Friday, 22 May

The highlight of the day was another, more formal, visit to St. Ignatius Primary School. I and other members of the Jesuit community here in Dodoma were treated as honored guests. When we arrived we sat with the faculty to receive a report from one of the teachers. The report really was a SWOT –an account of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats related to the work of St. Ignatius. The report was peppered with the school’s motto. He would say, “Education!” and everyone would respond, “For life!” After his report and some word of thanks and response from Sossy regarding some of the issues – especially the more pressing needs faced by the school – teachers were invited to pose any questions they wished to the director, Sossy. There being none, we retired to the school’s refectory for a late lunch – chicken and rice and vegetables (and as much Kilimanjaro beer as anyone would want – or Fanta).

While we were busy meeting and playing the students were busy with their Friday afternoon sports. What is notable about this is that they manage to play for a few hours on Friday without much adult supervision at all. An adult will check in on them from time to time, but they manage squabbles, decide rules, and figure out troubles, etc., on their own. The responsibility they have is one of the remarkable things about the children here. Older children take care of their younger siblings. You regularly see eight year olds toting their toddler siblings on their back. It’s certainly not that they have no childhood as conceived as carefree as in the States, but that they are also entrusted with a certain degree of responsibility not imagined in other places.

The highlight of Friday evening was the meal. It was my first encounter with food I had some uncertainty about. Sossy warned me that the meat was game meat, which he loves. What I heard was dig-dig—I’m uncertain if that’s the actual spelling. From my research, I’ve figured out that it is also known as bush duiker, a tiny antelope that lives in the thickets. It tasted just like chicken. Of course I’m kidding – it was very rich, subtle, tender meat (like less-goaty goat).