Another Changemakers finalist, "The Tigers Club Project - Using Soccer to Reach Street Children in Uganda." A lot of our stories are about youth specifically making a difference. This story is about helping youth have the chance to make a difference. The Ara Sports Philanthropy Fund motto rings true here: "For excellence to be possible, there must first be opportunity."
Check out more videos at Changemakers.
Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Friday, March 28, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Making Voices Heard
Who: Fatuma Roba
Age: 21
What: Making Voices Heard
This week we are featuring a Digital Diary from UNICEF about a young woman from Kenya who is making voices heard. Fatuma is a founding member of a girls' centre in her community and has been moderating her own discussion group at the centre. Knowledge is power.
Listen to the audio here
Fatuma’s Digital Diary: Daily life for girls in the slums of Kenya
By Blue Chevigny
NEW YORK, USA, 24 October 2007 – Fatuma Roba, 21, lives in Kibera, a slum in Nairobi, Kenya. Deeply concerned about the rights of girls and women, she is a founding member of the Binti Pamoja group – a girls’ centre in her community.
During the last year she has been moderating her own discussion group at the centre, where she and other girls can talk about their concerns openly, safely and freely.
Over the past few months Fatuma has also started recording interviews for the Digital Diaries project of Voices of Youth (UNICEF’s online community for young people) and UNICEF Radio. She received radio equipment and training at UNICEF headquarters in March, while she was in New York as a Kenyan delegate to the 51st Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
Fatuma's objective
In the first instalment of her Digital Diary, Fatuma asks girls aged 13 through 21 in her community – mostly members of her girls’ centre – how they feel about their lives in Kibera. Along with her recordings, she has sent her own written description of her objectives for this Digital Diary:
“I’m interested in how young people feel about living in Kibera and what they fear most about being a young girl here,” Fatuma writes. “Most of the responses demonstrate that they feel good because [the cost of living] in Kibera is cheap and one can afford to live here even if they are jobless.
“Some argued that life is scary because of increasing insecurity and the dirty environment and the increased joblessness of youth. There are also incidents of rape, which most of the girls mentioned as a fear. This has been an issue because there are no rules and the laws must be amended by the government to punish those guilty of such acts.”
Access to unique viewpoints
Fatuma’s diary is an eye-opening cross-section of opinions and reflections by young women in Kibera, one of the largest slum districts in the world. Her intimate interviews allow listeners access to a point of view that they don’t often hear.
The girls who tell their stories have the unique experience of being in a group where they can express themselves and learn things like homework skills, self-defence methods and strategies for achieving their dreams. These are girls with hopes for the future and a sense that they can get what they need, despite their difficult beginnings in an impoverished and dangerous community.
“I am very proud living in Kibera,” says one young woman named Maureen, her voice forceful and full of energy. “I know that no one but me can make my life better. It’s up to me to create the change I want in my life and in the lives of others.”
Age: 21
What: Making Voices Heard
This week we are featuring a Digital Diary from UNICEF about a young woman from Kenya who is making voices heard. Fatuma is a founding member of a girls' centre in her community and has been moderating her own discussion group at the centre. Knowledge is power.
Listen to the audio here
Fatuma’s Digital Diary: Daily life for girls in the slums of Kenya
By Blue Chevigny
NEW YORK, USA, 24 October 2007 – Fatuma Roba, 21, lives in Kibera, a slum in Nairobi, Kenya. Deeply concerned about the rights of girls and women, she is a founding member of the Binti Pamoja group – a girls’ centre in her community.
During the last year she has been moderating her own discussion group at the centre, where she and other girls can talk about their concerns openly, safely and freely.
Over the past few months Fatuma has also started recording interviews for the Digital Diaries project of Voices of Youth (UNICEF’s online community for young people) and UNICEF Radio. She received radio equipment and training at UNICEF headquarters in March, while she was in New York as a Kenyan delegate to the 51st Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
Fatuma's objective
In the first instalment of her Digital Diary, Fatuma asks girls aged 13 through 21 in her community – mostly members of her girls’ centre – how they feel about their lives in Kibera. Along with her recordings, she has sent her own written description of her objectives for this Digital Diary:
“I’m interested in how young people feel about living in Kibera and what they fear most about being a young girl here,” Fatuma writes. “Most of the responses demonstrate that they feel good because [the cost of living] in Kibera is cheap and one can afford to live here even if they are jobless.
“Some argued that life is scary because of increasing insecurity and the dirty environment and the increased joblessness of youth. There are also incidents of rape, which most of the girls mentioned as a fear. This has been an issue because there are no rules and the laws must be amended by the government to punish those guilty of such acts.”
