What have I been up to lately? Well, the first annual Kizimkazi Cultural Music Festival was a success. We did not have the expected turnout, and it rained the first day- ruining the speakers and sound system, then the generator blew, but besides those major problems, it was good! And now we have learned what not to do and how to prepare better for next year's festival! The land in Kizimkazi where Kizi-Noor Cultural cafe will be established has almost been closed on and as soon as Sadiq (the director of the festival) meets with the lawyer again, we will have it finalized. Then I am supervising the construction of a small wall to be built around the circumference of the area, working with the last construction crew I had when we were building additional bars for the festival! Then the rainy season starts so I will be going to plant trees on the land as it is that season!
Now, i am currently working for Chumbe island (www.chumbeisland.com) as a volunteer for their environmental education program which teaches kids to swim, teaches them about environmental education and conservation (not stepping on the corals, not dropping anchors on the corals, why marine life and biodiversity is necessary and how unsustainable fishing practices affect the economy and livelihood of Zanzibar etc.) and then I take the children snorkeling to view the coral park! You can check out pics on Chumbe's website!! I also write grants and search for donors to fund this unique environmental education program. I really enjoy writing grants but it is next to impossible here because of the internet, lack of electricity, and lack of research materials!!
I am also now working with the Dept of Urban Planning and the Dept. of Waste Management to effectively manage the waste dumping site here which has spiraled out of control and the city is so littered it will soon affect tourism (of which comprises 25%+ of Zanzibar's income) if it is left in its current state! SO...me and Akiza, the waste site manager (who also worked closely with me on the Kizimkazi festival), have come up with plans! I have copy and pasted the objectives of our program from a grant i recently applied for;
The overall objective of this program is to formulate a coalition of NGO’s, non-state actors, grassroots level orgs, regional, district, and national government institutions, private/public sector, local initiative based groups and private individuals motivated to effectively and sustainably manage the current solid waste and water pollution problem through collective action resulting in effective ownership.
· Assessment of current and mobilization of new Environmental Clubs and community involvement for environmental conservation with focus on activities pertaining to waste management of dumping site in Jiambi (20 km south of Stone Town), water pollution management of coastal area, and establishment of tree nurseries with planting in collaboration with APPE (Abeche Palms Planting Enterprise) and Dept. of Urban Planning and CHICOP (Chumbe Island Coral Park), and JAMABECO
· Effective management of waste dumping site, Jiambi, through initial implementation of trash receptacles from SASS (Strategic Advanced Service and Solutions), collection scheme in collaboration with Dept. of Waste Management and Dept. of Urban Planning, recycling of materials; broken down into sustainable revenue groups (selling of plastics, ground materials into digester, etc)
· Renovation, landscape design, effective management of existing personnel and resources, beautification and maintenance of Victoria Gardens and Botanical Gardens (5km west of Stone Town), in collaboration with Dept. of Urban Planning, Stone Town World Heritage Committee, SASS, and APPE.
· Cultural enhancement activities to include artists’ collaboration from Bagamoyo Arts Center, and Zanzibarian artists for educational programs to include art made from recycled materials, art and music festivals with environmental conservation themes of waste management, sanitation, water pollution, etc. to be held in the gardens after renovation in addition to Jambiani (with JAMABECO) and Kizimkazi (with Kizi-Noor Cultural Cafe) with % of proceeds allotted for the establishment of common markets to include freezers for long-term storage of fish to decrease waste of surplus and other % towards items deemed necessary by sheha’s and village members
· Educational classes given to teach local fishermen about sustainable fishing practices, waste management, water pollution and construction cooperatives using recycled materials, while teaching women sustainable cooking methods using clay cooking device (jiko bora), heat from biogas, cooperative farming techniques for sustenance and capacity building for marketing of surplus
· Baseline study on mariculture potential in previously earmarked locations of Jambiani and Jozani with subsequent set up (if environment is conducive) of fish farms for repopulation of depleted resources with women’s groups as entrepreneurs. This study will be performed by; Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute and University of Dar Es Salaam Aquatic Department.
All of these activities are sustainable through the actions we will be taking pertaining to the management of the waste site- such as making brickets, turning organic feedstock into biogas through a digester to sell alternative energy, selling off compost, plastics, etc. and the revenue gained from the taxation of collection and disposal will go to the employees at the waste site and the employees performing the services of collection and disposal.
So, most of my days are spent working with Chumbe or working on this private project! Let me know what you think! If you have any ideas for me, let me know! I am making a visit to the trash dump soon to put together the plans for a house that will be built there out of all recycled materials (think water bottles cut in half and nailed spanish roofing-tile style for the roof) which will be my office and home as soon as we have done a soil test to make sure there has not been toxic or radioactive dumping.
I am supposed to return home in March, but with this project and funding pending, it is next to impossible! And i have more work to do on the logistics for TIYO coming over and now doing THREE performances!! So, hopefully I can extend my ticket long enough to have some of the objectives achieved and then i will come home for a little while- but i know I will be back here after a few months as Akiza and I have long-term goals for the waste management and Sadiq and I have long-term goals for the Kizi-Noor Cultural Cafe!!
Let me know how you all are doing!! If Renee or Maureen are reading this... I want to know how its going!!! Tim, if you read this, please call me and let me know what's up with the exciting txt you sent me. Dale- im sorry i missed your call, i was on Chumbe Island and there is no phone reception out there! Dad, Mom, Sarah, Tobi, Oliver, Matt- I MISS YOU!!! Jodi, how the heck are you?! Dan, Dan, and Caroline...is it like an episode of "Three's Company" now that you are roommates? Who wears the hot spandex that Susanne Sommers used to wear? Dijson, can we still arrange for the member-ship in my organization?
PLEASE LEAVE ME COMMENTS!!! Sometimes I feel like I have lost contact with the outside world...let me know how you are!!
