The First Step

On my trip back to Arusha, I made a point to meet with Steven Ndosi again. We have been communicating via e-mail regarding our joint project proposal. We met to discuss the logistics of getting the Maternal Child Health Clinic running again. The building is in serious disrepair and needs to be torn down. To make it usable again, it needs to be completely renovated from the foundation up. From what I’ve been told, once the structure is repaired, the government will send more staff. The ward only has one government sponsored midwife at this point and she is very overworked and undersupplied because the government will not send anymore staff as well as minimal supplies because they consider the facility inadequate. The ward is responsible for rebuilding the structure if they want the government to send the supplies and staff.

This is something I have been thinking about for a long time...since my first visit to Nkoanrua. This “wild idea” as Steven has taken to calling it has only grown in me as I have been working on my research paper. I am excited to get home and start the actual foot work for this project. Since I’ve been to the site and talked with some of the players, I saw first hand the need for these services. I’ve discovered the passion for making a difference in women’s lives. Doing something for them makes a difference in the quality of life for the entire community.

I am so wary of disappointing these people, but I know that I can do something to make a difference. The things I’ve learned this semester in my classes have provided valuable insight into the cultural basis for healthcare and some of the obstacles to making quality care a reality. My aim is to not be seen as an outside donor but a partner. From what Steven said, the village and ward are prepared to contribute to the building effort with supplies and labor.

It is encouraging to see these people rally together to better themselves. They have already invested in so much. I am eager to see them continue to invest in their advancement for the betterment of them all.

In this little community, the village council plays an important part in decisions that are made about the community. It’s comparable to neighborhood organizations at home though this one is far more connected to the government.

There is much planning and prep work to be done. This meeting was the first step. I now am charged to go home and start the process of building my team and making all of the things Steven and I talked about a reality. Because of this project, I may be back in Tanzania sooner than later.