Leaving Tanzania on May 31st.

I am finishing my 6th assignment in Tanzania. This is a wonderful country with amazing people. I arrived in Dar es Salaam and proceeded by car to Morogoro (overnight) and then Ifakara. 2/3 of the trip was on “tarmac” roads but the other 1/3 was dirt and mud. My driver, Said, did a great job navigating our car through the road troubles. I stayed in a guest room at the Ifakara Health Institute – a Swiss-funded initiative of more than 30 years. During my stay, the Board of Directors met including the Swiss Ambassador to Tanzania. The room was basic with sometimes electricity and water. I had two clients – Kanyaga Twende SACCOS and Lumemo Volunteers SACCOS. A SACCOS (saving and credit cooperative organization) has more similarities to credit unions, rather than commercial banks. It is a group of people which registers with the government; accepts members who purchase “shares”; requires weekly or monthly contributions; and makes small, mostly short term loans. SACCOS bring credit to the villagers/farmers which is not available from commercial banks. Disadvantages of SACCOS: lack of will to collect payments from delinquent borrowers who are also friends; cross guarantors who have no value; refusal of borrower to relinquish collateral. Kanyaga Twende SACCOS is only 1 year old with over 35 members. The “Founding Father” was an educator as well as a rice farmer. He was older than I am!! This is very unusual in Africa as the life expectancy in Tanzania is 58. Lumemo Volunteers SACCOS is 3 years old with 29 members. The training was focused on two major areas: how to manage a SACCOS well/profitably and how to evaluate potential borrowers and collect payments on loans already made. As with other SACCOS in Africa, there was little training when the SACCOS began operations so now there are problems of delinquencies and defaults. My interpreter in Ifakara was the Cooperative Extension Officer; it is part of his job to launch SACCOS and to monitor progress. He has promised to follow up with both of these. In my suitcase I brought kanga material that had been gifted to me during previous African assignments. I had emailed the Manager at IHI in Ifakara and she introduced me to a seamstress. I now have a new dress and a new blouse! I am leaving behind my walking shoes and my Croc sandals. As some of you know, for the past 3 years I have lived by the motto “Something new requires something left behind.” Home on Saturday June 1st. Thinking about a COSTCO chicken! Local chickens are very tasty but tough (as they are always running for their lives.) I did have grilled goat one lunch but my main meal was always rice, beans and green vegetables (unknown plants!). Looking forward to seeing my Mother (who is doing much better), Rob (coming home from work in Germany), Bari and the grand animals as well as all of you!