FGM and bits about religion

Dear friends and family,

Well, of course, the longer I am here the more I learn. To speak of vulnerable children, greater than 1 in ten may be considered as such, orphans. Orphans are endemic in the region due to HIV AIDS (which causes loss of 1 or more parent) and extreme poverty, which really doesn’t allow the family or extended network the ability to care for many children, and of course the refugee population here.

Can you imagine that Female Genital Mutilation, also known as female circumcision is very prevalent here in TZ – so far I am unsure of the prevalence in Kigoma. One of my dear friends here informed me that her husband nearly divorced her because she wouldn’t agree to this procedure for her daughters and was consequently ostracized by his family. (Also she fought for her daughters to be formally educated.) This is an issue that cross cuts religion, as it affects both Muslim and Christian households and all income levels. This is a largely tribal practice. Unfortunately this process is done in informal settings with handmade tools. My friend feared that her daughters could be one of the victims of said practice who contract HIV from the procedure, as many are cut by the same blade. There are also orphans of women who have died related to complications resulting from the procedure, such as post-partum tearing and bleeding out.

Speaking of religion, unlike in the U.S. one can see Muslims and Christians truly living together amicably. One can observe the giving of the salaams to either faith. The call of the Adan is omnipresent throughout the towns and even on the radios.

Today a Chinese gentlemen walked up to me and introduced himself. He is here working on the roads – the Chinese are known throughout TZ for building of the roads. Road development is sorely needed! His bold introduction gave me the confidence to randomly walk up to and introduce myself to a girl who appeared like me, to be a foreigner. From Canada, the young woman said she will invite me to some weekly social gatherings for aid workers here, including international workers addressing the needs of vulnerable children.

Well I look forward to moving to my new compound soon. At least there I will be meeting some families from Kigoma who I can befriend and possibly practice Swahili with! I have already met one of my new future neighbors who is just about to give birth!

I have also met with some missionaries here from the U.S. who are providing feeding services to children and are building wells. Apparently, the only buildings/homes which receive water from the pipelines are those that can afford the hefty private price. There are many from the community so badly in need of water that they break the pipes in order to access. Of course this disrupts service to paying customers and then the repairs are made. New breaks would also be made in a new location quickly enough though! All of this without any consideration for a publicly accessible water supply! Argh! And speaking of wells – as water here is a too oft scarce commodity -- I am a bit nervous about the approaching dry season where it will not rain once until about December!I may be gathering water from the lake by that time.

Anyhow, please do keep me in touch with the goings-on on that side of the world!

Love,

Christie

Originally posted: Friday, April 24, 2009 at 8:59pm