Re-entry and what is next

The re-entry has been easier this year. We had the wonderful benefit of sleep on the flight out of Dar es Salaam. We each had three seats to stretch out on! We went shopping a few days after our return and it wasn’t the overwhelming experience we had last year. Maybe we are getting adapted to this.

We have had wonderful news since we are back. The Tanzania Agriculture Productivity Program (TAPP) organization went out to a meeting of the Datoga/Hadzabe (DAHA) group and presented moringa. These are people who have not farmed in the past, but they are excited about the potential of moringa. Perhaps as hunter/gatherers, the idea of a tree with so much to offer is not so foreign. Two village members offered three acres of land to get the project started. This is the kind of local commitment that is necessary for these efforts to work, so we are very happy about that.

WellShare sponsors a marathon in Karatu to fight malaria every April which has been taking a lot of their time. Now that it is over, they will be able to focus again on the income projects we’ve developed. The chickens that we promised to one village are on the way, thanks to our donors and another village will be getting a sewing machine.

Here in Minneapolis, WellShare has asked us to participate in fund raising efforts and a board retreat in May. There will also be a phone call to the organization in California that visited us in Karatu. They have assured us again that they want to provide funding, so we will talk about what they are willing to support and how to proceed. We are hoping this will result in the financial stability to continue some of WellShare’s important work in Karatu once the USAID project ends in September. We are also looking for additional supporters. If any of you have ideas about foundations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or individuals who can make significant contributions, please let us know.

When we first looked into doing this kind of work we didn’t know what to expect, but we never would have imagined the kind of challenging, fulfilling experience we have had. We have learned a lot about development, Africa and Tanzania, and the challenges of living in a developing country. We have seen the problems but also the assets that reside in these cultures and it is wonderful to see the energy and enthusiasm that these people bring to opportunities to improve their lives. We hope we can return and continue our work and relationships there.