Why should we care about poverty in Africa?

Africa, and Tanzania specifically, is so far away. That can’t possible affect me, nor be my responsibility, right?

I agree, Tanzania is far away - more than 8,000km if you could fly directly - but poverty in Africa DOES affect you on daily basis, and it IS everyones responsibility. I’ll tell you why:

First of all, there are the humanitarian reasons.

Poverty is a human rights issue, and everyone deserves to have access to basic needs such as food, water, healthcare, and education. Poverty in Africa can lead to widespread suffering, and it is our moral obligation as global citizens to help those in need. Don’t you think?

Secondly, there are economic reasons.

Poverty in Africa has negative economic impacts not just for the continent but also for the global economy. Poverty leads to decreased productivity, increased healthcare costs, and decreased economic growth, which has a ripple effect throughout the world. We are seeing it now with inflation and recessions, and increased costs of living.

Poverty also affects political stability.

Poverty is a major contributor to political instability and conflict, which has serious consequences for both the continent and the world. By addressing poverty in Africa, we can help promote political stability and reduce the likelihood of conflict and instability.

Conflict and instability often leads to an increase in migration and in refugees.

Global health is another reason to want to minimise poverty in Africa.

Poverty can contribute to the spread of diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, and recently we have all experienced how COVID affected us all.

Addressing poverty in Africa can help to improve public health outcomes both within Africa and globally.

Finally, climate change is connected to poverty alleviation.

Poverty also contributes to climate change and environmental degradation, which has serious consequences for the world. By addressing poverty in Africa and promoting sustainable development, we can help to mitigate the effects of climate change and promote a more sustainable future.

This is truly in everyone’s interests, right?

We can help you!

We give you a tangible and impactful way to make a positive and sustainable change for people living in severe poverty.

We offer you a pathway to create this change with minimal administrative layers between donation to beneficiary.

 Thank YOU

Nina

Are you off to a great year like us?

2023 has begun and we have hit the ground running! 

First, I owe you a MASSIVE thank you!

We raised a whooping AUD $8,300 during our Christmas Campaign - well above our $5,000 goal - for our Outreach project.

This means we can buy TWO NEW MOTORBIKES as well as cover all expenses to MEDICINE AND TREATMENTS, and MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. All of this is covered for a FULL YEAR. Thank s to you and your amazing support. 

We are beyond grateful for the generosity and trust you have shown us.

Our team has ordered the motorbikes and as soon as they arrive I will send you an update from the field. We can’t wait - and neither can the 35,000 residents of Nyamatongo.

What are we planning for 2023?

Healthcare

With our Outreach Team well supported, we are going to continue to deliver healthcare to residents who are unable to come to the health centre. Many times this is because of disabilities, or simply due to not knowing a condition should or could be treated. A lot of our work consist in sharing knowledge around prevention and treatment of injuries and diseases.

Kamanga Health Centre, our small-scale hospital, is also thriving. It is a busy place tending to more than 1,000 patients every month. Although we do not have a surgical unit only a small number of our patients (less than 3%) needs referral to the larger District Hospital. We are happy we can provide those who need it safe and stable transport in our on-site ambulance.

Ante- and postnatal care as well a safe environment to give birth is also a very important function of Kamanga Health Centre. We generally tend to 100+ pregnant women every month and deliver just short of two babies a day on average. Giving birth in Tanzania can be a deadly event and every day 30 mothers die during childbirth. In most cases, from preventable causes.

Every week we invite families to bring their babies under 5 years old to our ‘baby clinic’. Here we vaccinate children, weigh them and check their general health. We talk to families about nutrition and answer any health concerns they might have. This means we have a very high vaccination rate in our communities and generally we see about 30 children and their families every week.

We couldn’t do this work without our close relationship to the local Community Health Workers. These are locally elected health workers from each village or area and is often the first person to know if anyone in the area is in need of medical care. We provide medical training to our Community Health Workers and in turn they help spread knowledge on family planning, danger signs during pregnancy, and many other health related topics. They visit close to 250 households on a monthly basis.

Entrepreneurship

Last year, we finalised our pilot projet focusing on mushroom farming, entrepreneurship and Climate Change. Mushrooms are a great crop as it climate change resilient and you do not need to own land to be able to grow them.

