Usangi and Shighatini, Monday, January 23

Yesterday we traveled to the Usangi Girl’s Secondary School and the Shighatini Seconday School.

The Usangi Girl’s School is a boarding school for girls. I was shocked to find that tuition and fees are only about $350 (USD) per year; however, in Tanzania, that is an incredible amount of money, considering the average annual income is about $200 (USD)! A relatively small amount of money can go a long way in Tanzania!

Shighatini was a beautiful place to visit. It is in the mountains, where there is more rain, and people seem to be much more prosperous. A common theme is emerging as we visit various areas of the Kilimanjaro region: Water = Success. The dramatic difference in extreme poverty between “wet” areas and dry areas is astounding.

We spent the night at the Mwanga School for the Deaf, which has a beautiful campus near the foot of the mountains in Mwanga. The rooms are very nice by Tanzanian standards, though there is still not a functional shower or Western toilet.

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