Today is the last day in Shirati. I’ve definitely been dreading the end of my amazing time here. At 10am we went to the first girl’s soccer meeting at Mkoma primary school in a classroom to go over rules, soccer positions, and practice schedules. I was completely amazed when I showed up, the two coaches had over 50 girls from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade sign up. The girls looked so excited to be there even on a Saturday. I wondered how all these girls were able to come to the meeting since I know many of them have so many duties like cooking, cleaning, and taking care of younger siblings. The two coaches explained the different positions, the 18 and goal area, practices that will be held 3 days a week, and the attire that they need to wear. When it came time for questions, the girls asked about who can shoot and where does defense start. One girl asked a question in Swahili and then Killion translated it. She wondered why is it that we wanted to start a girl’s team for them. The question surprised Melody and I. I was so filled with emotion that I started to tear up. We briefly explained that we wanted to give girls a chance here in Shirati to play sports, build sisterhood, and further their education. I was so touched that they would ask such a question knowing that a girl’s soccer team has never been started before and that this was an opportunity typically directed only at teenage boys. Towards the end of the meeting, we wrote down all of the names of the girls and their shoe sizes since Mel and I will try to somehow fit them all. I also decided to bring the clothes that I wanted to leave behind and raffle them off. I brought a pair of shoes, 3 pairs of socks, white pants, a white skirt, a t-shirt, and 2 pairs of flip flops. When I held up the white skirt, all the girls were super giddy, I suppose that was what everyone wanted. I really really wanted to give them all of my clothes and other pair of tennis shoes but knew I would need them later on. After the meeting, all of us took a picture together. I then called out for a team huddle where we put our hands in a circle and then shouted “Girls Soccer!”. I could not be happier with the progress we have made since our initial idea for the first girls soccer team. I really wish that I could be there for their first practice on Tuesday. The two German medical students living in our hostel went down to a city 2 hours away and they were able to pick up Tango soccer balls for us to have ready for Tuesday. All I know is that I need to come back soon and see the progress of girls soccer in Shirati.
Immediately after the girl’s soccer meeting in the morning, our car had arrived for our trip to Bwiri. Today is the day where we decided that we would distribute our remaining nets in a systematic order. We told the Bwiri village leaders to construct a list of 30 individuals with the highest need for nets whether they have a baby under 1 year of age or have multiple children without nets. We knew that we had such a limited number of nets that rationing is our only choice. When we arrived to the Bwiri community center, there was a line out the door. Apparently they had sent a notice to the town for all women with babies under 1 year to get a net if they did not already get one from us. It was very frustrating since we only had 63 nets and there were many women waiting outside as well as people on a list for which we promised them a net. A sub-village chairperson was also there requesting 18 nets for his subvillage since we did not at all survey or distribute nets there at all. At first the list that they had given us consisted of 75 people, Melody and I were not happy at all. This was the exact situation for which we did not want to happen where we would have more people that were promised nets than what we actually had. We were also afraid of double dipping with previous participants that already had nets or dishonest people that would bring someone else’s baby to get a net. After much debating among us, our translators, and the village leaders, we decided to split the remaining nets a few ways. We would reserve 10 nets for the far subvillage, save the 15 nets for people we had already promised, and also give nets on a first come first serve basis to the women that were waiting outside. Surprisingly, it worked out ok where we basically had just enough nets for everyone that waited outside after reserving a specific number of nets for people on lists. The day was definitely hectic and a bit stressful. I think that is the one thing that I have had to learn to deal with, everywhere I go or anyone that works with me such as our translators, we get asked for nets. This includes village people that didn’t get nets, those that got a net but want more, our driver, our housecleaners, our chef, doctors, strangers, children, and the list continues. I even got asked for nets by our own translators! Its definitely a game between keeping the nets for those that you feel need it most while trying not to make too many enemies by hogging the nets.
We ended our last day by having dinner at our hostel with our 3 translators. The rest of the evening we spent packing. I definitely have much much less stuff than when I arrived. I was barely able to carry my 3 pieces of luggage that were all maximized to the 50 pound limit. It was mostly due to the coloring books, surveys, crayons, and liquid products we were carrying to leave behind. Shirati has been the most amazing experience. I feel so different now than when I started. I remember being so nervous and not knowing what to expect. Sometimes it amazes how differently my life was readjusted from LA to Shirati. In LA, I often would spend money to eat out, have an active nightlife at clubs, drive my car around everyday, and sit poolside looking at the skyline in my apartment. Immediately in Shirati, we have no hot water but luckily have well water and electricity. Everyday I come back covered in dirt from the red sand that blows up from the dirt roads drenched in sweat after spending the entire day walking miles in the burning hot sun. Still I never minded any of it, in fact I loved it all. The landscape is amazingly beautiful as are the sunsets and the people. The children are so friendly and so adorable. I really enjoy walking house to house to see and understand how everyone lives. I definitely never realized the things I take for granted as well as all the unnecessary things that I have in my life. I appreciated the strength and resilience of everyone in Shirati, they seriously never ever complain about life no matter how difficult they have it or how painful something is. I have made so many local friends with our translators, secondary school girls, soccer team girls, people we meet in the villages, and random strangers that talk to us.
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