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| In the middle A poet from Poetry255 during WoChiPoDa 2018 inside 'Ujasiri Hostel in Muhimbili Hosp DSM' the kids are patients living at the hospital. Photo by Liyen Alex @photo_matics -Instagram |
He quickly moves close to you not wary of
strangers, his big ebony eyes invite a warm smile from your lips. He is meeting the world gaily expecting favour from adults present. As he continues to
edge closer you squat down meet his gaze. say hello, welcoming a chat with this warm three year old you just met.
Footprints of various poets wafted to the
Ujasiri hostel inside the Muhimbili National Hospital grounds in Dar es Salaam,
on a warm Saturday morning. So as to celebrate WoChiPoDa-World Children’s
Poetry Day.
The three year old above named Kisa is among
various children housed at this hostel; who are afflicted with Cancer and undergoing
treatment to free them of the disease. Yet Kisa like many of his mates’ present,
show little signs in their demeanour in being any different from other healthy
kids.
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| Kids in Munich earlier this month celebrate poetry hosted by Diana Mac Omolo-photo courtesy of Gloria Gonslaves |
“World
Children’s Poetry Day WoChiPoDa wasn’t something I considered or mulled over. The idea occurred to me on the Sunday of May 25th in 2014 during a
walk in the Fairy Tale Forest of Altenberg, Germany...it is important for
children to learn and experience poetry in a fun way other than school
curriculum s or what is written for them by adults.” Gloria D. Gonsalves a
native Tanzanian living in Germany explains on how she registered the first
Saturday of October, as world children’s poetry day. It is her efforts that inspired
several poets including myself led by poet Zuhura Seng’enge to visit Ujasiri hostel earlier this month.
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| Poet Rehema Kawambwa celebrates WoChiPoDa with her students in Kisarawe, Tanzania photo by Gloria Gonslaves |
Ujasiri hostel was built in 2013 by
TLM-Tumaini la Maisha an NGO operating in Tanzania. Ujasiri houses out of post
children cancer patients and their guardians, who require long or critical care
treatments. TLM was established in 2011 following initiatives by the Ministry
of Health and Social Welfare in Tanzania and the huge support of donor funding
from within and outside the country. Its patron is the Hon former president Ali
Hassan Mwinyi.
Here efforts by Dr Jane Kaijage (she ran the
first children cancer ward at Ocean Road Cancer Institute), International Network
for Cancer Treatment and Research, Children in Crossfire, Rotary Dar Marathon,
Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, the Abbott Fund, Resolute Mining,
Karimjee Foundation and private donations; have ensured TLM has made
significant milestones in the fight against cancer for children in the country.
Whereas before it was established of the
expected annual 3500 cases of paediatric cancer in the country, survival rate stood
at 12% compared to 85% in developed countries. Today TLM is happy to report the
figures have improved to 60% annually. “Cancers found in children are largely
curable especially when cases are reported early...” Alex Kaijage Marketing
Manager TLM, source https://www.ucd.ie/t4cms/TLM%20PDF.pdf
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| A group photo of the WoChiPoDa celebrating crew in DSM earlier this month at Ujasiri Hostel in Muhimbili Hospital |
The resilience of the kids at Ujasiri was infectious,
here Gospo a 6 year old from Kagera made me pause with admiration. Suffering poor
vision a result of cancer, he was adept at using his hearing exceptionally
well, catching the exact tone of your voice and responding with intelligence
and enthusiasm as you spoke with him. He took pencil to paper though he didn’t
see what he was drawing and always tucked his drawings in square sheets that
fit into his pocket, so he could later show his dad.
Through the efforts of Gloria Gonslaves on
this day Gospo, Kisa, Winner, Miriam and many more kids at Ujasiri, got to
enjoy art and poetry. Supplemented by breakfast and a big cake specially made
for them that read ‘poems are fun’. Indeed on this day poetry was a whole lot
of fun, as the kids got into two teams’ one representing sunshine and the other
rain. Both had to compose lines of poetry using a doodling and visual
brainstorming method. The result was some amazing artworks and surprisingly
articulate lines of poetry from a few of the kids present.
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| Adults are lady Zuhura Seng'enge and the Teacher at Ujasiri Hostel Here the kids have just received presents to celebrate the WoChiPoDa day |
Gloria also on this day had three other
celebrations taking place in different regions; students in Munich led by Diana
Mac Omolo celebrated Wochipoda. Where in Tanzania also in Moshi students led by
Eric Ndumbaro and students in the district of Kisarawe in Pwani region led by
Rehema Kawambwa got to celebrate World Children Poetry Day.
“Yes, I
have sponsored all the events to date. You can imagine as the initiative grows,
this self-funding approach will be unrealistic...This year my funding reason
was to give thanks for being a mother after many attempts (Gloria is a
survivor of Adenomyosis http://www.doktorsea.com/tag/auntie-glo/).
These events were my baby shower a
‘welcoming the baby’ party thanksgiving.” Gloria adds on how she has kept
this movement alive, you can support this initiative that gives visible tools
of self expression for children by visiting wochipoda.com
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