesting facts/highlights. My goal is to enlighten, inspire and increase the awareness about the HIV/AIDS crisis and the positive benefits of this project.

What is the primary objective of this project?

            To establish a sustainable, grass-roots food based probiotic yogurt project, to improve health, nutrition and alleviate suffering from malnutrition to vulnerable social groups in the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

How did I get involved?

This program first caught my attention at an orientation I attended before I had even started studying at Brescia. Jamie Hemsworth, a past intern in Mwanza Tanzania, was one of the graduate students who presented. She spoke about her journey in Tanzania and all that she accomplished in addition to the positive impact she made in the lives of so many people. I can still remember how inspired I was by her presentation, and at that moment I knew, one day I wanted to follow in her footsteps. Finally, in my fourth year I decided to follow through and applied to me an intern with Western Heads East! 

Background/History about the WHE project

In June 2002, Stephen Lewis (UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa) spoke at a conference of the Ontario Association of College and University Housing Officers hosted by Western’s Housing department. He struck a chord with the group as he explained how 3000 people were killed in the 9/11 tragedy which gained worldwide attention, yet he struggles to get any attention for the 3000 people dying in Africa daily (2.3 million every year) of HIV/AIDS.

            A group of housing staff led by Bob Gough were moved by this speech and developed a Western Heads East Steering Committee to develop a sustainable community development project to help with the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. Amongst those interested parties were Dr. Gregor Reid, Scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, and Surgery at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario, and Dr. Sharareh Hekmat (Brescia University College). Dr. Reid developed the bacterial strain (Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1) and then collaborated with Dr. Hekmat to develop “Fiti” probiotic yogurt (yogurt sold in Africa) using this strain.  
            In collaboration with local partners including the Tukwamunae Women’s Group (TWG), the Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), and the University of Western Ontario (UWO), a sustainable probiotic food based development project has been implemented in Mwanza, Tanzania. In Mwanza, the project is being run by a team of people including local mothers, affectionately termed ‘Yogurt Mamas.’ They have been trained in probiotic yogurt production and community organization by WHE interns (Western Students) along with Western faculty and staff members. The Yogurt Mamas from Mwanza have become the official local trainers for other interested women’s groups from surrounding communities and elsewhere.

            The project’s Canadian team works with women’s groups to establish probiotic yogurt operations and to ensure sustainable economic viability, seek subsidies to provide yogurt free of charge to people living with HIV/AIDS, and to collaborate with East African communities with respect to teaching, service and research. Research shows that probiotics can prevent and treat urogenital infections and bacterial vaginosis which are risk factors for HIV acquisition and therefore may slow the progress of HIV/AIDS in women, stop diarrhea which kills many children and immuno-compromised adults, increase immune response, and generally improve population health.  The project has been working since 2004 with the Tukwamunae women’s group who are now licensed as an NGO. They have become an important pillar in the Mwanza community and now aim to become a Regional Headquarters for East Africa to provide training to women in other communities within Tanzania and in neighbouring countries.  

Western Heads East: Our Mission

To engage staff, students, faculty and the broader community in teaching, research and service targeting the African HIV/AIDS crisis. This will raise awareness and funds to support the exchange of learning experiences, while making sustainable difference to communities in Africa

Facts on HIV/AIDS

1.    HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infects cells of the immune system and destroys or impairs their function. Infection results in the progressive deterioration of the immune system, breaking down the body's ability to fend off infections and diseases. AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome) refers to the most advanced stages of HIV infection, defined by the occurrence of any of more than 20 opportunistic infections or related cancers.

2.    HIV can be transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal) or oral sex with an infected person; transfusions of contaminated blood; and the sharing of contaminated needles, syringes or other sharp instruments. It can also be transmitted between a mother and her baby during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

3.    According to estimates by WHO and UNAIDS, 33.4 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2008. That same year, some 2.7 million people became newly infected, and 2.0 million died of AIDS, including 280 000 children. Two thirds of HIV infections are in sub-Saharan Africa.

4.    HIV/AIDS is the world’s leading infectious killer claiming—to date—more than 27 million lives. An estimated 2 million people die every year from HIV/AIDS.

