Local Transport and a New Car

I wrote the following blog post back in October about an experience (one of many!) I had taking local transport around Iringa region. In the end, I thought I sounded a bit whiny so I didn't post it. I am happy to report that my reasoning has now been made redundant by a very kind donation of funds for a vehicle for Mama Bahati Foundation! We are all so excited about the new possibilites that a vehicle opens up for MBF's work in the rural areas around Iringa. And since, public transport is no longer a must, I can freely share my many opinions about the Dalla Dalla...enjoy!

There are four of us going to the field today. Myself, Joram, the credit officer and the three MBF trainees. We are taking the Dalla Dalla (local minibus taxis) to Ifunda, a rural village outside of Iringa. We all have to arrive at the office extra early when we take public transport as the whole process adds at least an hour and a half to transport time. We meet at the office and walk to the crowded bus stand together, weaving through the mass of hawkers, taxis, minibuses and coaches. When we locate the minibus to Ifunda, my companions very kindly offer me the front seat of the dalla dalla with the driver. Stupidly I decline and follow Joram’s lead, boarding the van and walking towards the back. We climb over seats where there should be no seats and other customers—grey-haired grannies, school kids, business men with laptops , young women in trendy clothing—to land in the back row. I am squashed between Joram and a woman, who is holding a squawking parcel on her lap. After our friendly greeting, she promptly situates her vocal parcel in my lap. Apparently I have a new pet chicken!

The dalla dalla begins to crawl through town with the sliding side door wide open, the hawker leaning his body out over the pavement to solicit customers as we go. The minibus begins to fill until at one point there is 29 people in a 12 person vehicle. (At this point you are thinking, she is exaggerating. Let me assure you, I’m not.) My line of sight is limited to a tangle of limbs and torsos as well as the cropped, braided and colorfully wrapped heads of the passengers in front of me. Now I understand why Tanzanians are so friendly and chatty with each other on public transport as it is difficult to ignore someone with whom you are awkwardly squished into an embrace—this all in a country where there are social prohibitions against holding your husband or wife’s hand in public. While awkwardly embracing my neighbor, two school girls next to me take turns surreptitiously patting my hair and remarking in Swahilli how my hair feels different to their own. I am powerless to do anything but laugh as my arms are pinned at my sides.

Once we leave town and get going, its better not to be able to see the road flying by. Nonetheless, all of my senses are flashing warning signals of imminent danger! The rattling of the old dalla dalla, the sound of the air whooshing by and the numerous times that the van hits an invisible bump and catches air have me trying to think happy thoughts and take deep breaths. Joram keeps catching my eye and then laughing because of the anxious look on my face. Amazingly, we stop at two traffic safety checkpoints by police officers who then wave us on! After an hour and a half of this (to drive 50 km), we arrive at Ifunda (late!) and all pile out into the fresh air and sunshine. We have all sweat through our clothes and my face is smudged with dust turned mud. Hilariously, we now have to pull ourselves together to appear professional as there is a meeting of 80 MBF clients, who have been waiting for their credit officers and trainers to arrive. What a way to do business! We look a sight.

I can laugh about this because for me the dalla dalla is more of a one off than a regular necessity. I can’t imagine the extra time and the good humour that is required to ride the dalla dalla every day. And yet the MBF staff do just that in order to provide financial services to the most needy clients in rural areas outside Iringa. I applaud them for their stoicism and the sacrifices they are willing to make for clients in need!