Aggie

With a beautiful smile and an infectious spirit, Aggie is one of the most popular fws employees.

Aggie, Simon (Askari) and fellow housekeeper Maswai

Aggie is a 24-year-old single mother to 5-year-old Nelson (you can probably work out who he's named after). Nellie attends the Kesho Leo chekechea, where all fws employees' children receive free pre-primary education.

Like anywhere, being a single mama is tough, but in Sinoni it's particularly hard. Re-marriage prospects are pretty much zero and employment opportunities not much better. And being in Tanzania, there's no welfare system; other than the generosity of neighbours. Most single mothers have little choice but to go back to their family home, or even worse, return to their loveless and/or abusive marriage. But not Aggie.

Unlike any of the many other single women I've met here, Aggie had the courage to leave her husband on her own free will. It is a testiment to her inner strength. While she applied to be a House Mama at Kesho Leo, fws thought that with her excellent English she wasn't as needy as some of the other mamas. Instead, fws offered her the job of cooking lunches for the volunteers during the week (the volunteers chip in a bit every week to pay for it). I think the volunteers at the time just wanted to have Aggie around as much as possible! - she has a wonderful sense of humour and a laugh that will warm your heart.

A few months ago, Sarah decided that Aggie's English was underutilised at the Vollage and suggested that she help teach the House Mamas' weekly English class. She quickly jumped at the opportunity, proving herself more than capable. Since then, we've gradually given her more and more responsibility. Next came teaching the weekly community adult English classes, where anyone from the area is welcome to participate for free. Now she helps out with after school tuition and translation wherever required as well. And she's taken to it with the natural ability and inner strength she's always had.

Recently, fws was able to formalise her new role with a small pay increase and a better title. She still works one morning a week in the Volunteer Village - we weren't going to give her up that easily! - but her afternoons are now full of educational responsibilities. Now she wants to finish her schooling, having only been able to complete Level 7 as a girl. We hope to support her to do so down the track.

And with the increased wage, Aggie has been been able to secure a small loan to finish building the small, two room house she has been saving up for for ages (she currently rents one tiny room in someone else's house). Works are in progress and she hopes to move in by 2011.

Aggie and Nelson at their half-finished house

Aggie's sister was recently dumped by her husband (we suspect for another woman), leaving behind a handful of clothes and two children under the age of 6. That's it. No money, no job and no place to live. She doesn't really have anywhere to go ... until Aggie's house is finished.