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 Observations
from facilitating a Virtues
workshop in a village
in north-west Tanzania,
Africa, September 2003.
Mr Prosper Nduke, of
the village of Mugajwale
in north-west Tanzania,
invited me (Sandra) to
his village to conduct
a Virtues Workshop for
the local teachers, commencing
15 September, 2003, during
the school holidays.
Prosper would translate
my English into Kiswahili.
Description of the
Village and Background
Knowledge
The village has about
3000 adults and about
2500 children. They live
in small clusters of
dwellings with about
a kilometre of farmland
between each cluster.
These are called "sub-villages".
There is one water well
for all the dwellings,
so many people are fully
occupied just carrying
water for their households,
as many have several
kilometres to walk to
the well and back home,
carrying 20 litres in
plastic containers on
their heads, several
times a day. Children
as young as three years
are seen walking to the
well, unaccompanied,
with a 5 litre plastic
container on their heads.
The little shambas (farms)
are usually only a couple
of acres, allocated to
a family by the government.
The soil is fertile,
volcanic. The family
grows bananas, maize,
cassava, sweet potato,
ground nuts, beans, pineapple,
mango, papaya, tomatoes,
cabbages, and coffee.
Some have a few cows,
goats and chickens. They
must sell their coffee
to the government who
pays 15 cents per kilo(!).
The women, children and
youths have the responsibility
of growing the gardens.
If the rains don't come,
there is famine.
The dwellings are mud
brick with thatch roof
covering, window holes,
no glass, with wooden
shutters and most have
a dirt floor, strewn
with dried grass. Visitors
sit on a grass mat on
the floor. Rooms for
sleeping open off the
central sitting room.
The women cook over charcoal
and wood fires, in a
separate mud brick structure
out the back. A more
wealthy person will have
a cement floor.
For bathing, one stands
in a plastic dish with
a couple of litres of
water in it and scoops
water over the body after
soaping. The bathhouse
is usually a bamboo structure,
open to the sky. The
toilet is a pit dug about
4 metres deep, with boards
and a hole over the pit,
and a bamboo screen erected
around it.
There is no electricity
or telephone, no postal
delivery. A person who
earns as much as $5 per
week is considered well
off. People earn a few
cents by selling their
produce at the daily
village market. They
sit on the ground and
spread their wares out
on a grass woven mat:
little pyramids of tomatoes,
onions, dried fish, tobacco,
medicinal herbs, lemons,
sugar cane, etc. Shops
sell maize, rice, wheat
flour, beans, salt, soap,
tiny kerosene lamps,
cottonseed or vegetable
oil. A couple of people
have a tiny transistor
radio, bought with money
earned somewhere else.
These people share the
information they hear
on the radio with others.
A few people have mobile
telephones (also purchased
by working away from
the village and the battery
is recharged in a shop
that uses a diesel generator
to generate electricity
for a couple of hours
each evening). The people
can send and receive
text messages by climbing
a particular hill to
pick up a signal.
Every sub-village has
a school, a headmaster
(no headmistresses that
I have observed in government
schools) and a few teachers.
The facilities provided
by the government are:
-The school structure,
ie, mud brick walls and
tin roof, dirt floor,
small window holes with
wooden shutters. (Very
dark when clouds cover
the sun, one has difficulty
seeing unless the sun
is shining brightly,
and deafeningly loud
during rainy season)
-Blackboard, some pieces
of chalk
-Heavy wooden desks with
sloping writing surface
and backless bench fixed
to the desk, (extremely
uncomfortable)
-Poorly paid and poorly
trained teachers. The
class sizes are usually
50 or more students,
3-4 squashed to each
desk. Often teachers
disappear to earn some
extra money when some
other opportunity arises.
The students are expected
to teach themselves when
this occurs. If they
do not, they are beaten.
The purpose of education
is to memorise facts,
and regurgitate these
facts verbatim in the
myriad of exams.
In class, students do
NOT talk. They may answer
the questions fired at
them by the teacher.
They are beaten if their
answer is wrong.
A "good teacher" is one
who terrorises the students,
administers lots of corporal
punishment, shouts a
lot, and uses authority
to dominate, to shame,
to humiliate. A teacher
who does not use these
behaviours is considered "weak".
At this school, where
the Virtues Workshop
was held during the holidays,
the "Discipline Master",
appointed by the headmaster,
is the man with the fiercest
temper, the most violent
behaviour, who uses the
cane frequently, a heavy
drinker who comes to
school intoxicated and
a womaniser, with a different
woman every night. This
proves that he is a "real
man."
There is no art or music,
no physical education
or co-operative learning,
no telling of jokes,
playing games or laughing.
School is a grim business.
School bears no relation
to the students' lives.
Primary school must be
taught in Kiswahili.
The village children
speak village language,
Kihaya, when they enter
school, and have to learn
Kiswahili. They are not
supposed to speak Kihaya
in primary School only
Kiswahili, and take lessons
in English.
All secondary schools
must use English as the
language of instruction.
