Breaking the ice and jumping through

September 3, 2008 8:34 PM

Today was my first official non-orientation day at Mkombozi. I arrived almost on time to find the office empty again, then realized that the morning meeting is not just one day a week, but every day.

Amani was nice enough to fill me in when I went to the Community Engagement office and we walked down to the children's centre together. The meeting was short and in Swahili. I did my best to smile and nod along with the others. A quick assurance from Hilda that I would be heading into town on the 9:30 shuttle and off to the office I went.

Our department had a meeting this morning at 8:30, which consisted of discussing what different projects I can work on, the research that Mkombozi is involved in right now, and updating what they call a matrix, which involves forwarding the updated training numbers to the director for her report.

The projects in the community engagement office are truly exciting for me. I had a hard time sitting there quietly while William described what I could be doing. One option which I am very interested in at this point would require me to go into the MEMKWA schools that are already set up in the region and add a support group type component to the education that is taking place. The MEMKWA schools are for children and youth (and adults) who have fallen out of formal education for one reason or another, and many of the children have suffered from trauma and abuse. My role would be to facilitate a support group connected to their schooling, and I believe to also help train their teachers or other community members to continue this component after I leave.

Also connected to this project (in my eyes anyway) is a research project that Mkombozi would like to start. Using a couple of the MEMKWA schools, I would facilitate the children and youth to fill out surveys which would evaluate the factors that contribute to their resiliency.

A different project that is open to me, is to work with the mentoring program which is similar to the Big Sisters Big Brothers model. I think this would involve finding new mentors and matching them with students.

Related to this is the fostering program, which they are trying to expand so more children can have the opportunity to spend the holidays with a family, if they are unable to return to their own family during this time period.

I think there are other options as well, but I have until Monday to think about what I would like to become involved in. One of the reasons that I am really enjoying my time and think I fit well with Mkombozi, is that my method of learning and what I would like to come home with is also the way that William and the others at Mkombozi are requesting I spend my time. At our meeting we talked about how I won't always be out in the community or working with the children, because part of the position will be to see how others do their work and to work with Amani and Jane on their projects so that they can learn from my input, but more importantly for me anyway, so I can learn from their methods and skills.

Following the meeting I got into the shuttle, driven by Simon the driver (not Simon the sports coach/teacher) with William and some of the social workers. We drove down some incredibly bumpy roads where I had to hold on to my seat so not to bump the gear shift with my leg to drop off the social workers at a local school. Then Simon dropped me off at the immigration office. My resident permit is now paid for but I have to go back tomorrow to pick up my stamp for my passport (this is the 4th time they are saying I need to return!) I still do not understand why I need the permit if the visa that the High Commission gave me from Ottawa says I can stay for a year, but I showed 3 of the immigration officers the visa I had and none of them asked me why I was getting a resident visa. So…back to town tomorrow I go with less American money in my pocket.

After immigration I met William across the street at a bank where the ATM said it was being serviced and there were two guards out front with very large guns. Rifles with barrels almost as thick as my wrist. I stayed away from them.

Simon picked us up and we went to the Impala Shuttle office where I bought my ticket for the bus to Longido for Friday. I was told by many people at Mkombozi that 25, 000 shillings is a lot to pay for that trip, but for me, less than $25 for a 3 hour bus ride seems quite a deal after seeing the rates from Barrie to Toronto. In the future I can take a different route that is approx. $6 but since I have not travelled in Tanzania on my own yet, I was told this was a very safe, quick and easy way to travel. NO need to worry!

Back at the office I set to work reading through the materials William gave me that describe all the programs that the department is involved in, while checking my email and setting up Outlook to upload my Gmail. I was pretty proud of myself for having my denim capris and brown eyelet sleeveless top on. Very appropriate, only took a week to get it right!

Bob came by and we chatted about his research project that he is working on from Switzerland. He asked me to run some focus groups with the children to determine if a scale that he is developing to determine reasons for resiliency is valid, and my job would be to determine the validity of each item by talking with groups of children and youth about what each item means. Very cool. But I mentioned to Bob I am interested in helping him as long as he has a plan for the language barrier. Turns out the scale still needs to be translated into Swahili and I will need an assistant (or I would be the assistant) to speak to the group, prior to translating their responses so I could compile the results. Hopefully this works out, it sounds like a great opportunity. Bob also gave me a working copy of his plan for the scale and its development and some information on working with children in research, which I look forward to reading. Apparently resiliency is a "hot topic" in the mental health world right now, and he was surprised that we learn about it and strengths based perspectives are taught frequently in social work.

Jane was eager for lunch to come and when we got to the kitchen we realized that it was just 1pm and they were just starting to cook the spaghetti. I am glad that we went early though because this was the biggest pot I have ever seen, with the fire built right in underneath. Then the cook dumped a massive amount of uncooked spaghetti, it was nuts, then began to stir it all with a giant wooden spoon. I hope next Wednesday I remember to bring my camera, what a sight!

The spaghetti was good, although it took William and I and 2 spoons to get it into our bowls, then it wasn't exactly easy to eat with just a spoon. Some of the workers eat with just their hands so they did not appear to have any problems, but us spoon users were pretty slow and messy I think. Bob and I chatted about his background and about finding jobs after graduating. I discovered that he is originally from California and he got to listen to me talk of my experience in South Africa.

All afternoon I worked on understanding the different programs and read the information William gave me and started into Bob's literature. The time passed quite quickly and the next thing I knew, it was time to go home.

I unwound after work while reading my new Kathy Reichs book, since Grisham is long done then decided since it is "malaria pill day" I would treat myself to a meal in the dining room. It was quite nice because Isaac was there alone (he works here) and we chatted about where in Canada I am from and he even pulled out a beach ball with a map of the world on it, very cool!

Isaac asked me if I wanted to watch the news, which I thought was pretty cool, and the next thing I know I’m watching Al Jezeera . Interesting. But aside from the incredibly poor weather report it was nice to learn about what is going on in the world. Hurricanes during hurricane season, check. Election updates from the U.S., check. Coverage of the assassination attempt on the Prime Minister in Pakistan & the conflict in Georgia, check and check. Please fill me in if there is other news I need to hear. I did set my browser to show me CBC and the globe and mail news on my home page today.

There was an interested commercial on Al Jezeera filmed in a fairly poor looking middle eastern city. The camera focused on many people's face but kept coming back to a white man. I was wondering where this was going, then the white man grabbed a child by the arm off the street and disappeared, then another white man was shown giving money to another man. Next thing I know, it’s a UN commercial for human trafficking. I don’t think I have seen a similar commercial in Canada.

For dinner I polished off a plate of chips masala and chatted with Isaac more about the differences and similarities between Tanzania and Canada. Then he told me about all the great things I have to do around here, and that there is a place in town where volunteers in the area can go and sign up when they are interested in doing a tour and want to go with other volunteers to save money. He also shared that there should be 2 more volunteers from Sweden joining us here soon. But I was a little confused when he said that since they were coming I would have people to talk to, because I was enjoying talking to him!

Ramblings:

I have decided I shouldn't be using work internet to check facebook, so email is better, or I will just read what facebook emails me until I get to an internet café
I have a notebook that I use for new Swahili and work notes, its not very full so far
Tomorrow we are rearranging the office at the end of the day to create more space, sounds fun to me! I wonder if Ty will show up with the gang
I caught the end of IsiDingo, Beth's and my favourite South African soap opera today, one of the cute dark haired guys was smothered by the devious looking doctor while he was hooked up to IV then the doctor injected something into the IV bag….stay tuned….oh SABC3 how did I survive without you these past years?