What? Tanzania isn't poor at all!

The artist

"Do you want paintings? Very cheap price for you!" He said. I was volunteering in Stone Town in Zanzibar in Tanzania, East Africa.

This is the gazillionth time I've been approached by touters trying to make a quick buck at unsuspecting tourists. Who knows the actual prices of these paintings?

"How much is cheap?" He offered a price. I couldn't remember what it is now. Nor does it matter. "And what is it painted on?" After all, my degree was in Art History, big help that was in landing a career. 

"Banana leaves!" He exclaimed. Ok. That's pretty interesting. Trying to get out of the tout, I humoured him. 

"Do you have the big 5? And a big painting of it on banana leaves?" He explained that he could search for it. With sincerity. He also explained that his grandfather painted them, who knows if that was true.

My students work and my current life

Focus Group Discussion with community members

In the shade, under a huge tree of an unknown name (to me atleast), in the courtyard of a school in Paje, Zanzibar, Tanzania, my students begin their practice community assessment. On my side of things, it was a bit of a scramble to coordinate the placements with my Program Director between the students local NGO partner (ZANGOC) and the community leaders.

"Karibuni, you are most welcome to your village. Please come follow. Very welcome" The Sheha (village elder) lead Christine, my partner in crime volunteer buddy, and me to the court yard where the meeting will take place. All the village representatives were there from each part of the village. 

"What do you do?" I get asked a lot these days.

In short, I'm in an vulnerable country teaching students about grant proposal writing while coordinating their practicums in different communities on Zanzibar. This will eventually give them the life skills in community assessment and community empowerment. This helps to alleviate and improve several different aspects of their lives in the community. I guess that's not very short.

I was sent to volunteer in Africa...

My students at it again!

• Malaria
• Women empowerment
• HIV/Aids
• Child marriage
• Street kids 
• Corruption in government
• Drug abuse 

Emcompasses a small list of what my students are interested about. Their average age is mid twenties and they're all interested in tackling issues of this size. They want to volunteer at their placements and ontop of that, observe other class members who have gone into at-risk communities to do their research on community assessments to identify problems and try to find solutions for those communities.

To complete a year long course of "Emerging Leaders" program, they are to complete 2 grant proposals from the research they have done from the previous course in how to assess communities. They find the weakest links of the communities and address those issues. As part of this, I have given them the oppurtunity to also be placed in another NGO that best matches their interests and to begin working on the issues at hand.

Not one friend I know back home actively pursue the interests of these likes, of course each their own, but the idea of contributing time to make real changes in the world, especially with all the harsh crticism that's vocalized almost everyday and spewing onto Facebook.