Angelika Hartmann is very enthusiastic: "This was my fifth time in Nyangao - it was like coming home and meeting old friends!". Full of enthusiasm, she talks about the endless joy with which she, UllaMariam Hoffmann and Ms. Barbara Theissen(we reported) were received during their last assignment at our partner hospital St. Walburg’s Hospital "The people look after you and you can tell that they are happy to see us again. You become part of the community and it's almost becoming a bit normal to be here," she explains. In the evenings, over a beer after work, people ask how her family is doing, and it's very easy to strike up a conversation. Despite the different cultures, there is always a good way to work together.

Thanks to her regular return to the region, the trained specialist nurse for hygiene - like UllaMariam Hoffmann - already has a good network and many friends in Tanzania. Over the years, she has built up close contacts with the local people and is able to gain a deeper insight into the customs and traditions of the local population. Conversely, the hospital staff have built up a strong trust in the two German women, accept their advice and try to put it into practice.

Ms. Hartmann and Ms. Hoffmann are both part of the hygiene team at Artemed Stiftung and meet regularly with their Tanzanian colleagues for video conferences to exchange ideas. "It's great to see on site how people accept our input and then adapt and implement it to their everyday lives and the conditions in the hospital." The experienced hygiene expert Hartmann is well aware that many things that look simple here in Germany can be extremely time-consuming and complex to implement in Tanzania. She is all the more pleased about the positive development, which encourages her to continue the online meetings together with her colleague.

Ms. Hartmann and Ms. Hoffmann are both part of the hygiene team at Artemed Stiftung and meet regularly with their Tanzanian colleagues for video conferences to exchange ideas. "It's great to see on site how people accept our input and then adapt and implement it to their everyday lives and the conditions in the hospital." The experienced hygiene expert Hartmann is well aware that many things that look simple here in Germany can be extremely time-consuming and complex to implement in Tanzania. She is all the more pleased about the positive development, which encourages her to continue the online meetings together with her colleague.

In addition to hygiene, Sr. UllaMariam Hoffmann also provided support in other important areas during her assignment this year: For example, the senior physician for palliative medicine at Benedictus Hospital Tutzing held training sessions for the new palliative team at St. Walburg's Hospital and helped with the use of the newly donated ventilator.

Although Ms. Hartmann has been to the region several times now, there were two new highlights for her during this visit: Firstly, she traveled by public bus for the first time. A very special experience! "I was glad that the floor of the bus didn't crash out from under me," she laughs. She was also able to accompany the Community Health Officer Geni Mabelya to the workshops in the surrounding villages. She was surprised by the high level of participation - including from men and important village leaders. Although the five- to six-hour events were all held in Swahili, she was able to make one or two observations: "Up to now, I've only ever dealt with well-educated women in hospital. Here in the countryside, you realize that there is still a lot of work to be done to raise awareness!" As she is also very politically active in her home country and campaigns for women's rights, among other things, this observation was of course particularly exciting for her. She is also delighted about the new use of our rocket stoves(we reported). "I think it's great that the foundation is now also doing something for climate change." And she also really likes the beekeeping project(we reported), which she has now been able to see 'live'.

She concludes by saying that she comes home after every assignment completely exhausted and always asks herself why she is actually doing this in her free time - but barely five weeks go by and she is already planning her next trip to visit her friends in Tanzania.