My 1st big mission; to find a classroom!

Yesterday I just witnessed the most desperate case ever in my life! Around 80 children, most of which are orphans, HIV+ or whose parents are HIV+, simply do not have a classroom. The kids stay outdoors in a kind of a yard. The practically sit on the floor to do some writing. It is cold and not all are properly dressed. The teacher uses the grey cement walls as a blackboard.

I met the head or as she calls herself the coordinator of the centre called WEMA; Women Education for Managing Aids. The Centre's main mission is to care and support - medically and if possible, financially - people affected by AIDS and/or are HIV+. This they achieve through various programmes, including, providing classes for HIV+ and orphaned children, support to their mothers and other HIV+ women to make an earning out of their small activities, peer pressure drug counselling and HBC - Home Best Care, direct help to home-ridden patients in the form of nursing care, food, medicine and well-being education. (I will elaborate more about WEMA as I go along and gain for info from the Doc).

The biggest headache for Dr. Asteria Komba are the children who are without a classroom and on top of that the landlord who is threatening them to remove the children from his yard as he can't tolerate the idea of it being used for free. It's quite depressing especially this morning when the Dr. text me and told me even the parents are now crying as they have learnt of this potential threat.

So, I found myself in a situation whereby I have to find a place for these children. The wonderful thing is that through your generosity I have managed to collect a nice sum of money which given rough calculations would cover a year's rent for about 4 rooms. Having spoken to the Dr. yesterday she explained how this landlord owns the whole area and building in which her office together with 2 other rooms (counselling room and office for her 6-member staff) are situated. He would like to sell it all at a very high price otherwise he's asking for a hefty monthly rent price just to keep her office. Her rent expires in October and she has run out of the money which was provided to her from Arusha Project(which I gather is a government-owned institution) 3 years ago. This landlord also owns a large shed (which was the carpenter's warehouse)adjacent to the yard where the kids are now. This shed would be ideal to convert into 3 classrooms + 1 office. However, not only is the shed in need of reconstruction but he's also asking for TZS100,000 (a little less than $100) a month which I later learnt is a about TZS20,000 more expensive than the average monthly rent. It is also in a bad construction state. Having met the landlord this morning, the Dr. called me and Patrick (our project coordinator/translator/helper etc....) to tell us that unfortunately he doesn't want to negotiate the price down, let alone do the reconstruction at his own expense. On the other hand he actually hitched up the price! I suspect he did this following gossips he heard of a 'muzungu' (white person) querying about it. I've kind of got used to the fact here that a muzungu = a white walking money box!!!

The good thing is that the Doc knows of another place so I'm really eager to see it hopefully this afternoon and also meet the landlord and have a good tete a tete!!!
I have also learnt another thing in this country; a business man is a business man and whatever the matter is about (even if it's sick homeless orphans) money is money and the more they can lay their hands on, of course, the better. Well, I kind of understand coming from a business background. However, I'm not ready to pay any price. It will be my mission and responsibility to ensure that the money is invested well.

The second biggest headache are teachers. The Doc is relying on two local people who do the teaching on a voluntary basis. She 'keeps' them by paying about TZS30,000 a month (about $30) out of her own pocket but at times they just don't turn up and she has to send one of her staff members to do the job. They're also asking for more money. Her aim is to have if not 3, at least 2 permanent teachers who she would like to pay TZS60,000 (about $60) each a month. This salary sounds reasonable here although I heard of other nursery teachers being paid a nice $100 a month.
So, this is another problem we could turn into an opportunity!

All for now folks, keep checking my blog for the latest and keep your hopes and prayers high so I find a classroom for these children.

thank you all
Nicky
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