13 września, po jeszcze jednym noclegu na farmie Kisolanza ruszyliśmy w stronę granicy z Malawi. Tego dnia dojechaliśmy do małej miejscowości w której mieścił się Bongo Camp, założony przez młodego Duńczyka w kooperacji z miejscową społecznością. Alex mieszka w tym miejscu już od 5 lat, starając się pomóc lokalnym ludziom przejąć inicjatywę nad swoim życiem. Jego ostatnim projektem jest próba przełamania tabu związanego z HIV/Aids. Dużo osób tutaj jest zarażonych i choruje, ale ludzie nie rozmawiają między sobą na ten temat. Chorują najczęściej młode osoby które stają się niezdolne do pracy, oraz dzieci z ich związków. Doszło do sytuacji kiedy całe jedno pokolenie jest wykluczone z życia, bez możliwości zarobienia na siebie i ciężar utrzymania tych chorych spoczął na barkach niezarażonych, czyli starców, dzieci, którzy zamiast się uczyć muszą pracować i pozostałych, zdrowych członków rodzin. Przez epidemię średnia długość życia w wielu krajach Afryki spadła do poziomu poniżej 40 lat. Rozwiązły styl życia w połączeniu z dużą ilością spożywanego alkoholu zbiera tutaj śmiertelne żniwo. Coraz częściej przeprowadza się akcję darmowego rozdawania prezerwatyw, ale problem mają tu katolicy, którym doktryna poparta wystąpieniami papież zabrania ich używania. Alex pokazał nam film nakręcony i zmontowany przez młodych ludzi dzięki pomocy finansowej z Danii. Film ukazuje losy dwóch rodzin, jednej dotkniętej piętnem aids i drugiej nie zarażonej. Mężczyzna który zaraził swoją żonę wyznał, że alkohol i związana z jego spożyciem rozwiązłość seksualna doprowadziły do tragedii. Rodzina teraz przeżywa ciężkie chwile ponieważ jej głowa choruje coraz bardziej i wymaga opieki. Jego żona podchodzi do całej sytuacji ze stoickim spokojem i jest pogodzona z losem. Początkowa taka postawa kobiety wydawała nam się nie do zaakceptowania, ale po głębszym zastanowieniu doszliśmy do wniosku, że takie podejście do życia charakteryzuje większość mieszkańców Afryki: przyjmują to co ich spotyka w życiu bez zbytniego użalania się nad sobą i starają się przetrwać. Nie wychodzą z założenia, że życie jest łatwe i przyjemne.Następnego dnia dojechaliśmy do granicy z Malawi. Po Tanzanii przejechaliśmy 3222 km, a od czasu wyjazdu z Polski 25 tyś km.
On to Lake Malawi
After another night spent at Kisolanza Farm, on the 13th of September we moved on towards the border between Tanzania and Malawi. We reached the village of Tukuyu, where we found the very cheerily named Bongo Camp, founded by a Dane named Alex in cooperation with members of the local community. Alex has lived in this part of Tanzania for the past five years and is actively involved in setting up local initiatives. His most recent project aims to raise awareness and break taboos concerning the issue of HIV/AIDS. A large percentage of the population in this area is either HIV positive or already living with AIDS, but very few people are prepared to talk about their illness and the problems related to it. Most often it is young adults who become infected, often passing the condition on to their offspring. As the disease progresses and their health deteriorates many people who should be in their prime are rendered incapable of work, creating a situation where almost an entire generation is left unable to earn a living and the burden of supporting them and their dependents falls on the shoulders of others. Often these will either be elderly members of the family or children, who instead of going to school have to work. The AIDS epidemic in Africa has resulted in average life expectancy falling to below the age of 40 in many countries across the continent. Excessive quantities of alcohol in combination with loose living exacerbate the problem of the illness being spread. Safe sex campaigns handing out free condoms are becoming increasingly common, though Catholic members of society are faced with the quandary of their Church’s doctrine, endorsed by papal addresses, forbidding their use. Alex showed us a film made and edited by local youngsters with financial help from Denmark. The film showed two families: one living with HIV/AIDS, the other unaffected by it. In the first family the husband who had infected his wife admitted that alcohol consumption and the loss of sexual inhibitions associated with it had led to his downfall. His family now faces a difficult struggle as his illness becomes more advanced and he needs looking after. His wife knows that she is HIV positive and is resigned to her fate, approaching the whole situation with unflappable stoicism. Initially, her attitude seemed totally astonishing to us, but on reflection we came to the conclusion that this way of thinking is very common among people in Africa: such is the nature of human life that it will never be one long, uninterrupted sequence of joyous events, so you simply have to accept whatever happens, not dwell on your problems and sorrows and soldier on.
The following day we arrived at the Malawi border. We’d covered a total of 3222 km in Tanzania, and 25,000 km since leaving Poland.
After another night spent at Kisolanza Farm, on the 13th of September we moved on towards the border between Tanzania and Malawi. We reached the village of Tukuyu, where we found the very cheerily named Bongo Camp, founded by a Dane named Alex in cooperation with members of the local community. Alex has lived in this part of Tanzania for the past five years and is actively involved in setting up local initiatives. His most recent project aims to raise awareness and break taboos concerning the issue of HIV/AIDS. A large percentage of the population in this area is either HIV positive or already living with AIDS, but very few people are prepared to talk about their illness and the problems related to it. Most often it is young adults who become infected, often passing the condition on to their offspring. As the disease progresses and their health deteriorates many people who should be in their prime are rendered incapable of work, creating a situation where almost an entire generation is left unable to earn a living and the burden of supporting them and their dependents falls on the shoulders of others. Often these will either be elderly members of the family or children, who instead of going to school have to work. The AIDS epidemic in Africa has resulted in average life expectancy falling to below the age of 40 in many countries across the continent. Excessive quantities of alcohol in combination with loose living exacerbate the problem of the illness being spread. Safe sex campaigns handing out free condoms are becoming increasingly common, though Catholic members of society are faced with the quandary of their Church’s doctrine, endorsed by papal addresses, forbidding their use. Alex showed us a film made and edited by local youngsters with financial help from Denmark. The film showed two families: one living with HIV/AIDS, the other unaffected by it. In the first family the husband who had infected his wife admitted that alcohol consumption and the loss of sexual inhibitions associated with it had led to his downfall. His family now faces a difficult struggle as his illness becomes more advanced and he needs looking after. His wife knows that she is HIV positive and is resigned to her fate, approaching the whole situation with unflappable stoicism. Initially, her attitude seemed totally astonishing to us, but on reflection we came to the conclusion that this way of thinking is very common among people in Africa: such is the nature of human life that it will never be one long, uninterrupted sequence of joyous events, so you simply have to accept whatever happens, not dwell on your problems and sorrows and soldier on.
The following day we arrived at the Malawi border. We’d covered a total of 3222 km in Tanzania, and 25,000 km since leaving Poland.
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