Zanzibar Elegance

I had the honor and pleasure of joining the Ambassador's safari group for their one-day visit to Zanzibar on July 2. In the photo below, the group is waiting in the VIP airport lounge after arriving at the Zanzibar airport. When you travel with diplomats you get VIP service  :)

In the following photo I'm relaxing with Ambassador Maajar at the Zanzibar Serena hotel. Powering Potential's budget does not allow for me to stay at such fancy hotels but a Tanzanian/American member of the group who is very appreciative of Powering Potential's work offered to pay for my room so that I could stay with the group and the hotel helped out by offering the lower resident's rate.

Below is the scene being prepared for our dinner at the hotel with Second Vice-President (Zanzibar) Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi and Ministers of Zanzibar. Although Zanzibar is part of Tanzania, they have their own Ministries. It's a unique political arrangement between mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. Zanzibar is magical.

The safari group with Ambassador Maajar, Second Vice-President Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi and his wife, and other dignitaries. I'm seated on the right side. On the left side is a member of the Taarab musical group who serenaded us during dinner.

President Kikwete Accepts My Invitation

After our lunch with President Kikwete on June 30, we were taken to a State House garden and invited to have our photo taken with him and then we each formally said goodbye to him and another photo was taken. I'd like to express a special thank you to Muhidin Michuzi, the President's Assistant Press Secretary, for sending me the photos. Before the following photo was taken he referred to me as "Mama Karatu" and complimented me on the work of Powering Potential and I invited him to come and visit one of our schools.

In the photo below, he's telling me in Swahili that when he comes to Karatu he will come and visit a Powering Potential school.