I can't believe that my time in Tanzania will be coming to an end in just two weeks. The time absolutely flew by. It probably feels that way because I've been so busy in recent weeks. Since getting here, I've had the chance to be a part of so much of the great work that the team at Sasamani does on a daily basis; I didn't think that I would have been able to see and contribute as much as I have in such little time. In all honesty, I was concerned that two months would be too small of a time frame to be able to adjust to the new environment and then get any sort of momentum going. But that hasn't been the case. Since day one, Elias and Gladness have been a great help in making sure I felt comfortable every step of the way, and have allowed me the freedom and autonomy to pursue efforts in the areas I was most interested in contributing to.

​A large part of my time in Bagamoyo has been spent visiting secondary schools where we have sponsored students. At Kingani and Kiromo secondary schools, I had the privilege of being able to support teachers in the instruction of topics in Mathematics and Accounts to students in Form 4 who were participating in an extra-class program aimed at preparing them to sit their national exams this fall.

Since schools resumed regular class schedules earlier this month, the bulk of my time has been spent planning and working out logistics for what will be the foundation’s first and hopefully annual inter-school event. With this event, we will be bringing together over 400 students and faculty from the three secondary schools in the area that we work with: Kiromo, Kingani and Matimbwa. Our aim with the event is to bring students together in a setting that challenges them and promotes friendly competition, and which also gives them the chance to have fun with some peers they normally would not have the chance to interact with.

In addition to contributing to the Foundation's initiatives and getting to do such fulfilling work, since being here, I've loved being able to explore Tanzania on the weekends. I spent a weekend discovering Dar es Salaam and the many things it has to offer, from beautiful Coco Beach to Mwenge Woodcarver's Market. Last weekend, Tihut and I had the chance to take a quick trip to Zanzibar, which was nothing short of stunning, and as I type this, we are driving back from a weekend spent in the Morogoro region, where we visited the Udzungwa waterfalls. Tanzania boasts so much beauty, both in its people and its natural resources, and I will definitely be coming back someday!

Karibu to my first blog! After spending 3 weeks in Tanzania, I have picked up a few Kiswahili words. I doubt I can have a fluent conversation, perhaps I can throw out two sentences? I haven’t gotten use to the language, but I have befriended the mosquitos in Bagamoyo! My favorite food in Tanzania is Pilau. I am most certainly taking the recipe to cook it someday. Pilau dates back to Indian origin; an import that has been adapted for East African kitchens. Pilau is a popular dish that is cooked throughout East African Countries.

​Working at the Sasamani Foundation has been a remarkable experience so far. I enjoy the flexibility of our job descriptions and the leeway we are given to focus on our area of interest. I am specifically interested in outreach programs to network and partner with other local and international NGO's in the area. These past few weeks I have been searching for partnership opportunities with the USAID mission in Tanzania. A few weeks ago, I was at a dinner hosted by the U.S. embassy and I ran into Aaron Miles, the Deputy Director of Education at USAID Tanzania. I have been exchanging emails with Mr. Miles on activities of the USAID that closely relate with what we do at Sasamani.

Last week, our Sasamani team took a trip to Saba Saba exhibition. The exhibition is an annual international trade fair that takes place in Dar Es Salaam. The trip was planned to outreach to other various non-profits operating in Tanzania. At the fair, we networked with a government organization named SIDO-Small Industries Development Organization. The objective of SIDO is to develop small industry sector in Tanzania by providing start-ups loans and training on marketing strategies.

I have also been working on drafting a grant proposal for Vocational Skill Project for our 3 partnered schools. The Vocational Skill Project is a program that will be designed to provide preparatory vocational education to address school drop-outs, and unemployed youth living within villages of Bagamoyo district with a vocational training scheme. This project aims to provide the necessary training for students with zero experience to compete at an entry-level. I talked to Dr. Mori what the process would look like if we were to get the green light in order to launch the Vocational Skill Project.

Thus far, I have visited Kingani, Matinbwa and Kiromo Secondary Schools to give short workshops on Menstruation Hygiene Management for students. I also facilitated discussions and demonstrations on sanitation tips during the menstrual cycle. I have also spent my time teaching at Kingani and Kiromo Secondary schools. Little did I know I had a passion for teaching. I enjoyed leading classes at both schools. In Kingani, I teach Economic Integration and English.

​Teaching English can be a tad frustrating especially when it’s not your first language. But, I give myself 3-5 hours to go over the topics I cover in class because the last thing I want to do is confuse my students. The fact that English isn't my first language also has its perks because I learned it as a second language just like the students in Kingani. In Kiromo, I teach Civics focusing on regional integrations within Africa. I also have had the chance to help with shelving books in the Kingani library because I have some experience as a library shelver in a public library.

Tihut Getabicha is currently a rising sophomore at Connecticut College. She was born and raised in Ethiopia and attended international high school. Tihut has always been passionate about the empowerment, health, and well-being of women and girls. In fact, while in high school, she completed a project on the normalization of menstruation in the rural regions of Ethiopia. She has personally experienced and focused her studies in the societal barriers that prohibit and limit women to advance in society.

Through lived experiences, Tihut has developed a keen perspective and deep understanding of the significance of women's empowerment and the importance of self-reliance. The Sasamani Foundation hopes that this internship opportunity will allow her to empower others and in turn feel empowered by serving a greater purpose in continuing the fight for women's rights.

Her professional experience includes but is not limited to community action work, campaigns, United Nations, non-profit organizations, sustainability, Institutional Equity and Inclusion, Social Justice/Activism, Seeds of Africa volunteer, etc.