MY MOTHER CHRISTINA THE TEACHER

 My grandmother Costanzia Bitifundi Ibrahim whose traditional name was Mbeve got married to  Anania Kaberege whose traditional name wa Sasimalenga. Sasimalenga was a tough guy, who stood no nonsense, he would wake his children up two hours before sunrise  even if it was raining and with a hoe on his shoulder lead the whole family to the fields to hoe. One of his sons Benedict inherited his father's character and his children have never forgiven him. Mbeve and Sasimalenga got married and went on to get ten children. Four of the children died at an early age. Those who survived into adult hood were Karola, Maria who died in her teens, Christina  my mother, Benedict, Clemence also known as Hamza and Thadei. All the children were sent to Tosamaganga to start school and all went and got a good education by then, except my aunt Karola who decided to quit school early to get married to a soldier of The King's African Rifles (KAR) Joseph Nyemba. These soldiers were famously known then as 'askari kea', and they had monthly salaries so they were looked upon as quite affluent.

My mother Christina Kaberege was born on 29th November 1929 in Tosamaganga, she got all her education at Canon Camisasa Girls School in Tosamaganga. She completed standard eight and opted for teaching profession and completed a qualified Grade II teacher, adept in Domestic Science subjects.

Christina Kaberege displaying her work after graduating as a Grade II teacher

After finishing her course, for three years she  taught at the same school she had been a student.  Some of her school mates included, Thabita Siwale, Maria Kam, Mrs Hans Poppe, the late Zacharia Hans Poppe's mother, women who left their mark in the history of this country. 
And also Christina had a friend in the school, she was Isabela Kitime, Francis Kitime's sister. They also all came from the same village, Msombwe. Isabela introduced Christina to Francis. 

NSU 350  motor cycle

In a letter to his father in July 1953, Francis told his father that he would be going to Tosamaganga to see a girl his sister had told him about. At the time he was already owning a motorcyle, a big black German NSU 350cc. And with that motorcycle he travelled from Njombe to Tosamaganga and saw my mother for the first time.