More Girl Power-sorry boys

Introducing Agnes, the amazing cook at Walk in Love. Everyday she makes porridge for the kids, chai for the workers, lunch for more than 30 people, prepares fruit for the kids, more porridge and snacks for the cause for concern kids, all on 2 charcoal stoves, she also goes to market to buy the fresh vegetables, some weekly, some daily. Plus she has to put up with an off beat volunteer (me!)  telling her that I’m going to give the small babies piri-piri-chilli sauce. Don’t worry, I’m not. She does all of this for around £60 per month. Her grand daughter attends the centre so that her daughter can work. The world is a better place with Agnes in it. The pic shows Agnes with the last of the mangoes from the tree in my garden, the majority were taken to the centre for the children, although I have eaten a fair few myself!

 

Heaven is the 11 year old daughter of a lady who I worked with at the baby home several years ago. I knew that mum had it tough but it has only recently dawned on me how tough. She is determined that Heaven should have a good education so sends her to an English Medium School rather than to a government school. By the time she has paid the fees and her rent she is left with less than £20 per month to cover everything including bills, school uniform and food. In January I took over paying  Heaven’s school fees, 2 months later both mum and daughter look healthier, happier and have put on weight. Obviously they were cutting back on food to make ends meet. Mum states that by the end of this month she will be out of debt for the first time in years and will be able to save a little from April. No family tax credit here if you are on a low wage. Debt is crippling no matter what country you live in but at least in the UK education and healthcare are, mostly, free at the point of need and we have a reasonable social welfare system.

 

Marie moved into her new home on Sunday. She went to visit the original room which I’d paid the deposit on but discovered that the roof leaked and she was not standing for it. She demanded and got a refund and found another room within budget, she is determined to pay me back the money which I’ve loaned her within 2 months and has plans on how she can increase her income. Thanks to Joan Hamer and other kind people her home has all that she needs for now, it’s simple but it’s her own front door. I’ll update this blog when I hear any news, maybe she’ll be the first McDonald’s franchisee in Arusha? Hope not, the food here is much better than that!

 

Some wonderful American ladies visited the centre and gave us rice, lentils and many bags of clothes and bedding. Some were given to the workers, others we saved for people in need who visit the centre. Here are some pics of Myasa and Chiku modelling their clothes. Yet another story of women helping women less fortunate than themselves. Asante Sana

 

First swhaili lesson this week, boy have I got a lot to learn, even have homework to do. I can tell someone that I am a nurse  that I live in Njiro but I still don’t know what 12 is! Oh and I know which is the women’s toilet now-preventing any potentially embarrassing situations

Until next week, this is Dolly saying, or rather trying to say, kwa heri