The plan was for a Saturday delivery with distribution starting on Monday.  Through the generous support of a New Jersey donor, the youths of The Village Angels of Tanzania were given a golden opportunity:  sew 2500 facial masks and deliver them in three weeks to Mwanza, (a city about four hours away from our headquarters) for a local COVID-19 educational outreach initiative. Our program would receive a $1000 donation. 

Sister Dativa hastily purchased the fabric and necessary supplies, and the youths measured, cut and sewed the masks.  2500 masks require a lot of time and seamless teamwork!  The youths achieved their goal but, alas! not until Saturday evening.  Two veteran youths, Kisuka and Saul, rushed to meet the bus-courier that would deliver their precious parcel to Jackson Nzemya, their contact person in Mwanza. 

They started the motorcycle ride to Rulenge, a town 27 hazardous miles away.  Unfortunately, the boys were blinded by an oncoming truck and fell off their motorcycle.  They were injured, as was the motorcycle, but Kisuka and Saul phoned two other youths to find them on the road, pick up the parcel and deliver it to Sister Dativa in Rulenge.  Because of clear thinking and strong collaboration, the masks were on the 5 AM Sunday bus to Mwanza and Jackson received them on time Monday morning!

Our New Jersey benefactor, Sister Dativa, our youths, especially Kisuka, Saul, Faustin, Muganyizi, and Jackson Nzemya (he works with the nonprofit organization Africa School Assistance Project): more names to add to the long list of COVID-19 heroes!