The student enters secondary
school with only the
rudiments of English,
learned during Primary
School. So it is a struggle
to understand what is
being taught.
The school system seems
a continuation of the
19th century attitudes
and behaviours. The school
outcomes desired and
on display in the headmaster's
office are along the
lines of: "70% of students
will pass the examinations."
Strategies used for
the workshop
My only prior knowledge
was Prosper's admonition: "They
don't understand English,
so will need translations" and "They
are very poor and can't
pay for the books, or
even for photocopying" and "Bring
everything with you."
In Dar-es-Salaam, during
the week prior to my
departure, I typed out
the main points of each
segment of the Introduction,
the basic principles
and the five strategies
of the Virtues Project,
and had them translated
into Kiswahili by my
colleague, Hashim. Then
I glued the small English
passage to the chart
paper, and copied out
the Kiswahili version
with marker pens onto
the chart paper. I added
some illustrations. Sometimes
I misread Hashim's writing,
and made spelling mistakes
in the Kiswahili.
For the group discussion
exercises, I typed them
in small font in English,
copied from "The Family
Virtues Guide" and Hashim
translated onto the same
piece of paper. Then
we photocopied the lot.
For the "Virtues Pick," another
computer-literate friend
translated the information
on the cards onto a single
page. We printed them
off the home printer
and we photocopied them
for use during the Workshop.
We had permission from
Linda Popov to translate
the cards. but have not
had time to publish them.
 We
arranged for the Workshop
to take four days, to
allow time for translations
and new concepts to form.
This was beneficial.
This is when I started
to find out what the
dear participants had
experienced during their
years of schooling, as
students and as teachers,
the crippling, numbing
effect of violence and
abuse.
It took a while for me
to realise that the blank
expressions and downcast
eyes on the participant's
faces, was their self-protection
learned from many years
of their schooling. Added
to this is the fact that
younger people must never
express an opinion in
front of their elders.
The elders must be revered
at all times. (I am old,
and mzungu, white person,
as well, hence, a double
difficulty).
Well. I changed the seating
arrangement with the
horrid desks. Placed
them in a semi circle,
facing a corner; stood
one desk on its side
to support the charts,
made an open space to
play circle activities.
The first people arrived
two hours after the publicised
starting time. It must
have taken enormous courage
for them to come.
Thank goodness for the "Some
concerns you might have" part
of the introduction.
The partner introduction
exercise was so subdued
that I couldn't hear
anything. I began to
worry. So I offered up
some desperate prayer
to help me find the key
to open these dear friends
to learning.
The exercise "From shaming
to naming" (in Kiswahili
and local language) was
a step in the right direction.
Now I realise that admitting
to oneself that the shaming
language used on them
from their elders (who
must be revered and who
are ALWAYS right) is
a huge challenge to the
culture. Hence their
reluctance to admit to
the names they were called.
So we had to focus on
what virtue the elders
could have named to evoke
the desired response
of "diligence" or "wisdom".
I found that making quick
little sketches on the
blackboard to illustrate
a point activated attention.
I should have brought
some simple puppets,
even sock puppets. Casting
my glance around the
room, I noticed two cloth
hats. I quickly put them
on my hands to make talking
puppets to tell a little
story.
This was an icebreaker.
The adult audience responded
to the improvised puppets
made out of cloth sun
hats, in much the same
way that unsophisticated
five-year-olds would
respond. Their eyes lit
up and they laughed.
After lunch we started
singing in the local
language. They all joined
in with gusto, making
the rhythm with claps
and beating on the desks.
This is their culture.
They all sing.
The Village Chairman
came for the afternoon
session. He made a speech
congratulating Prosper
in bringing an "Internationally
acclaimed" program to
his village and the Chairman
joined in the discussion
exercises in the small
groups. We played the
circle game where you
throw a ball (the cloth
hat again) to a named
participant and state
a virtue. This simple
game had them all in
the most amazing laughter,
so loud that the neighbouring
children came creeping
up to the classroom to
see, with wide-eyed wonder,
adults throwing something
to each other and collapsing
with laughter. Unheard
of!
Everyone promised to
come at 8:30 for the
next day. I called on
their creativity to compose
a song.
Day two saw everyone
punctual at 8:30, ready
to begin with songs in
local language.
By this time I had found
that I must use ALL the
learning modes, drawings
and quick sketches, puppets
and stories, role plays,
small group discussion,
and make sure that the
shy ones are included
and are speaking. The
women want to hold back
and not participate.
I found that putting
people of the same generation
together for the discussion
exercises gained more
participation from the
women, than when I put
young people and older
people together. Then
the younger people remain
silent.
Now I must tell you the
thing that really worked
to gain full whole-hearted
participation. I was
strongly encouraging
them to compose a song,
with zero response. I
knew that the Africans
are natural singers.
Why won't they make up
a song?
How they composed
a song
I asked for a Virtue
off the chart that our
song will focus on. They
chose "love". I gave
them a few minutes to
write something down.
