Selemani is often found mending fishing boats on the beach. I have known him him a year or so and he made me a fantastic model ngalawa – a traditional fishing boat. I had an idea of how I could help him make some easy money from tourists. They have been returning to Tanzania in great numbers and I reckoned that if he could make model canoes then I could persuade the high-end tourist shops to stock them.
I went to my favourite place to get some old dhow wood and found Sele on the beach. I explained that he could make two boats from this small chunk of wood and I would give him some small amount for them. Then I would go to the tourist shops in Slipway and see if they would be interested.
At 10am, the tourist shops were not yet open so I sat in Slipway hotel and had a coffee to wile away the time. Then the manager, who I know, came over for a chat and enquired after the little boats. I explained that I was helping a local craftsman to get some tourist money. He seemed really interested in the boats and in fact he was already looking for something similar to put sauces and condiments in on the restaurant tables.
I had struck very lucky indeed. The hotel restaurant is large and Selemani is to earn over half a million shillings for his trouble. The tourist shops “I will let my manager know” were too slow. So if you want to have one of these little boats, you will have to go to Slipway and steal one from the dining room table or ask if they have some for sale.
It’s always nice to do a favour for someone who needs a lift up – and do it without any expectation of financial reward. All the locals I have told have asked me how much I am making from the deal and are amazed when I said I was doing it as a favour. That’s what we do – we help people who we like, to improve their position. We don’t always help ourselves.