choko visit to tanzania 2023

val and roger join go m.a.d in tanzania

Write-up by Val Bolt

Val and her Son Roger travelled out to represent Choko with Graham & Claire of Go Mad and a family of 6 including 4 children aged 10 to 15.

Tanzania is a beautiful country with rocky mountains, lush valleys and trees and bushes. The houses are mixed depending on how well off they are. It is a long drive to get to Musoma where Go Mad are based. Musoma district is very rural and some of the people extremely poor.

Apart from the main road through the roads are pretty well all rough dirt tracks often damaged by the heavy rain. Land rovers cope well and Go Mad have 3. The commonest from of transport is motorbikes.

The people Go Mad work with do not get any government support.

Without Go Mad Many would have died in the village of Buturguri, Little Enoch would most likely have died when he fell into the open fire (A safe fire costs just £10), countless many would have died from malaria, the 67000 people/groups who have had a water tank built, the hundreds of girls educated about menstrual health and given the menstrual packs, the 1000’s of trees planted by Go Mad or the leper colony supported by Go Mad yes they so still exist in their own separate communities

We visited the projects Choko funded as well as many other projects. Our first project during the pandemic and completed over 2 years was The Buturguri clinic. The clinic was dilapidated at the start with leaky roof and broken windows.

Around 50 mainly expectant mums were waiting to see the doctor assisted by Kodogo the midwife we funded. 1 in 20 women in this village died in childbirth giving birth at home. They come to the clinic now and there have been no deaths this year.

The roof, windows and floor were all completed in year 1 and now the hospital and recovery room and midwifes room are now all kitted out see photos, the midwifes room was in use so no photo but it has all it needs apart from a cot which will be made at Eagle lodge to put new born babies in particularly if it is twins and pan to boil linen in. They had wanted an autoclave machine but it cannot be supplied in Tanzania so the funding left will go towards sorting the electricity , cot and pan and boiling water will still be used for sterilization.

Kodogo said she was still finding her feet after only 2 months in the job and had had many challenges as there had been no electricity so she had to use her phone for people giving birth when it was dark. It now has electricity but there are communication issues as the staff do not tell the Go Mad worker of the challenges like needing the pan or cot unless Graham or Claire visit which was frustrating for all but very much a cultural issue.

Kodogo is clearly very skilled and came from a much larger hospital so a good catch. She works often during the day as well as at night and now the clinic is up and running they are adamant no women give birth at home . Kodogo helps attend clinics with the doctor to help get the word out there is now a night midwife.

Apart from the floor needing washing the room for expectant mothers not able to go straight home is now complete we put op the last mosquito net but sadly not yet in use due to the electricity supply needing to be connected so that is to be sorted as it is pitch black inside at night. No other clinics yet have a room for expectant mothers to stay in.

Last years Beer Festival funded a water tank at Isaba which was our next visit. The village leader was there to meet us and the 4 gap year students explained how it was built as they worked on it. Basically a cement base wire frame and then the cement sides and top.

It was great to see the fantastic progress and so rewarding . Quite humbling to hear the group young people just 18 years old explaining how the project worked from start to finish

The tank was full due to recent heavy rains.

We visited Mkirira (Muk-ir-ir-a)primary school to look with Go Mad for the places to site 2 water tanks to be funded by an American group .

The head teacher is clearly doing the best he can with next to nothing. I can’t say it is a sad place because it is not, staff are well presented and work hard, children are happy and were engaged with some sat outside working during their break but the buildings have a dilapidated and neglected air.

The school buildings are in very poor condition and workbooks the children are using circa 1960’s. The school consists of various classroom blocks and is in a much worse condition than those visited whilst working in Kodumela.

We visited various buildings to try to ascertain the best sites for tanks

Graham found the 2 buildings most suited for the tanks. With the first the roof trusses are too far apart causing the roof to sag badly, roof sheeting to buckle and come away and put strain on the walls causing cracks. Many trusses are rotten, mainly due to the amount of holes letting much rain in. All of the metal sheeting is in poor condition with many holes and leaks it is unsuitable for a water tank to be installed because of the condition and the roof is in Graham’s expert opinion in danger of collapse . In addition the door has no lintel so in danger of collapse and the rain coming in has damaged walls. The step is also unstable .

Go M.A.D can fund the tanks but not the repairs so we are delighted to say Choko they really do Go Make A Difference to this school and the 500 or so children currently taught in this block and all those who will be in the future and fund the repairs. They have a garden and grow some trees so if we pay for this they can save more water and gain more income to improve their lot and make the school more sustainable… hopefully before the roof collapses. Due to the fantastic weather and support at our Coronation bar and colour run we have been able to send the £1,600 for the repairs already . We hope to help fund the other roof with the some of this years beer festival profits so please come along and be generous!

What can you do?

Join our committee to help plan our events
Come along the beer festival on 30^th September At The Laurence hall – helpers on the day and barrel sponsors also contact choko@gmail.com
Make a donation to Choko bank details on request please contact val_bolt@hotmail.com
https://www.gomakeadifference.co.uk/gift-shop
Buy gifts ranging from planting a tree, Malaria treatment, period pack or a mosquito net £5,
A safe closed in cooking fire £10
A dairy goat £85 or a bigger donation for a goat shed or water tank!

Like to get involved?

We are always in need of volunteers to help at our events.