photo-less post

I don’t usually watch the news at home ;in fact I haven’t had cable for 3 years. So it has been a bit weird having multiple channels, but I’ve spent 95% of the time with various middle eastern or European news outlets streaming. This is mostly because all the other channels are super fuzzy and these are clearest … WELP. I have to admit that these outlets do a great job at focusing on news that is happening globally. Specifically … excuse my ignorance… but I have been ill-informed of the magnitude of the migrant crisis (but we’re groWing). Everyday ships are sailing with hundreds of humans seeking a better life. I don’t have much to say because actions speak louder than words. But if you find yourself not knowing much on what is happening, why it’s happening, and how these humans are being received GLOBALLY then read up on it and let that drive [your] action. I can’t tell you how to act [or to act at all really …] but read up and get back to me.

Anywaaaayyyys.

We completed the proposal along with the budget and sent everything off (pictured).

I told myself I would never put a sticker on my computer, but the one sticker I have says “Education changes the world”.  In my opinion, quality education is the most important Sustainable Development Goal … hear me out! Education is at the base of every other SDG. . Want to increase childhood health outcomes? Educate mothers. Want to improve economy and decent work? Provide hands-on education. Want to increase community development? Improve education accessibility. Education is so deeply embedded into every other aspect of sustainable development, it’s beautiful. And what do you do if you want a longstanding building? You make sure that the  foundation is solid, so we should go beyond formal education when improving education quality. With that being said, Liana and I are working with the education program at the centre. I’m assisting with biology and Liana with geography.  It’s been really cool to apply the skills I’ve learned tutoring students in Canada with my students here in Mwanza. I was a bit worried about comprehension and such, but the students are doing really great! My recent experience in the classroom has shown me some of the strengths and weaknesses in standardized learning  and the limitations that educators and students have in optimizing their educational experience #BRAINSTORMING. Our next project is to do an evaluation of the business and entrepreneurship program by visiting each young person who has launched a venture of their own and writing a report on the results.

My next blog post will be about menstrual hygiene and the training session we held.  So stay tuned. (there will also be another one before that one of ONLY pictures yay)

Honourable Mentions

• Bernard Makachia, the executive director of EBLI for being awesome
• The sun for looking so much better here *shrug*
• My hair for acting right
• EBLI for having so many cool programs and opening it’s arms to us
• My data because I really can’t be using it post a whole bunch of photos so i hope you enjoy my words until i get wifi ahah.

Advertisement

i won’t be mad if you skip to the photos

It’s been about 3 weeks here and I have to admit that Mwanza is growing on me. If you were to ask me my favourite thing about being here I would say the people. I’m so grateful to have become acquainted with such lovely, brilliant, and friendly humans. Shoutout to Liana, Kajan, Innocent Sr & Jr, George, Amani, Saidi, Cynthia, Biggie, … the list goes on, for bringing so much joy and depth to my experience thus far.

anywaaaayyyyyyys …

We attended the EBLI graduation (see photos)

We’ve been working on a proposal to introduce biochar system technology as a social enterprise in Mwanza.  Specifically to make it a form of income for teenage mothers. Tanzania has a “pregnancy ban”, meaning that girls who get pregnant during their secondary education are not eligible for re-admission. By limiting girls’ access to formal education, we may find lower health outcomes for both the mother and the child and it because difficult to earn a steady income. Education for Better living currently has entrepreneurship and business skill training in place, but this new program could have a profound impact on the environment. Most people in Mwanza region use charcoal to power cook stoves … the use of charcoal is a prime driver of deforestation which is a leading cause of climate change- YIKES .. domino effect. So it will be a lovely positive transactional relationship when this project takes off.  YAY FOR SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Liana and I are also going to be working with the adult education program and doing some work on women’s health in the upcoming months. I’m also hoping to finish the first draft of the white paper for the nutrition by prescription program by the end of June!

