General information
I am a volunteer for a Finnish organisation called LiiKe. It implements United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals through sports. LiiKe is presently running four different projects in Tanzania with a budget of USD 250.000 per annum. Two of the projects support primary education through sport (Mtwara and Singida Regions), one is strengthening the PE department in Butimba Teachers’ College and one is for youth football (FC Vito in Mtwara).
Research
First three months I travelled around the country doing research for a future project. I visited all 33 Teachers Training Colleges with Mrs. Martha Qaresi from the Ministry of Education in Tanzania. It was quite an adventure to be on the road for three months, although I have to say that it was a great way to see the whole country.
The objective of this research was to develop a databank of the situation of physical education in Teachers’ colleges in Tanzania. We were to found the most feasible colleges to participate in PE development programme.
The goal of the programme is to train and significantly increase the number of PE teachers, both female and male, for Tanzanian primary and secondary schools. Resent studies show that there is a clear connection between school sports and academic result. Furthermore gender equity is improving as well as a healthy lifestyle. Experience shows that with sports in schools attendance improves and hence the likelihood of school pupils going for further education increases.
Life after research
After the research I settled in Butimba Teachers Training College in Mwanza. It is the only College which conducts Physical Education in Tanzania. I joined three other teachers in sports department.
I teach classes during the mornings in the classroom and during the afternoons in practise. In the evenings I coach local basketball team and/or play different sports with the local primary school kids. I love my “job”!
My home away from home
I live in Butimba which is a little peninsula just outside Mwanza by Lake Victoria. Mwanza is the second biggest town in the country.
I live with Adolf Kanda (32), who is the project manager for LiiKe at Butimba Teachers Training College. We have a “houseboy” Ali (39) staying in the same house. He is in charge of the house and he also cooks for us.
House is newly renovated. It has two bedrooms, kitchen, living room/dining room, a toilet and separate shower room.
Karibu!
As they say here. You are welcome to visit us. The house is not big but there is always room for one more.
Journey around the country
During my first ten weeks I visited all 33 Teachers Colleges in Tanzania. At first my basecamp was in Dar es Salaam. Later it was shifted to Mwanza, where I am staying at the moment.
Schedule
1. Vikindu, Dar es Salaam
2. Morogoro
3. Mhonda
4. Mpwapwa
5. Ilonga, Kilosa
6. Klerruu, Iringa
7. Mpuguso, Tukuyu
8. Tukuyu
9. Tandala
10. Songea
11. Kitangali
12. Nachingwea
13., 14. Mtwara TC & TTC
15. Korogwe
16. Marangu
17. Mandaka, Moshi
18. Singachini
19. Patandi
20. Monduli
21. Tabora
22. Ndala
23. Kasulu
24. Kabanga
25. Butimba
26. Bunda
27. Tarime
28. Murutunguru, Ukerewe Island
29. Katoke
30. Shinyanga
31. Kinampanda
32. Bustani
33. Sumbawanga