| The other day I had a client write me to thank me | | | | going? I can tell you as someone who lives here that |
| for helping her plan her safari, she had a wonderful | | | | it isn't going where they say it is - and that is a fact. |
| experience. "But", she wrote, "I would have loved to | | | | Tanzania was a lucky winner in April of 2001 when |
| have been informed to bring pencils and candy for all | | | | creditors wrote off $2 billion, the largest write off in |
| the children I saw along the way...I felt bad I didn't | | | | Africa so far, to reduce the country's debt by over |
| have a lot to give the kids". I cringed. Hmmm...I | | | | 40 per cent. They said that it created free public |
| wondered. How am I going to tackle this one? It | | | | primary school and educated 50% more students |
| seemed to me that she, like so many other | | | | than the previous year. I worked in a public primary |
| well-meaning tourists, had fallen victim to the "gimme" | | | | school. There were 60 students to one teacher, we |
| culture. | | | | had no books whatsoever, students were not given |
| "Gimme" is short for "give me" and if you are a | | | | pens and pencils and we ran out of chalk for several |
| visitor to Tanzania, you will hear this abridged phrase | | | | weeks. School was almost called off for a week |
| a lot. It is usually followed by pipi (candy), pencili | | | | because there was no money for the morning |
| (pencil), peni (pen), or my personal favorite: my | | | | porridge (this is $10 - I donated it and school |
| money (as in "gimme my money"). When you are a | | | | resumed) and teachers had not received their |
| tourist it is very, very easy to fall for this. For | | | | government paychecks for over 2 months. Some |
| anyone, the first trip to Africa is an incredibly | | | | just didn't bother to come to work. So what good |
| eye-opening and sometimes heart-wrenching | | | | did that write-off really do? It simply took the |
| experience. Imagine the scene: you're driving along | | | | responsibility off the government. And when a |
| the road into the vast unknown en-route to the | | | | government has no real accountability, it can do what |
| Serengeti. All around you are stunning panoramas of | | | | it likes. |
| wide open spaces dotted with tiny Maasai villages | | | | "But I just handed out some pens!" you exclaim in |
| along the road. You stop to take a photo. Shoe-less, | | | | your defense, "I mean, it is not that big of a deal!" |
| ashen-faced children in threadbare clothes emerge | | | | But it is. This behavior, while it seems relatively |
| from their dilapidated homesteads running excitedly | | | | harmless, slowly breeds generations of Tanzanians |
| to the road beaming with smiles, their arms | | | | who are seeking a "quick fix" and looking for the |
| outreached. A baby follows in tow, waddling as quick | | | | easy way out. Put it this way, if you had a child who |
| as she can in her tattered little party dress, snot | | | | constantly lamented "gimme, gimme, gimme" and you |
| running down her face...she is the cutest little thing | | | | continually obliged that child, what effect would that |
| you've ever seen. This is when they get you. Their | | | | have on the child? He or she would become spoiled. |
| spindly little arms reach into the car, searching for | | | | It is no different here. Do you give money and pens |
| something, anything...and a little chorus of "gimme" | | | | to the homeless that lurk in the streets of your own |
| echoes around you. You pity them, desperately | | | | neighborhood? Most likely you do not. In fact you |
| search your purse and find 2 pens, a pack of gum, | | | | probably mutter something like "get a job" to that |
| and some coins all of which you gladly hand over to | | | | individual - or at least you think it. Why? Because you |
| the incredibly appreciative children. Sigh. You wonder | | | | don't want to perpetuate the beggar culture in your |
| to yourself how they possibly live like this with so | | | | neighborhood. Well, I beg of you - please do not do |
| little. You drive on with the satisfaction that you are | | | | it in mine either. |
| a Good Samaritan. | | | | If you do want to help, do not dial the 1-800 |
| You are not. For people like me who actually live | | | | numbers on your TV, do not adopt a child for $.10 a |
| here, you are only adding fuel to a fire that is burning | | | | day or send plastic toys, and for god's sake do not |
| out of control and encouraging a nation-wide | | | | hand out pens, gum, or money. What you can do is |
| epidemic. What you do not see is that this happens | | | | find a legitimate Non Governmental Organization |
| every single day, day in and day out, to every single | | | | (NGO) - there are many, but make sure you |
| tourist - and they get them almost every time. | | | | research them - that is working with local |
| Tanzania is most certainly a "developing country" that | | | | communities on sustainable agricultural projects, or a |
| is in need of a lot, a fact that becomes evident to all | | | | foreign run school aimed at offering affordable, |
| who enter. When you are on safari for a couple of | | | | decent education to children who have no access to |
| weeks, to hand out a few pens and a couple shillings | | | | it. Donate to projects aimed at educating Tanzanians |
| here and there seems a harmless gesture that is | | | | about the importance of preserving National Parks |
| easy to accommodate and appears to make a | | | | and Wildlife or computer technology or business |
| difference. When you live here, however, you begin | | | | administration. Sponsor a venture that is dedicated to |
| to see a different picture all together. | | | | empowering rural women by teaching them a trade |
| It is only through living here that you have the unique | | | | which they can turn into a lucrative business. There |
| opportunity to see the genuine Africa and the real | | | | are things you can do to help, but it does not include |
| problems that these resilient people face. You see | | | | giving hand-outs. You will have to work harder than |
| corrupt police officers every day who pull you over | | | | that. |
| because of the color of your skin. They eyeball your | | | | Interested in helping? Tropical Trails Safari Company |
| car and then make no haste in blatantly asking you | | | | is also the proud sponsor of the Arusha Children's |
| for a bribe. Children are taught by their parents that | | | | Trust here in Arusha, Tanzania. The trust is an NGO |
| white skin is equal to a free meal or a zawadi | | | | set up in Arusha in December 1999 to support |
| (present) so nearly every child you pass on the | | | | underprivileged children in the Arusha and Rift Valley |
| street asks you openly for one. Mothers approach | | | | regions of Tanzania. |
| your car window while stopped and use their | | | | The Arusha Children's Trust is about education, |
| rheumy-eyed children to try and cajole money out of | | | | health, environmental awareness and the preservation |
| you. A friendly old man makes small talk with you and | | | | of traditional cultures. It provides educational |
| you actually begin to think him different, but ends his | | | | materials, teachers salaries, classroom furniture, |
| friendly decoy by telling you that his wife is sick and | | | | sports equipment and improves school buildings. |
| could you please give him some money for her? | | | | In 2002 it built and furnished a community centre in a |
| When you're here for a few weeks it doesn't bother | | | | Masai village outside Arusha which hosts a |
| you so much -but when you live here, trust me, it | | | | kindergarten for 4 to 6 year olds, an outreach health |
| bothers you a LOT. If you can tell me what | | | | clinic for disabled children, women's groups and |
| long-term positive outcome could possibly spawn | | | | workshops for the whole community. It provides the |
| from perpetuating this methodology by succumbing | | | | educational materials for the centre and the children |
| to it, I'll buy you dinner. | | | | with a hot breakfast every day. |
| It might be interesting to know that Tanzania (as a | | | | The Arusha Children's trust relies on donations and |
| whole) has received loads upon loads of aid from | | | | fundraising to finance its projects. |
| other governments and organizations in the form of | | | | It believes that education is the key to a better |
| money, grants, donations, and write-offs. This is from | | | | future for the children it helps. |
| where "gimme" culture has evolved. But where is it all | | | | |