Our Pilot was a great success. We learned a lot along the way and we are now ready to launch a full 12 month program after which it will be financially sustainable in itself. We are aiming to educate 200 residents every year and assist them to set up their own collaborative small-holder farms. The reason we are encouraging collaborative farms is to benefit from shared overhead costs and shared knowledge and responsibility. 

This project has so many benefits - I have listed a few of the major benefits below:

·       Increase in income for the whole household

·       Increase in income leads to better healthcare and education

·       Increase in self-esteem for women and people with disabilities

·       With self-esteem and independence comes healthier individuals and a higher uptake of birth control

·       A new and affordable nutritious crop available to the whole community

·       Mushrooms can help combat some of the nutritional deficiencies we see daily

·       More children in schools/less drop out caused by economic strain or health issues

·       Innovative low-tech and low-cost driers not needing electricity

·       Any excess production to be dried and access to international export channels

·       Project able to finance itself within 12 months

·       Excess funding and earnings to be used for scaling and other projects within our organisation

Of course, all of this is pending funding. We are actively seeking funding from all corners of the world. The full cost for a 12 month project is AUD $150,000 (approximately USD $100,000). If you want to know more about the Theory of Change, budget and project details please feel free to contact me directly by clicking the button below:

Climate Change and Green Kamanga

As everyone else, we are trying to do our part to combat climate change. In 2021 we planted 600+ trees germinated from seeds. We focused on quick growing timber and fruit trees such as mango, papaya and avocado. We continued this in 2022 and planted an additional 600 trees in Kamanga and surrounds.

But this is just the beginning. 

We are currently developing a 3-year project that will see to plant no less than 100,000 trees! Yes, you heard me right, 100,000 trees in 3 years! 

This 3-year project will build on establishing 100 community self-help groups, as well as provide education on environment and climate change through primary school clubs. Focus will also be on fuel-efficient stoves and the importance of using improved latrines and clean water. 

It is a project with BIG goals and a huge IMPACT or all our 35,000 residents. Of course this also comes with a need for funding with a budget of AUD $65,000 (~USD $45,000) per year for 3 years.

Again, if you want to know more about this project you can contact me below.

We are looking forward to share all our wins and stories with you in 2023.

Do you give meaningful gifts?

Are you, like me, searching for meaningful gifts that won’t have to be returned or sold cheaply on Marketplace first week of January?

Do you end up with gifts that never gets used and gets hidden in the back of a drawer, or in a cupboard for years?

Gifts, that makes no difference and has no significance?

Then I have the perfect solution for you!

a Meaningful Present

From my own experience, sometimes gift giving is hard. It either feels like order-lists are given out (as opposed to wish lists), or gifts are just not quite hitting the mark.

And sometimes you just don’t really need any more stuff to clutter your home.

By giving a gift of a donation you are making a difference in more than one person’s life.

You can donate as little $10 and have a significant impact. Make it a monthly donation and let the receiver receive a thank you note every month. I am sure that will bring a smile to their face remembering what an awesome present you chose.

Each of our Outreach motorbikes enables a medical officer to deliver quality healthcare to patients in our community of 35,000 people every day. For less than $50 you have given the gift of fuel, medicine and maintenance of our motorbikes for a week! $48 to be precise.

An impactful present

Every year we make over 1,000 home visits to people who would otherwise have gone without medical care and support.

We provide training an education to the locally elected Community Health Workers who are visiting another 2,500 households every year. They provide advice on family planning, educate on danger signs on severe medical issues, and encourage families to vaccinate their children.

Our Health Centre sees approximately 1,000 patients every month, and we average 2 births a day.

In total, we provide medical care and advice to more than 15,500 people every year. That is worth having a part in, don’t you think?

We all wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a joyful time with your families.

WOW! That's all I can say!

You have been incredible.

It is not even December yet, and we have already surpassed our initial goal of $5,000.

We are deeply grateful.

That said, this doesn't mean an additional donation isn't going to help us. If we can raise another $5,000 then we have all the medical supplies, fuel and maintenance for the motorbikes for 1 year funded as well.

