SETH MBUNA'S BRIEF ABOUT YPHE IN MAKETE

***Selection Day of YPHE’s

“It was early in the morning around 4:00 am when the team of HHU trainers started a trip to Iniho- Makete for YPHE’s selection ready for implementation of YPHE program. We reached at Iniho-Makete around 11:30 am. Mr. Linus, the Ward Education Coordinator (WEC) warmly welcomed us as we found him waiting for us along the Bulongwa to Mbeya road. He started guide us to all four schools where we conducted YPHE’s selections. We started with Kidope primary school which is located little far from the main load to about 3.5km whereby we used to commute on foot with the WEC. The Kidope Primary school staffs welcomed us and participated fully in the process of selecting the YPHE’s. After then we turned back to the main load where we started to commute to Kilimani Primary school which is about 4km from the main road and the school is found at the peak of the hill as the name of school itself indicate, Kilimani means at the hill. It wasn’t easy but we made it finally the host school staffs of Kilimani did the same as those of Kidope”.
“From Kilimani we headed back to the main road to where we packed our rented car and started to head towards Iniho Primary school where it was selected as the centre of the training. The task of selection went well and we said fare ware and started our trip to Mwakauta Primary school via the local restaurant (Kwa mama ntilie) food vendors for lunch. To reach Mwakauta it wasn’t simple as we expected as the school is located far away from the main road to about 7km. We stacked on the way there due to rough road and continued rainfall. We worked hand to hand with the WEC to push and pull the car from the area where we stacked. It wasn’t simple but together we made it, due to poor condition of the road we decided to leave the car and started to walk on foot and delayed to reach to the school. The host staffs of Mwakauta primary school were very tolerable as they waited for us besides of the time being off to continue to stay at the school. We reached Mwakauta around 5:20pm. The WEC introduced us and started the task of selections. After the selection our host who are very kind and hospitable prepared us boiled eggs with soda”.
“Around 6:45pm we started our way back. After we dropped the WEC we went to visit George’s Grandpa “Mzee Adidas”. Mzee Adidas and grandma warmly welcomed us and prepared us a good meal. We all ate and got satisfied. He packed Apple fruits for us and tells us to eat it when we get hungry on our way back. It was around 8:30 when we said fare aware to Mzee and started our way back to HHU head quarter. We travelled by night and we managed to alive safely at Njombe around 2:00am”.

***Life Experience during Training

“It was 6 April 2015 around 7:00am on Easter Monday when the Director of HHU and the team of Trainer of Trainee (TOT) started the journey to Iniho-Makete for implementing the Youth Peer Health Education. It was a long Journey which took around seven hours. We reached at Iniho-Makete around 13:16pm and warmly welcomed by our hosts Mr. Linus and Kikoti who acted as the principal of Iniho primary school. Our Host was very friendly and kind as they affectionately welcomed us. They prepared a residence for us where we resided for all five days they also prepared a meal for all of us”.

***The residence and life style

“Iniho ward has no electricity supply, though the residence was in a good condition but there was no electricity. Water services were available twenty four hours. We lived there without electricity we were using candles and torch for lighting”.
“Our director Betty Treated us as her kids because daily she woke up early in the morning around 4:30am and started the fire and prepared hot water for shower for everyone. She ensured that everyone got the basic needs”.
“We all headed to the classes as it was nearby to where we resided. We used to facilitate the training in a team work. All the trainers together with the Betty and coordinator George attended and participated in the training”
“It was very fantastic and enjoyable as the time of meal everyone was smiling to get the good local youmy youmy food prepared by the NM Mwakauta (Naishi Kwa Matumaini-Mwakauta). This is the group of those who are living with hopes due to be HIV infected. They managed to prepare a good food grown without fertilizers and pesticides”.
‘’During the training the YPHE’s were very happy due to teaching strategies and friendly of the team. The TOT and the Director were very friendly to the YPHE’s and mentors. As after the sessions the TOT together with the YPHE’s used to play games together. The interested game was football which involved the TOT and the YPHE’s boys and girls. Both of us were very happy and indeed every one enjoyed.’’
“Every evening we conducted M&E of the day, we used to review from what we have done on that day. Mr. Linus and Kikoti they often paid a visit at evening and we made some interested stories while eating bites like grilled maize or boiled maize. They told us a lot about Iniho ward and Makete in general”.
“One day the team together with the HHU director and (babu) car driver we paid again a visit to George’s grandpa who residing the next village before Iniho (Mwera). As his custom he warmly welcomed all of us and prepared us a meal. We had a great time with him as he used to tell us a lot of ancestors stories. He also showed us the kind of coins used during the colonial era. Indeed it was a great moment to be with him that evening”.
“The days were doing very fast, fortunately the closing day arrived. Mr. Linus helped us to invite the Ward Councilor who agreed and came to close the trainings. YPHE’s prepared different events like poems, songs, drama, and speech that’s makes the day wonderful. The councilor provided different certificates to YPHE’s, to mentors, to WEC, and to all participated schools. He also provided gifts to different people. The event was under the master of ceremony (MC) Mr. Nichorus and Mr. Kelvin. The event ended with together meal and drinking”.
“After the closing event the preparation for our way back started. We parked our luggage and around 17:10pm we started to departure. On our way back we paid a visit to Makete District Council who warmly welcomed us at his home. We had a short talk and her wife prepared us drinking milk. WE talked allot about development issues including the issue of YPHE program. Around 18:45pm we started our way back Njombe, unfortunately we got car tire puncher. The good thing is that it was near the garage we went there and they fixed the problem. Around 19:15pm we started to move back to Njombe. There was a heavy rain that day and the road was very rough. It takes us a lot of hours to arrive at Njombe. “All the time God is good” apart from those embargoes encountered we managed to arrive at Njombe around 00:10 midnight”.
“It can be done, play your part” Mwl. J.K Nyerere

Story by;
Seth Mbuna.