I Couldn't Have Asked For Something More Perfect...
One Month Placement at the WAMATA Organization

~Working Together in the Fight Against AIDS~

A few days ago, I received a letter from Kristen (my program leader) explaining the focus of the project I will be working on in Tengeru. While reading through the placement possibilities that I have included below, I had tears in my eyes, as this work is exactly what I had been hoping for. I couldn't have asked for something more perfect. Over the past 2 days I have collected many resources and have begun to put a WAMATA binder together.

Here is the e-mail I received outlining my placement description:

Volunteer Work Placement
Country: Arusha, Tanzania
Volunteer Name(s):
Annie Bondy, 4 weeks
Name of Partner Organization: WAMATA

Website: http://www.wamata.org/

General Information about the Partner Organization: WAMATA, an acronym for “walio katika mapambano na AIDS Tanzania” works with those in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. It is a national NGO registered in 1989 with 8 branches nation-wide. Arusha offices are in Tengeru Village, 100 meters from the main Arusha-Moshi road, and a short walk from the CCS Home-Base.

WAMATA is one of the leading NGOs dealing with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania. They employ a multi-faceted strategy to reach those affected directly, and then incorporate local efforts in the overall fight against HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.

The objectives of WAMATA are:
· To create HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention through education and outreach
· To improve the quality of life of households that include HIV/AIDS orphans
· To promote the spirit of volunteerism among the community
· To promote partnerships among HIV/AIDS-related organizations
· To provide proper and correct education and information on reproductive
health and sexuality

WAMATA is primarily funded by the Canadian International Development Agency’s Southern African AIDS Trust (SAT) and the Danish Association of Youth Clubs. The WAMATA national organization does not provide funds to the branch offices. SAT funding is largest, but is temporary ended November 2004. So ongoing fundraising and sustainability is an issue.

WAMATA Arusha has 3 staff members: 2 men and 1 woman. There are 36 paid members, many of whom are volunteers active in the organization. The 26 most active members range in age from late teens to about 50 years old. Many of these members are community counselors and they are active in the WAMATA drama group that performs at churches, schools, and other community forums with the goal of raising awareness about HIV/AIDS issues, the problems of stigmatization, and the cultural factors that are contributing to the rapid spread of AIDS in Tanzania.

WAMATA has registered 210 AIDS orphans (84 females and 126 males) in the greater Arusha area. They provide emotional support and education to their households, encourage AIDS testing, and provide food, clothing, and school tuition as they are able and as needed.

WAMATA provides HIV/AIDS testing, and offers vocation training courses to the young adults is serves. These courses include English, tailoring, and other skill building courses. WAMATA has 2 rooms in which English classes and other activities can be held. One has several benches; the other is empty. There is nothing else in the rooms. Masking tape and flip chart paper has been successfully used and the students copy the information into exercise books.

The skill levels of WAMATA members are very varied. Many can read English quite well but comprehension and vocabulary levels are quite low. A few have excellent skills and can build their vocabulary and expand their comprehension of more complex concepts.

English proficiency of the project coordinator and Thai volunteers range from 1-3 on a scale of 1 to 5, 1= none at all and 5 = proficient.


WAMATA staff members are Mary, Emanuel and Gervas. Josephine is a volunteer that comes everyday. She cleans, serves coffee and learns English. John is the treasurer. He is also a volunteer but comes in when he is not teaching to work on the books. Emanuel and Gervas’ English is both very good so if you have questions or need translation, try one of them.

Duties:
· Teach English to the WAMATA members.
· Provide support to AIDS orphans and their households
· Make outreach home visits to orphans and families in the community.
· Assist WAMATA to increase its resources and effectiveness in the community.

Previous volunteers have worked with local restaurants and hotels to arrange for the group to give performances and earn money through donations and tips.
· Volunteers could also assist with fund-raising, proposal writing, research, help with web-site, teaching the group income-generating activities, assist with drama performances, etc.

Ongoing Projects: (see details in additional attachment)
1. Learning Computers: Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher and Outlook Calendar
2. Creating a Website
3. Pictures: They love pictures to have to put in proposals for fundraising, etc.
4. Orphan Sponsorship: One of the former volunteers, Shelli Fried, is working
on an orphan sponsorship for WAMATA Arusha.
5. Interviewing/Photographing Orphans: They need help with asking questions about
the orphans and taking pictures. You may have to be proactive and tell them
if you want to work on this project.
6. Going on home visits and peer education: On Monday and Wednesday afternoons,
WAMATA volunteers go on peer education trips. Home visits occur every
Tuesday and Thursday afternoon with Mary who is in charge of Home-Based Care
7. Nutrition and AIDS Education: We have been devoting a couple of lessons a
week to AIDS and Nutrition discussions.
8. English Lessons: Everyday from 9:30-11:30 we have English lessons.
9. Grant writing: WAMATA is also looking for help in writing grants and proposals
to ask foundations and companies for support.
10. Brochures: WAMATA wants to create brochures with WAMATA’s address and
logo on them about condoms and AIDS Care and prevention.
11. Creation of logo, letterhead, and business cards
12. Filing system and weekly meetings, calendars
13. Books for older English students
14. Volunteer folder: We also started a volunteer folder that includes a sheet
on each WAMATA volunteer and we hope to include pictures as well so that new
CCS volunteers can know more about the WAMATA volunteers.
15. Incoming Generating Activities: A new area we have not had much time to
explore is income generating activities both for WAMATA and for the clients
they serve.
16. Home Schooling Initiative

Here is a sample outline of one volunteer’s schedule. As you can see there are so many ways to contribute to WAMATA, your days will likely be uniquely different.

“Mondays and Wednesdays I helped out with HIV/AIDS patient home- care, bringing food to the patients and visiting with them. Then on, Tuesdays and Thursdays I traveled with the peer education group to do the HIV/AIDS awareness through song, dance, and drama. Since I can't speak fluent Swahili I danced around with my whistle to try and attract an audience (and believe me seeing a white girl dance around like a crazy person attracts A LOT of people hahahaha :)

Then Fridays were always different, one Friday I helped give an HIV/AIDS seminar to a group of elders in Kikatiti wheras another time I visited with a couple of the local traditional doctors and another time I went around with Gervas (WAMATA director) to other local NGO's to build some more partnerships.”

Useful Supplies:
Please note – It is not required that you bring these supplies to your placement. Just know that many of the placements are not equipped with a large supply of resources. These supplies have been used or suggested by past volunteers, and have proven useful in doing work at this placement. Supplies are for use at your placement, but are not to be left there.

Helpful supplies can be purchased in-country or brought from home:
teaching materials such as flip chart pads, marker pens, pens, masking tape, stapler, staples. (Flip chart pads, and tape are inexpensive in Tanzania.) WAMATA has been providing lined blank “exercise books” for each student. Any English teachers’ curriculum guides that you could bring would also be helpful. You may also bring any other resource that you might find useful for your work.

Work attire:
Please plan to dress according to the recommendations found in your Volunteer Handbook. Women – long skirts and modest tops. Men – trousers and button down, or casual tops. Comfortable good walking shoes like canvas or tennis shoes are fine.

Desired Attributes:
· Flexibility
· Desire to empower others
· Willingness to be creative
· Interest in education (English, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health)