Our Country Programme Manager's favourite stories from Tanzania

Have you ever wondered who at World Vision UK is responsible for making sure that your sponsored child's community makes significant progress each year? In today’s blog, Arthur Mist - one of our country programme managers - shares his favourite stories from his recent trip to Tanzania:

By Arthur Mist, World Vision UK

Hi, I'm Arthur and I'm World Vision’s Country Programme Manager (CPM) for Tanzania.

My job is to ensure that our programmes in Tanzania improve the quality of life for children, their families and communities. Although I'm usually based at World Vision's UK headquarters in Milton Keynes, as part of my role, I visit Tanzania about twice a year.

During my most recent trip last month, I had the privilege of visiting our projects in Kilimatinde and Kisiriri. My aim for this trip was to encourage our local staff who work so hard with the children and families you support. I took time to study the projects we are funding and gave technical advice where needed. I also went to meet some of your sponsored children to ensure that they are being regularly visited by our local staff and are participating in World Vision projects. These visits are an important part of the role of a CPM, enabling us to monitor the spending of hard earned sponsorship money and make sure it is being used wisely.

Meeting Sarah

On this visit, I met Sarah, a confident little girl of 4 who lives in a typical flat-roofed mud house in one of our communities. Sarah is an albino which means she struggles outside as the sun is quite harsh for her skin. The glare makes it hard for her to open her eyes but through her World Vision sponsorship, she now has a hat and some sunscreen which is making a real difference to her daily life. As an albino, she has been looked down upon by some in her community and even abused by others for her disability but sponsorship has given her a new status and new possibilities in life. She is excited to write and communicate with her sponsor, even though she has never met her.

Sarah showed me the garden where her dad and mum grow vegetables; including a pumpkin patch, sunflowers and maize. Sarah really likes eating something called ugali, made from the maize.

It has been a really good year for farming and everyone is really excited about the harvest which is taking place now. World Vision is working really hard to help link farmers like Sarah’s parents to markets so they can make a better living from their farms, through access to loans, improved seeds and training on how and what to grow and sell. All the farmers I met were really thankful for the work that is being done to improve their skills.

Sarah introduced me to her friend, Henry. She told me they spend a lot of time playing together along with other children from the community. We met her goat and chicken. I asked her if they had names and she told me they don’t give animals names in her village, which is quite common as I found out on my trip. Sarah also showed me the small kitchen where her mum cooks her dinner. I was reminded yet again of how basic and labour intensive things are for Sarah’s mum, unlike us in the UK, where we have access to kitchen equipment and gadgets we often take for granted.

We left Sarah playing with Henry and her baby sister, Josephine as we drove off, down the dusty track, past some baobab trees to the main road. I couldn’t help thinking how privileged I am and how even in these troubled economic times, I have so much more in just one kitchen cupboard than Sarah’s family have in their whole house.

Meeting Doracas

I met another sponsored child called Doracas and took this picture of her next to a really bright sunflower. Sunflowers are a really important crop here and everyone grows them. After speaking to Doracas, I was able to visit a sunflower mill funded through the money raised by sponsors in the UK which is providing the community with a good source of income through the production of sunflower oil.

Community Care Coalitions

I met a ‘Sunflower oil income generation group’ who we call Community Care Coalitions. The members of this group gave us a huge welcome and told us their story. World Vision has helped train them and form a group. They had saved hard and clubbed together to get enough funds to construct a large building. This is important as their contribution ensures ownership and sustainability.

Later on, the group requested a sunflower oil pressing machine from World Vision. The sunflower press is now up and working well and developing into a profitable business. The great thing is that although the group is now making good money from the sale of their oil, they are also using some of their profits to support over 30 orphans and vulnerable children; providing health care, school uniforms and school fees for them. 

My reflection

One of the things that impressed me most about the work of World Vision in Tanzania was not just their commitment to helping the most vulnerable but how they go about it; through the provision of training and empowering the community to establish long-term, sustainable solutions.

From what I saw, the example shown by the Community Care Coalition has the potential to last way beyond the life of World Vision in these villages. In a country, where social welfare and the NHS are not available, empowering capable hard-working groups like this to improve their business and then link this with help for those who really are not able to stand on their own feet is really powerful.

Getting on the plane in Arusha, I am filled with a sense of pride and confidence in the World Vision Tanzania team. I feel like I have learnt more than I have given and know that the children we are supporting are in safe hands which can only be achieved through your generous support. Thank you.

Thanks to Arthur for giving us an insight into how he works with our staff in the field who oversee the community of your sponsored child. If you have any questions or comments for Arthur, head over to our Facebook page where he will be happy to respond to you.