Honourable Mentions

• Bob & Jessica came to visit us, we took a day trip to Sanaane Island, fun!
• Most of my early mornings & evenings have been spent chasing the sun!
• Boobi’s, the gelato place by our place … YUMMY.
• The conversations I’ve shared with some humans, asante sana, merci, thank you, ngiyabonga kakhulu.  I know that conversations exist within moments and not to be cheesy … but I want these moments for as long as time permits them to stay with me [in which ever form that may be].
• I MADE UGALI !! [basically a tougher version of isitshwala so shout to mom and gogo for always telling me “qinisa izandla” LOL]
• Also … im writing this while staring right at the sunset wILd.

Asante Sana.

 

week 1: [add] justing [7 hours]

People who know me personally know that I speak a lot about staying away from the “ivory tower” or breaking into the ivory tower and making it accessible for all. However, it’s occurred to me that having the choice to stay away from the ivory tower is an ivory tower within itself YIKES. I don’t have any thoughts to follow that statement so if you have a cap for it then whatsapp me [seriously].

NOW FOR THE REAL BLOG.

Upon arrival, I spent the day out and about in town. I set my phone up, data, had some dinner, bought ginger (#fightnausea). I really thought I had beat jet lag … LOL. Fast forward 12 hours and BOOM! I was awake from 3am to 6am, woke up at 1pm, fell back asleep … then woke up at 2:30pm  to go the beach with some friends. It’s been really helpful having Liana here, she’s been here for 4 weeks living at the university so she’s connected with students, speaks more Swahili, knows her way around, and not to mention she has been very welcoming.

I met with my supervisor, Bernard Makachia, the Wednesday after my arrival. We’re currently working on a proposal to introduce biochar system technology in rural Mwanza as a social enterprise. I’ve always been fascinated by grassroots organizations because it’s one thing to personally witness injustices but it’s another to act on that experience. Hashtag living & learning.

Overall, my first week was spent adjusting. Adjusting to the time zone, food, and all-around culture. I’m looking forward to the next few months.

Honourable Mentions:

• Shoutout to mom for buying me a hand blender & chia seeds the day of my flight!! Yay for smoothies.

• Shoutout to the people of Mwanza for being just as confused at my Canadian identity as I am. [because I’m both Zimbabwean & Canadian … yeah … that makes sense … Right?]

• Shootout to all of you for engaging in my meaningful banter.

Baadae.

p.s: here is a video of me [almost] missing my flight.

 

 

leaving home … to go home?

First of all, I am a human mind map. Meaning, most of the things I say may seem choppy and unrelated at first but if you take a step back and look at the bigger picture, it’ll all make sense. Trust.  Just bear with me.

Hello humans, I was going to try to stay low for the next few months, but blogging is a part of my internship requirements so I guess you’ll be hearing a bit a lot from me. I’m in east Africa for the next few months on an internship through Western Heads East. While I’m here, I’ll be interning with Education for Better Living (EBLI), an organization that is leveraging behaviour change process and economic empowerment to address sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender-based violence in Mwanza, Tanzania.  My internship objectives include the evaluation of current programs, a needs based assessment, and the implementation of a new program.  During this time I’ll also be working towards maximizing EBLI’s impact and resource mobilization. I’ll be elaborating more on my objectives in my next post, so take this as a teaser/trailer post.

In addition, to working with EBLI, I’ll be working on a concept paper for a Nutrition by Prescription program.  Essentially, this would allow people living with HIV/AIDS to receive a voucher for probiotic foods along with their antiretroviral drugs. It’s super cool because it contributes positively to women empowerment and economic development while being a nutritional supplement and immune boosting food to people living with HIV/AIDS.

In the School of Health Studies, we have the opportunity to apply for an independent study, I’m just blessed enough to do my project on SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAAAAA aka my fave place on earth aka home. I’m still working on what exactly I’m going to do for my independent study,  so stay tuned !

I understand that this first blog post is super fragmented, but hey, I don’t leave for another few hours and I don’t have much to say right now. I’m just grateful. So ya, thank God and thank the humans who helped get me here.

SEE YA IN TANZANIA.

[p.s: scroll all the way down to subscribe via email]