From the field – Summer 2018: How resilience helps in capacity building
Zanzibar. More often than not, I lack the capacity to put into words all that I feel for this place. It is famous for its clear water and white sand beaches and picturesque views that leave you speechless. However, I believe that the people of Zanzibar are not talked about enough. There is so much I have learnt within the short period of time that I have lived here that I am simply amazed. The people of Zanzibar are the true treasure of the island.
The ability to adjust, adapt and never complain is something I yearn to learn. Be it children on the streets to families at homes or even health care workers and patients at hospitals, their ability to deal with any situation whatsoever is commendable. If a football gets punctured, or someone leaves with the ball, none of the kids let disappointment cease them from enjoining themselves. The ball is replaced with a plastic bottle and played with just as passionately. If the running water stops, no one seems to get troubled. The flow from taps is often swapped with large storage containers in order to match the needs of the family. No one complains about carrying scoops of water to the bathroom or using a bowl of stagnant water to clean the dishes. When working at labs in a hospital or dispensary, the room could be 1/4th the size of that in America, however, workers and patients flow in and out of rooms as they brush past each other with a smile on their face. The ability to mold oneself to any situation is a trait everyone should aim to possess.
This characteristic has helped the people here combat multiple issues such as lack of healthcare or education or many such needs. Their attitude is often beneficial because it helps one to push themselves to keep going despite all the road blocks. But as the common saying goes, an excess of anything is harmful. I think this mentality of accepting everything that comes their way is their strength and their weakness. It is easy to see that people have accepted their problems and made it their lifestyle. It is important for people to question themselves and their destiny in order to push away problems that have been confining them. So as I attempt to change myself and become more Zanzibari, I am adopting an attitude where I adjust and understand the lifestyle of the people I live with and in return hope to kindle within them the spirit to ask questions and demand for betterment. No one can take Zanzibar to its highest potential, than its very own Zanzibaris.
