I begin by saying that Tanzania seems to be opening to change. There are some very real </span>challenges<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> to the much needed development of infra structure both social and economic that would in turn contribute to an increased </span>development<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> in health care. Infra structure projects have spent a lot of money for management and development. Tanzania like other countries has been developing</span>, attracting<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> many donors to establish expand and manage a variety of infrastructure projects ranging from road and airport construction, water and electricity supplies and ports however the country is faced with some challenges which include a lack of transparency in the infrastructure projects , corruption, high dependance on donor funds and poor management of the projects as well as a lack of human capital to supervise the projects. There are however some optimistic indications. </span><span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”>See “Infrastructure Projects in Tanzania, Obstacles and Challenges to improve Infrastructure”, by Irene Joshua</span><span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> </span><span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”><a href=”
https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/2363-6262-2020-3-473.pdf?download_full_pdf=1″>https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/2363-6262-2020-3-473.pdf?download_full_pdf=1</a></span>
<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”>The elimination of blindness and development of infra structure related to eye care services required to address that, is inseparable from the greater social and economic development of infrastructure. The Rukwa area of Tanzania is </span><span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”>in turn a lesser developed region of the country. </span>
<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”>There is a large religious segment of </span>the population<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> here, the Christian religion seeming to be in the majority influence; as well, there exists a substantial Islamic and a more secular population. Despite the diversity there is a relative equanimity between religions. As far as the medical system goes the Catholic influence is often plays a big role in the creation </span>of<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> services. It seems to me that in general the religious focus seems to lean towards </span>an<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> emphasis on belief, theology and in some situations a hyper moralism; following of authority and strong collective norms. We visited a Benedictine monastery in Subawanga and it seemed to be of a similar orientation with an absence of the kind of </span>openness<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> of process that western institutions can bring to exploring metaphysics/life in a personal intimate way. </span>
<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”>I suspect the presence of precolonial beliefs, values, ideals, biases and norms to be </span>a<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> deeply conditioned almost unconscious influence on thinking, interpersonal relations, family and culture. These naturally seem to be factors not always easily measured or articulated. The Christian institutions here can not be understood without realizing the influences of the culture and traditional spiritual </span>practices<span style=”color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-decoration: none; display: inline !important; float: none”> that preceded it. Religion as well serves as a base and means of support for coping in a focused on survival.
leaning towards fundamental and evangelical ways short of a personal process of reflection and development also influences a political decision making system, still emerging are partly a product of a reaction to colonial abuses and a desire to bring a national identity outside of those influences.
This all in general does not necessarily allow for a flourishing of a creative incentive, abstract processing and problem solving. Added to this is a general apprehension of western intentions. All this can contribute to a system of appointees arising out of privilege, patronage, religion and nepotistic influences. All these being factors in influencing relevant leadership and other positions in institutions.
There is bit of a dilemma in bringing our western methods, values and ideals to our efforts to transform a society that we perceive to be impoverished and undeveloped. Consideration of the history and cultural differences that exist and that have influenced African society is essential if we are to have any kind of helpful impact. The west has its own unique history of development, creativity that have contributed to a unique cognitive response. The methods and science that we have come to rely on and that have influenced our institutions have been a part of an ongoing, synchronistic step by step development and realization. Our individual education and cognitive functioning has been in sync with that. This is not necessarily the case with most African and to some degree Asian countries. They have not undergone a the same process if developmental that the West has which has occurred over a period of To expect that they will learn, behave and function as we do in the west is naive and only promotes confusion when enforced. It seems to me that an awareness of our own intentions and perceptions and these substantial differences is essential . The goal should not be to impose our western vision but to help Tanzanians to become more invested in being creatively involved which includes the necessity of empowerment in taking ownership and helping to foster a sense of responsibility for what arises from interactions with western teachers
Understanding differences is essential . The goal should not be to impose our western vision but to help Tanzanians to become more invested in being creatively involved which includes the necessity of empowerment in taking ownership and responsibility for what arises from interactions with western teachers.