Shirati is a small village in the northern part of Tanzania. Approximately 15 miles from the Kenyan border, the closest airport is a 6-hour drive. The roads are unpaved and washed away in many places by rainfall. Cows and goats are more commonly found trotting along the roads than are cars and motorcycles. To say that Shirati is rural would be a gross underestimation. Shirati's distance from major cities and towns elsewhere in Tanzania presents its residents with unique challenges, including access to clean water, sanitation services, and other resources. The majority of the population is estimated to live on approximately $1 per day. Diseases, including schistosomiasis and malaria, afflict large proportions of the population.
Yet, despite these challenges, the people of Shirati are the kindest I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. The majority of my project involves entering the community to conduct surveys on water quality and diarrheal disease. Every day, I visit new strangers' homes and am always welcomed with a warm "Karibu sana." Chairs are brought out for the strange muzungo visitor, and nearly every home, despite intense poverty and lack of food sources to feed their large families, offers maize or beans. Children, in particular, are strong and resilient. Their loving spirits and eagerness to play with muzungo visitors despite the challenges they face daily is truly inspiring and heart-warming. Thus far, my project has been incredibly enlightening.I have sampled 6 different water sources and surveyed numerous families. Despite an incomplete data set, it is already abundantly clear that diarrheal disease impacts a large percentage of the population in Shirati. Those that rely on Lake Victoria appear to be particularly vulnerable. The rest of my time here will continue to illuminate the immense disease prevalence the Shirati community faces. I look forward to continuing this research and working closely with the wonderful people who I learn from each and every day.
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September 2018
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