Miti kwa Tanzania

It’s been a very, very busy week. We had three guests from the U.S. get in Sunday afternoon and leave today (Saturday). During their time here they designed and built a park, with the help of a few laborers and dump trucks of sand, soil, stones, and water. The job was anything but easy, or simple for that matter. They came in with all expectations of working on one site that they had been mapping and analyzing for many months prior, but a week before they arrived the Kigoma government officials decided the public land they allotted to them must be used for something else. The three students were given a piece of land next to Joy in the Harvest’s church that was at best described as “unusable”. This group of students had a good month or so of work cut out for them, but only a week to do it in.
The guests were Peter, Landon, and Mary. Peter and Landon are known as “Landscape Architects” from Purdue University; Mary is a horticulturist that specializes in trees (Miti). All three are connected to the group Miti kwa Tanzania or “Trees for Tanzania,” a non-profit organization whose mission is to essentially plant trees in hopes of provided shade, fuel, and protection against erosion -- all things that this site desperately needed. The site consisted of two big ditches that acted as canals that carried water from higher ground to Lake Tanganyika. The problem is that the water leaves as quickly as it arrives, leaving nothing for the plants to survive on (hence why there were very few in the area). The water run-off and erosion that were occurring was monumental, a site like this wouldn’t be allowed in the States due to its major safety issues (Don’t worry parents, we were careful).
So we were put to work. Work is such a small word for what occurred in the next few days. Land was molded, dams were built, and trees and plants were planted. Shoveling needed to be done, but only after a pick was taken to each and every inch looking to be shoveled due to the natural “brick” that would form from the red clay found in the area. Load after load…after load of material was shipped in. If work like this occurred in the States the worker’s union would have a field day. The workers here didn’t complain though, they just smiled and worked along side us. The entire project’s budget cost about 1,000 US dollars, in the states it would have been well over 10,000… and there probably would have been a Bobcat, instead of the broken down wheelbarrows we used.
Somehow the work was completed before Friday evening. At 4:55PM the last bucket of water was used to secure the newly planted trees and plants. At 5PM a small but touching ceremony was held to plant the final tree.
As quickly as it started it was over. The only evidence is a completely renovated piece of land that went from a few ditches to a beautiful looking park, with the capacity to stop and hold water, prevent erosion, give shade, and supply this poor region with something beautiful…. and of course some blisters, a good sunburn, sore muscles, and great stories about working with the locals. They taught us some great words of wisdom, we taught them how to say “Sa-Weeeet”.
It’s Saturday now and we’re all tired. This morning we mustered up the energy to see the “trail of tears.” A beautiful but humbling path where captured slaves were forced to walk from Lake Tanganyika all the way to the coast. All they had to eat were mangos, of which the seeds they would throw on the side of the road. Today, the only evidence of this appalling history is the massive mango trees lining both sides of the road. Afterward we visited the Dr. David Livingstone museum, just a few kilometers away to learn more about the explorer and missionary who’s famous encounter with Henry Morton Stanley (Dr Livingstone, I presume?) occurred right outside of Kigoma.
Another week said and done. Who knows what the next will bring…

Breaking down social barriers, one pick axe at a time....