Fuel Station update
Posted by admin | Filed under News
Tim and I visited the fuel station in Tanzania last fall and were so happy with what we saw. Everything was in order, including the meticulous bookkeeping showing clear profits. The small store stocked with snacks was doing good business and vehicles were pulling off the highway into the station grounds. Some were buying gas. Some were just letting tourists off to use the modern bathrooms. We were not happy about the freeloaders because during the dry seasons, the station has to buy and truck in water for the bathrooms to function which is a drain on the profits.
Hmmm what to do about the bathroom situation? I thought a light thump on the head would wake some tour guides up. In the end, Rose and Wilson set up a donation box asking for people to share the cost of buying water. African wisdom wins the day!
Other more serious challenges have been a flood that caused a lot of damage, a delivery truck that siphoned off some of the gas before delivery, and meeting some requirements the government had not previously disclosed. Wilson and Rose have faced it all and were able to overcome and continue on.
The station is making a profit – enough to cover the cost of one teacher salary. Currently, with our blessing, the profits are being used to help buy food during this worldwide food crisis.