Do you think we can make it before Christmas?

I believe in you.

Fuel, medical supplies and maintenance of the two motorbikes costs AUD $5,000 each year.

This will enable us to deliver quality healthcare to children, people with disabilities and the elderly within our communities. People, who otherwise wouldn’t receive any healthcare.

You can read more about how our outreach project is changing lives here:

Thank you

Nina

P.S.

Please share this with your friends, in a post, in an email.

Hold a bake-sale, charity dinner, or raise money at your office or school.

Please sign up to our newsletter if you have not already.

Reaching out... For outreach.

Today I am reaching out to you.

We need your help. 

For the past 8 years we have run our outreach program providing quality healthcare to people who otherwise wouldn’t receive any medical care. 

But now we are struggling to deliver this service. The only way we can reach people is on our motorbikes and our old ones are literally falling apart. 

We need new bikes. Can you help?

1 motorbike costs AUD $2,500 and we need 2, so our total need is AUD $5,000

You can read more about how our outreach project is changing lives here:

https://www.australiaforcedartanzania.org/outreach-team-australia-for-cedar-tanzania-changing-lives

Thank you

Nina

P.S.

Please share this with your friends, in a post, in an email.

Hold a bake-sale, charity dinner, or raise money at your office or school.

Please sign up to our newsletter if you have not already.

Take a sip of your water...

Climate change is causing havoc across the world. Devasting floods in some parts - and severe drought others. Tanzania is suffering from the lack of rains along with the rest of Horn of Africa.

Major cities such as Dar es Salaam and Dodoma – home to 6.5M people – are currently rationing water. Water is only available every second day. No running water. No drinking water. No cooking water. No flushing toilets. No showers. No washing clothes or cleaning. No water.

In rural areas everything is just dry. Rivers and water holes are drying up. Only few crops can withstand the drought. Livestock is suffering. Livestock and farming is crucial to the survival of the 61M people living in Tanzania.

This video shows how dire the situation is starting to get for people living in rural areas:

https://www.dw.com/en/tanzanias-drastic-drought/video-62986414

Best Innovation in Corporate Social Responsibility

Australia for Cedar Tanzania received a Highly Commended award for our mushroom project in Tanzania.

This award is part of Australia-Africa Minerals and Energy Group’s (AAMEG) yearly Africa Awards presented as part of the Africa Downunder (ADU) conference.

ADU is the largest mining conference with a focus on Africa held outside Africa, and AAMEG is the peak body representing Australian companies engaged in the development of Africa’s resource industry. 

What is Kilimu Bora | Smart Farming?

Kilimu Bora means Smart Farming in Swahili. All projects under this banner revolve around food security, entrepreneurship, gender equality, climate change, nutritional health, and the environment.

Our first Smart Farming project has been the establishment of mushroom farming. This includes mushroom growth, drying methods, business skills and export agreements.

Mushroom farming as a business is new in Tanzania, and we are one of the leading pioneers in the area.

Through this project we are addressing a range of social, economic, and environmental challenges. We provide skilled training for vulnerable groups such as young women and people with disabilities and their household members.

Participants are offered hands-on of training, in which they are taught both the agricultural and business aspects of operating and managing a mushroom farm. The training includes how to grow and harvest mushrooms, preparing substrate, drying and packaging, how to meet international sterilisation and hygiene standards, quality control, bookkeeping, environmental best practises and compliance, market navigation, and customer service. The participants also learn how to source organic substrate materials locally and how to store this for optimal produce production.

Our high-quality mushrooms can be sold both locally and internationally thanks to our innovative custom-built driers, not using electricity but only the heat from the sun and a clever use of the airflow.

During the selection of participants priority was given to young women and to people with disabilities or their household members.

Gender inequality is prevalent in Tanzania and starts for girls already at a very young age when they often are deprived of the chance of an education in favour of their brothers. Without a good education, many girls and young women will remain both financially and emotionally dependent on parents, partners, or husbands. People with disabilities bear the double burden of poverty and exclusion due to financial, social, and environmental barriers coupled with a high degree of stigma present across Tanzania.

Why Mushrooms? 

