Growing up in Mahenge Town

Mahenge Town and the Growth of Fred

Ulanga district is among six districts of Morogoro region. The area was dominated by Germans during colonialism, hence large houses left by the Germans in the place are now used as government offices and civil servant's houses especially for the leaders. Most of the government offices are located at the centre of Mahenge where the Germans centred their activities during the colonial period; this place is now called ''Bomani''.

Apart from these places there is also another historical area in Mahenge where Missionaries were living. This place is called Kwiro and is situated a little out of Mahenge town centre. Here you will see a good church and school as well as a good compound for boarding students.

Mahenge is a rapidly developing town with few people who mostly participate in agricultural activities, hence a large part of the place seems to be farms; the major crops cultivated in Mahenge are maize and beans. The major tribe found in the place are Wapogoro, but there are also other tribes there for different activities, especially those of the government employees.

I feel very glad to have been born in a historical town of good climate like Mahenge, many places are not so nice or healthy. On the 25th June of 1987, I was born in Ulanga district hospital which is located at the centre of Mahenge town near to Bomani. After my mother gave birth to me, we went together to live in Chamange village near to Kwiro village, where my grandparents (mother's parents) lived. After one year we transferred to Mahenge town near to this village where my father worked. Normally i remained with my mother when my father was at work, so i was very close to my mother. But when my father came back I became closer to him and left mother. However the behaviour changed gradually as I grew.

I was the first born son in the family. My youngest brother was born four years after me. At the time my mother got another son I was very pleased. I remember the day, I was dancing, drumming and singing to the baby!

When I was reached 7 years old I started standard one in Mahenge primary school. At that time the school was very old and it had no doors or windows. Also, there were few books compared to now. It has become a decent school. This improvement was not only seen in the school but also in Mahenge in general, perhaps a big factor is because in that time many areas had no power.

When I was at primary level I liked best football, after school together with my friend we went far from home to play in the matches, we stayed there till the evening time when we returned back home, not only that but during the rain seasons we escaped from home and going to hunt for birds and taking mangoes from the bushes. Though our parents restricted us. Also in this time is the first i get experienced on kind of mineral which is very famous in Mahenge, called Ruby. When I reached standard six I was living with my grands parents who were transferred to ''communication village'' near to the town. Whilst I was there I liked mostly to stocking the rabbit (which I hunted with a catapulk , studying hard as well as to help my grandparents farming activities. After entering standard seven I reduced time spent playing and participated fully in studying, until I was passed to entry secondary level, where I studied day scholar. I was walking for about one and half kilometre to go to school. I often late every day and getting many punishments from school (beatings), but usually I ran away from these punishments!

The life in Kwiro was very difficult. There was a lot of hard work, many valleys to climb out of and no any transport other than my feet! The school also was oldest with few teachers and less learning equipment. Our school was located at the Mission's compound , and it called Kwiro secondary school . When I was in secondary level I loved to play basketball. I used to go to the basketball ground when I returned back to home after school hours. In fact at this time I grew up both physically and mentally. In 2004 I graduated secondary education and at the early of 2005 I started high level and at this time I was studying at coast (Minaki sec school) as the boarding scholar the biggest problem I have faced is being too far from my parents. In fact I have missed them so much and every time I talked to them by the mobile

At time when the power is came up many changes were talking place at Mahenge, many place changed and many of them were great built the good house as well as increasing of population of people in the place. The roads are not bad now compared to the previous years, but they are destroyed during the rainy season every year.

For more information on visiting Mahenge contact Wild Things