Working in Tanzania
Niranjan Vedantam
It was during October 2005, I got
very busy with Environmental Field monitoring projects, where I had to organize
the weekly field monitoring, depending on the number of sampling stations in
the project area. This was when I used to work with Vimta Labs Pvt Ltd. I was
sent to Rayagada which falls in Odisha State. This was for the first time ever
I had been to Odisha. There was an ongoing project which was sponsored by EIL
(Engineers India Limited). I had been challenged by extreme working conditions
in Odisha. Even I had stretched a bit more than I can both physically and
mentally and still maintained my mental balance. This really helped me in learning
though things with calm mind. This also increased my acumen and perception of
things. Keeping this experience in view, my management in Vimta Labs decided to
send me to Mufindi Paper Mills, based in Mgololo, Tanzania for organizing a 3
months baseline environmental monitoring. It was during the first week of
November 2006, I was asked to get ready for the Tanzania Project. On 6th
November 2006, my father dropped me at the Begumpet Airport in a Taxi. My
father got a little emotional and hugged me very tight and said “All the Best”.
My boss Shri Shyam Sundar was ready at the Begumpet airport entrance and saw me
entering. He asked me to keep my passport in my hand. I wished my father and
entered the airport along with Shyam Sundar. This was the first time I was
boarding a flight and that too an international flight Hyderabad to Dubai by
Emirates. All the formalities were completed and we boarded the flight and the
flight also took off within 30minutes. After reaching Dubai, we had to catch a
British Airways Flight to Dar Es Salam via Nairobi. We had to wait for 4 hours
to board the next flight in Dubai. After having some snacks, we had to rush to
the boarding gate as it was the final call to boarding.
Soon we boarded the British Airways
Flight at Dubai and the flight took off within 45 minutes. There was a one stop
at Nairobi and we had to stay inside the flight as few more passengers boarded
the flight here and we took off soon to Dar Es Salam (Tanzania). The Flight
landed safely at Dar Es Salam International Airport. Me and my boss Shyam
Sundar collected out baggage and came out of the Airport and we could see CS
Rao waiting at the exit and he received us and took us to a local restaurant in
Dar Es Salam. We had a quick lunch (Indian Food to our surprise). Mr. CS Rao,
after the lunch dropped us at a nearby Hotel and asked us to take rest and said
that next day morning (7th Nov, 2006) Driver would come and pick up
us from the hotel and take us to Mgololo in Mufindi district, which was around
10 hours drive from Dar Es Salam. Me and my boss quickly freshened up and took
some rest. Next day morning by sharp 8 am, we hear the doorbell. That was a
breakfast call. We had a quick breakfast and checked out of the hotel and were
waiting for the driver at the lobby. Soon the driver comes to the hotel
reception and was enquiring about us. His name was Humphrey Luvanda. Then the
receptionist waved her hand and called us to the driver. The driver quickly
took our luggage and kept in the Car. We then sat in the Car (Toyota Land
Cruiser-4 Wheeler) and the driver started the car and we were passing by the
main roads of Dar Es Salam. After couple of hours, we were at the entrance of
the Mikumi National Park, which we had to pass (50 KM) and we also saw huge
lions crossing the roads. On the way to Mgololo, on the forest road, we
witnessed a huge and wide tree. The tree was nearly 3 to 4 meters wide. Then
later in the evening, we reached the guest house of “Mufindi Paper Mills”. We
were shown our luxury cottage and the driver left. We had some tea and snacks
and took some rest.
Next day morning, had to meet the
General Manager of Mufindi Paper Mills and reached his chamber in the factory
and were well received by him. Soon we grabbed some coffee (Black Coffee) and
were discussing about the work plan for environmental monitoring for the next 3
months. Mr. Shyam Sundar was explaining Y Chowdary about me and my capabilities
in environmental pollution monitoring. The discussion went on for nearly 2
hours. That day afternoon (8th November 2006) Mr. Shyam Sundar gave
me a Nokia Phone for official communication with local sim and some travelers
cheques for my needs. He soon wished me and left Mgololo and went back to Dar
Es Salam by road.