Access to unique viewpoints
Fatuma’s diary is an eye-opening cross-section of opinions and reflections by young women in Kibera, one of the largest slum districts in the world. Her intimate interviews allow listeners access to a point of view that they don’t often hear.
The girls who tell their stories have the unique experience of being in a group where they can express themselves and learn things like homework skills, self-defence methods and strategies for achieving their dreams. These are girls with hopes for the future and a sense that they can get what they need, despite their difficult beginnings in an impoverished and dangerous community.
“I am very proud living in Kibera,” says one young woman named Maureen, her voice forceful and full of energy. “I know that no one but me can make my life better. It’s up to me to create the change I want in my life and in the lives of others.”
Friday, March 14, 2008
Video Friday: Lusaka Sunrise
We are happy to announce Video Friday: every Friday we will have an inspiring video about youth making a difference around the world. This week's video is Lusaka Sunrise from Grassroot Soccer. It is about 7 minutes long and well worth it. If you have any interest in getting involved with Grassroot Soccer, send me a message and I can put you in touch.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Heading to Kenya this July to make the world a better place
Who: Lacombe High School Students
Age: 16-18
What: Heading to Kenya this July to make the world a better place
This Wednesday Believe In Youth presents to you a story of 20 high school students who are striving to make a difference in the world. They are taking a humanitarian trip to Africa to help people in Kenya who are suffering. This is something they didn't have to do, but wanted to do. We need more and more young people like that in the world to continue making a positive impact on our society. This article is from the Lancombe Globe.
Lacombe high school students plan humanitarian trip
A group of about 20 students from Ecole Lacombe Composite High School are heading to Kenya this July to help make the world a better place.
By Lisa Joy
Globe Editor
Tuesday February 26, 2008
A group of about 20 students from Ecole Lacombe Composite High School are heading to Kenya this July to help make the world a better place.
"This trip is about realizing that the world is bigger than ourselves and our desire is to create an opportunity for students to make a real difference in someone's life that is in need," said Jake Schellenberg, who heads the group Youth Unlimited.
"We believe that helping people is the main ingredient in making the world a better place in Kenya, as well as our world right here in Lacombe," he added. "As we make an impact on others we are impacted, so it's a win-win for everyone."
The students have planned this trip since last year and are not deterred by the post-election violence that has ravaged Kenya since December.
Grade 11 student Jordan Graber says he's not afraid to go and is looking forward to filling a need in Kenya.
"I've always wanted to go (to Africa) since I was little, to just help them out because they are suffering.
"There's so much we can do. The world is so big and you don't get these opportunities often, so any difference you can make is good."
Schellenberg–who just returned from a few weeks in Kenya with Eric Rajah, founder of Lacombe-based humanitarian group A Better World–says he felt safe while in Kenya. He went to assess the situation there before taking Lacombe students this July for disaster relief.
"I did not feel like I was in danger at any time," he said. "We took the proper precautions and made sure that we measured all the risks.
"We are definitely concerned about taking students to Kenya and we are really happy that we still have five months before we leave to understand what is happening," he added.
He said what struck him the most was the amount of need he saw in Kenya.
"I saw need from a school that desperately needs help, from kids in orphanages that have been taken in, and from the refugee camp we worked in while we were there."
Eight leaders will accompany the group of youth, ranging in age from 16 to 18.
Besides humanitarian work, Schellenberg says the students will have an opportunity to experience African culture.
"They will be organizing activities with kids, teaching classes, getting their hands dirty with some work projects, soaking in and learning about African culture and taking some time for safari."
A fundraiser is planned on March 8, at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church to help fund the students' trip. The evening will feature local entertainment.
Information will also be presented about Project Africa, a joint venture between A Better World and Youth Unlimited.
Age: 16-18
What: Heading to Kenya this July to make the world a better place
This Wednesday Believe In Youth presents to you a story of 20 high school students who are striving to make a difference in the world. They are taking a humanitarian trip to Africa to help people in Kenya who are suffering. This is something they didn't have to do, but wanted to do. We need more and more young people like that in the world to continue making a positive impact on our society. This article is from the Lancombe Globe.
Lacombe high school students plan humanitarian trip
A group of about 20 students from Ecole Lacombe Composite High School are heading to Kenya this July to help make the world a better place.
By Lisa Joy
Globe Editor
Tuesday February 26, 2008
A group of about 20 students from Ecole Lacombe Composite High School are heading to Kenya this July to help make the world a better place.
