Home Visit - Mercy

Every Friday during the GHTA school year, the volunteers make a home visit to one of the students.  It is completely optional on the student's part and it offer's a glimpse into typical home life and living conditions that most visitors to Tanzania do not ever see.  The students are happy to have the volunteers visit (as well as one of the translators) and are wonderful hosts. I was able to go on the home visit to Mercy's who lives in a village on the outskirts of Moshi called Kiboriloni. It is in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. We walked about 20 minutes through the village to her 2 room home in a peaceful setting with lemon, avocado, and jackfruit trees.

Mercy has 3 daughters,  Queen (age 12), Karen (age 11), and Elizabeth (age 2). The older 2 girls go to a public school nearby.  Elizabeth comes to GHTA with Mercy every day.

We met Mercy's mom, Rose, who currently supports Mercy,  as she is unable to find a job. Rose sells used clothes in the Manyara area (about 4 hours away) and visits Mercy every weekend. 

Mercy would like to have a sewing machine so she can have a business making clothes and doing alterations.

Scenes from the village

On Saturdays this is a bustling market area full of people and vendors. 

It was a long walk.

We passed many fields of corn (maize) and sunflowers.

Mercy and Elizabeth in one of their two rooms.

Tausi, our translator, and Elizabeth. We were served a lovely spread of fruit:  Bananas, oranges, and papaya.

Rose (Mercy's Mom), Mercy, and Elizabeth.

Jenny and I trying to hide!

The road went on and on....

Two young girls on their way home from school.

A common sight in the villages.  Women sewing outside a storefront.  The hanging fabric is so vibrant and colorful!

Learning about knitting machines used to make school uniform sweaters.  It is one of the vocations taught at GHTA.