News Around Arusha - Part #2

Here is Part 2 of my annotated news list.

Moshi, Arusha ‘most clean towns’

(http://thecitizen.co.tz/news/-/22869-moshi-arusha-most-clean-towns) – This article talks about an award presented to Moshi and Arusha for being the cleanest towns.  It looks like the city is certainly headed in the right direction with a good vision, especially as Arusha is a major tourism hub for safaris and Mt. Kilimanjaro climbs as well as a city that is gaining more visibility in the East Africa region, as noted in the article.  I am glad to see that waste management is planning to be addressed.  It’s sometimes hard to find trashcans around the city and trash is disposed of by burning trash piles, so the smell of burning trash (on school grounds, side of the road, backyards, etc) pollutes the air, stings the eyes, and makes it hard to breathe.

Call on textile mills to avoid health risks, pollution -

(http://thecitizen.co.tz/news/-/23063-call-on-textile-mills-to-avoid-health-risks-pollution) – This article is about drawing attention to textile mills and the pollution they emit. I think it’s great that the country is paying attention to pollution from factories.  In my research of China’s investment in textile factories in Tanzania (Urafiki Friendship factory in Dar), I learned that worker conditions across all textile have also historically been risky, so I hope that standards for both pollution and worker safety continue to improve.  I visited the sales group at Sunflag textile mill earlier this week to get some information about producing kangas for the Duke LTP program.  I was very curious to tour around inside of the factory, which is now privately owned, and ask the workers questions about working conditions and how they manage pollution.  The textile industry was heavily developed in the 1970’s to promote industrialization in Tanzania, but in the 90’s the privatization of the industry closed down many of the textile factories, also putting many people out of a job.  Some of these factories have been revitalized, which in turn created more jobs, but also brought more pollution.  Textile factories in Tanzania most commonly make kangas, kitenges, yarns, and mosquito bed-nets.  See Tanzania’s government page on the textile industry (http://www.cotton.or.tz/index.php/textiles/tanzanias_textile_and_apparel_industry/)

Arusha hotel business networking event bears fruits -

(http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=41995) – This article is about a networking event that brought together many businessmen and community leaders to network.  In a city with high tourism and importance in the East Africa region, I think it’s cool to see an event that brings together people who can make a difference and collaborate to both help others and promote economic growth.

Nyerere Centre organizes students’ debate on integration

(http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/6079-nyerere-centre-organizes-students-debate-on-integration) – This article is about getting students involved in the debate on regional integration.  I haven’t researched the pros and cons of regional integration very closely, but I do know it is a hot topic.  However, this article caught my eye not just because the debate is engaging students from East Africa, but it really shows how Arusha is becoming a very meeting place in the East African region.  In addition, it’s so fitting that this type of debate would be held at the Nyerere Center for Peace.  Julius Nyerere, the first Tanzanian president, united all of the ethnic groups in Tanzania to promote peace, which is very much engrained in the culture here. 

TBL awards 11 ‘Safari Lager Wezeshwa’ competition winners

(http://thecitizen.co.tz/business/-/23121-tbl-awards-11-safari-lager-wezeshwa-competition-winners) – This article is about an entrepreneurship competition.  It’s great to see entrepreneurship being recognized and awarded.  I think developing countries produce some of the most amazing self-taught entrepreneurs because those without steady jobs have to be creative to earn money.  Many sell fruits that they grow, peddle goods, sell tourism services, etc.  I thought the prizes were interesting too – the article doesn’t mention whether the entrepreneurs were producers of beer.

Residents decry poor education services

(http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=42322) – Those who know me know that I could write a lot about the pros and cons of education in Tanzania.  I wanted to share this article as food for thought and will address some challenges and achievements I have seen in the schools in a future post.

Word of the day: Leo - today