The Nyamwezi have known both greatness and vulnerability – from a glorious past to modern-day struggles. Today, Mission Aviation Fellowship is bringing new hope to this people group by restoring sight and empowering lives.
MAF Communications Officer Annet Nabbanja was there to witness this transformation. This is her story.
In Tanzania’s Tabora region, I embarked on a journey that would forever change my perception of the Nyamwezi people.
The name ‘Nyamwezi’ literally means ‘people of the moon’, originating from the people group’s ancestral migration from the west, the direction of the moon.
During my schooling in Uganda, I had studied the Nyamwezi people’s significant contribution to the caravan trade, their powerful chiefdoms, and legendary leaders like Mirambo and Nyungu ya Mawe.
In the 19th century, they became central figures in the East African caravan trade, serving as skilled porters, traders, and organisers of large caravans that moved ivory, copper, and slaves between the interior and coastal cities like Zanzibar. Their strategic location along key trade routes allowed them to build wealth and influence, giving rise to powerful leaders, and eventually playing an important part in fighting colonial rule.
However, the situation I found in Tabora was not what I expected.
Since they were a powerful chiefdom, I was struck to find that all their past glory was now buried in a lack of even basic healthcare. I was shocked to discover that the entire Tabora region, including the regional hospital, lacks a single eye surgeon.
Witnessing eye surgeries being performed on patients, many of whom were struggling with blindness, I kept thinking to myself: “Nyamwezi blind? No!”
MAF flights made these surgeries possible: bringing sight to these people of the moon. Dr Erick Msigomba wouldn’t have managed to transport his delicate equipment from Njombe to Tabora by car.
Dr Msigomba and his team worked tirelessly to ensure that the patients didn’t stay longer than necessary. Some of them couldn’t afford a meal while they waited for surgery. They waited until late in the night, sometimes until 10:00 pm, yet they remained composed. Help had come to them, and they were willing to wait for it.
What inspired me most, however, were the powerful stories of restoration I witnessed.
Rozalia Masanja Mayunga was one of sixty who received sight-restoring surgeries. The day after her operation, her bandage was removed. Rozalia was very happy and grateful to see again.
“Nimeona. Lakini Mungu Mkubwa,” she said, meaning ‘I have seen. But God is great’.
I am thankful and I pray that MAF will continue to support the region, bringing help, hope and healing to the Nyamwezi people.
In that moment, I have never been so grateful for my sight.
I met other people who had travelled far, seeking treatment for their blindness. Their requests were simple.
“I want to go back to my shamba (farm) and work. I want to cook for myself, clean for myself,” they would say.
These individuals weren’t asking for much – just the chance to regain their sight and return to their daily lives.
In the end, I realised that greatness isn’t about conquest or power. For the Nyamwezi people, greatness can be restored in the simplest of ways, like restoring sight to those who have lost it. These small acts of kindness and compassion can transform lives, enabling individuals to return to their farms, care for their families, and live with dignity.
The Nyamwezi people don’t need to conquer others to prove their greatness, they just need opportunities to thrive, and that’s exactly what MAF is providing.
I am thankful and I pray that MAF will continue to support the region, bringing help, hope and healing to the Nyamwezi people.
And I can’t help but imagine that those who received eye-restoring surgeries can now appreciate the beauty of the sunset over Tabora as they enjoy roasted maize and mishikaki (grilled meat skewers).