We have just finished a stay in Leguruki, a rural village in the Arusha Region of Tanzania. We were living in houses belonging to Jesse’s family. Jesse is a friend of the team, born in Leguruki. Jesse took great care of us during our stay: a massive thank you to Jesse.
The week was made up of:
Heat, mashing avocados, building dryers, and drying avocados
Sugary breakfast tea, Pilau rice, and tasty bananas, habaris (habari being the local greeting)
mambos (use mambo instead if you want to look cool)
trips to fetch trucks of water on the mountain (there was no running water in the village), more rice
pressing oil from avocados, visits to avocado farmers on the mountain, a peaceful meeting in a church on the mountain, bucket showers, mosquito-free nights, a great surprise.
Heat, mashing avocados, building dryers, and drying avocados
Sugary breakfast tea, Pilau rice, and tasty bananas, habaris (habari being the local greeting)
mambos (use mambo instead if you want to look cool)
trips to fetch trucks of water on the mountain (there was no running water in the village), more rice
pressing oil from avocados, visits to avocado farmers on the mountain, a peaceful meeting in a church on the mountain, bucket showers, mosquito-free nights, a great surprise.
The purpose of the stay in Leguruki was to build and test avocado dryers in Leguruki. The dried avocados are then pressed to produce oil. Some innovators in Leguruki had already built the oil press, but they were having trouble with drying avocados.
The above was the official aim. Our hidden aim was to engage the community in the process of building dryers and make sure we were not carrying out all work ourselves. Because development work is strongest when it is carried out by locals. We aim for Development BY communities, not Development FOR communities.
We were in Leguruki to stimulate work, to draw attention to the idea that waste avocado can be used to produce oil, and that selling avocado oil could substantially increase the incomes of the farmers of Leguruki. This is why we are here. For Leguruki to produce avocado oil, for farmers to become innovators.
Charles
The above was the official aim. Our hidden aim was to engage the community in the process of building dryers and make sure we were not carrying out all work ourselves. Because development work is strongest when it is carried out by locals. We aim for Development BY communities, not Development FOR communities.
We were in Leguruki to stimulate work, to draw attention to the idea that waste avocado can be used to produce oil, and that selling avocado oil could substantially increase the incomes of the farmers of Leguruki. This is why we are here. For Leguruki to produce avocado oil, for farmers to become innovators.
Charles
