GOBA PEOPLE VILLAGE

The owners of RZL help support a very poor African village about an hour upstream from RZL. What a contrast from RZl ,and it makes me very sad, but some traditions are VERY hard to change. We also brought school supplies to the school, and got to spend a couple hours walking around the village and asking questions. Most of us also bought crafts that were made by the women and donated generously to their quest to get a new water pump. We left the RZL well before 6 am, and by 9 am, the temp was 100F in the village. Gifts are NOT given, because they do want the kids to associate visitors with gifts or candy. The problems in these tribal villages are numerous, and we all know that over population, lack of resources, lack of water,AIDS, heavy alcohol use among the men, disease and low life expectancy are just the tip of an iceberg as things that need to be addressed. But, the little kids just LOVED having their pictures taken and seeing them back on a digital camera. Magic!and lots of laughter. They loved Steve because he was so big, tall, white, and had size 14 shoes! He always had at least 3 or 4 boys hanging on to his hands, and comparing their little bare feet with his big feet. The village has put in a couple toilets for "visitors" because they are hoping more people will come and learn about them and thereby help them. But, I did notice, they didn't flush yet. The RZL has employed a few of young men as river guides, and game trackers. It was the 26th birthday of our boat driver, Bbsakasa, and that was his village. Some of the women showed us a traditional dance, and he got up and really worked it with them! I really enjoyed this visit, and will just post some random pictures taken there. The sign is on the local beer joint, and I
Still cannot figure it out. I asked a young man with me(16yrs) how old one has to be to drink, and he said 18, but anyone one younger just as to go in back of the hut, and they can also drink.