MWALIMU ANDREW: I may soon fly to London, thanks to donors

By yesterday, the entire Mwisho wa Lami and its environs knew that I will be soon be a leading a team to London to meet donors. ILLUSTRATION | JOHN NYAGA

What you need to know:

  • I had become a much sought after person, with representatives from schools asking me to help them get a classroom, a water tank, a library, among others.
  • In just two days, Fiolina and her Chama friends had formed a vibrant Women’s group, and they already had a proposal on helping what they called vulnerable girls.
  • I suspect they had bought the proposal from somewhere, for the English used was not normal. Fiolina was the treasurer.

Two days after the Smiffy and Hempstone had left Mwisho wa Lami, I called my brother Pius to find out what their thoughts of Mwisho wa Lami, and me, were.

“Let’s talk tomorrow,” he said. “We have a board meeting and only after that will I be able to tell you more.”

Sure, he called me the next day and told me that the two were quite touched by Mwisho wa Lami’s poverty and were considering doing more for us.

“They are thinking of no just helping schools; but also supporting churches, women groups, youth groups and any other group that helps people.” I asked him what I needed to do. Pius asked me to get a list of more projects from schools and a few groups that could qualify for sponsorship.

I took advantage of midterm to visit two schools to inquire about the projects they may need help on. I planned to visit more, but Pius guided me. “Right now you don’t need to work so hard going to schools, they should be the ones looking for you,” he told me. He was right, for since the day I had hosted wazungus, I had become a much sought after person, with representatives from schools asking me to help them get a classroom, a water tank, a library, among others.

PROPOSAL

By the other Friday, I already had a good number of schools, but I had no youth or women groups, as there wasn’t really none in Mwisho wa Lami except one associated with Kuya, which I was not going to help, for obvious reasons. I told Pius.

“Dre can you get serious,” he said. “If there is no good group, form one. Just ensure the treasurer is someone we know well. Ask Mlamwa Fiolina to also form a women’s group, and get me proposals.” I immediately swung into action.

Within two days. Mwisho wa Lami Boda Boda Youth group had been formed and we started working on a dairy and chicken farming proposal. I was just a member, but ensured that my people, Nyayo included, were appointed officials. We also revived Mwisho wa Lami Young Teachers Consortium, which we said was a grouping that was keen to help students improve their academics.

In just two days, Fiolina and her Chama friends had formed a vibrant Women’s group, and they already had a proposal on helping what they called vulnerable girls. I suspect they had bought the proposal from somewhere, for the English used was not normal. Fiolina was the treasurer.

Last weekend, I hired the same student that I had used earlier, who typed all these proposals and we sent them to Pius using a computer.

“We are getting somewhere,” he said day after he had received them. We talked with him through every project. His only concern was that no church had presented any project. That was easy, for I asked Apostle Elkana, The Revered Spiritual Superintended (The Holiest of All Ghosts) Tabernacle Assembly, (THOAG) to work on one.

I received very good news from Pius last Thursday. The donors were so impressed with our proposals that they wanted to meet us. “And I am not talking about Smiffy and Hemsptone,” he said. “These are small people. I am talking about the big sponsors in London.” This was good news indeed.

TRAVEL TO LONDON

They had however asked for a few changes to be made to some of the projects.

“Try to show that the projects they sponsor will remain running long after the wazungus are gone,” he said.

“That’s OK,” I said. “And when will the real wazungus come to Mwisho wa Lami to meet us?” I asked, seeing another opportunity to make some money hosting dignitaries.

“Those are busy people whom I doubt may come,” he said, making me wonder how we would meet.

“I have heard that they may sponsor a few people to visit them in London in May to personally explain to them the projects,” Pius said. He asked me to work with the Mwisho wa Lami Coordination Committee and identify two people from the committee, as well as a school headmaster and a leader of one of the groups to go to London in May for one week.

Although this is something that is yet to be discussed in the committee that comprises Apostle Elkana, Nyayo, his wife Anindo and I, no one needs a calculator to know who the two people going to London will be.

“The four people you agree on should urgently get passports so that I can start processing Visas for you,” he said. I told him not to worry about passports or Visa from me. “I have several passports which I took when I went to Luanda about a month ago, and my ATM is also a Visa,” I told him. He just laughed.

By yesterday, the entire Mwisho wa Lami and its environs knew that I will be soon be a leading a team to London to meet donors. Whom do you think should I go with?