CHAWAMAKI (Chama cha Wanaoishi kwa Matumaini Kilimanjaro) (The group of People Living with Hope in Kilimanjaro).
Alumni References: Ivan Martin: Imveets@aol.com
Overview:
Kikundi Cha Chawamaki was established in 2006 and has been operating under the umbrella of Kiwodea Women’s Group. This group consists of seventeen (17) members; fifteen women and 2 men who have been brave enough to go public with their affliction with HIV. Chawamaki has formalized their organizational structure with a chairperson, a finance committee, a secretary, and a treasurer. They hold regular meetings where minutes are kept and recorded.
Among the purposes of Kiwodea is to serve the needs of member organizations operating under its umbrella by researching granting sources and providing funding to individual dues-paying members through its micro-loan programmes. Kiwodea also professes to provide relevant training such as financial seminars, health seminars, business clinics, and HIV/AIDS information seminars
Chawamaki’s common plight of being marginalized and stigmatized inspired them to develop economic enterprises to support their endeavours to eventually provide outreach and shining examples to the many other HIV afflicted persons in their district. Also, the group is trying to set aside resources in a benevolent fund for the continuing support for children of members left behind as orphans.
Needs of Kikundi Cha Chawamaki:
The primary need was investment capital to:
• Create an agricultural project to produce sufficient food to feed themselves and members of the extended family which numbered approximately 102 adults and children inclusive;
• Create profitable enterprises to generate income to care for inactive members of the organization as well as to provide for children left behind as orphans;
• Support their desire to engage in an outreach programme which would target other HIV/AIDS individuals in the community who are reluctant to publicly disclose their condition; and
• Receive health and nutrition education.
The above needs of Kikundi Cha Chawamaki apparently could not be met by Kiwodea given the fact that the group has tried unsuccessful over the past 12 months to secure funding for their organization. The preconditions precluded them from ever been able to qualify for such loans. Therefore, other sources of funding needed to be located specifically to serve this group, considering their unique circumstances.
Projects Ongoing:
1. The Piggery
2. Vegetable Production
3. The Chicken Project
The Pig Project was funded with 593,000 Tsh to procure one (1) pig, eleven (11) piglets, vet and food for six months. The Chicken Project was allocated 663,000 Tsh to build a chicken coup to house at least 50 chickens, six months of feed, medicine and vet services. Both the Pig Project and the Chicken Project have been fully funded for six months. It is anticipated that these two projects will prove profitable to the extent that no further infusion of capital will be necessary.
Land is being allocated, by the Village Council of Msaranga, to the group to start vegetable production pending a formal contract between Kikundi Cha Chawamaki and the Council. The Vegetable Garden Project should provide enough food to satisfy the needs of the members with the surplus to be used to generate income; also spoilage to supplement pig feed, providing a reduction in operational cost in the piggery.
A separate bank account has been established at the National Microfinance Bank. Fifty percent (50%) of any profits from the above enterprises should be deposited into the account. These funds will serve as revolving source to fund new ventures. It was suggested that the other fifty percent be deposited into the group’s general account, twenty-five percent (25%) of which to be reserved for the benevolent fund, while the other twenty-five percent (25%) can be distributed to individual members in a manner to be decided by general membership vote.
Volunteer Activities
• Research for funding for which CBO can qualify and can then be pursued.
• Provide continuing health/nutrition seminars to reinforce good eating habits.
• Assist with business management, budgeting and accounting, cash-flow analysis, etc. These functions are critical for the success of the enterprises.
• Ongoing on site inspection and evaluation of the projects.
• Establishing a database of professionals able and willing to assist this group.
• Arrange for seminars on the execution of wills (members request).
• Follow-up on Village Council’s land contract execution.
• Follow-up with Village Council regarding agricultural specialist to assist group in crop selection, etc.
• Sharing with them on how best they can live positively.
• Sensitize the community against STIGMA which is very high.
• To share with them on how they can create and manage small projects so that they can support themselves, orphans and the seriously ill.
• Share also on how they can manage to market their products.
• Visit and support the sick in various ways.
• Strategies on fund raising in order to support the sick, the neglected children and orphans.
• Help them with project write up.
• Strengthen and coordinate networking with other HIV /AIDS NGOs within the region
• Share with the women the activities which can enable them to get immediate money
Prior to assessing the needs of Kikundi Cha Chawamaki, it was imperative to develop a mutually comfortable and respectful relationship. Cultural norms will be observed and practiced throughout the many meetings and discourse. The use of humor, in presenting new and different ideas to the group, made it easier for the members to respond, deliberate, and accept ideas that were foreign to them. (We strongly advise that ANY volunteer working with this group ought NOT to relate to members in a condescending manner. See them as proud, capable, productive, and able-bodied.)
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Shikamoo to my elders! Jambo to my peers! Mambo to my juniors!
The following could be a story about courage, rejection, resurrection, hope, hopelessness, survival, epiphany, and enlightenment. Since this is Easter, we believers know that somewhere there must be angels. This is a story about the brave women of Msaranga who have organized themselves and are formally known as the Kikundi Cha Chawamaki.
They had the courage to openly admit to their HIV/AIDS affliction. For this, they have been stigmatised, ridiculed, rejected, and marginalized. The common thread forced them to form a group to engage in economic activities in an attempt to feed themselves as well as their extended family of some eighty-five (85) children. For them, this is a matter of survival.
