Tuishi, Jambiani, Zanzibar
As the first location for WhoCares? to establish relationships, Jambiani in Zanzibar (a Tanzanian island off the coast of Africa) remains an inspiration in our work. The results of years of cooperative efforts keep us going, teaching us that yes, a little bit of effort can go a long way. . .
Tuishi means ‘A Better Harmonious Life for All Human Beings’ and this is certainly what has happened in Jambiani! When we came across the village of Jambiani in 1999 Malaria was its biggest problem. At the time 100% of the villagers got malaria twice a year on average. As there are approx 5000 people there that was 10000 cases of malaria per year! In 2007 there were no cases of Malaria diagnosed in Jambiani!!
My brother John came across this village whilst on holiday in 1997. Since then the two of us, and many friends, have returned to Jambiani on a yearly basis offering friendship and support in any ways we can. We have particularly gotten behind the members of the Jambiani Development Committee and encouraged their tenacity and ideas. In 2000 we resourced a health education programme there that the local Doctor ran and since have also subsidized mosquito nets. We are thrilled that the combination of these plus Dr Jaku using new antimalarial drugs have seen malaria wiped out in Jambiani.
This incredible achievement has resulted in Jambiani being seen as a model that others in Zanzibar and East Africa are now copying. The Tanzanian World Health Organisation have recently begun documenting the Jambiani Community Based Malaria Control Initiative to use in other areas.
The village have worked hard to change things around for themselves. The changes in attitude and behaviour during the Health Education Programme led to the villagers seeing the importance of keeping their village clean in order to reduce disease. Over 2 years 38 volunteer groups formed in the village that now work several times a week to pick up rubbish and keep bushes low to the ground. This is necessary to reduce the breeding sites for mosquitoes. Given the basic tools and the scorching heat it can be hard work for the women (there are only a few male volunteers). It certainly makes you grateful for our local council services!!
More recently the NGO TUISHI has been formed by local people to continue to drive the changes forward.
This NGO has been able to:
- sustain all established community based health initiatives like Malaria Control Project and environmental preservation
- initiate the proper disposal of batteries, plastics and glasses
- train the villagers how to make compost from the collected organic waste
- establish the income generating project for volunteer groups like chicken and goat keeping project, vegetable garden project and tree planting projects
- support the villagers to build latrines in their houses
- disseminate the Jambiani best experiences to other villages in Zanzibar
- negotiating with HABITAT International to establish the low price building project for very poor people in Jambiani especially women.
Who Cares? has enjoyed a long relationship with the people of Jambiani and is very proud to continue to support these initiatives.
Susie Baker and I visited Jambiani again in January 08. We were able to donate some money to enable the village to begin a health and hygiene education programme. This is being designed due to the problem they have with diarrhoea and dysentry
imagine if we all did . . .
. . . . . .
liNk
There is more to look at than just the price tag when we think about what we wear - let's check into this!
