Update

It has been a while since I gave a general update, so here we go! The rains are here - occasionally - but when they are here, boy does it get muddy! Luckily I know how to drive in snow and sleet, with black ice - which is the equivalent to the kind of mud we have here. The corn is growing but everyone is still holding their breath to see if the rains will last long enough to have a good harvest.

Last weekend, Minnesota International Health Volunteers (who have an office here in Karatu), held their second annual Run for Malaria - a half marathon aimed at raising awareness about malaria prevention and treatment. The Olympic teams from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda all came to Karatu to run from the gate of the Ngorongoro Crater into Karatu town.

It was tons of fun! I was at the finish line to cheer everyone on! Dr. Frank and one of our nurses were there as well, providing medical attention to those in need!

Here is a picture of me (with our friend Paula) and a local "crazy woman" - there is no better way to describe her. She wears goat skin and this tribal mask, and tries to frighten small children. She found Paula and I to be fascinating. I was wishing her goat skin skirt didn't smell quite so much!

Other than that, things here are great! Frank and Susan depart this Friday for 7 weeks of fundraising in the U.S.. The FAME staff and I will hold down the fort while they are away! We will miss them, but we wish them luck!!!

People have been emailing me and sending me messages inquiring about the adoption process. First of all, THANK YOU to everyone for your love and support. Especially to those of you able to support my parents back home! Things are going well - so far, so good - slowly, but that was to be expected. No return date as of yet. The rest of April and all of May will be important - lots of court dates. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

Lots of love, Meredith

Yet another new scholar

Thanks to the amazing generosity of Emma Olson and her mother, Dr. Mary Ellen Shields, yet another Tanzanian child in need has been granted a full scholarship to secondary school!

This is Zawadi (which means 'gift' in swahili). Zawadi was accepted to Edmund Rice, a very prestigious private secondary school in Arusha. Zawadi is 15 years old and just began Form One in January, after completeing government primary school in Karatu.

Just this past weekend, Zawadi visited me while on his Easter week of vacation. He presented me with his report card for the last 3 months of classes. He is doing exceptionally well! His teacher reports that he is doing "fantastic work," and that he "has a great way about him!"

Zawadi is excelling in math, one of his favorite subjects. But most impressive of all of his scores were the ones for creative thinking, independence, cooperation, responsibility, and attitude! We couldn't be more proud of his performance!

Thank you Emma and ME for making this happen!

Godlisten

Last week we hosted a clinic, here at FAME, for children with disabilities.

I met a young man named Godlisten.

Godlisten has graduated from primary school and scored well enough on the National Exam to attend a local secondary school.

Godlisten suffers from paralysis of the legs, most likely caused by meningitis as a younger child. His secondary school is further away that his primary school was and is unable to find reliable transport (via bike or taxi) and has missed a lot of school so far because of that.

Both of Godlisten's parents died of AIDS and he now resides with neighbors.

What Godlisten needs is a special wheel chair (available locally here in Tanzania) in order to get to and from school. This wheel chair only costs $350.

If everyone who reads this blog donated a small amount, just a few dollars, we would have the funds for this wheel chair.

Please help Godlisten by donating. Go to http://www.africanorphanfund.org/ and click on the Network for Good link!

New pics

Just a few new pics of the clinic at work!

Introducing ...

Jasmin Ramadhani Mohamed

Jasmin is AOEF's newest scholarship recipient!

Jasmin is 16 years old. Born in 1993, her parents and three siblings moved to Karatu in early 2003. Later that year, both of her parents passed away due to AIDS related complications.

After the death of her parents, Jasmin and two of her siblings were taken in by their aunt. Her third sibling went to live with their grandmother in Moshi. Although her aunt wanted to care for Jasmin and her siblings, economic resources were scarce. Their aunt had six children of her own.

Shortly thereafter, Jasmin and her siblings were referred to Rift Valley Children's Village. Jasmin and her brother Rajabu were too old for RVCV, but their younger sister Fatuma was not and now lives there. That is how AOEF came to know about Jasmin, because I have know Fatuma since she arrived at the Terengire House!

Jasmin, is a very shy and quiet girl. She loves Math and English. She loves to read, and her favorite game to play is a game called ‘Ready’, which is very similar to Monkey in the Middle. Her favorite color is green.

Although Jasmin is a lovely and bright young woman, her primary schooling did not prepare her well enough to attend Secondary School. It is unfortunately so often the case here in Tanzania. Primary school is in Swahili, and English is taught among all of the other subjects. However, Secondary School is purely in English. So if a student has not mastered English by the time they graduate from Primary School then Secondary School becomes futile.

So, as opposed to Secondary School, Jasmin is attending Leguruki Vocational School to study economics. Luckily, vocational training is in Swahili.

AOEF is proud to sponsor Jasmin! Thank you to everyone who has so generously and graciously supported AOEF - despite the doom and gloom of the US economy - You have made this possible for Jasmin!

Message from Frank and Susan

Dear Friends of FAME,

It is that time of year again! We are gearing up for our Spring fundraising tour! Despite the challenging times we live in, we have learned that when people passionately and unwaveringly embrace a cause, there is nothing that can get in the way! We have been experiencing an absolutely staggering level of commitment and generosity from our supporters. THANK YOU for standing with us, over the long haul … through think and thin!!! THANK YOU for helping us to make a difference in this corner of the universe.

Please contact us if you are interested in hosting a benefit for FAME. It can be a small, very casual gathering, a black tie affair, or anything in between. We leave Tanzanian on April 24th for roughly 7 weeks. We look forward to hearing from you!

Love & Blessings! - Frank and Susan

(email Susan at sgusty@gmail.com)

FOUNDATION FOR AFRICAN MEDICINE & EDUCATION

www.fameafrica.org

Request for Laptop

Upgrading to a new PC?

Switching from a PC to a Mac?

Got an extra laptop sitting around?

Here at FAME, we are in search of a donated laptop for a medical student here in Tanzania. Unfortunately, the laptop has to be a PC, not a Mac, and can't be more than 3 years old. It needs to be already set up with Microsoft (word and excel) and a modem - otherwise just the basics - but "ready to go" per se.

If anyone has such a laptop and would be willing to donate it to a worthy Tanzanian medical student in need, please email me at

famevolunteer@gmail.com

We would be able to have it hand carried to Karatu via an upcoming volunteer.

Please ask with friends and family too - you never know who might have one just waiting for someone who needs it!

Thanks so much!