Tanzania Visit 2010

 Patandi Teachers College

Around 200 boxes of Braille and audio books had arrived from the UK and were awaiting our arrival in Arusha. We arrived to find that our contacts at the college had both left, but were assigned Ahiadu Sangoda, a newly appointed tutor. Fortunately we were assigned a large classroom alongside the resource centre which allowed us, over 2 to 3 days to unpack, sort and catalogue the books. This was not an easy task, matching multiple volumes, deciding on the category for some books and dealing with constant power failure. This delayed our work, as did the failure of the promised shelving to materialise.

We just an hour to spare before Rtn Denise Jackson from the Dundee Discovery Club and her husband Andy were due to leave, we had the shelves complete and the books on the shelves. We had set up a new computer and printer and installed audio recording software. Despite our best efforts we failed to resolve the problems with the Braille embosser, thermoform tactile diagram machine and photocopier.   Money has been left to fund the repair and maintenance of this equipment, together with support from the Mt Meru Club.

Time was spent with Ahiadu passing on teaching resources for mobility, Braille and low vision. The tape players were all checked and sorted and it was agreed that, together with the low vision aids, they would be provided directly to blind students when the tutors go out to visit students on teaching practice. Before leaving Patandi we produced multiple copies of a Swahili Science textbook that had been recorded and which we passed on to the schools in Mwanza and Bukoba.

Our visit to Upendo coincided with the opening of a new English medium primary school and to which 2 of the children had been enrolled. Catholic Nuns had established the school, and we had hoped that our visit would coincide with the end of the formalities and performances by the children. That was not the case and we had to sit through nearly 2 hours of speeches in Swahili. We did get to see the children perform and partake in the ‘mountains’ of refreshments that were provided for the guests.

We returned a week later together with a dish installer to provide reception for the television. We were delayed half a day as negotiations on a good price were conducted on our behalf. The final crew were excellent, and having assembled and installed the dish, proudly demonstrated the ‘free’ channels available from around the globe. The Upendo carpentry department had been working on a television cabinet and the Sisters spoke of the need to improve security in the rooms that would house the television and computer.

We travelled to Mwanza in the expectation that arrangements had been made for us to visit the school. Since we were last there the school had received considerable international press and television coverage and the Tanzanian authorities were naturally sensitive about visitors. Having completed the boundary wall, they were also mindful of the safety of the albino children. Arriving at the school by 3.00, just as the school day finished we were not permitted to visit, beyond talking with the Head Teacher. This despite the fact that Rotary had recently provided more bunk beds for the increasing number of children coming to the school. It was made clear that we needed permission from the District Commissioner and then the Head Teacher was also stressing that we would need to visit at the weekend, something that was not possible.

Finally armed with a letter to the Head Teacher and a courtesy copy to drop off with the District Commissioner we returned to Mitindo. The Head was still uncertain, still asking what the District Commissioner was saying. It took some persuading before he realised that he had received a personal letter from the Regional Commissioner, a much higher authority. Eventually by late afternoon we were able to start work meeting and assessing individual albino children.

We were made very welcome at the school; which housed children with physical and visual disabilities as well as 30 albinos. The food and living conditions seemed to us very basic but all the children were happy and well cared for. In being introduced to the albino children we were shocked to meet Emmanuel a young lad who had been attached by four men who hacked off one arm, fingers from his other hand and hammered out some of his teeth. Over the course of our visit we watched him show determination to carry out basic tasks with his stumps. Alongside him was his 2½ year old sister who had been sent by their mother, as she feared for her safety. This was just one of many horrific stories we heard of during our visit.

With support from the Head Teacher we were able to provide new Braille writing frames to the school and instruct the blind teacher in their use. We saw each albino child in turn, issuing sunscreen, UV filter spectacles and low vision aids. Many of the children had been issued with a variety of ‘odd’ donated sunglasses, and whilst better than nothing, would not offer the protection of the UV filters. In issuing the filters we impressed, through the teachers, the importance of looking after the glasses, keeping them clean and in the bag provided when not in use. Later in the day we found one little girl with her glasses in the bag together with the dirty spoon she had used for lunch!