Ilula Nursing School

Sue and I have not hired a car except for the day we went to Kising'a so we took a bus to Ilula to see Dr Saga and the Nursing School.  The bus to Ilula is a nice coaster and a ticket costs 1,500 shillings or about 75 cents. The bus leaves when it is almost full and picks up more on the way. People also load it with goods purchased in town or things like bags of maize that they are bringing to Iringa to sell.  We were sitting in front and I helped pull an older gentleman into the bus who was unable to put weight on his leg.  He sat in front of us and handed me his phone and a voucher card so I could enter the code to add credit to his phone (I think this was difficult for him because of poor eyesight).  Before we left, a young girl, a secondary student, was carried onto the bus unable to walk.  Both got off the bus before we got to Ilula and the girl was put on a motorcycle to take her home.  They probably were returning home after coming to Iringa Hospital.  Happy, a nurse at Ilula who has worked there for 4 years, was sitting next to us on the bus and helped us know where to get off.

Sue with nurse Happy, her personality matches her name.

We had a nice breakfast with Dr Saga at his home.  Dr Saga is retired now and recovering from a very bad accident and is doing well.  His new wife, Anita, prepared chapati, eggs, and milk tea for us and we had a nice visit before going to the school.  He is still using a computer we left with him in 2010 and I helped him with the internet so he could send some emails.  He was unconscious for several days after the accident and he was very pleased to have remembered his email password.

Dr Saga in front of his lovely home.

 We toured the Nursing School and the facility is very nice.  Anifa is a teacher who was acting principal that day and took us around.  She said she did inspections of 5 nursing schools for the government and the Ilula Nursing School has the best learning environment.  The dorms and dining hall are bright and clean and they have a computer lab with 5 computers and a nice library.

Dining Hall at the Nursing School

Part of the Nursing School Library

 The school received some books from a Books for Africa shipment that went to the University.  Books for Africa is based in St Paul and sends millions of donated books to Africa in large shipping containers.  Many books from this shipment were added to the library but many were also deemed not usable for them and were left in boxes.  For example, I picked up one 600 page volume  from the box on Testicular Cancer dated from 1984. Shoulder to Shoulder has also sent books more carefully selected for the library and they have a very nice collection now.

Left over books from Books for Africa.

 A group of Nursing students from Concordia Moorhead had visited the school and brought materials for their training room.  A previous group brought the patient in the photo by bringing body parts in their carry-ons.  Not sure what customs must have thought in Tanzania.  Sue noted a list of a few things still needed.

Patient Model in training room.

Training room with Anifa, who is a teacher for midwifery who came from Ilembula Nursing School.

 Kari Hurley took nice portrait photos last year of each of the 13 nursing students and we brought the framed photos that people might have seen at the Shoulder to Shoulder fundraiser.  Each student got their framed photo with 3 smaller photos and an extra set of small photos was given to the school.  The students were very pleased to receive the photos and I imagine some of them might go to their families back home.

Nursing students with their framed photos we delivered for Kari Hurley.

 The hospital is a ways a way from the main bus stand and we took a three wheeled bajaji from the hospital.  There are a bunch of them running between the hospital and town and a ride costs 500 shillings (25 cents).  We even picked up two extra passengers on the way plus a pail of something going to market.  When we got back to Iringa, we met with Tuli and Rita for coffee.  They were attending a seminar and going to head back to Ilula the way we came.  They both are a lot of fun and I know the medical groups that come in January really enjoy working with them.  I bought a couple cinnamon rolls, thinking they would go well with coffee, but they were reluctant to try them because they thought the frosting looked like cheese.

Sue getting on a bajaji to take us to the main bus stop.

Back in Iringa we met with Tuli (on right) and Rita for coffee.  Both are faculty at the Nursing School.