90% of the Tanzanian population of 60 million people are living on less than $5.00 PPP. 49% is surviving on less $1.90 PPP per day – the international definition of severe poverty. Of these, the vast majority, 80%, are living in rural areas such as the Nyamatongo Ward.

Choosing mushrooms as the vehicle for agri-business is beneficial for several reasons:

No Land Required

Mushrooms are grown in buckets and indoors, and hence easier allow women and disabled people to become equal participants in their family’s and community’s economic life.

Research shows that fewer women and people with disabilities own land, and that they do not have equal access to manual labour.

Year-Round Crop, Independent of Rainfall

Through careful selection of species and growing conditions, mushrooms can be grown year-round regardless of change in rain patterns.

Climate change has shown irregularities to rainfall in the region with current draught and famine in the Horn of Africa. More specifically, the Mwanza region has experienced persistent irregular rainfall over the last number of years, which can have extensively harmful effects on local agriculture.

Minimal Initial Investment

This allows for economic opportunity even for women and people with disabilitiess with minimal control of their family finances.

Our project encourages collaborative farming and includes financial support and training during the initial set-up period.

Fast Return on Investment

The mushroom growth cycle can be as short as 8-10 weeks, allowing farmers to see profit extremely quickly.

This is important for the ability to establish income and re-investment in next growth cycle.

Not Labour Intensive

Mushrooms can easily be grown by any member of the household without the need to hire additional help. One of the main barriers seen to extensive farming is access to labour and machinery.

No Educational Background Required

After a relatively short training period, participants are ready to begin cultivating mushrooms.

We embrace a hands-on learning process which allows participants to gain the necessary skills no matter previous level of schooling and their academic capabilities.

High Nutritional Value

Mushrooms are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals and provide an excellent nutritional boost in areas that suffer from malnutrition such as the communities in which we are working.

Community Benefits

We encourage all our participants to establish collaborative farms servicing the local community. Collaborative farming minimises investment costs for the participants including cost to transport bio waste, initial purchases of buckets and tools, and a cost-effective solution to house the farm.

A collaborative farm has other advantages too: the strength of the shared knowledge and the ability to support each other in farming duties. This increases the success rate of the farm as well as enhances the quality of the produce.

By giving a preference to women and people with disabilities and their household members we are ensuring the initiative is supporting the most vulnerable groups within the community. Through research, it has been proven that when women are being supported in taking up income generating activities, the financial outcome is then reinvested for the benefit of the entire household i.e., invested in children’s education and health or in long-term and sustainable investments in collective living standards.

Having an increased production of fresh mushrooms will benefit the entire community of more than 35,000 people through access to an additional and affordable crop with high nutritional value.

Stunted growth and development are caused by a combination of malnutrition, prolonged and repeated infections, and untreated worms and parasites. This is common sight as it affects 38% of children under 5 years old in rural Tanzania. Supplementing their diets with oyster mushrooms will assist in combatting stunted growth in children.

 Sustainability

Responsible Cyclic Agriculture and Prevents the Burning of Agricultural Waste

Our mushrooms are grown on agricultural waste, saving expenses, and preventing the common practice of burning waste.

Avoiding burning of agricultural waste ties in with climate change best practises.

No Pesticides or Fertiliser Required

This both saves on expenses while also ensuring no chemical runoff or harmful agricultural practices. Spent substrates can be reused or sold as fertilizer after the mushroom growth is complete.

With the current hike in fertiliser price and scarce availability this makes mushroom farming a very appealing and cost-effective crop. In addition, in rural areas women are often at a significant disadvantage in regard to purchasing quality fertiliser, since access to such products are often prioritized towards male farmers.

Long-Term Financial Growth Potential

There are several ways a farm could expand: Entrepreneurs can expand into more exotic, high-value mushroom strands as their financial stability increases. Alternatively, there is a growing market for medicinal mushrooms.

Further several niche products are being produced such as mushroom leather, mushroom bricks, or to dispose of oil spills and non-degradable waste products.

Part of our long-term project plan is to provide a safety-net option to purchase any surplus production which will be dried and exported as wholesale to the international market.

