LAST WEEK IN DAR ES SALAAM

Last week, Rachael and I spent time meeting with several organizations, including the German Development Agency (GIZ), the Young Women’s Christian Association, Femina Hip and UNESCO, to get a better idea of what the landscape of women’s empowerment initiatives in Tanzania is like. We were able to connect with the Deputy Executive Director for the Young Women’s Christian Association to spread the word about next years’ Women Leading Change conference to their 21 branches in Tanzania along with others in East Africa. During our meeting with Femina Hip we became more familiar with the impact the Fema magazine has had on secondary schools in Tanzania over the past twenty years. Rachael and I have taken it upon ourselves to try to make sure each of the three schools attended by Sasamani sponsor students have active Fema clubs because the issues discussed in their magazines are pertinent to the Sasamani mission of poverty alleviation through women’s empowerment.

For our last weekend of our time spent in Dar es Salaam, Rachael and I traveled to Zanzibar. Due to the help of many friends (I have to say people in Tanzania are by far the nicest I have ever encountered), our ferry ride and transport to our beach bungalow in Nungwi was cheap and stress free. Zanzibar was the most beautiful place I have ever been and by the end of the weekend Rachael and I knew everyone on our part of the beach and every shop owner. We really had a blast and felt at home! We have even decided that we will return to Zanzibar for another weekend before our internship ends. After returning from Zanzibar, we traveled to Bagamoyo to begin our four week stay with Gladness. We are feeling very welcomed and excited to work closely with Gladness, Elias and the Sasamani students.

Talk again soon,
Franceine Welcome
Sasamani Intern

The beach in northern Zanzibar