Time to say goodbyes

Saying goodbyes for parents in Tambukareli.

My two and half months with Ni Hekima Pekee has now gone. It's time to say goodbyes and return home. I feel happy to go back Finland and see my family and friends again, but at the same time I feel little bit melancholic to leave Tanzania. I hope to come back Tanzania, and Mwanza too, but when it'll happen, is something I don't know yet.

What I do know, is that I've had great 10 weeks with NIHEP! I think I've learned a lot. I've seen and experienced many, many things that I couldn't have ever experienced at home. Hopefully I've also managed to share something with other volunteers of NIHEP. And what's the most important, hopefully I've managed to help NIHEP and its beneficiaries, even little bit.

I can recommend NIHEP also for other volunteers. NIHEP is young and developing NGO, so they can offer many kind of tasks for volunteers with different skills. At this moment social workers or students who study social work / social services are needed most, though. Doing internship in Tanzania is a good choice, if you are not afraid of challenges and if you are willing to share your knowledge and views. In my opinion, challenging myself like this was a priceless experience, something I'll never regret! Asanteni sana na tutaonana tena, NIHEP na Tanzania! (Thank you very much and see you again, NIHEP and Tanzania!)

Greetings, Saara

The importance of information and informing

Hi, it is volunteer Saara writing here again. I have now passed half of my time with Ni Hekima Pekee. Five weeks has gone and five weeks is still left. It's amazing how fast days go by when you have interesting and inspiring work to do!

As an volunteer I'm interested about social questions: how to reduce poverty and social exclusion in the world. These are crucial issues also in Finnish society which I'm coming from. In my home country I study social services now, but formerly I worked as a writer and photographer. So, concerning to this, I think information, informing and story telling are good ways to improve things and make the world little bit better place.

For organisation like Ni Hekima Pekee information and informing are also very essential issues. Lately we have been developing these things. Now we have our own Facebook page and also this blog has experienced some changes. For example upcoming volunteers can now find updated information and photos of the accommodation. Furthermore, on Facebook we have group page for friends of Ni Hekima Pekee.

I still have some assignments to do for NIHEP. For example I am planning to do brochure for the organisation. Also basic work, family support in the community is one of my tasks for the rest of the time. With local volunteers I will visit families in Tambukareli and Kambarage. We still have many follow up discussions to do in these streets.

Finally working with NIHEP

Having a Monday discussion
at NIHEP office

On September 2012 I got great news: I will have an unique chance to do my practical training in Mwanza, Tanzania! I started to do some investigation to find a nice training place. Thanks for the networking, I met Ms. Ruusa Gawaza, project manager of Tampere-Mwanza co-operation project. She told me about the Finnish organisation, Mwembe. That led me to contact Ms. Lena Johansson, chairman of the organisation. She told I am welcome to work with Mwembe and their partner in Mwanza, Ni Hekima Pekee (NIHEP).

It has been a long way, but here I am, finally working with NIHEP. I really enjoy doing my practical training here. Before I tell more about my practical training, let me introduce myself. My name is Saara Pakaslahti and I come from Finland. I study social services in Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK). I came to Tanzania via North-South-South programme.

This is my fourth week working with NIHEP and I still have six more weeks to go. I mostly concentrate on developing organisation's office practices and improving their informing. For example I have done some updates and changes to this blog. One of my aims is also help to develop NIHEP's documentation and reporting. Now organisation has even their own computer at the office, so it will be easy to write reports and other important documents.

I am enthusiastic, because I feel myself useful. I really feel that I can be helpful and do something which is remarkable for developing NIHEP, young organisation. In my opinion, NIHEP has lots of potential and such a good will to help most vulnerable children and families in Mwanza, especially in Butimba area.

I am glad and grateful that I have got this chance to work with NIHEP and all the people involved in organisation. Even now I think I will miss these people and this place. And of course I will miss Madeleine, my lovely housemate. Unfortunately she is going back home to Finland this week. We have had such a good moments while living together in Mseke Ibungiro volunteer's house. She has also helped me a lot by sharing her thoughts and views with many issues. Now I really believe that sharing is caring and together we can do more.

Onesmo Kajuna and Ruusa Gawaza

What it comes to sharing, couple of weeks ago there was also great discussion between executive director of NIHEP, Mr. Onesmo Kajuna and project manager of Tampere-Mwanza co-operation project, Ms. Ruusa Gawaza. Ms. Gawaza visit Mwanza and had also time to share some thoughts with Mr. Kajuna. Thanks for coming, Ruusa. We were very happy and honoured to get you as our guest.