Nyanzwa

We went to Nyanzwa today to meet with our troubled SACCOS.  A 6 hour round trip, it is one of the farthest locations from our base in Iringa.  It is located east of Iringa, below the escarpment, where you wind down the road, dodging the trucks which seem to break down with great frequency.  Dropping about 2,000 feet you wind up in a hot, dry region.  Leaving the main road, you pass through a baobab forest and a number of small villages before arriving in Nyanzwa.

Nyanzwa was originally started by the diocese in 2007.  They did a little training, set up a bank account and left.  When I first visited them in 2008 they seemed to have started OK – but by the end of 2008 they had already started to go bad.  Iringa Hope had very little to do with this location until we started the Micro Finance Institute (MFI) at the University of Iringa.  One of the first visits of the MFI was to this location to see what was happening with this SACCOS.  It only took a few minutes to realize that this SACCOS was not working.  A few of the members had borrowed all of the funds here and were not repaying their loans.

After many visits and trips to the government Coop office and the District Executive we finally got most of the funds collected and the SACCOS started again.  That was last year.  By fall, just a few months later, we found that the Treasurer and one of the Board members had stolen some funds.  This time we were able to have them arrested within days and are recovering the funds.  Still, many of the members here owe money and are not paying.

On our visit today we were accompanied by Malila, the Regional Coop Officer; Rashid Nazelemela, the District Executive Officer, and, of course, Itiweni, Peter and Request.  Peter and Reverend Request have come to see how we handle a problem area.  Malila and Rashid are here to deliver an ultimatum – pay or we start arresting you and seizing your goods.  Itiweni and Tom are here to make sure that the government officials do not accept any excuses.

We went into the Pastor’s house and discussed our approach.  The meeting with the members was supposed to start at 11 - but here are only 6 out of 310 members here.  Malila wanted to wait until noon so we waited.

While we were waiting Tom wandered off to look around at the village.  He has been here 13 times, working on a variety of items.  Sandy joined the evangelist’s wife and the local children who were busy feeding the pigs and goats.  When they started milking the goat, Sandy had to have a go at it.  After much laughter it was decided that Sandy is not a very good goat milkier!

At noon the meeting was called to order.  Attendance was sparse, but as the meeting progressed, the numbers grew and soon there were 36 members there.

Malila and the District Executive lectured the group.   Itiweni told them they were cheaters and dishonest.  She told them they will have one month to repay their loans or she will start arresting people and seizing goods.  Everyone starts making excuses and saying they need more time. 

We are really impressed with Itiweni during this meeting.  She has really grown into her role and has clearly won the respect of everyone.  There is no doubt that she is the “big potato” here (the big potato in Tanzania is the boss).

When we left the meeting the SACCOS members stayed for further discussion.  We have decided that we are going to remove most of the members of this SACCOS and retain only the few who have been faithful.  When we are done there will only be about 50 of the 310 members left.  The others seem to be stuck in their old ways and cannot be trusted.  We will put this SACCOS on a very tight rein for two years and see if the remaining members can do well.  We hope so because the women here are very much in need of a good SACCOS.

To get to Nyanzwa you drive along the edge of the escarpment.

You go through some beautiful trees and baobab groves.

The Pastor's house is one of the few homes we have seen where they have planted flowers!

Sandy tried to milk a goat.

After watching mama and the boys milking she agree that she really wasn't a very good goat milker!

At our meeting today are (starting form the left) the pastor, Itiweni, Rev. Request, Sandy, Tom, Malila (standing), the District Executive, the Chairman of this SACCOS, and a board member.

Itiweni lectured the group.  She is really growing in her role.

Rev. Request and Peter are really working hard here!