Idete

We are at the end of our visits.  We have visited 29 villages.  We have met with 40% of our members--1040 people!  We have also been to another district to visit a village there and to meet the Bishop of the Southern Diocese. 

Idete is a two hour drive up in the hills to the south of Iringa.  The last time we were there there were over two hundred people to see us.  About 150 of them indicated that they wanted to join a SACCOS, but so far only 52 have signed up.  The problem here is just like we have seen other places.  There was a SACCOS here (started by a business person) that went broke because the owner gave large loans to his friends and didn't collect.  As a result, many of the people want to wait and see how this new SACCOS does.

We have been giving out “Iringa Hope” pens to everyone who attends our meetings.  We came with 1000 and today we were nearly out of pens.  Peter announced to those waiting that there was a “zawadi” (a gift) for the first ones to come – and there was a real scramble to get pens.  Most of the early arrivals were women – so they got the pens!

We looked over the records with the Chairman and the Secretary.  They are using our new Iringa Hope forms.  During the last year we designed our own financial forms and had them printed.  We are selling these to our SACCOS at cost for now.  (Itiweni told us that other groups have asked her if they could buy them.  She thought that we could make a profit.  We told her that maybe sometime later – for now we need to focus on serving our members.)

There were 35 people at the meeting today.  Tom talked a little about Iringa Hope, stressing the things we do to protect our members.  Then Sandy spoke a little bit about how glad she was to see so many women here. Around the world women have been shown to be the most conscientious SACCOS members and the ones most likely to use their profits to benefit families and communities.  Women love to hear this statistic and it always gets a big response.  Today was no an exception.  When they quieted down Peter gave a class focusing on how a SACCOS works, the importance of savings, and how Iringa Hope Joint SACCOS can help them.

There were many questions.  One gentleman wanted to know what happens if someone does not pay.  Peter told him that the SACCOS will take their savings and the savings of the two cosigners, and if there is still an outstanding loan, the police will get involved.  They seemed to approve of the idea and many heads nodded in agreement. 

This group plans to collect the necessary money by June and is on schedule to have enough to register.  The village executive was at our meeting and told us he thinks they can do it in one month.  When the meeting adjourned we left but most of the group remained to make plans for registering.  The SACCOS chairman and the village executive were talking to the members about collecting fees and selling shares. 

As we were getting into the truck two women came over and wanted a ride.  They hope to get a ride to the bus stop in Kidabaga (about a 45 minute drive).  The next bus wouldn’t be leaving until tomorrow.  A third woman went running back to her house to get some things for the trip she was making to Kilolo.  Tom drove over to pick her up so she wouldn't have to carry her things back up the hill.  To our surprise it turned out that she was going to get some corn and a kuku (chicken).  We learned of this addition when she got into the car and we heard it crow. 

It was a very bumpy but pretty ride back.  The road had dried out a bit so it was not as slippery as our morning commute.  On the other hand a drier road is a bumpier road!

Our last village visit ended with us dropping Peter off at the hospital.  He thinks that he might have malaria, so needs to be tested.  Peter has had malaria several times before (most folks here have had it), but it is nothing to fool around with. 

Starting tomorrow we will be having meetings, a four day training session for SACCOS officers, and, hopefully, some meetings with bankers and agencies in Dar.  

Some of the houses along the road are very isolated.

We passed by many clusters of buildings.

When Peter told the members that we only had enough pens for the first members who arrived, everyone scrambled to get theirs.

They are using the forms that Itiweni had printed.

The women really liked Sandy's talk.

After uluating for her and applauding they finally settled down.  Everyone was very attentive to Peter's talk.

Peter expanded on what Tom had said.  There were lots of questions.

When we went to leave there were three mamas who wanted a ride.  We heard a crowing and turned around to see one of the mamas had a chicken.

The hills are very pretty this time of the year.

Talk about an out of the way place to live!