Still nothing. More encouragement
from me. Still nothing.
Then one participant
went to the blackboard
and wrote up his inspiration.
That brought some laughter
from the room as everyone
recognised a popular
song about Love that
he had used.
H'mm? New approach needed.
So I said, "Everyone
has to write down anything
that pops into your head
about love and you only
have 60 seconds to do
it. Start NOW." They
all looked startled and
I said, " you only have
40 seconds left. Write
now."
And they all wrote something
down. Then I asked everyone
to read what s/he had
written. After each one
I said." Uh-huh" and
nodded. They all listened
to each other. Then they
all expected me to "choose
the best." But I did
not do that.
So I gave each a piece
of cut-up writing pad
paper and a marker pen,
and said, "Now write
out your phrase or piece
in big writing on this
paper."
Then we went to the circle
space and set the papers
out on the floor. I put
everyone into pairs and
gave them the task of
composing a song using
some, or all of the phrases.
And this worked.
After some hesitation
at the newness of the
task, they then worked
with their partners.
with quiet enthusiasm.
After about 15 minutes
of composition, really
creative work, we shared
the performances.
This was like the opening
of a garden of flowers.
This was a wonderful
highlight of the week.
They all came to life.
Each pair, even the silent,
shy ones, had chosen
a few of the phrases
and developed a melody
to sing with it. As they
sang their new song,
the other participants
paid close attention;
beat the rhythm and some
started dancing in their
traditional way to the
new rhythm.
Their eyes sparkled,
they laughed, their bodies
relaxed. A new spirit
was quickened. This was
the REAL key to opening
the learning pathways
with this group of participants.
After the enjoyment of
performing their new
composition there was
much relaxed, genuine
laughter. They formed
close bonds of friendship
with each other. This
was their first real
experience of Cooperative
Learning. They responded
brilliantly.
From then on they relaxed
into to the learning
and expression tasks.
Without self-consciousness
they accepted the drawing
tasks that I gave them
The concept of talking
about the meaning of
their art (rather that
expecting comments on
the skill of the drawing
likeness) was a new experience
for them. This helped
to quicken the creativity
that I was certain was
waiting to unfold inside
each one.
Each day we did a "Virtues
Pick" from the Kiswahili
translations. I noticed
that they beamed with
pleasure when that daily
routine came around,
and were eager to read
and ponder on their Virtue
for the day.
When we did the module
on "Honouring the Spirit",
they were puzzled about
the reference to "honour
the environment". So
we used a ball of coloured
string and did the "Web
of Life" activity. Only
one person in the group
had ever considered the
interconnectedness of
all life forms. (The
emphasis on reciting
facts in their biology
lessons at school had
never led to them seeing
how everything relates
to everything else).
This was a revelation
to them.
We spent a whole day
and a half on Spiritual
Companioning. We did
several role-plays where
Spiritual Companioning
was demonstrated, in
an unhurried way. In
their evaluations, most
indicated that this was
the most useful thing
they gained from the
Workshop.
Every day, Prosper's
wife cooked a proper
African lunch of boiled
plantain bananas or rice
or ugali, with cabbage
and tomato sauce, and
carried it with plates
in a huge basket on her
head for the three kilometres
from her home to the
schoolroom. Magnificent!
The following week the
same group of people,
plus a few others spent
five days doing a few
modules from the Nursery
School Training Course
developed by the folk
in Kiribati. We played
many games.
I have never seen such
whole-hearted delight
in a group of people,
playing "What's the time
Mr Wolf?" (Changed to "Saa
ngapi, Bwana Simba?")
and "Crocodile Crocodile" and "Doggy
doggy where's your bone?" and "Detectives".
I quickly made a board
game on a piece of paper,
based on the Snakes and
Ladders concept, only
we called it "Going to
the well to get water" and
added some hazards like "dropped
your water container.
Go back to home" or "met
a friend with a bicycle.
Advance to number 22".
I made a dice out of
a cube of wood off-cut.
You have never seen such
excitement. They played
this simple game over
and over, laughing uproariously
when they encountered
a hazard or a benefit.
It was all stuff that
is routinely done with
the Kindergarten and
Early Childhood children
at home. It is amazing
to get such a delighted
response from a group
of adults who have never
played games during their
school times. We have
to really persuade them
into the enormous value
of unstructured and structured
PLAY. Play is the work
of childhood.
Sandra Rowden-Rich
You can visit the
Virtues Project website
at www.virtuesproject.com.
Sandra Rowden-Rich
with students at
RAS Academy in Dar-es-Salaam,
Tanzania. This school
has implemented the
Virtues Project with
all teachers and
students, with a
transforming effect.
Teachers have abandoned
the use of corporal
punishment. They
use good language,
set boundaries, use
spiritual companioning.
The students are
pictured eating their
morning porridge.
Members of the East Africa Virtues
Connection, who are organising
the 5 Day Facilitator Training
in Dar-es-Salaam in December,
2003. They did their first Virtues
Workshop in July, 2003.
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