Ken's Journey to Tanzania: Journal Entry #12

Note: For pictures associated with this blog entry, see the Atlantic Bay Sotheby's International Realty "Real Estate News Blog."

I’ve just finished serving breakfast, and having weighed myself at the clinic, found that I am down about 11 lbs. I’m sure at least 3 of those lbs. are water and will be replaced. The heat has played a major role in my weight loss. My appetite has diminished and I am eating much less. When I was on safari our guide commented that the people of northern Tanzania believe the people of the coast are lazy and sleep more than work. I told him that it’s amazing to me that the people of Dar and Bagamoyo have any energy to work at all. The heat and humidity are that enervating.

I am taking a few doses of cipro for the first time since I’ve been here. It’s amazing I have had few digestive problems since I arrived in January. I decided not to fool around and start the cipro before it gets any worse. I thought of how fortunate I am that I have access to western medicine and don’t have to suffer for very long. That is not the case for the vast majority of the people I have met. They must rely mostly on traditional medicine and hope for the best.

Amina was at the breakfast program with her mother again today. That is the fourth time in a month and I am curious as to what’s going on. People usually come to the clinic no more than once a month. She had a burn on her arm that was mostly healed and about 3 inches long and an inch wide. She was in great spirits and she adores her mother so I hope it was accidental. It saddens me that my mind even goes to the place of suspicion. I will miss this little girl with her big smile and her drawings of animals and flowers in my notebook. I worry about the future for this 8 year old HIV+ child.

I have spent more time at the orphanage lately and have seen such positive changes in Faiza. So shy and non-verbal when I first met her she now runs to me when I arrive and has the most infectious laugh you have ever heard. She is finally starting to signal to use the toilet and when I ask her simple questions in Swahili she responds. If I ask her “Hadija wapi?”(where is Hadija? Her little friend) She looks around the room and when she spots Hadija she smiles and points right to her. She is now 6 years old but developmentally she is 2 or 3. This poor little girl has a limited future but according to Terri can live her life at Baobab with all the love, affection and good nutrition it supplies her. You cannot imagine how sweet and gentle this child is. You may remember, Faiza was malnourished, is HIV+ and was sexually abused and has now been under Baobab’s care for about a year.

Last week I took Halima and Terri out for lunch. As much fun as Halima and I have trying to understand each other it was just great to have Terri as interpreter. I want to know so much of Halima’s life and with my limited Swahili it is impossible. Halima and I took a bajaji from her home and we met Terri at Traveller’s Lodge. Halima was wearing a beautiful purple and white kanga and was very excited to have lunch out. I know she seldom goes out to eat and I really doubt that she ever does.

What a fascinating life this 64 year old woman has had. In the late ‘70s when the ruthless dictator Idi Amin invaded Tanzania from Uganda she was outraged and determined to put her anger to use. She traveled by dalla dalla to Lake Victoria on the western side of Tanzania. The lake is shared by several countries, including Uganda on the north. She joined other young women and learned to operate a motor boat and transported guns and other weapons to the front at the northern border. She said all gun running was done under the cover of darkness and was accomplished mostly by women as men were engaged in active combat. I asked her if she was ever afraid. She said it frightens her more now when she thinks back on how dangerous it was. Then, she was involved in something she passionately believed in and she was also a lot younger and felt invincible. She said the fighting was awful and she was witness to firefights and she saw the horrible wounds suffered by bombing victims. Almost 40 years later she has occasional nightmares about the people she saw torn apart by the bombing.

