In 2012 we visited Mwanza with Suzanne, who was living in Dar es Salaam. That time, we were invited for a visit to Meck Manyana, who we had met in Maastricht in 2007. He followed a management course and through Jane we came in touch with him. We decide to visit him again. We can easily find his office and we make an appointment for the next evening. At the Mwanza Yacht Club, we find a place to camp, on the shore of Lake Victoria. An excellent spot to spend 2 nights.
Last year I met Dorocella, a friend of Suzanne, who lives in Kwadendamme and in Tanzania. Because she is in Tanzania at the moment, we contact her. She is coming to the Yacht Club and her driver takes us to the restaurant DART, one of the projects of the DART foundation. The aim of this foundation is to give young women a future.
The women, mostly orphans, are often either live on the street or work in prostitution. Dorocella offers them a new perspective and teaches them they can also have a life without that misery. Besides the restaurant, there is also a sewing workshop where the women can work to generate some income. DART is really an impressive organization.
In the evening, Dorocella is taking us to her own restaurant, also run by women. We enjoy a delicious meal: ‘samaki’ (fish), baked bananas, spinach and rice. After dinner, we talk about life in Holland and the foundations GUTZ and DART. The driver takes us back to the campsite. More information about DART: www.foundationdart.com ; GUTZ: www.gutz-foundation.org.
During the next day, we stay at Lake Viktoria because Milady Landy needs some maintenance ;). At 5.30 PM, we meet Meck at the office. A taxi takes us to his house, in a suburb of Mwanza. It’s a nice reunion with his wife Zelulia and the children.
From Holland, ‘Kaasboerderij het Vaartje’ in Etten-Leur we brought a kilo of cheese for the family. Actually, this is a luxury product in Tanzania, so they were really happy with this present. Unfortunatelly, Zelulia doesn’t speak English, making the conversation rather difficult. We should learn some Swahili ;). A delicious meal is served again: samaki, various vegetables, sweet potatoes and rice.
Around 9 PM, we say goodbye and Meck and his driver take us back to the Yacht Club.
Tomorrow, we’ll travel on, direction Rwanda.