Week commencing 1st June

This week I had hoped to complete the majority of the business plans for all the small business loan recipients in Kwa Idd. I am aiming to try and release half of the monies before i make the decision to stay or go home. After working so hard and closely with the guys I’d be a little sad not to present them with the monies. Not just that, as advisors we are to go with them to purchase their supplies/materials to set up the actual business. How exciting is that going to be ..totally random for sure as Peter would need to go farms to purchase sunflower then we would make the oil over a 7 day period. This would also include us packaging it and transporting it all back to his village ready to sell it. Another purchase will require me to go further afield to agriculture farms to purchase some goats for Nayamani as she will be breeding and selling milk in her village. Once purchased I need to ensure the vaccinations and correct vitamins/minerals are sourced for a 6 month period…this is really going to require me to do my homework ! Then god willingly I hope to assist Helena to Dar-as-salam to purchase her 2nd hand bedsheets/clothes in bulk to bring back to Arusha set up her little business. So everyone’s ideas differ and it will give me a great insight in buying and selling goods in Tanzania, should be an experience I’m sure.

During the week we also visited Ngaramtoni to check on the progress on Flora’s chicken farm – YAY! It was finally built she just requires more materials to purchase the chicken boxes and wire gauzes to finish it off. I’m well impressed with her commitment to getting this up and running, for a single HIV affected mother she is an inspiration to her children, community and to me. The other 2 grant applicants appeared to be struggling within their vegetable selling business. Esther has been cautious to purchase larger quanatites so we took time to assist them and guide them in purchasing the vegetable plots. I had to hover around in the backround when we were getting pricing as their is a 'Tanzanian' price and a'Mzungu'price! so in order to get the best price i decided not to go towards the frontline.