It has been another hectic few weeks in Ngara. Last week I went for a homestay in Nyakiziba village about half an hour from where I’m currently living. I was staying in a mud house with one of our artisans nearby a new production centre (you may remember when we had the opening just after I arrived). The artisans were wonderful and made me feel so at home. I went work with them on some new designs for WomenCraft, begin to teach design awareness and also to learn lots from them about their lives, the difficulties they face and how weaving for us helps them. I learnt so much, now I know how to effectively hand-wash clothes, cook savoury bananas on a wood fire, prepare vegetables from the region, how to wash a bucket and much more about conducting yourself in an rural African community.

  The mama I stayed with was called Mama Editha.

She is a widow and looks after four local children. I had my own room, though the ceiling was lined with drying maize!

  The language barrier was a real challenge but it meant that I had to use Kiswahili more frequently which has certainly helped me to improve. I also learnt a little more Kihangaza which is the regional language. I did have an interpreter for some of my design lessons which was helpful as otherwise we would have been there all day trying to understand each other. I taught them how to mix a colour wheel from the primary colours, what complimentary colours are, how to put together a colour palette, to draw various shapes and then to use this new knowledge to draw new basket designs.

Here’s a picture of mama Editha drawing some new basket designs.

As well as design I also taught the artisans how to make a mud stove and purify water using Moringa seeds. Moringa is a tree nicknamed the ‘miracle tree’ because it has so many wonderful properties for health; the leaves can even be eaten to combat malnutrition. Obviously I had to learn to do these things first – which is why the week before I left was jam-packed with preparations.

  It is a messy job making the mud stove as you have to mix mud, manure, water and straw together with your hands, form the mixture into balls and mould it around the three cooking stones.

Here's a picture of the artisans with the mud balls ready to start making!

They were very happy to learn to make it as it saves on firewood. Just by having this stove instead of the open stove you half the amount of firewood required to cook a meal.

This is the final result, they’ll have to wait two weeks for it to dry and be ready to use.

 I had to eat so much food whilst I was there because it is tradition to feed your guests, even if they visit when it’s not a meal time. It is considered rude if a guest doesn’t eat what they are served. One day I was taken to visit lots of different artisan’s houses and I ended up eating two breakfasts and five lunches. That’s a total of seven meals in one day! I have never been so full in my whole life, walking became very difficult.

  I really enjoyed my stay in the village, but felt it was very short. I would like to stay longer next time to become less like a guest and have more time to work together with the artisans on new designs.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon, only two weeks until I return now. I can’t believe how quickly time has gone.