Ibamba Primary School

 Today we are visiting Ibamba Primary School in the Uyovu Ward of Bukombe District in Geita Region. We are then driving on to either Kahama or Nzega.

We have breakfast, check out and meet Robert and Aaron at 8am. Our first stop is at Katoro to pick up Hamisi and Yohana and to sort out some equipment. We are then on our way again.

A few photos from the drive.

Ibamba Primary School has 2200 children and 20 teachers 13 of whom did the computer training with Yohana. This will be our first visit to the school so if all goes according to plan we will be loaning them 3 desktops computers and a printer.

We arrive about 10.15 and are met by loads of very excited children. We are taken to the Head Teachers office where we are met by the Deputy Head Teacher who is also the chair of the school board. He is standing in for the Head Teacher who has been called away to another meeting. We also meet a member of the village committee and several other people from the community along with some teachers. 

As it is our first visit to the school we spend some time talking through the loan contract and their responsibilities including sending a report to me every 3 months. There are a few questions but everyone is happy so the contract is signed and the computer equipment brought in and handed over. There are then some speeches thanking us for supporting their school and assuring us they will make good use of the computers. It’s much more informal than at some other schools but thats fine.

We then all go to the computer room that they have prepared and set up the equipment. The room is in good condition and has plenty of electricity sockets. We talk a little about caring for the computers and making sure they use the surge protection leads we have given them. Hamisi, Robert and Aaron set up the computers.

We then visit some of the classes. Most of these have over 100 students so some end up sitting on the floor as there aren’t enough desks. We visit Standard 7, Standard 1, and Standard 5, who turn out to be the most chatty and lively of any class we have visited this year.

It is then about midday and time for us to leave. Robert is a little upset that we didn’t get offered any refreshments but there again we have quite a long drive ahead of us so don’t want to be delayed.

We drive back to the main road where we say goodbye to Hamisi and Yohana. It has been great to catch up with Hamisi and we are very grateful for all his help with schools in this area.

We drive through Kigosi National Park. Here we notice some temporary shacks. These are the homes of the miners. They are not allowed to build anything permanent in the National Park.

By 1.30 we have reached the town of Masumbwe where we look for somewhere for lunch. We choose a place called Mama Jose Cafe as they have food that is already prepared. We all had fish, rice, beans and sauce and it was all good.

After lunch we then go shopping for rice for Robert. We stop at a place on the way out of town where they seem very happy to see us. Aaron assesses the rice for Robert and says it’s ok so Robert agrees a price. Some of the guys spot the pack of sodas in the car that Egidius gave us yesterday. They keep signalling for us to give them some but Robert says they must ask in English. Eventually they manage it and we give them 3 but this then starts a rush of others asking, at which point Robert decides it’s time to leave!!

A little later we see the aftermath of a fatal accident on the road. I think it had probably happened very recently. The remains of a motorbike could be seen completely underneath a truck, in pieces. Sadly the body of the rider was on  the side of the road now covered in branches. There was no sign of any police presence but I guess they were on their way. Very sad.

We carry on to Kahama arriving at about 3.30 so make a decision to carry on further to Nzega before stopping for the night.

We reach Nzega about 5.30 and drop Aaron at the bus station as he is now going home to Mwanza and tomorrow Shebani will arrive to continue the driving for us.

We head to the WaterMelon Hotel where we have stayed before and know is fine. We get a double room for TSh 30,000 (about £9) and Robert gets a smaller room for a bit less.

There is no power when we arrive so no hot water. We comment that this is the first power outage we have had since arriving in Tanzania this year. We order dinner for 7.30 and then go and sort ourselves out in our room.