AIDS Walk Africa 2007: Day 5
3/16/2007
Tom Lynch celebrates the end of AIDS Walk Africa 2007 with children at Nkoanekoli Primary School. |
Virtual Walk
AIDS Walk Africa 2007
Day 5 - Thursday, March 15, 2007
Read Ramona's blog.
Pre-walk
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
By Heather Mason Kiefer
Photos by Jon Hrusa
Community Service Build: Baba Juma's and Nkoanekoli
The last day of AIDS Walk Africa wasn't actually a walk — it was two community service projects. At 8:00 a.m., we gathered in the River Trees parking lot and divided into two groups: 10 people to Baba Juma's Day Care and the rest to Nkoanekoli Primary School.
Walkers build a slide at Baba Juma's Day Care Centre. |
Baba Juma's is a daycare center for 50 children in the Patandi Village. Most of the children are from poor families and the facility is cheerful, but basic. Baba Juma, the man in charge, is a warm, welcoming man who clearly loves the children and was thrilled about the project.
The goal: To build a playground in the front yard with a slide, a set of swings, and two see-saws. The Baba Juma children, all between the ages of three and four, greeted the walkers enthusiastically but went back to their class while the real work was done. The walkers got busy digging holes and mixing concrete, and the structure of the playground was up in no time. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate – there was pouring rain followed by a power outage. Most of the team left early, but a few stayed on after the storm to complete the bulk of the project.
The Nkoanekoli Primary School is high in the foothills of Mount Meru and houses several hundred students. The team divided into three groups: one to build a brick bathroom facility for the boys at the school, and two to renovate two classrooms with new cement floors and glass
Holly Chamness glazes a window at Nkoanekoli Primary School. |
windows. The students were instructed to stay inside their classrooms until lunch, but they craned their necks out the windows, smiling and looking at us longingly.
The Nkoanekoli teams spent the morning hauling bricks, transporting heavy buckets of sand up the hill using a 20-person "bucket brigade," and cutting boards for the boys' bathroom. All the walkers and staff pitched in, including the AIDS Walk drivers, who have been transporting us from place to place all week. The project was well under way by lunchtime.
Schoolchildren watch as Marta Bejuk and Kristina McDade glaze a window. |
Of course, it wouldn't be AIDS Walk if the virtual walk writer didn't fall flat on her face. (Read about last year's incident.) This year was no exception. While running around with some children at lunchtime, I took a nosedive and landed hard. The walkers and staff had a perfect
Schoolchildren pull funny faces as they join in the celebration of the last day of AIDS Walk Africa 2007. |
view of the fall as they relaxed on the hillside and we all had a good laugh at my expense. "First-responders" Machane and Alex did a wonderful job patching my elbow — I think I'll live!
The work at Nkoanekoli began to wind down in the afternoon. We officially christened the new bathroom "The Mary Beth Hagey Memorial Urinal" in honor of our fearless walker liaison. The children had been dismissed at lunchtime and were running around among us, dragging us around by our hands and admiring the work we'd done. Many of us settled on the hill and the children serenaded us in Swahili.
As we listened to the children sing, two Land Rovers pulled up with the team from Baba Juma. Bedlam ensued. The children dashed down the hill and mobbed the cars. We were all dragged into a huge circle on the grass where we danced around to the beat of drums the older boys were playing. Conga lines formed. Some of the walkers and children simply threw up their arms and yelled.
Walkers dance with schoolchildren. |
Ashley Wolfingtion celebrates the end of the walk. |
Walk director Jeffery Lowery eventually got control of the group and we all assembled together — walkers, staff, and children — for a group photo. We couldn't have asked for a better way to end the walk!
Tom Antonellis burns the achievement into his walking stick. |
When we first arrived at Nkoanekoli this morning, a man approached one of the walkers and asked her if people in the United States have HIV. The walker introduced him to Ramona Belfiore, and he was flabbergasted to learn that such a healthy, vibrant young girl could be HIV-positive.
Last Sunday, Pam asked us to put a dream in our dream basket. I wasn't sure what my dream was at the time, but now I know. I hope that the next time I come to Tanzania, there will be thousands more girls here just like Ramona.
Walkers pose for a group photograph with schoolchildren at Nkoanekoli Primary School at the end of AIDS Walk Africa 2007. |
AIDS Walk Africa 2007 is in the history books — and it was another great year. Thanks to all the Walkers and support staff for their efforts.