Sophie in Africa

Now I am just enjoying my last days in Africa. Moshi is a very nice city, more pleasant than Arusha and more western orientated. I understand why so many volunteers come here, it is nice to see other white people and the enviroment is friendly. I have done some small activities this past week, for example gone to see some nature on Kilimanjaro. The nature here is so different from where I have been staying, Namanga and Maasai-land is just plain dry, dusty and very hot with a big lack of water. The Kilimanjaro region though has a lot of water and green forests. The weather here is also less hot and more humid, which might be because April is in the middle of the big rain season but I think it is always the case actually. I liked to walk on the countryside outside of Moshi because it is "real" Africa again, what I am used to now after all this time. I like though that I have this last week in Moshi, to adapt a little again to normal life before I go home. On Wednesday...

 

Kahawa shamba is Swahili and meens coffee farm. I fulfilles a long term dream today and visited Fairtrade certified coffee plantations on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. The farmers there are small scale holders under KNCU (Kilimanjar Native o-operative Union) and the union is certified. The tourism there is etablished so it was easy for me to do a visit there. I had prepared many questions and luckily got a good guide who liked to answer them. I loved to visit the farmers at home, in their plantations. Now it is perfetly in the middle of low season (April is not the best month here) but I could see the coffee trees and the machines but now they don't produce any coffee. They explained the process and I got to taste a fresh cup of coffe. And I who don't even like coffee normally absolutely loved it. It was so delicious, made by traditional means. I am happy I got answers that I needed about Fairtrade and both positive and negative critics. I am so excitet to continue the work I am doing when I come home! Because now I know for real what I am fighting for, that these people get a better life.

 

This visit was really a highlight for me during this Africa trip, but there have been so many good moments. I am now not far from leaving, tomorrow I have my last day here where I need to do finall shopping and visit the places I like before it is to late. Busy day.