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