Althea wearing a kanga given to her by IBC villagersThe docs, Stephen, Caroline and I, plus Fr Baruti, headed for Tanga on 5 Feb. An hour down the mountain, through the really beautiful trees. Hanging on in the back of the Land Rover - we were wedged in, so it was easier! Bumps are familiar now, and I brace myself against them. At the moment there is a lot of work going on to improve the road - grading and filling in the sides, generally it is hugely better than it was three years ago. Part of the drive, the last part up towards Amani, is in the Nature Reserve, and every vehicle entering and leaving is logged - don't know why! Long ago there was a rail link as far as Sigy; now the old Station House is a rest house and café. On to the tarmac and another hour to Tanga. I like Tanga as a town/city (it has a cathedral - RC), but not the climate - hot and exceedingly humid.

0900 Friday, 6 Feb, found us at the Bishop's house, next to the sea. Bishop Banzi is very supportive of Tukae, and it was good to meet him again, and for the docs to meet him too. Another breakfast there - everywhere, no matter how poor, people feed visitors.

Then on, late, to Tuomani Hospital which Fr Baruti built for the Diocese maybe 10 years ago. The nun in charge now, Sr Flora, is a very competent woman and has improved the way the hospital is run from when I saw it three years ago. As always, the main problem is funding, so their lab equipment is in need of servicing or replacement and there is a limit to what they can do. But it was clean and airy, quiet and efficient. The docs were able to ask all sorts of questions and, as the staff speak English, they also got useful answers.

Children's ward, Dr Azim's HospitalLunch then in an Indian restaurant, and a meeting with Mark, who runs a First Aid Box for Villages project. This entails providing a container with drugs to treat six or seven specific conditions, (including malaria) and a trained first aider who can make a diagnosis based on check lists of symptoms. Every six weeks all the workers have to return to the base in Tanga with full reports of numbers of patients seen and what drugs have been given - Mark has set up a pretty good paper system of checks and double checks. The workers are interviewed by a trained nurse and everything is followed up as thoroughly as possible. If there are discrepancies these are checked too. It's a first port of call for sick people; if they aren't better then they will go to the nearest Health Post. As always, they have to pay for drugs. An interesting scheme funded by business people in the UK.

Then, in a state of some fatigue, we had time for a little shopping and business, including, in my case, using the Internet. Late meal at the Sailing Club and a chance to relax. We met up with the teacher volunteers, who had travelled down by bus from Amani, starting at 0500 that morning. They wanted to swim and shop; it's perfectly safe for volunteers to travel like this, and it was good to see that these three were eager to do so and to make the most of their two days in Tanga.

Saturday morning, 7 Feb, we visited a hospital built and run by Dr Azim, who did his medical training in London. This is the hospital to which our staff and volunteers would go if need be - clean, efficient and run on Western lines. It is under-used because he cannot get trained staff of high enough calibre to work there. He trains all his own nurses to the standard he requires, and that has made a big difference to the service he offers. This is the hospital to which wazungu (foreigners) go, as well as local people. He charges very modest rates and provides all the food for inpatients - very unusual, as patients in developing countries usually have to be fed by their families, which can't be good for hygiene or overcrowding. He has all the equipment one could possibly expect and a beautiful operating theatre. Dr Azim is an optimist and we hope to work more closely with him. It seemed very clear to us that work there and up in our rural area would provide a wonderful opportunity for newly qualified doctors to get real hands on experience - if you know anyone who would be interested, please get them to contact me!! Again the docs were able to get a lot of information and we finally got hold of a copy of the documentation about setting up a dispensary - the local district wants us to do that at Emau Hill, but the regulations are lengthy and complex and we had not previously been able to access them.

Dr Azim's Hospital Late back to Emau Hill; we finally ate lunch at 1600 hrs.... I had to go and say goodbye to my sewing girls; they gave me a kanga and Fr Baruti translated both ways thanks and appreciation. I had small gifts for them too, head scarves and bracelets I had made - I never travel without some craft work to occupy my hands. I was sad to be leaving them, but so pleased with what they have done.

Also had to collect a toy truck/lorry made for me by Mzee Abedi's son. The children here don't have toys unless they make them, and boys do make wheeled vehicles of all kinds. And Jango Fua had made me a hat, at my request - he spends spare time plaiting leaves to make strips of ukili, which then can be joined to make bags or hats.

Sadly, Sunday morning I had to leave, saying goodbye to the people I know so well and the place I love so much. But I will go back, and in the meantime I have a lot of work to do in the UK to raise money for all our projects and just to run the whole thing; to raise awareness and interest wherever I can and to increase the growing number of people who support us so generously. It's a good project and I am proud to be part of it.