As secretary of the village committee in Ng’iresi, much of my work is advising farmers. I cannot provide financial assistance because there is no fund, but I can offer guidance. The government pays me for this role, and I also maintain my own farm.
Tourism has brought clear economic benefits. Development fees have supported schools and road repairs. They paid for classrooms, desks, chairs and a house for the teacher.
Adults once paid a village tax for every shared improvement; now tourism income covers part of that responsibility for the whole community.
The women’s group also benefits. Money earned by cooking for tourists is shared among different families.
Visitor clothing influences children, and parents should guide them. A tourist may wear tight clothes or shorts according to her own culture, but local girls are expected to follow village norms. I suspect some change clothes on the way to town, though I cannot say for certain.
We have had no serious problems with tourists travelling with guides, which is almost everyone. Independent visitors might cause misunderstandings if nobody explains local expectations.
Women still wear traditional clothing. Men stopped doing so before tourism arrived because people in Arusha laughed at them. Today, men dress traditionally mainly at home or for celebrations.
Not every cultural change comes from tourists; sometimes people abandon tradition because fellow Tanzanians teach them to feel embarrassed by it.
Boys and girls attend primary and secondary school, and some continue with short courses in Arusha. I expect more women to enter office work, provided they continue supporting their families after moving away.
I would like tourists to keep coming. The benefits are visible, and I thank those whose fees have helped us develop. I do not think visitor numbers will become excessive soon.
Tourism replaced a tax with income the village chose to welcome, showing how visitors can support development when benefits are shared and community rules remain clear.