Contrasts

Oct 29

Today I saw a man walking in shoes made out of tires. This is actually not uncommon, and by far not the most striking example of poverty I have seen here. However this man was engaged in talking on his cell phone. An interesting contrast, from a malnourished man clad in only a blanket. It makes you think about the values we seem to have adopted as a society. Today was a normal day at the orphanage, except for the fact that I experienced standing in a dala dala for the first time, an experience I would not like to repeat. There is no way to stabilise yourself, so you are constantly being tossed around. As well I was too tall so I spent the whole time with my neck crushed down. At the start of our day at the orphanage two of the girls I work with took a little girl with eye problems to the hospital. On our way out of the orphanage we met up with them, and joined them in delivering the girl and her medicine to her mother. Our party consisted of 5 volunteers, a worker from the orphanage, and Godfrey, the man who runs the orphanage. Our first stop was to get some food into the little girl, at a little rotted out shack in a banana grove not far from the orphanage. Then we continued making our way through banana groves and past little run down shacks and houses. The most striking thing about this little trip was that beside these small houses were big mansions, with shiny new cars parked out  front. Godfrey told me that the people living in these houses get new cars every year, but never help the people in poverty around them. The little girl lives in a concrete house with two small rooms and a tin roof, with just her mother. Her mother has HIV and her father died in a motorcycle crash. The mother accepted the medicine, directions, and two sandwiches gratefully, and then we were on our way again.

About the election:

Finally the results are (almost) in! First a bit of background. There are two main parties in Tanzania. The CCM is the party in power, and has been for over 50 years now, Chadema is the opposition, popular among younger voters. The Area where I am staying is mostly Chadema. The CCM is very corrupt, so alot of people want them out, but Chadema coming in has the risk of still more corruption. Godfrey is very strongly anti CCM, as they take the money that is allowed for orphanages and development and pocket it for themselves. Sadly, it looks like CCM is going to win. Their presidential candidate has already won and it looks like the rest will follow suit. The verdict is still out on Zanzibar, as the vote was recalled by CCM because they didn't win, and it is being re-done. All the house staff are dismayed by the result, and there was a very somber mood at dinner tonight.

Pictures:
1. The banana groves
2. My view after a days work
3. My second roomate tonight!
Lala salama!