News Archive

June 07    The road to Yamba is much improved.  It is wider and more level in places and large rocks have been removed from the sides. Village Africa has bought heavy duty tools to help with maintenance.  Local volunteers dig the road every Saturday.  They are being given gifts of clothing, shoes, etc. These have been a great incentive and there were 3 work parties on the road last Saturday.  Maintaining the road will be an on-going need.   June 07    Volunteer Tina Freeman has started a knitting group with the local women.  This group has been hugely popular.  Yamba can get very cold and blankets, hats and scarves are much needed.  Some women have carved their own needles!       May 07    A new baby girl has been named after volunteer Tina Freeman.  Unfortunately the baby, Tina, currently has yellow fever. The Village Africa car has been used to take her for treatment.   April 07    Volunteer Tina Freeman has safely arrived in Tanzania and is looking forward to immersing herself into the community of Yamba for two months.   April 07    Waziri, our Building Materials Store watchman, is completely cured of TB.  Following encouragement by Village Africa, Waziri completed his course of treatment provided free of charge by the government and has been given the all clear.  Village Africa assisted with transport on two occasions to reduce his five hour walk and two hour bus journey each way to see the specialist.   March 07    Village Africa has purchased further heavy-duty tools to allow villagers to maintain the 3 km road to Yamba.  It is important that the road is passable day and night in all weather conditions so that seriously ill patients can be driven to hospital. A young man was taken to Korogwe Hospital (two and a half hours’ drive) at 4.30 am this month, following a serious head injury.  He is in a stable condition. Villagers normally use their own tools and work as volunteers.  Village Africa tries to reward local volunteers whenever possible with donated goods (e.g. clothing).   February 07    UK Water Engineers Catherine Sherwood and Pip Ross visited Village Africa in February.  They spent several days surveying the area to assess the feasibility of a water project.  More than 50 local volunteers turned out on a couple of days to slash grass so that they could take accurate measurements.  On other days they worked with a team of six locals.  They taught the six how to survey.  They brought their own equipment from the UK. They had consultation meetings with: The Ward, Village and SubVillage leadership, the Villagers, the Advisory Committee to Yamba Village Health Post, the Women's group.   They also ran seminars on water hygiene for Yamba Primary School, the local Women’s group and the local Men’s group. These seminars included a demonstration of how to make soap from ash, a little cooking oil and clean water and taught the importance of toilets (long drop) and UV filtering drinking water.   Back in the UK, Catherine and Pip plan to do a technical write-up and seek funds to implement the water project.   February 07    Village Africa received visitors Tom Ponsonby and Suzanne Winkler. They volunteered their time by giving a geography talk on Ireland, outdoor tablemaking, giving sports and arts and crafts lessons and helping Stephen Carter and the locals to clear the football pitch.   February 07    First Australian volunteer, Stephen Carter, co-taught sports in Yamba Primary School with local teachers. The children were also given talks on Australia, during which Stephen showed illustrations of Australian animals to the fascinated children . Stephen also worked hard to clear the newly purchased football pitch with help of over 30 local volunteers - men and women. All the cassava (a woody crop) has now been cleared, goalposts have been made and the children are happily playing football. Stephen managed to pack a lot into his short visit; he also made posters on nutrition for the health post.    Feburary 07    Village Africa received visitors Carol and Beth Warnock.  Carol volunteered to co-teach science lessons and Beth taught crafts in Yamba Primary School.   February 07    Milingano Secondary School, Form 1 is due to open in March 07.  This is a government/village initiative.  Village Africa wishes it every success.   February 07    Following his time in Yamba, Village Africa volunteer Roy Gee has given three slide presentations in UK called 'A Time Capsule - Life in a Tanzanian Village Community'.   February 07    Volunteer Joanna Elgar has given Health Education lessons in Milingano Primary School at a local teacher’s request.   February 07    Actress Lucy Baillie wrote and directed a playlet on water hygiene, performed by Village Africa volunteers in Yamba Primary School.   February 07    Professional UK primary school teachers and Village Africa volunteers Allison Yearsley and Joanna Elgar are holding weekly staff meetings at Milingano Primary School to discuss the issues that face the Tanzanian teachers and offer advice and strategies.   January 07    Teaching programme to be repeated Jan-Apr 07.   January 07    UK water engineers to conduct feasibility study for a water project in Feb 07.   January 07    Expedition from Godolphin School to visit Yamba in July 07.   December 06    The first wave of volunteers successfully completed the 3 month teaching programme in two government primary schools.   A sportsground has been purchased for Yamba village. Please see Progress  page for details.   December 06    A sportsground has been purchased for Yamba village. Please see Progress  page for details.   December 06    Building volunteer programme from May 07 now advertised on www.thepodsite.co.uk   December 06    Yamba Village Health Post has been reactivated and has now seen over 500 patients.   November 06    Two babies named after visitors.... A baby boy was born on the day Alex and Jirapan Tarrant arrived in Yamba.  The baby was named Alex.  Drumming and singing went on late into the night to announce the arrival of the 'new bones'. Village Africa watchman, Edmundi has named his new baby Joanna after volunteer Joanna Elgar. Joanna is excited and touched.   November 06    Village Africa UK has received some updates from the Volunteers in Yamba and Milingano. To read their news please click on the following link. VOLUNTEER UPDATES   October 06    Village Africa UK has received news that the first group of volunteers has settled in extremely well in Tanzania. On top of the English classes they are giving, the volunteers are teaching sport in both schools with the help of the local teachers.  They are using sports equipment that they brought out from the UK.  Yamba has also done art and singing classes and English lessons for adults have started in Milingano. All volunteers are immersed in the community - having their hair braided, playing with the children, going to church, buying food, helping to pluck chickens, painting toenails, visiting patients in the health post, chatting to medical staff, going on guided walks, ordering baskets, being taught how to pound yams etc.   September 06    Village Africa has safely received its first group of volunteers. Eight enthusiastic UK volunteers have given up their time to teach English in Milingano and Yamba primary schools   August 06    In August 2006 Alex and Jirapan Tarrant became Village Africa's first visitors when they came to inspect the project.  The villagers were extremely excited to receive them into the villages and gave them an extremely warm welcome.   August 06    Project recognised by Ward and Village Committee. Big traditional party thrown to welcome project.