5.    Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) prevents the HIV virus from multiplying in the body. If the reproduction of the HIV virus stops, then the body's immune cells are able to live longer and provide the body with protection from infections.

6.    More than 2 million children are living with HIV/AIDS, according to 2008 figures. Most of the children live in sub-Saharan Africa and were infected by their HIV-positive mothers during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Almost 1200 children become newly infected with HIV each day. The number of children receiving ART increased from about 75 000 in 2005 to 355 000 in 2009.

7.    Mother-to-child-transmission is almost entirely avoidable, but access to preventive interventions remains low in most developing low- and middle-income countries. However, progress has been made. In 2008, 45% of pregnant women living with HIV received antiretrovirals to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the virus, up from 10% in 2004

FAQ

What are Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs)?

Antiretroviral drugs are primarily medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses. They are the the main type of treatment for HIV or AIDS. It is not a cure, but it can stop people from becoming ill for many years. The treatment consists of drugs that have to be taken every day for the rest of a person’s life. The aim of antiretroviral treatment is to keep the amount of HIV in the body at a low level. This stops any weakening of the immune system and allows it to recover from any damage that HIV might have caused already. These drugs can have many adverse side effects and this is where the probiotic yogurt can have substantial benefits. It has been shown that side effects from taking the ARVs can be reversed or reduced by consuming yogurt with probiotic cultures.

It is important to understand that the yogurt is NOT a substitute to antiretroviral treatment or a cure for HIV/AIDS, but it provides nutrition that is required for the drugs to work to their greatest potential and helps alleviate some of the side effects of HIV/AIDS.

What are probiotics?

Pobiotics are defined as “live micro-organisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host (consumer)."These products primarily influence the intestine, which is home to an estimated 100 trillion bacteria important for immunity and digestion.

What are the health benefits of probiotics?

Probiotics can be used to benefit EVERYONE including individuals who consider themselves to be healthy since they assist in retaining health and well being and prevent health complications in the future. Probiotics represent a relatively simple and inexpensive method of alleviating diarrhea, urogenital infections, and other gastrointestinal side effects as a result of malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, and the uptake of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Certain strains of probiotics have also been shown to reduce bacterial vaginosis, a condition that predisposes women to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The FAO/WHO have indicated that “efforts must be made to make probiotic products more widely available, especially for relief work and populations at high risk of morbidity and mortality.”

Why is yoghurt used?

Note: In Tanzania and the U.K this is the way they spell “yoghurt” so for consistency I will likely be using this spelling from now on.

            Yoghurt is the perfect delivery medium for probiotics. Travelling through the digestive tract can be a challenge for bacteria. High acid levels in the stomach and exposure to pancreatic secretions can lead to the death of many orally administered probiotics. Consumption of probiotics with dairy products, buffers stomach acid and can increase the chance the bacteria will survive into the intestine. Yoghurt containing probiotics makes a healthy “functional food package.” Probiotic yoghurt contains high quality protein and an appropriate amount of carbohydrates, and fats which will help with increasing the weight of women, children, people living with AIDS (PLWA) and those who consume yoghurt (preventing wasting disease).

Additional benefits of the project: This project recognizes the interaction between income and health. The yoghurt production will empower women through income generation and skills development, and will increase consumption of nutritious protein sources locally, and thereby help people living with HIV/AIDS including children. The yoghurt mamas have grown to contribute to the health of their communities, draw an income for their families, stimulate significant economic development and to become a hub of social support within their communities.

I am extremely excited about this wonderful opportunity! I have heard so many great things from past interns and the amazing things they have accomplished in Africa. I have always been interested in how people live in other parts of the world, but I have been informed that nothing prepares you for your first visit to a developing country like Africa. I am a little nervous as I have never been away from home for this long or been anywhere that has required any major cultural adjustments. However, having spoken with many people who have who have made this trip before me, I have a difficult time thinking I won’t come back in some way changed. As a personal goal I want to try and fully immerse myself into the Tanzanian culture as much as possible by learning/speaking Kiswahili, eating/cooking the way they do, and wearing some of the local African clothing.

Now, a flight to Amsterdam, followed by Nairobi, and finally to Mwanza is all the stands between me and this exciting journey!

Stay tuned for my first update from Mwanza!