• Gift Catalog
  • Donate
  • Contact Us
Call Us: 800-487-1074
Global Volunteers
  • Countries
    • International Partnerships:
      • China
      • Cook Islands
      • Cuba
      • Ecuador
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Nepal
      • Peru
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • St Lucia
      • Tanzania
      • Vietnam
    • USA Programs:
      • Appalachia – West Virginia
      • Blackfeet Reservation – Montana
      • Rosebud Reservation – South Dakota
      • Española – New Mexico
  • Projects
  • Give
    • Giving Options:
      • Donate Now
      • Gift Catalog
      • Ways to Give
      • Philanthropy
  • Impact
  • Blog
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Reaching Children's Potential Tanzania

International Community Development Profile: Apendaye Myumbo Family in Tanzania

International community development

In this series, families in the Reaching Children’s Potential (RCP) Demonstration Program in Tanzania explain how their participation improves their lives. Global Volunteers’ RCP Program engages short-term volunteers to help parents deliver essential services improving health, eradicating hunger, and enhancing cognition – with the goal of eliminating child stunting in the Ukwega Ward and throughout Tanzania. Through RCP, families obtain the nutrition, health care, knowledge, technology, and encouragement needed to combat stunting, and to ensure their children can realize their full potential. The RCP Program is a child-focused, parent-driven, family-centered, and community-led comprehensive effort. It begins with pregnancy, and continues through the 18th birthday, with a focus on the first 1,000 days of life. Read Apendaye Myumbo’s interview about the RCP Program here.


Apendaye, we’re interested in your daily life. Did you grow up in Ukwega? Could you tell us about your normal activities?

Yes, I was born and raised in Ukwega village. My husband, Enock, is also from Ukwega. We both finished standard 7 here in the village. As for my daily life, I usually wake up at 6:00 a.m. and do the domestic activities like fetching water, cleaning up, and preparing breakfast. After that, I head up to the farm with my husband while my children are in school, and come back at 4:00 in the afternoon. We always cook lunch at the farm and eat there together before we return. In the evening I just prepare dinner for my family. On the days I don’t go to the field, I stay home to do the domestic activities, including finding firewood. When I get time to relax, I usually sleep. I like reading books, especially the books that my children read at school. It is very rare for me to have time talking with my neighbors or friends. I love Ukwega because it is my home place and I can easy farm and get to live with my family.

Would you tell us a bit about your children’s interests and personalities?

Winfrida loves to sing all the time, and she loves going to church. Aigon loves to read and write. Whenever he comes home from school, he settles down and writes on papers and sometimes on the walls of our house. I still don’t know about Lenifa because she is young, but she is always very polite and calm. Habibu is too young for me to observe what he likes, yet.

My wish is for my children to be educated enough to be doctors and nurses so that they can help me and everyone else around. I always make sure that they get enough time to study after they come back from school. Their performance in school is also very good and now they have become even more active because of the meals they are receiving. So I’m very grateful to the program because it is playing a big role for the good growth of my children. I’m also working hard to provide the necessary needs for them at school.

I’m always happy to see my children happy and in good health. In a few months to come, I have a plan to buy a solar system so that my children can have light whenever they want to study at night.

“Their performance in school is also very good and now they have become even more active because of the meals they are receiving. So I’m very grateful to the program because it is playing a big role for the good growth of my children.”

– Apendaye Myumbo, RCP Mom
Lenifa (age 4) uses the handwashing station outside her home in Ukwega village.

How do you know that washing with soap and water often is important for preserving your health? 

My family and I use the handwashing station all the time when hands need to be cleaned. I have also taught my children on the use of handwashing station and they usually wash their hands after they come from school before entering the house. Ever since I taught my children, they have been very interested and receptive to the technology. My husband is also very supportive of handwashing with our children.

There is a big difference since we started washing our hands because it’s an easy technology. We used to wash our hands in a small basin, which was also not appropriate because everyone used the same water in the basin. So the handwashing station has helped to ease the process and it is a safer way of keeping our hands clean. Also, since we started washing our hands effectively, we have not been suffering from any diseases compared to how it was before. The handwashing stations have been very helpful and interesting to use.

Donate to the RCP Program

How important have the Rise Against Hunger meals been to your family?

The Rise Against Hunger meals are very important to me and my child because they provide us with the necessary vitamins. It’s been a month since we started to receive the meals. My child has weighed very well this time since his weight has increased by one whole kilogram, which had not been happening for a couple of previous months. It used to increase only a few grams. So I’m very happy that this time his weight has gone up more than before. I hope the meals have played a greater role. I also feel stronger and have enough breast milk when I eat the meals. My child loves the Rise Against Hunger meals more than any other foods. He sometimes refuses all other foods and eats the Rise Against Hunger meals. Other foods that we eat are ugali, beans, vegetables, bananas, sardines, meat when we can afford it, cassava, sweet potatoes, and fruits (mostly avocados). We always get three meals per day.

I’m happy for my children who are at the primary school because they get meals twice per day at school. Since they started with the meals at school, they have been very active. They don’t sound hungry after school as it was before and they really enjoy the meals.

“Since they started with the meals at school, they have been very active. They don’t sound hungry after school as it was before and they really enjoy the meals.”

