So life goes on here.... we are excited that the group of 30 farmers we selected, each a high performer/leader and representing a group of 10-20 farmers themselves, are now well networked and showing a lot of initiative. Prior to this the groups we trained were all out touch with one another. Now this leaders' group has them networked, not only with eachother, but also with marketing and microfinance resources, since that strategic planning meeting we did. Very refreshing to attend a meeting that the farmers themselves arranged and ran, as i did a couple of weeks ago. They've gotten a name for themselves, 'KIHA' a chairperson, secretary, treasurer, etc.- they have just applied for a grant that they outlined themselves. We've moved out of the parental sort of relationship we had with them and now are more like one of many consultants available to them- at least it's seeming that way, though it's still early. I've been working a bit with them on getting an organic market together for the ex-pats.
on another note i just returned from a week-long tour of the coast- pangani, bagamoyo , and finally Dar where i renewed my passport. The journey down -man, traveling in tanzania by bus is not for the feint of heart- not so much the danger factor as the comfort lack- the buses i rode were like tin boxes that heat up under the sun like a sauna. helped along by the fact that chairs fold out from every direction so the bus is solid packed with people, either sitting or veiing for space in the isles, zero shock absorbers. but the beaches upon destination were beautiful. the towns very sleepy, very hot. people sleep out on their porches at night. fish markets in the evening with delicious grilled calamari and fried fish, rice and beans cooked with coconut.
My little humble 1-room home of sorts in arusha is going along well- had a set back with my kerosene stove, left it outside as it was smelling, but it got rained on, so i keep drying the wicks, but they retain moisture as they got wet, then soaked in kerosene which seems to keep the water locked in. ( is this becoming one of those very dull blogs?) well, the stove has been a certain lesson in water and kerosine behavior for me.
interesting headlines here. seems tanzania has lost millions over the years in uncollected tax revenues from mining companies. another headline is that women are unable to afford sanitary pads, which hampers their activities. Funds are set up to provide pads for girls so that they don't miss school.
Another headline was about the bad state of hospital in dodoma, where many government offices are, in the center of the country- women in labor are two to a bed, with dirty /bloody sheets.
BUt back to me and my life here, it's not all toil and strife! i have found a place with outdoor seating that serves u p perfect cappucinos. They also do the best brick-oven pizza's i've tasted anywhere, ever. But what i'm truely addicted to is their avocado tuna salad, served with brick oven baked garlic bread. I like to go there and spend an afternoon studying swahili. impatient to get fluent in swahili, so i've begun to study in earnest. down on the coast the children were so amazing. So innocent and unspoiled and happy to interact. I swam with a bunch who'd just learned to swim the day before- they were so joyful! I traveled down there with a friend of mine here- the kids there all called him uncle and me auntie, and they treat you like you're all related too (which of course we all are, though americans forget this more than people here i think)Down in Bagamoyo is a big swedish funded art institute on the hill overlooking the ocean. So you would see young tanzanians practicing the violin here, painting there, doing acapela choir, drumming and dance- it was neat. Along the roads guys are digging out logs into canoes for fishing. Guys also fish by swimmiing with flippers, goggles, and a spear. People are extremely poor and there is so little work opportunity, yet life is good there, too.



World Social Forum, Nairobi 2007

The World Social Forum attracts traditional people and activists from all over the world to air their concerns and ideas. I find myself constantly referring back to ideas I heard there as we go on in our work at GSC. I naturally focused on agriculture, women and HIV sessions, also attending some economic and trade sessions. Below I quote from what I found to be the most relevant areas of seminars. At the end I have bullets with what I consider ‘take-away’ messages to consider for our Sustainable Agriculture and HIV work.

Jan 21 ‘07
Gender, Food, Agriculture and Trade Session
Dr. Vandana Shiva, wwwnavdanya.org. author of, Seeds of Suicide
Pelum Association- 160 organizations in East, Central, and South Africa.

South countries are competing, not cooperating. Guatemala: 2% owns 90% of land. Corn we used to grow to eat. Then we grew to feed the chickens, now talking about growing it to run the cars (bio-fuel). Bio-fuel is green but not good for local environments. Export agriculture is not good for South countries. South countries need exchange of produce with other South countries. We need to link gender and trading with HIV.
Diversity of seeds: Sacred to us; not to be traded in for ‘green revolution’. Since ’87 we’ve been saving seeds, creating a culture of diversity. Cancer is a gift of the chemicals- the green revolution destroys small farmers and destroys the health of the people. Don’t wait for the G-8 to decide, start a culture of diversity now by preserving and cultivating indigenous seeds. Small farms run by women produce more per hectare than large-scale agriculture. Large-scale agriculture is the most inefficient farming per hectare there is! The future of food is the future of our seeds.

Micro-finance loans:
In Bangladesh we’re mobilizing and lobbying our governments because they are accountable to us, unlike the NGOs. In Bangladesh 30 years of micro-credit has done nothing to help women farmers. Women do the manual work, mostly in environments of dangerous chemicals, hard labor and little results. Men control marketing and access to money and info. Rich people are eating organic. The women don’t own the land, don’t control market, but are responsible for repayment of loans. In India women farmers are committing suicide. They take out high-interest loans from other lenders to repay micro-finance loans.

