Grace, Life And The Tanzanite Man

Grace sews to make money to support her family.refused despite the pleading and threats. The young
She lives on the peripheries of Arusha Town inman then lunged across the room and seized a plastic
Tanzania, East Africa. She makes curtains for a shopbottle full of kerosene that was used as fuel for the
in the town centre, one of the expensive shopsChinese stove. He poured the kerosene over himself.
where all the ex-pats go to spend their money.Anna screamed and ran for the door. The young
Arusha is a small town with one main street and twoman grabbed her and threw her against the far wall
small markets. Even though Arusha is sometimesaway from the door. The young man lit a match and
called a city there are no traffic lights and only threecried and begged Anna to reconsider. All Anna could
traffic circles. It is not much of a city really. Grace'sdo was to cry and stubbornly refuse to answer. A
husband works in the Tanzanite mines which is aneighbor, the mother of the young man, started to
grueling half day travel by bus towards Kilimanjaro.bang at the door as she was concerned about all the
Grace's husband visits home at weekends if he hasnoise. The young man dropped the match and the
money if not Grace can wait a whole month and notkerosene ignited. The house was ablaze in seconds.
even hear from her husband. Working on theNeighbors rushed to the scene and eventually broke
Tanzanite mines does not bring money into thedown the door. Anna, the young man and the two
home. To work in the narrow underground tunnels willchildren were dragged out into the open they had
pay only when the precious Tanzanite is found. Gracesustained major burns. A car was found and the
gets fed up with waiting for the Tanzanite to makeinjured rushed to hospital. That night at 11 pm the
an appearance. She tells her husband they have toyoung man died in hospital. Despite round the clock
eat and pay the rent for their two roomed house.care, in our small but efficient local hospital, Anna died
Because there is no money she sews fabric intoin great pain three days after the fire. The two
curtains and earns not quite enough to pay the rentchildren also suffered, Rebecca the eldest started to
and feed the family. Life has become very hard.recover but died after a two weeks. Remarkably the
Grace has two daughters the first born aged fourfour month old baby survived. The last time I spoke
years and the youngest just four months old. Not sowith Grace she was still finding it hard to restart her
long ago Grace had completed a large order forlife. For the poor such as Grace there are no banks
curtains and decided to walk into town to get theor insurance, if she had saved any money it had
wages for her work. She had a young relative,burnt with the house. Everything she had bought with
named Anna, living in her home to look after the twomoney she managed to glean from her work was
children and to help around the house. Grace carriedlost along with the smoke in the fire. The last time I
the newly made curtains on her head and as she leftspoke with Grace she said she was thinking of
her home a young male neighbor was at the door.leaving Arusha with her husband and baby to live
This young man was keen to marry Anna the housewith her Sister in Dar es Salaam. She said it is warmer
help. Grace chased him away as he would distractin Dar, life is a little easier and her sister has money
Anna from her work. Anyway Anna was too youngto help with the continuing medical bills for the baby.
and not very keen on this young man. However, heA short while latter the husband of Grace, he is
was persistent and though Grace just a littlenamed Muna, he came to visit me. I like Muna he is a
stubborn as he was just not able to accept beingnice man with a big smile. However, today he wasn't
rejected. I met Grace as she walked into town to sellsmiling. Grace had kicked him out. Two days latter
her nice curtains; we had a chat and I was invited forshe had packed up the little she now owned got on
lunch. It had been some time since I had visiteda bus with her baby and returned to Dar es Salaam.
Grace's home and decided I would enjoy passing anShe was tired of poverty, tired of waiting for the
hour and catching up on all the news about herTanzanite to appear and wanted to get a teaching
family. The curtains were delivered and wagesjob in Dar es Salaam and start life over again. There
collected. We returned home with a detour throughwas no room for Muna now. I wish there were a
the busy central market to buy cooking oil and somehappier end to this tale of great sorrow,
spinach for lunch. As we approached her home weunfortunately there is not. Grace left Muna and
could see black smoke billowing up above the fewArusha permanently. As far as I know the baby is
stunted thorn trees that surrounded the small clusterwell and Grace is working and has a new house in
of houses where Grace lived. Shouts and screamsDar es Salaam. Muna, he disappeared and no one is
were heard. Grace dropped her shopping and ranquite sure where he is. I believe he still looks for
towards the smoke. As we arrived most of thetanzanite and if he ever finds the tanzanite, I believe
drama of the fire was over. Mostly Women werewith money it earns he will go try to get his family
screaming and waling, the fire that had begun inback.
Grace's house had spread to four neighboring houses;This article was written by a group called Tunaweza.
they were all burnt down to the sandy soil. Later weThey support and set up Community Initiatives in
were to learn after Grace had left for town theEast Africa. - for information on Tanzania safaris and
young man seeking to marry Anna the house help,tourist information this company supports responsible
returned to see Anna. He begged Anna to reconsidertourism.
accepting him as a husband. Anna refused and