This short blog section is guest written by Raf, the crazy fool who actually ploughed half a million bucks and 11 years of his life into Tanzania. (It's probably more than that, but I am embarrassed to say)
Janice has very kindly lent me her computer to post a few notes on the unique location that is Pemba. Pemba is a green Island that is 30 nautical miles off the coast of Africa, but its not really African. The highest point in 80 metres above sea level, but the island is rolling and hilly. It is a volcanic island that rises 800m from the Indian ocean seafloor on one side and 3000m on the otherside. The sea around pemba is a dark blue and the coral reefs look azure from the air. There are three medium size towns on the Island and a couple of large villages that pass as small towns. It is 60 nautical miles north to south, and has one major road. There are three tourist hotels on the Island and one airfield that is useable in the daytime only. Janice's home is in the far northern tip of the Island, four miles south of the 103 year old British built light house, at ras kigomasha.
Pemba is populated by a bunch of Arabs, africans, everything in between. There are also about 13-20 permanent ethnic Europeans here, of which Janice is now one. Although where I am concerned I am only European if you consider Istanbul to be Europe. The melange of people on Pemba is unique. It is also, by and large, very peaceful. The only ethnic group that is missing are the Indians. There are two Indian families left on the Island after the 1964 revolution. Now you may ask "what revolution? What was that?" . Well in 1964 Zanzibar (the state that encompases the Islands of Pemba and Zanzibar) was an independant nation. Britain gave it Independance in 1963, and the locals held an election. The election was gerrymandered and the Africa community felt jipped. A series of people consipired to have an election, and the Island of Zanzibar was punged into violent chaos. 40,000 people were killed. Mostly Arabs and some Indians. Pemba remained much calmer. Tanzania was then formed in 1964, a union between Tanganyka and Zanzibar. The United Republic of Tanzania then entered a period of socialism that destroyed infrastructure and education, through neglect. Happily Ali Hassan Mwinyi, a president in the 1980's opened Tanzania up to international investors. But the process was long and laborious. The socialist (Safari suit) generation were still in all posts in the civil service.
By now, in 2010, Zanzibar and indeed Tanzania, have come a long way. The greatest positive input into the Nation is foriegn investment. This generates jobs and education. The greatest challenge is virrulent corruption and gross malicious mismanagement.
To an extent this is where Janice fits in. She has been brought here by a private investment, to teach the staff better English. So diabolical is the level of education here in Pemba, that if you want staff who speak English, then you have to get them from Zanzibar or the mainland. Pemba is so remote that mainlanders regard it as being the greatest of hardship postings. Janice has a guest room to herself, (which is really more of a house than a room) and wanders around the hotel calling the staff over and teaching them English in their work location. It has only been six days, but the idea is that if this works, we might even extend it to the children of our staff and perhaps even wider, in the hope that we can prepare Pemba for the benefit of the next generation...
And now I will leave it to Janice to explain her adventures to you all...
Raf
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