community development

this is the 'sickness calendar' Mama Leticia made for us. (women here with children or married are 'mama' to all. older women are 'bibi' and I am 'dada'- sister). The months are along the bottom, and sicknesses go up the side, such as malaria and hookworm. She showed us which months are usually the worst and best for which sicknesses in children.



This is Mama Leticia Pauline working on the calendar, with one of her daughters beside her, and a village health worker. The Growth Monitoring Health Program, or Community Based Health Care, is run by the people of Buhumbi Village. It was started in 1993 by (now this is hard to get clear, but i think this is correct) the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, which also worked with ELVD (East of Lake Vic. District) of the AICT (African Inland Church Tanzania). Now CRWRC works as a partner with Buhumbi and its District Magu (which is a District in the region of Mwanza (the city I am living in). I have been going over lots of quarterly reports about programs that have gone on in Buhumbi. One thing important, that seems rather obvious but I'm writing it anyways, is that in community development it is so important to allow the community itself to do the work. Not to allow them to think they cannot do something on their own, and need someone (with white skin perhaps?) to bring money and build things. Sustainability comes from allowing the strength within the community to show itself. Also from having hope because of Jesus Christ- hope that there is more, and not having fatalistic attitudes that things cannot change, or that they were not meant to be changed.