About my work in Tanzania

Hamjambo!

I started my work in Department of Education in Temeke Ward Council from this month. I travel from the centre of the city to suburb by daladala(city bus) every day. I leave my house around 6:20 in the morning and arrive around 7:15. I am supposed to be in the office by 7:30.

Some of the officers in my department come around 6:00 in the morning. One of my colleagues come very early, so she does some work before I arrive. Then, "chai time" starts around 9:00. Tanzanians have tea and some snacks, such as chapaty, donuts, kitunbuu(snacks like a donut made by rice) and so on. Here, chai means "breakfast." Everyday, my colleagues give me chapaty, donuts and so on...

I need to used to this cycle of meals. Normally I have lunch around 2 p.m. Or sometimes I don't eat anything until dinner, since I don't feel hungry.

About my work, I decided to work as an assistant at a certain primary school. I am assigned to work for the youth out of school, which means the youth who dropped out from school. However, I thought I need to know about the educational system in this country, so I decided to visit schools. Here, the government is now enhancing secondary education, so in Temeke Ward where I am working, more than 20 secondary schools opened this January.

I visited just two primary schools, but there weren't enough number of textbooks, desks, teaching materials and so on. I guess, secondary schools are in the similar condition...

I have no big fund support from the Japanese government, so now I am thinking what I can do here in Tanzania.

I am going to visit more schools and visit more youth groups out of school.

Tutaonana tena.