Ok, for people with a really short attention span, my quick answer is “Not to Aid,” at least most of the time. That’s what I’ve come to after six months and three books on the subject. Granted this is fairly slim experience compared to the experts in the field but the experts don’t all agree and also you get what you pay for and reading this blog is free! When thinking about international development aid, I think there are two separate but related questions. The… Read More »To Aid or Not to Aid?

We just finished our safari in the northern parks but the wildlife was not nearly as plentiful as it was during the holidays when I was here with Kelsey. Only Ngorongoro crater lived up to expectations and was teeming with animals, reminding me of the Garden of Eden. Despite the reduced number of critters, I managed to get several photos that are either funny, odd, or simply silly. It’s surprisingly easy to catch animals, and humans, in what appear to be strange behaviors. In and… Read More »Silly Safari Shots

Having spent several days on the Tanzanian coast, north of Tanga, sweating in the high humidity while enjoying the beauty of the Indian Ocean just south of the Kenyan border, we are now in the Usambara Mountains. It’s hard to believe it’s the same country given the dramatic change in surroundings and climate, from energy sapping heat and scrub desert to dry, cool evenings and lushness in a few hours drive. The Usambaras are a steep and rocky mountain range featuring rain forests and incredible… Read More »The Usambara Mountains and Their Secrets

I’m back in Zanzibar, this time for the African music festival Sauti za Busara, an annual three-day event that features musicians from all over Africa. It attracts folks who love African music and who like to be at a fun event where everyone is running into everyone in Stonetown. The festival is at night so days can be spent going to the beach, wandering the maze of streets, returning to an air conditioned hotel room to rest and cool off, and meeting friends for meals… Read More »Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom)

Yesterday afternoon, Sega’s new Anti Ivory club held a skype video call with China and California.  This was a first for the Sega girls, most of whom have never heard of skype or seen it in action.  The club was just started a few weeks ago and I’m proud to say it was through a contact of mine that it happened! I’ve never been able to get into the whole social media thing.  However, in this case, it did what it’s supposed to do. A… Read More »Save the Elephants and Meet Yustina!

I’ve been in Tanzania for four months now, volunteering at The Sega Girls’ School, and it’s been really interesting to observe Polly Dolan, the school founder and director, up close. Because I am naturally analytical, I’ve enjoyed trying to identify what about her is key to her success so far. I used to teach Social Entrepreneurship, among other courses, at the Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business at Mills College in Oakland. I always invited several guest speakers to come talk with my students… Read More »Portrait of a Social Entrepreneur

Ok, so it’s always touchy saying anything negative about a place where one is not a native. Therefore, I am balancing the negative with the positive. I’m also using someone else’s list. My friend Alice, a Peace Corps volunteer here at Sega, recently wrote such an excellent, funny (at least to me living here), and accurate blog entitled “Things About Tanzania That Piss Me Off.” Since I figured I could do no better, I am simply adding one additional item and then stealing hers wholesale… Read More »Things I Love (and Hate) About Tanzania

I’ve been back from my travels for a week now and the photos are starting to filter in from the under water camera enthusiasts with whom I was scuba diving. And then there are the 600 pics I took in my two weeks with Kelsey, about 400 of them from our safari. In retrospect, I can’t get over how many different types of beautiful animals I saw in a few weeks. I started with the amazing underwater world of fish, coral and other creatures and… Read More »Wildlife Wonders

It’s a couple days after Christmas and Kelsey and I are at a resort on the East Coast of the Unguja island of Zanzibar. We spent two days in Stone Town experiencing the literally falling down buildings and plentiful shops. An average of six buildings collapse each year in Stone Town due to a combination of neglect and being made of limestone (thus the town’s name), which deteriorates when exposed to moisture. This year, one of the largest and most famous buildings in town, the… Read More »Touring with Kelsey

Last Saturday was the year closing celebration at Sega. There was dancing by the girls and an appearance by and speech from the Member of Parliament from Morogoro. On Sunday, the first day of my month off, I drove 4 ½ hours West to Iringa to do 4 days of intensive Kiswahili language training at the Iringa Language School and to stay at the Rivervalley Campsite with whom they have a partnership. Their full program is 4 months long but I only have time for… Read More »Language Lessons