She has one living child, a 42 year old son who is a fisherman. She has lost 3 other children, one in childbirth and two to malaria. I believe those losses are what drive her to be a foster mother, and what a foster mother she is! The 3 children in her care now are thriving. You may all remember the story of little Habibu, 9 years old, rejected by his mother who believed he was possessed by an evil spirit. Habibu’s younger brother, Shobani, 5, is a victim of malnutrition as is Habibu. They are very small for their ages and have developmental problems. There is also Neema a beautiful little girl who’s parents and aunts and uncles have died of AIDS. I will be sending current photos of these children (in a separate email) that I took last week in Halima’s home so you can see what love, affection and good food have done for these children. According to Terri the change is astounding. Even I have seen a huge difference in these children in the short time I have been here. Halima showers these children with affection, washes them, feeds them, clothes them and sings with them songs she makes up about them. These songs never fail to get the children up and dancing as Halima accompanies her songs with hand clapping and encourages them to join in. Babobab Home pays Halima a stipend each month to support her foster work and she told me that no amount of money could equal the joy she receives from Neema, Shobani and Habibu.

Last Thursday Halima said she had something for me. She presented me with a hat and bag that she wove by hand. I offered to pay her as I know how much work goes into each piece and she waved it off. She then proceeded to kiss me loudly on each cheek, twice on the right, in very European fashion. Each kiss was accompanied by a loud “mwa”. She then held my face in her lands and looked into my eyes and said I was her dear rafiki, friend, and said to me “nina penda u”, I love you. I will miss her greatly when I depart.

Today is Terri’s birthday and I want to do something to celebrate it. She is a remarkable human being. I hope one day that some of you can see for yourself what she accomplishes with so little. She does everything with a sense of joy and purpose and never stops thinking of ways to expand as she is well aware of the desperation of so many here. Her goal is to make people self sufficient after the initial help of Baobab ends. There are so many success stories from the 8 street boys to the babies at the orphanage, the home building, to Ally and Assia and the people of Uwambaba. Now, with the expanded HIV testing program in the villages that we have implemented I don’t see how she continues to move forward. She’s due to deliver her second child in two weeks and has not slowed down a bit. Add the countless emails she answers and writes to secure more funding and I doubt that you will find too many others like her. The most amazing aspect of this for me is, this is her life. This is not a 3 month volunteer stint. She doesn’t get to return to an easy western life and I truly doubt she would even want to. She and her wonderful husband, Caito, live so simply and by US standards they would be considered poor. Her home is chaotic and doubles as the second room of the pre-school building across the street. There are children, neighbors, the street boys and volunteers in her home constantly. We value our privacy at home. Privacy is a foreign word here. We have grown very close these past months and we will miss each other sorely when I return home but we both know I will return. There are so many projects we have worked on together and I want to see how they have impacted the people we have met.

Ken's Journey to Tanzania: Journal Entry #11

Note: For pictures associated with this blog entry, see the Atlantic Bay Sotheby's International Realty "Real Estate News Blog."

Hi Everyone!

This is something a little different than the journal I’ve been posting. Yesterday, Terri and I met at the Uwamaba office, the local AIDS support group. We had set up a meeting with the 10 people picked by the group for small business funding of $75 per person. There was a great deal of excitement amongst the 9 women and 1 man selected. Each person had a modest business plan and budget. If these people are successful they will set aside a portion of their profits to launch others in the group into their own businesses.

Since my last email referring to this enterprise, $250 has come to Baobab Home earmarked for this endeavor. These donations were unsolicited. Only $500 more is needed to start these good people on their way to greater self sufficiency. I am hoping with all the people that have been reading my emails that we can raise that amount and more. If we raise more it will go to the HIV mobile testing in the more remote villages that we start on the 30th. These are two very important pieces in the fight against HIV/AIDS and the stigma surrounding it here. Donations can be made on line through Pay Pal on the Baobab web site www.tzkids.org or by snail mail. The address in NJ is also on the web site. Please make sure you earmark whatever you send with a note referring to the Uwamaba group. Thank you The following are the names of the people chosen and a brief description of what their business plans look like. I will attach photos in a separate email so you can place a name with a face. Thanks again!

Ken

1.Mwayadna Muhela

She is a single mother with 3 children. Her husband left her when she tested positive even though it’s most likely he infected her. This is a common story amongst the 9 women. She wants to be able to sell cooked fish to the workers near her home as there is no local vendor.

