Ngara[1] is a small town in Ngara District, Kagera Region, in Tanzania, East Africa.
Ngara town is small with an estimated population of 8,000 to 10,000 people. The international community is small with the Anglican Church of Tanzania, Diocese of Kagera, and four NGOs employing a handful of expatriate staff. Occasionally, there are also visiting staff, consultants and missionaries.
Market day in Ngara town is Saturday. Vendors come from surrounding villages to sell their seasonal produce. During the week, the market is open, but the availability of produce is more limited. Most basic items are available. In season, fruits and vegetables include tomatoes, carrots, eggplant, spinach, green peppers, pineapple, papaya, mango and oranges. Major staple food crops such as maize, bananas, rice, potatoes, beans and milled products such as wheat flour and sugar are readily obtainable in Ngara.
I know I've already mentioned it several times in this blog, but Wikipedia fails to mention that Ngara was also occupied by the United Nations during the Rwandan genocide. Tents and buildings constructed all over town during the genocide are now re-purposed as government buildings, open air markets. So...in a way, such a horrific affair in Rwanda actually left a little bit of good behind - some city structure and access to these materials that these people may not have otherwise.
One of the most disappointing things to discover when I arrived in Ngara was my restrictions with photography. I love taking photographs. I feel like photography is one of the best ways I can share everything I'm learning and seeing with others. However, many local people here in Ngara do not like having photos taken of themselves. In fact, they find it rude if you try to do so. Taking pictures of buildings (except for government buildings - strictly prohibited) is ok, and kids like photos too. And occasionally I've had someone ask me to take a photo of them. But many adults, even if you ask them if you can take a photo, will tell you no. Relationships must be established before taking photographs. So...on that note, I have twitched a few times as I've restrained myself from taking a photo of something magnificent happening in front of me. For example, I'd love to show you the many, many young men wandering around town right now sporting "Obama" t-shirts. In a town where a brand new t-shirt is hard to find, it's quite the sight to see.
Many missed photo ops, and so so so many stories to share. In fact, now I often leave my high-quality camera at home and just bring along my point in shoot, which means that the images I capture are crappy...but at least I can capture some of what I see if the opportunity arises. Here are a few images I can show you so far (if they upload...as they would say in Tanzania "pole pole" hahaha). As I develop relationships with local people here, I expect my camera to make an appearance more and more. Enjoy a small glimpse of Ngara...
*Photo of boy with toy: This is a boy I met at the Nazareti Boy's Orphanage in Ngara. This orphanage hosts 25 boys, and they all come here by choice,not by force. This boy had been on the streets since he was 4 years old. When he first came to this orphanage, he threw things at people and was afraid of other humans. Now he is a changed boy. He pushed this truck made out of trash (old milk jugs found on the street) around the courtyard the entire time I was there, running and smiling. He now has started to read and has made some friends. I volunteered to teach hip hop at the orphanage, and the lady running it seemed enthusiastic...so we'll see what happens! I might get to see this smiling face again very soon.
*Photo of many boys: I took this photo my first day in Murgwanza. Some boys hanging out on the side of the road saying "good morning!" to us as we walked by.
*Photo of banana bike: There is a banana market in the middle of town every day. People here load up their bikes to no end with everything here, but most commonly these bananas, used for baking.
*Photo of G-Unit Saloon: G-Unit! I'm planning on growing my hair out the entire time I'm here, but if for some reason I decided to cut it, I am definitely coming to the G-Unit Saloon...no question there.
*Group photo: This was my first day in Ngara. We went to the local market, and these boys decided to follow us for miles back to the center of town...holding our hands and staring in awe at our odd white skin.
*Photo of goat: I'm pretty sure this is where the term "goatie" came from...this guy. I've named him "Howie Mandel".
Many missed photo ops, and so so so many stories to share. In fact, now I often leave my high-quality camera at home and just bring along my point in shoot, which means that the images I capture are crappy...but at least I can capture some of what I see if the opportunity arises. Here are a few images I can show you so far (if they upload...as they would say in Tanzania "pole pole" hahaha). As I develop relationships with local people here, I expect my camera to make an appearance more and more. Enjoy a small glimpse of Ngara...
*Photo of boy with toy: This is a boy I met at the Nazareti Boy's Orphanage in Ngara. This orphanage hosts 25 boys, and they all come here by choice,not by force. This boy had been on the streets since he was 4 years old. When he first came to this orphanage, he threw things at people and was afraid of other humans. Now he is a changed boy. He pushed this truck made out of trash (old milk jugs found on the street) around the courtyard the entire time I was there, running and smiling. He now has started to read and has made some friends. I volunteered to teach hip hop at the orphanage, and the lady running it seemed enthusiastic...so we'll see what happens! I might get to see this smiling face again very soon.
*Photo of many boys: I took this photo my first day in Murgwanza. Some boys hanging out on the side of the road saying "good morning!" to us as we walked by.
*Photo of banana bike: There is a banana market in the middle of town every day. People here load up their bikes to no end with everything here, but most commonly these bananas, used for baking.
*Photo of G-Unit Saloon: G-Unit! I'm planning on growing my hair out the entire time I'm here, but if for some reason I decided to cut it, I am definitely coming to the G-Unit Saloon...no question there.
*Group photo: This was my first day in Ngara. We went to the local market, and these boys decided to follow us for miles back to the center of town...holding our hands and staring in awe at our odd white skin.
*Photo of goat: I'm pretty sure this is where the term "goatie" came from...this guy. I've named him "Howie Mandel".
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