High Demand on the International Market

Dried mushrooms have a one-year shelf life and can be sold internationally to a wide range of customers. This includes both B2B and B2C customers, wholesaling, distribution, and to businesses for further processing.

We currently have buyers in Singapore and in East Africa for distribution in Europe and in the USA.

Financial Sustainability after Seed-Funding

After initial central set-up and establishment of first round of collaborative farms the project is financially sustainable with income generated from export of central production as well as surplus production from the collaborative farms.

As a not-for-profit, any financial surplus will be re-invested into further strengthening and expansion of the mushroom project or into our healthcare services.

Furthermore, interest has already been shown from international impact investing companies for further scaling and expansion.

Scalability to other areas

Long-term plans include scaling this project to other areas outside of Nyamatongo Ward. Interest for our project has been shown by organisations working in the refugee camps in the Kigoma area housing approximately 250,000 residents.

Additionally, a potential collaboration with companies working with other dried fruit and vegetables could be imagined. Also in this area, interest has been shown from potential partner companies.

What now?

Currently we are actively seeking seed funding for a year-long upscaling after which the project is financially sustainable.

Our goals include creating a permanent production and ongoing teaching centre at our Community Centre. In the first year we are aiming to have successfully trained 200 residents in mushroom farming. We will deliver ongoing support to new farms and provide teaching in business skills and banking.

Wellbeing and nutritional health will improve throughout the area for all its residents. There will be a steady supply of highly nutritious locally sourced produce and indirectly an increase in household income. It will also strengthen women and people with disabilities position in their communities. 

Through an upscaled project we will also be able to safety-net newly established mushroom farms against loss from over-production by setting up procedures to approve and test each farm is in alignment with international requirements allowing their produce to be used for export.

You can of course help us get a head start towards our ambitious AUD $150,000 goal by clicking on the big green button to donate. Even $20 gets us towards this goal.

If you want to know more about the project you can contact Nina here.

 Thank you!

Can a GP be a volunteer?

Hi everyone.

My name is Sian Ashby, and I am a GP (family doctor) from the UK. I was brought up in the beautiful Scottish borders, studied Medicine at Glasgow University and then completed my GP training in London. I had always wanted to work abroad as a doctor, so after finishing my GP training I chose to study the Diploma of Tropical Medicine in Liverpool, and it was here that I first heard about Cedar Tanzania.

What inspired you to volunteer with Cedar Tanzania? 

I was struck by Cedar Tanzania’s holistic approach to care. On looking at their website, I could see that they understood the importance of health and well-being in a broad sense, rather than being entirely disease-focussed. Cedar Tanzania approaches community well-being from many angles - health, education, female empowerment and entrepreneurship - and understands that tackling all of these factors is crucial if the community is to flourish.

From my research it seemed that Kamanga Health Centre, the health centre jointly run by Cedar Tanzania and the government, was a good fit for a GP, as there were many parallels in the types of patients seen. Of course, I knew that there would also be tropical illnesses which I had never encountered, and I hoped that I might increase my knowledge of tropical medicine by working in Tanzania.

On contacting Cedar Tanzania, I found the staff to be welcoming and accommodating. They were keen and enthusiastic about my voluntary placement and this naturally increased my own excitement!

Sian offering volunteer HIV testing alongside our permanent staff

How long is your volunteer placement?  

6 months provisionally.

What is your role at Cedar Tanzania?

My official title is ‘Volunteer Health Centre Advisor’. It’s a fairly flexible role, but for the most part I am working alongside the Quality Assurance Officer at Kamanga Health Centre, putting policies in place to improve the quality of care. I also work alongside the Tanzanian clinical staff, exchanging knowledge and skills, and I give regular teaching sessions. I hope that as my Swahili improves I will be able to practice medicine independently at the health centre.

Can you mention highlights of some of the activities that you have been involved in whilst you have worked for Cedar?

We have recently set up a teaching program here at Kamanga Health Centre and one of my personal highlights was the neonatal resuscitation training which I ran. We used dolls to role-play and simulate neonatal resuscitation, which was both fun and educational. At the health centre we deliver on average one baby a day (and the numbers are increasing) so it is vitally important that the staff are well trained on how to react if a newborn baby does not breath spontaneously.