2. Teresia Valande

She already sells soda and juices from her home and wants to increase her inventory and realize savings by buying in bulk. She is a single mother with 2 children.

3. Mary Mzamu

She makes uji from scratch, buying the 5 grains and grinding and combining them herself. She would like to expand her client base. Baobab would be interested in buying directly from Mary for the breakfast program at the clinic.

4. Subira Faranga

She had 4 children but 3 have died. She cooks in a handmade food stand which she would like to repair and expand. She would also like to be able to buy supplies of wood and charcoal in bulk to maximize profits.

5.Halima Magenge

She now buys batik cloth that she sells door to door. She wants to buy more cloth to make enough money to invest in a small shop as she finds the many miles she walks every day selling door to door a struggle.

6. Katarina Bundara

She now travels 5 hrs one way 3 days a week to sell her cooked fish in a remote village. She said there is a market for her fish locally if she had the money to build a small vending stand and be able to pay the small licensing fee.

7. Mwinyimbegu Mnyamisi

He sells raw fish in Dar once a week but even though the profit is good he wants to be able to make the trip 3 times a week to make enough money to keep his 2 children in secondary school.

8. Mariamu Hashimu

She needs money to finish her half built stand in which she already has a decent business selling doughnuts. She would like to expand her business and buy cloth to sell for women’s kangas, the colorful wrap-arounds that all the women wear.

9. Rehema Digale

She lives in one room with her 2 small children. Her husband left her. She already sells cooked cassava and other cooked vegetables and would like to expand her business and also buy wood and charcoal in bulk.

10. Ashura Rajabu

She would like to buy chicken and cook it at home and sell it to local workers in her bustling neighborhood. She supports 2 daughters. Her 2 young sons died of AIDS.

Can You Still Get a 5% Mortgage??

There's still time to get a 5% mortgage -- but the window is closing.

On April 1, the government will stop buying mortgage-related debt, which will send interest rates slowly higher. Since November 2008 the Federal Reserve has snapped up $1.25 trillion worth of mortgage-backed securities -- essentially, people's mortgages bundled together and sold to investors.

The program has kept interest rates artificially low over the past year, with the price of a 30-year fixed-rate loan ranging between 4.93% and 5.09%, according to mortgage giant Freddie Mac.

That's about 0.4 percentage points lower than these loans would have been without the government's intervention, according to Jay Brinkmann, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association.

But when the Fed stops buying and cedes the playing field to private investors, they will almost surely demand better return for their risk.

"Rates are going to be higher than they are now," said Brinkmann.

How much higher is the question.

"It's really hard to tell right now," said Amy Crews Cutts, Freddie Mac's deputy chief economist. "The Fed said it will taper off [purchases] gradually. Each week they buy less than the week before."

So far, though, the tapering has failed to spawn higher rates. Last week, the 30-year was just 4.96%.

Still, all of the experts agree that mortgage rates will climb. The good news is that none of them think the increase will be very large.

Their projections are for a gradual run up to between 5.5% and 6% by December. Brinkman's projection is a rise to 5.8%; Cutts is to 5.75%.

That will add only about $70 to the monthly payment on a $150,000 note. That's still very reasonable and should not discourage many consumers.

Homebuyers may even find themselves paying less every month as housing markets continue to experience price declines.

Excerpted from CNNMoney.com

Ken's Journey to Tanzania: Journal Entry #10

It's been very busy with all Terri has taken on and there hasn't been time to even gather my thoughts. This is my last entry until I return from safari on March 18th.

We were invited to speak to the Bagamoyo HIV support group 3 days ago. Terri and I and George, one of the former street boys, took a bajaji to their office. It was about a 20 minute ride to a section of town I hadn't seen yet. It seems our driver was a bit confused also in this older section of town as he had to phone his office for directions. The roads got narrower and dustier and the sun was beating down unmercifully. The twists and turns of the road had all of us confused and I'm sure I could not have found my way back to any area I would recognize.

