Leading by Example: Meet Consolata

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My name is Consolata, and I was born on February 12th, 1992 at Bukoba Government Hospital. In 1999, I started first grade at Sota Primary School in Shirati and finished in 2005. After this, I went to Katuru Secondary School in Shirati, starting in 2006 and finishing form four in 2009. After secondary school, I then decided in 2009 to join the organization Sisters of Little Servant of Mary which is in Losaka, Zambia. In 2012, I decided to return home after I discovered it wasn’t my passion.

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After joining Maji Safi, I learned a lot of things that I didn’t know, for example the transmission of Bilharzia. But now I am sure of what I am doing, and joining Maji Safi helped take away my fears and build my confidence to give the community advice.

Transmission of Bilharzia. For more information visit http://newint.org/features/1981/09/01/dirty/

Transmission of Bilharzia.
For more information visit http://newint.org/features/1981/09/01/dirty/

With Maji Safi, I was able to get trained on Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST)  and Children Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (CHAST) in order to help build a better understanding in the community when I teach. My intentions while I’m with Maji Safi are to help the community be able to bring change. I am also able to follow my dream as a facilitator. I have one child named Andrew Japhat who was born on May 7th, 2013, and I am very happy to be with Maji Safi and promise to continue to enjoy myself and learn as much as I can.

Leading by Example: Meet Mwamvua

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My name is Mwamvua, and I was born on July 28th, 1993 at Shirati Hospital. In 2000, I started 1st grade and finished primary school in 2006. In 2007, I was to continue to secondary school and finished form four in 2010. I was unable to continue to higher education, and I became a seamstress and also helped my mom with running her restaurant. On July 16th, 2011, I had a baby girl whose name is Vivian Benedictor.

In 2012, I was lucky to join Maji Safi and am now a full-time Community Water Worker (CWW). With Maji Safi, I have learned a lot of things that I didn’t know before; especially, now I recognize the importance of preventing disease, and I have been able to help development within families with the education I got about health and the environment.

 

Mwamvua_1Mwamvua_2        Mwamvua_3

 

Working for Maji Safi, I can continue to teach the community, especially children and women, about the importance of health education and the environment, so the community can prevent disease. Women and children are able to bring a big change within their family and the community around them.

Maji Safi made me into an ambassador of education and economics and also brought change within my family and the surrounding community in general. I want to continue teaching about health education and clean environments to carry on development within the community for future generations.

Maji Safi through the Lens of a Filmmaker

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Paul Horton is the Photograph and Film Director at Neue Studios in Middletown, CT. Paul volunteered with Maji Safi during the summer of 2012. During his time in Shirati, Paul, and his team, produced films and photographs for Maji Safi.

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Paul filming the Singing and Dance Group in Shirati

One year ago, I traveled to Shirati to film and photograph the Maji Safi project.  It was my intention to provide them with stills for use on their web site, and edit a few films that would describe their project.

I arrived in Shirati after spending three days in the national parks of Tanzania.  Both the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater were wonderful locations for filming and photos.

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Ngorongoro Crater

We spent our time initially at the after school program and the singing and dancing program.  Luckily, I was there for the big performance of the singing and dancing group.  It took place at the Maji Safi office/community center, and had a huge audience.  The spirit was really celebratory, and a moment that I will not forget.  After the performance was an impromptu dance party that lasted for awhile.

We then concentrated on filming the Community Water Workers (CWWs).  We visited 3 or 4 homes and filmed as the CWWs reviewed the hygiene materials with the families.  A high point for me was returning to one of the houses to play music with the father of one of the families.

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We had set aside time to film the process of collecting water from Lake Victoria, a task performed by water carriers.  We hired a pikipiki, a Tanzanian motorcycle,  to carry me as we filmed Mayanga on his bicycle.  It was certainly a new experience to ride facing backwards on a motorcycle as I was filming.  No major injuries, though.   It is hard to believe that he makes that trip many times a day.

I have posted some photos from my time in Shirati as well.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71104898@N08/sets

My crew was the best (thanks, Pete and Abby!), and the experience was extraordinary.  With luck, I will return next summer to update all the footage, and to report on the new Maji Safi programs in Shirati.

Paul