Another highlight was the World Aids Day Fair organised by Cedar Tanzania. At the fair there were stalls offering HIV counselling and testing, free condoms, and information about the health centre and Cedar Tanzania projects. There was dancing, drama, and even a ‘catch-the-chicken’ game. But most importantly over 500 people were tested for HIV in a safe and non-judgemental environment.

What things have challenged you so far?

One of the main challenges has been the language barrier. I am currently learning Swahili but it is a slow process... I find it incredibly frustrating not being able to understand the patients, particularly if they are distressed and in need of assistance. I am constantly running around trying to find someone to translate which gets quite exhausting!

The health centre staff do speak English but many are not fluent, so we too have trouble communicating. Getting to the root of an issue is much more difficult when you do not speak the same language! If you are considering coming out to Tanzania, I would advise you to start learning Swahili as early as possible!

The other main challenge which I have noticed is the difference in healthcare economics. Coming from the UK, I am used to the National Health Service (NHS) which provides free healthcare for all UK citizens. Treatment is entirely based on need and not on personal finances. However, here in Tanzania there is a division – those who are exempt and those that have to pay for healthcare. The exempt group includes pregnant women, children under five years old, people over the age of 60 who cannot support themselves and people with chronic diseases like HIV and TB.

Although treatment at Kamanga Health Centre is relatively cheap (government prices), for those not in the exempt group, we still have to make management decisions based partly on the patient’s finances, which is something I find difficult. Sometimes patients cannot follow your advice because they simply cannot afford to. For example, we recently saw a patient with a large abdominal mass who required onward referral to a specialist hospital. However she could not afford to attend the hospital and pay the fee for the necessary imaging and surgery. Instead she returned a week later, the mass having increased in size and the pain having subsequently worsened. This is truly heartbreaking to see, and makes me really value the NHS.

What things have you found enjoyable or surprising about Tanzanian culture either socially or at work?

The Tanzanian people are incredibly welcoming. The health centre staff have been wonderfully accommodating and friendly towards me since my arrival and I have really enjoyed working here thus far.

Socially I love the culture of dancing.  In general Tanzanians seem to have a fantastic sense of rhythm and tend to be incredible dancers! The staff at the health centre have been trying to teach me (without much luck).

Through my work I have noticed that Tanzanian families are much more close-knit than at home. Grandparents usually live together in the house with the parents and children, and they help to care for each other. I think that this is something which has sadly been lost in the UK. I certainly noticed as a GP in London that I visited many elderly people whose children lived thousands of miles away and who were thus unable to care for them. I noticed a huge burden of loneliness, particularly amongst the elderly, but also amongst young people living and working in London - a city with so many people! Perhaps we need to regain the closeness of families and communities in order to reduce the escalating rates of loneliness, anxiety and depression in the UK.

To counter this, I have noticed that here in Tanzania there is very little, if anything, in the way of social support for those without the means to look after themselves. So if, as an elderly or disabled person, you do not have a supportive family then there is no support network to help you survive. We have encountered some difficult cases of disabled patients who have been mistreated or neglected, and this is very challenging work. This is why the work of the Outreach Team (the community-based rehabilitation project  run by Cedar Tanzania) is so important in providing support for those with disabilities.

What would you say to anyone who said that they could not volunteer because they didn't have a skill to offer?

Most people have something to offer. Speak to the Cedar Tanzania team and find out what skills they are looking for! It’s a really rewarding and fun place to work!

If Sian’s experience has whet your appetite to volunteer for Cedar Tanzania then begin the journey with this first step

Can a nurse be a volunteer?

Hello Everyone!

My name is Lucia Melloni, I’m 26 years old and I’m originally from Italy. I studied nursing in Italy and after graduation, I moved to England to work. I have been living and working in the UK for four years now.  

How long was your volunteer placement?

I worked at Kamanga health Centre for nearly 3 months. From mid-January 2020 till the end of March 2020.

What was your volunteer role at Cedar Tanzania?

I was the first volunteer nurse at Kamanga Health Centre, before me only doctors had volunteered for Cedar Tanzania. During my time at Kamanga Health Centre, I mostly worked side by side with the nurses in the health centre helping improve their everyday practice. 

