Feature:
September 25, 2023

Feature: “Paseka – A Little Elephant, Brave” by ABB Director, Ruth James

Growing Together: From Book Boxes to Our First Library
September 25, 2023

Growing Together: From Book Boxes to Our First Library

Feature: Home Based Care
September 15, 2023

Feature: Home Based Care

Letter to our supporters
August 3, 2023

Letter to our supporters

Paseka
December 2, 2019

Paseka

2019 Tanzania Trip
September 16, 2019

2019 Tanzania Trip

A Perfect Beginning
September 15, 2018

A Perfect Beginning

Not a Drop to Drink
November 5, 2017

Not a Drop to Drink

Here we go again – our 11th year!  Every day Ruth and I venture out it begins with “twende” (twen-day - let’s go)!  As you know, after 10 years our focus has changed from Mufindi’s southern highlands to Karatu’s northern highlands.  The African Book Box (ABB) is collaborating with Alan Roy, a retired Victoria architect and founding director of Primary Schools for Africa.
October 17, 2017

Twende – Let’s Go!

Anne and I will be returning to Tanzania on October 6th. We have been told there is a down turn in the economy but when Tanzania is thought to be the 13th poorest nation in the world, it is hard to recognize a new onslaught of poverty. Our ten year commitment to Mufundi has been completed yet heartstring ties will always remain.
September 27, 2017

Karatu Calling! The ABB goes back to Tanzania

Meal in a Mug
May 20, 2017

Meal in a Mug

A GIRL’S Dormitory!The African Children’s Book Box Society, began its life as a literacy project inspired by Anne in 1991. Many years later, we have ‘put forth’ into many areas of need. Instead of a story by African authors for African children, this time I am telling a Tanzanian story by a Canadian author!In 2015 Anne, Birgit and I sat with the Luhunga Secondary School, headmaster, Mr. Lalika, and the computer/English/geography teacher, Mr. FelixMhoka, while they told us that the parents, teachers and students desperately needed a girls ‘hostel'. Girls were vulnerable – 31 of them were staying in a dilapidated classroom with...
April 14, 2017

Dormitory Triumph!

Definitely the highlight of my month in Tanzania was working with 17 Luhunga Secondary students on a dramatic presentation of William Kamkwamba’s inspiring true story.  “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” is about courage, inventiveness and the power to overcome crippling adversity.
November 9, 2016

The boy who harnessed the wind

I want to tell you about my most favourite time of the day in Mufindi this year. It started at 4:00PM each weekday at Luhunga Secondary School. All teaching by foreigners is deemed “somewhat” frivolous and must not interfere with the regular curriculum.  Consequently we were invited to come at the end of the day after most students hurry home for food and then rush back. Anne was preparing a wonderful play with her group...
October 29, 2016

The Joy of being in the classroom!

Does Luhunga Secondary School really need a dormitory for 60 adolescent girls?  “Yes please!
October 28, 2016

Going to School in Safety

November 23, 2015

African Killer Bees

November 23, 2015

Tembaya salama

November 10, 2015

An African Funeral

November 10, 2015

From Peaks to Valleys and Places In Between

November 3, 2015

Habari za siku nyingi?

November 3, 2015

Weka chai, ndugu!

October 14, 2015

Fall 2015 Update

The following was a letter with a New Year's update for 2015 sent out to our previous supporters detailing the history of one of our projects:“If you care about issues of war and poverty on a global level, it is also critically important to give.”    ~ Dr. Samantha Nutt ‘Damned Nations – Greed, Guns, Armies & Aid'...
December 31, 2014

New Years 2015 Update

Dear Book Box Supporters,Our eighth visit to Tanzania was brimming with challenges. Both Anne and I had vowed to report to you all so often this year, that you would all have calluses on your delete finger! What happened? Ebola? The disease was at least 5,000 miles away. No, it was simply the country’s internet server. It works quite well in the big cities of Arusha and Dar es Salaam but at 6,000 feet in the remote Mufindi Highlands, it seems only tea and maize thrive!
December 2, 2014

Eighth visit to Tanzania

For six years my heavy suitcase bound for Tanzania has contained “big books.” It’s a harambee effort with dear friends of mine pulling together to help. Liz Priestman and I collect materials and ideas, adapting an existing tale to suit the Tanzanian setting or we producing something original. Elaine Olafson creates beautiful illustrations. For the past two years the books have been written in English and KiSwahili with the help of Lily Mbawala, a new Tanzanian friend living in Brentwood.
November 9, 2014

“Big Books” for Big Mufindi Classes

October 17, 2014

Stories in Igoda Library

October 4, 2014

What’s Next?

