Grey in TA

Rainfall finally accepted my open invitation this weekend, following a scorching Saturn's day spent lounging at home then braving the bustle of Arusha centre.

We're approaching the start of the long rain season here in northern Tanzania, which typically affects most heavily the months of April and May, but gets fairly riled up in March too. Basically, as I return to Canada on April 2, I'll be departing at a good time – just as the country becomes sactimoniously drenched in cool equatorial showers. In February and March, though, the rain acts as a soothing contrast to the parched days ruled by the big hard sun.

Equally satisfying was the work we were able to do on Monday, as our long awaited first meeting with a safari company (re: the banana fibre crafts we are trying to sell) came to fruition.

We met with Access 2 Tanzania, a smaller safari company based in Arusha. After a few daladala trips into, then briefly outside of, the city (and a brief delay following distracting directions from some locals), we found our way to the company's base nestled between farmland and industry.

Having already introduced our business proposal to the company's local owner – Mike, a friend of Lema's – all that was left for us to do was to discuss matters with the manager of operations, Stella. Armed with nicely packaged samples (bracelets/coasters wrapped in banana fibre with a small biographical label attached), paper brochures and a formal business letter, our first attempt at pretending we know how to do business seemed to go over pretty well with Stella.
For now, we'll play a short waiting game with Access 2 Tanzania, and see if they'll bite into at least purchasing a trial package. In the meantime, we'll take our proposal to other companies and see if there's any further interest.

Later in the day, Robin and I met more formally with Mr. Shija and Geoffrey – another person involved with Educare – to clear up some of the issues regarding Educare's funds. We decided that for each 3,000 Tsh craft sold, half (1,500 Tsh) will go as payment to the women making them, a third (1,000 Tsh) will go towards the business and its regular expenses, and then the remaining 500 Tsh will be put into the Educare Foundation. It's a division that gives equal attention to the charitable side of the project as it does to growing and supporting the business – which seems like sound logic. The more the business can grow, the more money it can make for the community – which means more money that Educare, as an umbrella organisation, can use to develop further initiatives in the area.

Putting the maths together, a 90,000 Tsh package (of 30 products) will make 45,000 Tsh for the women themselves, 30,000 Tsh for the Machumba business and then 15,000 Tsh for Educare.

So, it's nice to feel like the planning stages are wrapping up and turning into action, of some form at least. After a productive morning, I treated myself to a delicious burger and fries at Via Via in Arusha – a very hip traveller's haunt nestled in the gardens of an old German colonial fort.

Speaking of plans of action, I've been researching my next expedition outside of Tengeru this week. Here's the plan: bus to Dar Es Salaam on March 22, find my way over to the fabled island of Zanzibar for four nights at a reasonably priced hotel and then return via Dar to Arusha. Apart from its northern safari circuit, Tanzania's most popular tourist destination is this middle-eastern styled vacation spot, where architectural relics of the slave trade mingle with sun-soaked beaches and various sun 'n sand activities.

This plan means I have just three weeks left of volunteering. In honesty, it's nice to have an end in near sight.