Subsequently, Y Chowdary introduced
me to the Process Head Mr. Kumar and asked him to explain me the entire process
of paper making. Soon we had been to all the locations in the Paper Mill to
understand the process. In due course I started making good friends with the
people working there. Next task was to install the Automatic Weather Station
(at the Guest House Facility highest position) which I single handedly
completed by spending 2 hours. By the way this weather station was manufactured
by DYNA LABS based in Pune, India. This Weather station comes with a data
logger which can store data for 1 week only. So, on every 7th day, I
had to physically change the memory unit and download the weekly day in a
computer and send the same data to my Office in Hyderabad through email.
Internet was very slow those days. I was given a separate room with two table,
3 chairs and one desktop. The room was Air Conditioned. I became busy very soon
and started my environmental monitoring work in and around the paper mill covering
10 km radius. I had to visit 10 locations within the 10 km radius for 2 days a
week to change the filter paper of the high-volume sampler as a part of air
quality sampling for PM 10, PM 2.5, Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Oxides of
Sulphur (SOx). Slowly but steadily had to learn the local language there which
is Kiswahili (Pronounced as Swahili in English).
As days passed by, I became more
fluent with Swahili language and started speaking like any other local and
people were really impressed by this. During weekends, I had opportunity to
visit the two clubs Junior and Senior Clubs, where one can have drinks, food
and also watch television. I always preferred having soft drinks only. I still
remember, on the boxing day of 2006, I asked someone to take a picture with my
friends there in the Junior Club. I was having sprite, while few of them
preferred Beer. One can see it in the picture below.
Location and Date: Junior Club, Mgololo, Mufindi, Tanzania on 26-12-2006
Two to three months have passed like
this and had to extend my Tanzania Visa for 3 more months as the work was not
completed due to unpredictable weather.
One of the most influential
personalities in the whole Mufindi Paper Mills was Mr. Chogo who was the
Manager Operations. He was always protecting me from the local issues there. He
was also responsible for the over all security in that area. He used to advise
me regarding timings to move outside the Mill area, as after 6 pm many thugs
were moving around to loot people. At one point of time 3 to 4 people
surrounded me and started abusing me in Swahili and they dint know that I could
fluently speak Swahili. All of a sudden, I started speaking to them in a very
friendly manner in Swahili, wished them and then immediately they had shown
high respect and did not cause any inconvenience to me. This way I could save
myself from these strangers. However, I was very careful from that day onwards
while moving outside the mill area.
Almost 4 months have completed and
my work was going in full swing. I realized that all the staff in that Mill
treated me like one among them and I had no issues. Nearly after 6 months, I
had to windup everything and before doing that we had to collect water samples
from Ruaha River, and some springs near the Brook Bond tea company at the tea
escarpments. Mgololo means valley and the paper mill was exactly in the center
of the Valley. Finally on 5th April 2007, I had to return back to
India from there. It was very hard to leave those people as they were all good
friends of mine by then. However, practically speaking time has come to exit
that place and eventually I was also excited to see my parents after 6 months.
I took a flight from Dar Es Salam to Dubai and Dubai to Hyderabad. My father
again reached Begumpet Airport and received me from there. But I was really shocked
after seeing my father as he had lost a lot of body weight and had become very
lean. It seems he missed me for 6 months and that was the kind of emotional
bonding with me.
Some glimpses and take aways from TANZANIA
WORKING EXPERIENCES:
1. Swahili Language
2. Working in Harsh and Unpredictable
Climatic conditions
3. Complete manufacturing process of
Natural Sack Craft paper
4. Dealing locals with the help of
Swahili
5. Local food like Ugali (corn paste)
na (and) maharagi (Beans)
6. Mikumi National Park Experiences
7. Snakes and Monitor Lizards in the
Mill area
Ahsante Sana Rafiki Yangu. Nime Kukumbuka Saana!
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