Our early Mufindi morning was cool with clear blue skies and large white clouds hovering above the distant hills.  This was our last day in Mufindi and we were planning to visit the remote Ikaning’ombe school.  Numerous mothers with babies on their backs, women of all ages with heavy loads balanced on their heads, men riding bicycles and piki pikis or motorcycles, all on or beside the rudimentary road leading to this remote village.  Women and children preparing their shambas for planting, the occasional man turning the dry soil with heavy jembes or hoes, fields of tea pickers.  From the narrow road expansive views of pines and eucalyptus trees clustered in groves between sloping fields of tea and mounds of freshly cultivated soil.
October 29, 2013

A Perfect Kwaheri

Far away in Igoda’s tea fields a tall, thin, 12 year old girl was found living under a tarp “house” with 8 relatives.  Her name is Simwache, a word meaning “don’t leave me.”  She was found by Akida, a young man working for the NGO.  Simache came with several of her siblings to live at the yatima (orphanage) where she has been for the past three years.
October 21, 2013

Simwache’s Story

Pretty petite Mama Gideon swiftly bared three months old baby Matthew’s tiny black bottom to the air. A fresh piece of Kanga cloth was applied, followed by an efficient wrapping with a scrap of black plastic garbage bag to prevent leaking. I reached for the baby while Mama Gideon moved on to stoke her three stone traditional out door fire.
October 18, 2013

Children’s Village House – Number Two

It was 4:30 Tanzanian time but really 10:30 wazungu or foreigner time.  Tanzanian time is six hours behind our time as the watu or people believe the sun comes up at twelve, goes down at twelve.  We’ve discovered it’s useful to ask which time we’re on!  Loud throbbing music blaring from large speakers greeted bibi’s (grandmothers), babus (grandfathers), mothers with young children and babies, fathers, village officials as they gathered at Luhunga Secondary.  It was Graduation Day for 112 Form 4 students.  A day of mixed emotions as sadly none of them were amongst the 6% of Form 4s in the whole country who passed their national exams.
October 17, 2013

Luhunga Hoy Yoy – Luhunga Three Cheers!!

Habari Za Kazi? How is work? Well...
October 15, 2013

Habari Za Kazi? How is work? Well…

A week ago today we flew low over the southern highlands of Tanzania landing on Ngwazi’s grassy airstrip carved between emerald expanses of tea.  It’s a long safari from home but we were finally back in the District of Mufindi, an area close to my heart.  Waving at us from the edge of the airstrip was my daughter, Lauren who now calls Nairobi home, and Geoff Fox the founder of the organization the African Book Box collaborates with. 
October 11, 2013

October Inch, Tingatina and Puff Adders

November 12, 2012

Sunday’s Safari

This is Grace, a baby with a startling beginning to life. Several months ago Grace’s father had died. Grace’s mother had become unhinged with grief. One day mother and child were standing at a bus stand in the bustling town of Mafinga approximately an hour and a half away from Igoda village where Ruth and I stay. With them was the sister of Grace’s deceased father. Her name is Matha. Grace’s mother asked Matha to hold Grace while she went on a very quick errand. The mother didn’t return from her errand and has never been seen again.
November 12, 2012

Grace’s Story

November 10, 2012

The Long Way Home

November 9, 2012

Happy Update

November 7, 2012

Milk Powder Day and then of course our continuing Novel Study

November 6, 2012

Hongera (Congratulations) Mwefu Primary

November 3, 2012

A Simple Shopping Trip

October 23, 2012

Stories capture us All!

October 21, 2012

Life at its Fullest!

October 21, 2012

Mufindi’s Lows and Highs

October 13, 2012

The start of year seven in Tanzania!!

November 11, 2011

Good morning from Mufindi

February 3, 2011

Taking a pause

February 2, 2011

Almost Goodbye

January 30, 2011

Expect the unexpected

Princess and the pea
January 30, 2011

Princess and the pea

January 23, 2011

Great Excitement!

January 23, 2011

Castrating the resident puka!

January 22, 2011

Given access to daily life in the village!

January 22, 2011

Curtain Call Approaching

January 16, 2011

A weekend like no other!

January 16, 2011

Full life and near death continues!

January 9, 2011

Karibu Tena

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