Some radical wings of churches have been able to activate change.

Fair Trade
3rd world has given up subsidizing farmers due to structural adjustment. No fair trade until reduce 1st world subsidies.
World Trade system- Cancun said stop export subsidies, but U.S. didn’t act. There are also internal issues in the South countries, i.e. in Kibera slum in Kenya. Rich Kenyans are renting at high rates, taking $$ from the poorest of the poor. This has to be addressed so when trade is made fair, it doesn’t just benefit the elite individuals and companies.

Strengthen Regional Trade.
Is Africa a player or spectator in World Trade agreements? We need Inter-regional trade. A country goes from diversity to horticulture, and now it can’t feed itself.
African countries punched below their weight with China by negotiating individually not regionally or on a Pan-Africa platform. China wants our raw-materials that create jobs in China. Can’t we say, 'we know what we’re giving you- we’re exporting jobs -so you must compensate for it.'? Bring training, or open factories, here.
“To be cynical, Africans are strongest in exporting their capital. It’s not about aid or trade; how about us North countries stealing a bit less?”

Women:
Women’s sexuality is denied. The dignity of women is non-existent. They are treated as though they are lacking in intelligence with nothing to contribute. Once a bride-price is paid the man has full ownership. The woman is there to provide service, can be abused at will, with a denial of citizenship rights.
When women come to family planning the husband says she’s being promiscuous. Why did I pay a bride price for you if you can’t have as many children as I like? Men respect our rights as far as family laws.

Gift Economy vs. Free-Market Economy:
www.gift-economy.com
The free-market economy traps us in relationships of only giving in order to receive. Gift-economy is the traditional economy of the south- what our mothers and grandmothers have known. Always cook enough extra for the unexpected guest. Share amongst neighbors.
We’re torn now between the free-market economy and the gift economy. We compete in the free-market economy but are expected to share the profits in our local gift-economy. We’re torn in both directions.

HIV:
(This was an HIV+ solidarity group which was packed to the rafters and one after the next, men and women from everywhere stood up to testify about living life positively after their diagnosis. I quote them below)

Stigma:
Remember stigma and discrimination starts inside yourself.
Being HIV+ is not the end of life, it is the start of a courageous new life.
The answer to stigma is access to treatment. If I am getting treatment and extending my life and caring for my self, family, and community I don’t have to care what anyone else is thinking about me.

Policy and Education:
The International Community of People Living with HIV-Aids counseled the WHO on stigma in South Africa and Swaziland.
#1: To do advocacy you must be educated.
#2: People Living with HIV/AIDS must be not on the receiving end, but on the policy-making side of the solution. We HIV+ people are really important in the community in reducing HIV. We have to decide to live, and to engage and educate the health care workers.
We need to get in touch and educate the media and our allies amongst the policy-makers.
We must tailor the message so people understand where we are coming from.

Men:
Men need to be given meaningful involvement in the prevention of HIV, need to be visible in a high level of advocacy. Our men are going outside their countries to talk about their serio-status, selfishly getting resources- they need to be seen in their own countries!

2nd line of treatment: Nothing is being done.

Some testimonials:

Military: People died due to lack of basic information about prevention, and lack of information about living positively.

Teachers: Teachers face a triple stigma. Students greet me, ‘good morning Madam AIDS. Parents withdraw their children. Colleagues are no better- we get regular transfers. Teachers Living with HIV organization started up, creating awareness amongst parents. Since starting the dialogue the community has become very supportive. Teachers can now transfer to where they need to be for treatment.

Yemen: There was so much discrimination. We started education. Now we have our own support group and it’s doing very well.


Some Take-Away messages:
Many say export agriculture not good for South countries. Need to grow food, be able to eat off the land. Be careful with cash-crops. Trade inter-regionally; cooperate with other South countries- think about trading inter-regionally, rather than competing for international market.
For GSC farmers: Look for near-by trade opportunities, i.e. HIV patients in Babati.
Providing organics to HIV groups in this area- WIA? Care providers. Use SA harvest when our volunteers need food. Hire Mary or someone to prepare.

Promote awareness of and appreciation for organics in TZ, especially Arusha area i.e., “Small farms run by women produce more per hectare than large-scale agriculture”.

Preserve indigenous seeds, create a culture of diversity.
I am thinking seed banks- and we should see what he is doing in that regard.

Be sure Organics is relevant to marginal people, not just a service for rich people.

Be careful with micro-finance, not a magic bullet. Many farmers are in trouble due to micro-loans.

Check into what progressive church movements are up to.

Fair Trade: internal issues. Even at this small level we need to keep eyes out for corruption and misuse of funds.

Gift Economy- be aware of the dilemma farmers may face being pulled both to entrepreneurialism and towards the traditional ‘gift-economy’.

One of the most interesting comments in the HIV session was that the answer to Stigma is access to meds. It’s very pragmatic- if I’m extending my life and able to care for my family, I don’t care about stigma. Deborah and I discussed this re. the Arusha World AIDS day- a lot didn’t go right, but the testing tents had people lining up across the lawn, and that was essential. Part of what stigma does is blocks people’s access to information and treatment; getting people access to information and treatment is part of the answer to stigma.