When we arrived, 15 minutes late, we were greeted by Assia and her husband Ally (I had mistakenly referred to him as Bennard in a previous post and also in a photograph). The building was cinder block, solid and unpainted with a rusty tin roof. The office itself was cramped and stuffy and packed with about 30 people. There were posters on the walls, many with the swahili word for AIDS, ukimwi. The group was comprised of mostly adult women 20 -50 years of age and approx. 10 men all a bit older. The women were beautifully attired in their multi-colored kangas and the men wore trousers and collared shirts. The room was stifling and everyone was sweating profusely as there was no fan and only one small window. Terri and I were escorted to a small table with 2 chairs while most of the members sat on the dirt floor. We had worked on a short presentation which included a prevention discussion and our planned visits to more remote villages to test willing residents. As I spoke and Terri translated I looked out into the room and was surprised how emotional it was for me.

The stigma around HIV/AIDS in Tanzania is pervasive and the courage shown by these people, most of whom walked great distances just to meet us, was beyond belief. I found myself choked up on several occasions as people spoke of being ostracized by society in general and many who were shunned by their families and friends. Yet, here they were telling me how important it was to be open with anyone they met, to be honest with themselves and everyone they knew. It brought back painful memories of the early years of the AIDS epidemic in the US when health care workers refused to enter the hospital rooms of anyone with AIDS.

After we wrapped up our presentation there were questions and comments. One man, whose name I wish I had written down, explained why there were so few men in attendance in response to my question. He was about 65, very nicely dressed with a kind face. His eyes betrayed a weary sadness. He spoke perfect English with a British accent. A vestige of colonialism I'm sure because many of the older men of Bagamoyo have a command of the English language. He told me the men of Tanzania are in denial and will not accept responsibility for their role in the spread of HIV. He also said the government should make testing mandatory for all citizens. Pregnant women must consent to an HIV test and may be denied admission to the hospital to deliver their babies if they don't comply. Angrily, he said that even if a woman tests positive husbands or boyfriends do not have to be tested or even named. He then said no amount of prevention education will make a difference until men change their selfish ways.

It was obvious to me that this man commanded the great respect of all in attendance. He then spoke to the group in Swahili translating what he told me. There was much nodding of heads as flies buzzed around the room and everyone looked wilted but attentive. When he finished people applauded and he turned to me and said "thank you for allowing me to speak the truth". I want to impress upon all of you reading this how bold and fearless this man is to speak the truth openly.

Because so many of these people have lost jobs or been denied employment due to their HIV status we inquired as to how much it might cost in start up money for a member to open their own business. After some internal discussion the president of the association said about $75. Terri and I quickly brainstormed and came up with a plan to sponsor 10 of their most entrepreneurial members who must present a solid business plan and if they are successful they must then agree to re-invest some of their profits in other support group members to get them started in self employment. This was greeted with tremendous enthusiasm and many assante sanas. When I return from safari the group will have chosen 10 members and we will get their photos, bios and business plans and go about trying to raise the $750 to jump start this program. We decided to gift the money and not treat this as a micro loan as these are not really people who are allowed to participate fully in Bagamoyo society. They are already under tremendous pressure and having a debt would be extremely stressful.

As the meeting broke up people lingered to shake our hands and thank us personally. I am still amazed that a group like this even exists and the fact that there are 525 members is even more astounding. Actually, make that 527 as Terri and I were voted in as honorary members as the meeting ended.

Terri was greeted by an elderly woman as we left. She asked Terri if she had a few minutes to spend with the woman's daughter who was very ill. Terri knew this woman and her daughter and she readily agreed. They lived near the support group office so we followed the woman down some narrow paths. She had a very bad limp and walking was obviously uncomfortable for her. As we walked the landscape changed and I felt like we had been transported back in time to an Africa of the distant past.

