I can hardly believe that this is my sixth month here already. I arrived last October and I still feel like I’m learning new things everyday. I’ve been working hard on learning Swahili and improved stove construction. I love Swahili, but stove construction involves a bit of jumping around in mud so it comes out on top.
STT has undergone a real transformation since I’ve been here. After being dumped into the deep end with a tumultuous visit from Sheilah in November, STT decided to go it alone. Since then we’ve got new staff, a new office, a new car and some brand spanking new villages to work in. I’d like to welcome our new Tanzanian colleagues Lilian Nysenge and Gideon Massaka to the team and also Louise Ashley a volunteer from the UK whose been helping us with the adjustment and will be with us until the end of March.
Dodoma has also undergone a transformation. The rainy season has made what once was a dry, dusty dessert into a lush jungle. I can hardly believe the change in the villages and amongst the people too. It’s meant the stove project has been a bit more challenging though! Good rains mean that people are out on the farms all day and the roads to our more distant villages have become a serious driving adventure!
Lilian and I have been busy taking the urban project forward. This week we will be continuing research started by Victoria by visiting a Wonderbasket project run by World Vision in Mpwapwa. World Vision runs many projects along similar lines to STT and we think they’re many opportunities for us to learn from each other.
This month we’ve got a film crew from Falmouth University coming to visit us. They’re comparing the impact of environmental/development work in Tanzania and the UK. They should also be squeezing in some time to shoot a promotional video for STT. Louise, who’s got a background in communication and development, has been a valuable asset in helping us organize it.
So as you can see STT has started 2008 with a bang. I seriously doubt that the next few months will be any different. That’s it from me for now, keep in touch.
Anna
Photo: Anna and Amos in Chamwino preparing mud for stove building
