AND FINALLY
September 2003
Dear Friends,
Three months flew away like a dream and I am back in England. But it is also nice to be back: I can listen to ‘proper’ music (stupid of me not to take a CD player or even a cassette player with me), eat jacket potatoes, drink good skimmed milk and even have some red wine. But most of all it is so good to talk to friends, so good!
I have been slow writing this last letter for one reason and another and I wonder if any of you actually has energy or interest to read about my ‘achievements’, but as it is your money I have been using, I feel the need to explain.
When looking back, I feel that I left more ’foot prints’ after these 3 months than the previous 6 with Humana. It is partly because I knew the place, but more importantly because I was working independently, in co-operation with COPRED, but responsible for the Heart of Africa only. No compulsory meetings, no adjusting for someone else’s plans, and not too many villages to visit. It seems to me that most, if not all organisations have too large catchment areas. Extensive list of places where they claim to work are produced, but how many of these villages actually get help from them? It looks impressive for the donors and that seems to be the deciding factor. My aim was totally opposite: I refused to go to any village if I wasn’t able to help them somehow on a practical level. One can always make encouraging noises and that is also good, but this time it was not enough for me. I wanted to see results - also for my own satisfaction - but more importantly for them. I have heard so many people saying to me, also last time, that they have had visitors from many organisations along the years, but I am the first one who is actually doing something for them. Isn’t that terrible? But of course it is not because I am so wonderful, but because I am not aiming higher than I can climb and I am not interested in statistical lists (well, I am, but it is time consuming and every organisation is doing that). My desire is to help people to stand on their own feet. And sometimes it is amazingly easy, amazingly cheap to do so. My projects were very modest, but for a person or a village who has no income what so ever, any income is a blessing. I have also seen too much fancy modern equipment standing unused in the corners of laboratories because of the lack of maintenance. I want to work on the grass root level.
That literally happened in the four vegetable gardens, which were created. All proceeds from those went for the common pot, helping the most vulnerable in the villages. I was the first to buy a bundle of vegetables from them. ‘Brings good luck‘, I was told. I do hope so.
Four small-scale peanut butter production projects were also started. I gave a starter kit of jars and some money for peanuts, drew the labels and gave tape to fix it to the jar. This is an excellent little scheme as the final product is cheap to produce but expensive to buy.
But the pearl among projects is the fuel-briquette one. It is close to my heart and every time when I glanced towards the Soche Hill -still partly covered with trees, but disappearing fast - its importance grew ten-fold. As you know, I learned the method of briquette making from WWF (- have just written back to them about the outcome) and put the learning straight into action after returning from Cape Maclear. Unfortunately I didn’t stay long enough to see the first briquette born, although the people of Jumbe village tried very hard to achieve that before I left. But, I am sure they will continue the work enthusiastically and I have two excellent, reliable chaps, Hilton & Joseph supporting them and keeping me updated about the progress. The benefits of this project are two-fold: Most importantly some of the fast disappearing woodland areas could be saved and secondly this will also bring income for the village as the briquettes and stoves are sold. Luckily the village of Jumbe is not the poorest of the poor. The income is not that great and this project needs a group of people who fully understand the need for change. I think that understanding is there in Jumbe village. On my last day there, they said in the good-bye speech: "You have to tell us early enough when you will be back because we want to organise a welcome party where neighbouring villages are also invited so that we can show them briquettes and tell about the importance of using them". What more can I wish, what more?
As you know, I visited some orphans and elderly; gave footballs, spiced with HIV/AIDS talks to Youth Clubs; two sewing clubs received needles and other sewing materials, several babies got baby clothes and now two orphan centres have lots of coloured pencils, posters and books. Seeds went to several places and of course we cannot forget the toothbrush bonanza! None of these are my achievements, but yours. You gave these things, I just delivered them. I hope you got as much joy of giving them as I did. And I can assure you that there was a lot of joy at the receiving end!
When the children of Mjamba village escorted me to a minibus, they were singing all the way long: "We say ‘good-bye’ to Teli, but it is not forever. Hallelujah!" I also hope it is not forever, only till April.
And finally I have to tell you something which makes me really, really happy:
I have the most wonderful support group in the whole world. I am so very thankful to
You all. Thank you, thank you, kiitos, kiitos………
Teli