The houses were all mud and stick construction and all had palm frond roofs. Upon closer inspection many of the homes had walls that were crumbling and holes in their roofs. There is no electricity, no plumbing, no well. There were no screens anywhere and I saw no evidence of mosquito nets. Terri said this is the poorest part of Bagamoyo and is rife with disease - malaria, TB and HIV. We arrived at the woman's 10X10 foot house which looked like it might fall down in a stiff breeze. The walls were crumbling and it seemed only part of the roof was intact. Insects of all types were crawling in and out of the dwelling. Slumped against the front wall of the house was the woman's 28 year old daughter. She barely had the energy to lift her head and greet us. She is suffering from advanced HIV and TB infections. She was in a dirty, torn kanga and spoke so softly Terri had to lean in closely to understand her. I have tears in my eyes as I am writing this. I can't remember a more pathetic scene. I honestly don't know how Terri finds the strength to do this day in day out. All the joy of the previous 2 hours vanished.

The daughter's husband left her after she tested positive for HIV. Ironically, he was the one who infected her. Her two year old son died last year of HIV but miraculously her 5 year old daughter is negative. As Terri continued to speak to her the mother hobbled into the house and came back out carrying a small stool. I'm sure, other than the bed, it is the only piece of furniture they own. She placed it next to me, gently pulled my arm and gestured for me to sit. I could not accept this offer. I smiled at her thanked her but then said hapana, no I can't. I then gestured for her to please sit on the stool. She hesitated but smiled and thanked me and gratefully sat.

I stood there lost in my own thoughts. All this sadness, all this misery it is all too much to bear sometimes. It seems incomprehensible. We have all seen this misery on our tvs in our movies but to be here to see it, to smell it, to feel it with your whole being takes your breath away.

An hour passed and it was time to find our way back home. The sun had drifted below the palm trees and the shadows were filling the little courtyard. Terri looked drained and I didn't think I could muster the energy to even get back to the support group. We said our difficult goodbyes. We trudged back down the dirt path and after a minute heard something behind us. We turned at the same time because the sound was strange, a labored, foot dragging sound. It was the young woman breathlessly trying to catch up to us. We stopped and the effort on this young woman's face was heartbreaking. It had taken every bit of energy for her to catch up to us. She leaned on Terri, and in gasping breaths said it was impolite to not walk us to the edge of the village. At this gesture Terri broke down and I couldn't even look at the young woman I am so ashamed to admit. Where does this come from? Why, in this woman's grave condition, did she feel the need to be hospitable and do the socially correct thing? Why did she care about us? There are no answers to any of my questions. The only thing that ever comes to mind for me is, this is all the accident of birth. She was born in the wrong place at the wrong time. What I continue to struggle with is, why?

Ken's Journey to Tanzania: Journal Entry #9

Ken Russo is spending three months this winter volunteering at The Baobab Home, an orphanage in Bagamoyo, Tanzania that provides care for children with HIV/AIDS. He is documenting his fascinating experiences and sends us periodic updates from his journal. Here is his latest entry. Read about his whole journey starting back at the end of January …

Tuesday, March 2
Terri and I returned late last night from an incredible trip to Nairobi, Kenya. The flight was about an hour, fifteen minutes. We flew over Zanzibar and there were stunning views of snow covered Mt. Kilimanjaro later in the flight. We were visiting relatives of my stepmother and father who have lived in Nairobi for 20 years, Peter, his wife Helga and their two teen aged children Christopher and Hannah. The children were born in Kenya. The second we arrived we were both thrilled by the cool temperature with little humidity. After a month of oppressive weather we were both energized.

After arrival we met the driver of the cab that Helga had sent for us. After leaving the airport it became clear that this was going to be the cab ride from hell. We had originally booked a morning flight which Kenya Airways canceled. We were re-booked on the late afternoon flight that Helga warned would put us in Nairobi at the worst possible time for commuting. She was right. The 12 mile trip to their home took 4 hours! It did give us time to get to know our driver, Hamuel. He arrived in Nairobi after leaving his family’s farm when he was 22. He had no money and was barefoot when he arrived. He slept outside and looked for work for weeks. He now has his cab license and a second job. He and his wife saved enough to buy a 2 room house and are putting their children through school. He said they are raising their children to be independent and well educated. I don’t know when he learned to speak English but he speaks it fluently.