Please mention a couple of highlights of some of the activities that you were involved in whilst you worked for Cedar?

For three months, I have been working with the staff at Kamanga Health Centre and everyday was a highlight in my opinion.  What I most liked though, was that everyone in Kamanga was grateful for my efforts and time spent to help improving the running of the health centre. 

What things did you find challenging either in your work or living cross culturally?

Lucia Melloni, Volunteer Nurse

Our team 2020

Baby and toddler clinic

Families waiting to get their babies seen by our nurses.

Work and living within another culture can be challenging in many ways. What I found the most challenging was the language barrier. Working in healthcare and being able to communicate with your patient is essential. Not being able to communicate properly with my patients and particularly with the little ones was very frustrating.

What things have you found enjoyable or surprising about Tanzanian culture either socially or at work?

What I like the most of Tanzanian culture is the community living. Since the very first day I was in Tanzania, I felt welcomed. Same thing at the health centre, since the very beginning I have been welcomed as part of their family. I really felt home in Tanzania. 

What would you say to anyone considering a medical volunteer post with Cedar Tanzania?

I think it is a very good experience and a good starting point if you are interested in humanitarian medicine. It is also a chance for professional and personal growth.

How did the corona virus outbreak affect your time at Kamanga Health Centre?

The corona virus outbreak did not affect me that much to be honest because I was meant to come back home anyway. Two of my flights to come back to the UK were cancelled, but I managed to come back home in the end!

Find out more about volunteering with Australia for Cedar Tanzania here

Why should you care?

Why should you care about people in Africa? We have our own problems we need to care about. Isn’t that more important?

What if I tell you caring about people in Africa is caring for your own? 

What if I tell you helping people living in developing countries out of poverty is having a direct influence on your life?

How is that so?

You see, especially in these COVID times, it becomes crystal clear that we do not live in bubbles. That we are all connected. 

The surfacing of the new Omicron variant is putting a hold on travel plans again. Some countries are re-instating masks and people are getting sick even though they are double-vaccinated. Just as it seemed like we could see light at the end of the tunnel it has been taken away from us again.

Most of the sub-Saharan Africa has very low vaccination rates. South Africa is leading the board with 24% of the population being fully vaccinated. In comparison, only 1.4% of Tanzania’s population has received a double dose.

Now, how does that affect you? 

Back to the Omicron variation we are seeing now. Virus mutations happens when it replicates inside an unvaccinated host. When a person is vaccinated the virus doesn’t get a chance to replicate as much and therefore less mutations can happen. Most of these mutations means nothing but now and again it hits jackpot and becomes better at something. Whether it is better at transmitting, more deadly, or becomes or immune to current vaccines is a bit of a lucky dip.

With the extremely low vaccination rates in sub-Saharan Africa the virus has so much more opportunity to mutate, and chances are we are going to see many more variants that will spread and affect us all.

Just send some more vaccines?

If only this was the only hurdle we’d see. 

Just like we see people being hesitant to get vaccinated in the rest of the world we are seeing that in Tanzania too. In fact, we have vaccines available at Kamanga Health Centre for anyone who would like to get a shot.

Hesitancy doesn’t only stem from people being COVID-deniers or believing in conspiracy theories. 

It comes from lack of education. Not knowing how diseases spread. Not knowing how vaccines can protect you. 

It comes from living in severe poverty. Not having money for transport to a hospital. Not being able to afford spending the day walking to a clinic and back. Not having capacity to think any further than how you are going to feed your children and yourself today.

So, what can YOU do?

Support organisations working with healthcare projects poverty alleviation in developing countries just like Australia for Cedar Tanzania.

Enable people living in severe poverty to earn a living. This will allow their children to go to school with full tummies and have capacity to learn. Being able to afford and demand basic healthcare services is essential.

Support organisations in delivering vital healthcare information. Support educational and entrepreneurial project delivered in the poorest areas of the world.

Join us in help making the world a better place.

A place where we can all get vaccinated and have the freedom to travel again.

Donate as little as $10.

Do it once, or make it an automatic monthly donation.