The orange seller

Two month ago the government came and cut down many of our trees. Maybe 14 coconut trees; 4 mango trees; lemon, lime and orange trees; and 6 or 5 cashew trees. There was nothing we could do because the village leaders agreed that the government could do this so that electricity lines could be set up. We were given nothing by the government for the trees that were cut. But it will be good to have electricity.

Watu wa Mtwara [People of Mtwara]

The peanut seller

I have been selling roasted peanuts for long long time. People around here know me. I started selling roasted peanuts when I was in primary school, and continued after finishing. I am now around 42 years old. Every morning I roast a 20 liter buckets worth of peanuts. On a good day I sell four basins full. I like this work very much, and will do it until I die!

Watu wa Mtwara [People of Mtwara]

The Place Where Buses Come To Die

I moved to Mtwara, Tanzania in 2003 to co-found the NGO (Non-Governmental Organization or non-profit) ADEA (the center for African Development through Economics and the Arts). ADEA is located in Mtwara in the southeastern corner of the country on the Indian Ocean coast with the Mozambique boarder just to the south. Back then, Mtwara was known as the Wild West of Tanzania,