– Apendaye Myumbo, RCP mom
Apendaye says her family’s health has improved since they started washing their hands effectively using the handwashing station.

What parts of RCP are most important to you and why?

I have benefited a lot from the program. Life has been very different. The services at the Ipalamwa General Clinic are great and systematic. Everyone there is welcoming and caring. This is very different from other dispensaries. The services that I’m getting now — I never got them before, especially at the clinic where we are treated for free. I do not have to think of where to get money when my children or I are sick. It’s wonderful.

Also, we have been learning a lot from the program, especially from the workshops. I have learned how to feed and breastfeed the baby, which has been very helpful. I joined the program when my child was three months old and I have been considering everything that I was taught in the workshops. I have seen the difference in the growth of my fourth child. His understanding is really good if you compare it to that of my other three children when they were his age. I love the workshops because I usually learn a lot from them. I love home visits also because I like to be visited and it is easy for me to express my challenges to the caregiver.

I have also benefited from the co-ops because I have learned new skills. I have learned how to make soap and the sale of sardines has been very helpful to us.

“I joined the program when my child was three months old and I have been considering everything that I was taught in the workshops. I have seen the difference in the growth of my fourth child. His understanding is really good if you compare it to that of my other three children when they were his age.”

– Apendaye Myumbo, RCP mom
Apendaye says her son Habibu has developed better than her other three children. She joined the RCP program when he was three months old.

What are your family’s biggest challenges or struggles? How do you try to address them?

One of my biggest challenges is with my child Winfrida, who is suffering from a kidney problem, but I’m grateful to Global Volunteers for their clinic in Ipalamwa because my child gets medicines every month without any cost. She is doing better now. Formerly, I used to go to Iringa, which was very costly and sometimes I couldn’t afford it.


To learn about the RCP Program and families in the Ukwega Ward, choose from the archive here.

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
August 14, 2020/0 Comments/by Maggie Bjorklund
https://205eev2oa0jm1t4yb914s1nw-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Apendaye-Myumbo-3-cropped-1.jpg 775 1428 Maggie Bjorklund https://205eev2oa0jm1t4yb914s1nw-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2014-GlobalVolunteersLogo-Web.png Maggie Bjorklund2020-08-14 11:00:002021-02-11 08:34:08International Community Development Profile: Apendaye Myumbo Family in Tanzania
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

You must log in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Partner Communities

  • China 66
  • Cook Islands 44
  • Cuba 117
  • Ecuador 88
  • Greece 68
  • Italy 54
  • Montana 42
  • Nepal 16
  • Peru 98
  • Poland 77
  • Portugal 42
  • South Dakota 8
  • St Lucia 57
  • Tanzania 143
  • Vietnam 43
  • West Virginia 24

Categories

  • Boomer Volunteers
  • Conversational English
  • Couples Volunteering
  • Culture and Traditions Worldwide
  • Development Impact
  • Family Volunteers
  • Free Time Options
  • Global Volunteers
  • Group Volunteering
  • Impact Stories
  • Individuals on Teams
  • Projects for Professionals
  • Reaching Children's Potential
  • Repeat Volunteers
  • Retiree Volunteers
  • Staff Worldwide
  • Student Volunteers
  • Uncategorized
  • Volunteer Voices
  • Women volunteers

Tags

alumni volunteers American Indian culture Appalachian culture best destination peru Care for children Caribbean island College groups Conversational English cook islands economy covid-19 covid-19 consequences Cuba people-to-people donate for children Earthbox gardens economic support Essential Services food insecurity Funding your fee Health and nutrition High school groups Labor projects lgbt program peru resume resume high shcool retiree service-learning share food Spring break summer volunteer program support children Support women teaching children teaching english team leader things to do peru top places to visit peru tourism cook islands tours peru travel peru volunteer benefits Volunteer impact work on reservations Work with youth youth volunteering

  • About Us
  • Boards of Directors and Advisors
  • US and International Staff
  • Our Beginnings
  • Our Vision
  • Community Partners
  • Collaborators
  • Compare Us
  • Volunteer Vacations FAQs
  • Accountability and Agreements
  • Travel Risks
  • Impact and Outcomes of Service
  • Donate to Global Volunteers
  • Donate to a Volunteer
  • Money Matters – Explaining Your Service Program Contribution
  • Discounts & Fundraising
  • Alumni Center
  • News/Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Agreements
  • Site Map
  • Contact
  • Podcast
  • Volunteer Portal
  • Employment
Global Volunteers
375 East Little Canada Road
St. Paul, MN 55117-1628 USA
(800) 487-1074 | toll-free
(651) 482-0915 | fax
globalvolunteers.org
email@globalvolunteers.org

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Subscribe receive notifications of new posts and updates by email.

Global Volunteers - Partners in Development ® | © Copyright 2002 - Present Global Volunteers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Global Volunteers is an apolitical, non-sectarian, non-profit (501C-3) tax-exempt organization.
  • Send feedback about this web site and its administration.
Celebrating International Youth Day During a Global Pandemic Protective masks, normally used for surgery, are now in use to fight COVID-19 Hunger and Poor Nutrition are Secondary Impacts of COVID-19 in Developing C...
Scroll to top
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.