As we approached Peter and Helga’s neighborhood the landscape changed dramatically. We left the crowded urban streets of Nairobi and entered an area that I can only describe as Greenwich, CT. We were stopped by guards at the gate and entered the Spring Valley area. Well maintained roads, mature trees and plantings everywhere with beautiful homes behind high walls, some of the walls with razor wire on top. There were dogs behind most of the gates and small guardhouses at the entrance to most of the driveways. I felt like we had left Africa and entered suburbia, albeit a very secure suburbia.

We drove down the long brick driveway to the house and arrived at a metal gate which a guard opened as he welcomed us to the property. The two story house is comfortable and filled with interesting African art. We were met at the door by Jacinta, the housekeeper and after bringing our bags in she drove us to meet Peter and Helga at a birthday party they were attending in the neighborhood. Many of Helga’s colleagues were there as were many people working in HIV and malaria research. We were welcomed warmly and walked down the long backyard hill to the tent where the party was winding down. The adjacent property is one of the United Nation’s world headquarters. The food was delicious, the conversation smart and passionate and with the full moon and cool weather we were extremely content.

The next day found us at Nairobi’s International School’s food festival. It was held on the campus of this most extraordinary school with its excellent academics, plus world class arts and athletic facilities. This includes an Olympic size pool and a 500 seat theater for performing arts. The grounds are manicured and there are towering shade trees many in full bloom. There are students from all over the world who will all probably go on to universities in Europe or the US.

The festival was held in a large field with tents and tables and chairs and there was food from at least 50 countries. The huge crowd was in great spirits and the mood was festive. We were accompanied by Peter, Helga and Helga’s delightful parents visiting from Germany, Hans and Margarete.

We headed to the US Embassy after the fair for a swim in their large pool. We were waved through two sets of gates and were in the pool shortly after. It was great to swim and the pool was plenty big enough for lap swimming. We returned home refreshed and ready for dinner.

We left Spring Valley for Mediterraneo, an Italian restaurant in Nairobi proper. This restaurant is popular with expats and the food was excellent. Helga’s parents regaled us with some incredibly harrowing tales of life under soviet rule in East Germany including the time they were caught trying to cross the border into West Germany.

On Sunday we had a leisurely breakfast in their sunny dining room with everything your heart desired on the table with all manner of local fruits, homemade jams, bagels, cereals etc. The conversation centered on Terri and Baobab.

Later that afternoon Peter and Helga took all of us to the very British, Mugaitha Club. It must have been what colonial Africa was like for Europeans. It was elegant, complete with white glove service. The grounds and buildings were impeccable and the patrons were well dressed, everyone engaged in quiet conversation.

We enjoyed a delicious, light supper on Sunday evening prepared by Helga and served on the patio undisturbed by insects or humidity. There was much fun as the children joined us. They are well mannered, very bright and extremely charming.

It was hard to leave Monday morning but we said our thank yous and goodbyes and purchased 3 jars of Jacinta’s delicious homemade jam. Peter and Helga were the consummate hosts and we couldn’t have had a nicer time. Helga’s parents were a joy and I hope to see them again. I look forward to seeing them all this summer in Marion as they own a home that has been in Peter’s family for generations.

The return trip to Jomo Kenyatta Airport took less than an hour. Kenya Airways, again, canceled our 1:30 flight and we didn’t leave until 5pm. In the interim Terri had to endure an interview with the airport doctor as she is 7 months pregnant and the airline wanted to confirm that she was fit for travel. The interview cost 600 Kenyan shillings, about $8.00 Traffic was a nightmare in Dar and the ride back with Terri’s husband took 3 hours to cover 50 miles.

We are back in the humid soup that is Bagamoyo with much planned over the next few weeks.