This volunteer’s career involved utilizing principles of economics to help the rich get richer. However, a desire to utilize these same principles with a group which is truly in need. It is no accident that this Easter I am in Tanzania working with poor women afflicted with HIV/AIDS.
During the first week, I was introduced to the chairperson Mama Judith and the secretary Vumillia at CCS’s meet the partners briefing. They described their organization’s issues and needs. What was most striking for me was the story I saw in their eyes. I saw hopelessness and despair steering back at me. There were pleas for help; any help for that matter. They had the look of abused and abandoned spouses. Their only worldly possessions were the children left for them to rare alone on the mere subsistence earnings. Resounding in my head were the parting words “we just need an angel” uttered by Vumillia in a haunting voice.
The weekend following this meeting, I went on a safari. Standing in the bowels of Ngorongoro National Park, I stood in awe of creation. For me, it was like an epiphany. “We just need an angel” echoed in my head. I knew then that I was in the right place; that is, with a worthy people. I stand committed to their cause.
In the first week with the group, during a period of needs analysis, lessons were learnt through humorous story telling. There was the story of two hungry men; each with 100 Tsh. Price of bread 150 Tsh. Neither could buy or eat bread, until out of a desperate need to survive they were enlightened to the fact that pooling their money they could both eat bread and still have money saved. From this story, the group decided to abandon their present non-profitable individual pursuits and adopt a collective one-for-all, all-for-one approach. The group accepted the idea that this new approach would allow the group, as a whole, to become healthier and that a healthier body is a more productive body. Further, that the maintenance of good health is critical given their maladies.
They needed to determine profitable income-generating enterprises. Another need expressed was their desire to provide outreach to other HIV/AIDS affected women in hiding hoping that Chawamaki’s success would be an example to them. Ultimately, the most critical need to achieve these goals was funding.
This volunteer enquired about funding opportunities through a series of meeting with Chawamaki’s umbrella group, Kiwodea. From listening to both sides, it was apparent that there were very strong feelings, misunderstandings, and/or miscommunications between the groups. What was clear is that Kiwodea did not have the means to meet the unique needs of the Msaranga group. Chawamaki, therefore, felt that they were being marginalized and that they might have to seek an independent source of support. Autonomy was considered by the membership as an option.
To support income-generating projects, funding was sought and provided for the (1) purchase of 12 pigs with six months feed and medicine; (2) building of a chicken coop to house 50 chicks with feed and medicine for six months; (3) leasing of village acreage for vegetable production; and (4) the provision of continuing health nutrition and business management consulting.
After three weeks, the foundation had been laid. It was the day before Easter Sunday. In the faces of my friends, fear was replaced by confidence, hopelessness by hope, and sadness by joy. Amidst the laughter, the voice of Vumillia again sounded “maybe when you come back here, we may not even be sick anymore.” Now that is faith! That is hope! You see, Easter is new living life, the reason the disciples were transformed from terrified, defeated, and scattered individuals to a confident and joyful body of believers. Just as the group called Kikundi Cha Chawamaki of Msaranga.
Until next time my friends, kwaheri! Ivan B. Martin
13th April 2007
MEMBERS PROFILE
Mama Judith, Age 53 years (Chairlady of the group)
I am the mother of three children and was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 1999 after being tested. Since then I have used ARV drugs in order to strengthen my life. I am not married. None of my children are affected by HIV/AIDS.
Mama Vumilia, Age 44 years (Secretary of the group)
I realized I was HIV positive in 2002 after I was tested. Unfortunately my daughter and I from the treatment we had it shown up that we have HIV all. My husband died on September 2, 2003 also he had been affected by HIV/AIDS also. Currently my daughter is studying primary school, she is 7 years old. I decided to join the Chawamaki Group and we work on pig and local chicken projects to try and raise money to support our group.
MEmbers Profile, cont.
Mama Magreth, Age 38 years
I came to realize that I was living with HIV/AIDS in 2001. In my family it is only me who is affected with HIV. After my husband knew that I have HIV he decided to go away from me and to leave me with all the family. But
after I heard about Chawamaki I decided to join with them and now and I am living with hope! Asante!
I came to know that I was affected with HIV in 2001 after suffering from tuberculosis since 1998. My husband died in 1993. I started to ARV drugs in 1998. I am the only one in my family affected by HIV/AIDS. This year (2007) I have decided to join Chawamaki to live with my fellow women who are also affected.
Mama Stella, Age 43 years
I am the mother of three children. I was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 1989. After I realized I had HIV I decided to tell my husband and he decided to leave me with the whole family. After I heard there is the group of people who living with HIV, I decided to join with them. Now I am living with hope. I joined Chawamaki so that we can work on income generating projects that will benefit all members of the group.
Charles, Age 60 years
I was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 2005. In my family it is my wife, Philomena and myself with HIV. We have both joined Chawamaki and we are now living with hope!
Phillip, Age 37
I was tested positive for HIV/AIDS in 2002. In my family it is myself and my wife who are affected by HIV. Now we are living together with hope after joining Chawamaki. We have 3 children who are not affected by HIV. Asante.
Joyce, Age 31
I have come to realize I live with HIV/AIDS in 2002. In my family it is I and my husband Phillip who are HIV positive. We decided to join Chawamaki in 2006 and now we live with hope! We operate a small farm / garden and hope to help Chawamaki.
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