Boras Viskan Rotary Club has since the beginning of 2000 been operating several projects in Arusha Region of Tanzania. These projects have now in 2005 come to a new phase.
Step one, seminars for 100 teachers and principals from the schools in the district.
Dr Tekle Asmerom, a Rotarian from Arusha RC conducted these seminars in the beginning of 2003. They were also attended by the doctors and a dentist from Mbulu Hospital. The seminars went for three days at the local Folk Development College Tango. The subjects were HIV/Aids, preventive dental and health care, nutrition.
Step two was training of two Instructors.
These Instructors were to travel on visitations to all the 104 schools in the district to educate and survey all the children. They got their training during the month of May 2003 in Arusha by Dr Tekle Asmerom.
Step three – sending a container from Sweden.
In August 2003 a container was sent from Sweden to Arusha. It contained a lot of medical and dental equipment. With the dental equipment we got a dental ward set up at Mbulu Hospital. We could also put a mobile dental unit in a hospital 4x4-wheel car so this could be used for the school visitations. The container reached Tanzania in August 2003.
Step four – school visitations.
These visitations started in October 2003. The goal was to visit all 104 schools, even the most remote. It was the Mbulu Hospital Dentist, Dr Libe, the two Instructors and also a Health Care Assistant that went on the visitations.
To finance our projects we started by applying for a Carl P Miller Grant 2000. We have also got money from Rotary Sweden U-Fond on two occasions. We have applied for and received money from Rotary Foundation as a New Opportunities Grant, a Helping Grant and a Transportation Grant. We have also received Grants from our District 2360 on two occasions. Our club, Boras Viskan, has raised a lot of money during the years to help support our project. We have had contributions from the Swedish Institute for our travels. The latest contribution we got was an Individual Grant from Rotary Foundation and a District Simplified Grant from District 2360.
We went to Tanzania in November 2004 with a group of members from our Rotary Club Boras Viskan. We visited the hospital in Mbulu, where they with pride showed us the well-equipped dental ward. They also showed us all the other medical equipment that we sent by container. It had all come in handy and was in full use. We were also able to go on a school visitation one day. We went with the Health Team – the Dentist, two Instructors and a Health Care Assistant, to visit a school about two hours drive from Mbulu. The experience was fantastic. To see how the education of the schoolchildren was performed, to participate in the dental survey of all third degree school class children was truly a great experience!
In the written report we got, the dentist Dr Libe showed that 57 schools had been visited. 39.000 children had got this education in HIV/Aids, dental and healthcare prevention and nutrition. 8.000 children in third degree had a screening in their dental and medical status. More than 500 children had undergone some kind of treatment.
On our return to Arusha we had a meeting with Chief Regional Medical Officer Dr Chande. He was well informed of the outcome of our project after having received several reports. We presented the thought of the Tanzanian Government taking over the whole project for its continuity and sustainability for the future. These teacher seminars and the school visitations have never before been executed in Tanzania. The interest and attention it has become the object of has been great. To our delight Dr Chande promised that Tanzania itself will from July 2005 finance and permanent this project! (At the time, November 2004, there were 47 more schools to visit that we were able to do with a District Simplified Grant from our District 2360.) A final report together with a personal letter has been sent to the Minister of Health in Tanzania.
On our latest contact in July 2005 with Tanzania we learned, that all 104 schools have now been visited. The Government of Tanzania has now officially taken over the project and intends to finance it on a yearly basis.
Our hope and belief is that this first Pilot Project that we have conducted over the years will spread to other parts of Tanzania. We have shown that with small means we can make a whole lot of difference to many people by raising their level of education in so fundamental areas, perhaps make their lives a little easier. We will keep in constant contact with all these people and friends involved in the project even in the future. We would like to support them with equipment and materials. We will try to supervise that the original intentions and goals are kept- education and training in HIV/Aids, preventive dental- and healthcare, nutrition.
To finance our future projects we have in our club Litographics made by a famous Swedish artist, Sven-Erik Johansson, that will be sold. We will also continue to apply for Grants from Rotary Foundation and our Rotary District. Other sources will be SIDA and the International Dental Association, FDI.
Boras 2005-08-14
Ulf Hogardh
Chairman of Int. Comm.
Boras Viskan RC