"This trip is about realizing that the world is bigger than ourselves and our desire is to create an opportunity for students to make a real difference in someone's life that is in need," said Jake Schellenberg, who heads the group Youth Unlimited.
"We believe that helping people is the main ingredient in making the world a better place in Kenya, as well as our world right here in Lacombe," he added. "As we make an impact on others we are impacted, so it's a win-win for everyone."
The students have planned this trip since last year and are not deterred by the post-election violence that has ravaged Kenya since December.
Grade 11 student Jordan Graber says he's not afraid to go and is looking forward to filling a need in Kenya.
"I've always wanted to go (to Africa) since I was little, to just help them out because they are suffering.
"There's so much we can do. The world is so big and you don't get these opportunities often, so any difference you can make is good."
Schellenberg–who just returned from a few weeks in Kenya with Eric Rajah, founder of Lacombe-based humanitarian group A Better World–says he felt safe while in Kenya. He went to assess the situation there before taking Lacombe students this July for disaster relief.
"I did not feel like I was in danger at any time," he said. "We took the proper precautions and made sure that we measured all the risks.
"We are definitely concerned about taking students to Kenya and we are really happy that we still have five months before we leave to understand what is happening," he added.
He said what struck him the most was the amount of need he saw in Kenya.
"I saw need from a school that desperately needs help, from kids in orphanages that have been taken in, and from the refugee camp we worked in while we were there."
Eight leaders will accompany the group of youth, ranging in age from 16 to 18.
Besides humanitarian work, Schellenberg says the students will have an opportunity to experience African culture.
"They will be organizing activities with kids, teaching classes, getting their hands dirty with some work projects, soaking in and learning about African culture and taking some time for safari."
A fundraiser is planned on March 8, at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church to help fund the students' trip. The evening will feature local entertainment.
Information will also be presented about Project Africa, a joint venture between A Better World and Youth Unlimited.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Destination: Zanzibar
Who: Pat Cronin and Kathryn Serra
Age: 21-22
What: Co-Founded University of Virginia Chapter of Students for Students International
In communities and across the globe, young people helping young people can go a long way. Pat Cronin and Kathryn Serra followed the 1995 founders of S4Si at UNC and continue to help make a difference. Check out the article from The Cavalier Daily, the UVA Student Newspaper.
Destination: Zanzibar
Students at the University work to help their peers halfway around the globe
Irene Kan
Cavalier Daily Senior Writer
University students work year-round to make a difference in the University community. From raising money for charitable causes in the Charlottesville community to playing with kids or spending time with the elderly, University students find many ways to be involved in the local area. But what about the global community?
Fourth-year College student Pat Cronin said this is the question he had in mind when he co-founded Students for Students International. a group aiming to increase access to education in Zanzibar, an island region of Tanzania. According to Cronin’s co-founder fourth-year Kathryn Serra, 79 percent of the Tanzanian population goes through middle school, but only 29 percent continues on to high school. S4Si works to increase the number of students who go on to high school, and eventually college.
In order to accomplish this task, all 14 members must have large responsibilities. But, Serra said, the structure of the organization is “very fluid,” which allows the different parts of the organization, such as fundraising, service and operation, to work in conjunction with each other.
Sarah Elaine Hart, a second-year in the College, said her personal responsibilities were more time-consuming at the beginning of the semester, but when they die down, someone else’s responsibilities will become heavier. At that point, she can lessen the load for someone who helped her earlier.
“Somehow it works out so we can help each other out,” she said.
A positive change
In the two years that the group has been in existence at the University, it has focused primarily on funding scholarships for certain students at the Ben Bella School, a science and technology magnet school in Stone Town, Zanzibar. The town may be small, Cronin said, but that doesn’t mean its inhabitants should be overlooked.
The African students are chosen by the S4Si chapter at UNC-Chapel Hill, where the group originated in 1995. These students feel privileged to receive what students here often take for granted: a high school education, Hart said.
“What’s astounding to me is that half the amount I spend on textbooks a semester pays for a year of school,” Hart said. “It’s mind-boggling.”
For the past two years, the group has set a fundraising goal of $10,000 to be used to fund scholarships and other projects for the school, according to Hart.
Their latest project is to build a library for a girls’ hostel in Zanzibar, Cronin said. In January 2008, the group will be traveling to Stone Town to transform a dilapidated storage closet twice the size of a dorm room and filled with broken mattresses into a room of desks, computers and books. The group will be staying in the same hostel that they will be revamping.
The Rosetta Stone program, a computerized language instruction program, will also be installed on the school’s computers to help improve the students’ proficiency in English, which is the language they test in, but is often their second or third language, Cronin said.
“It’s going to be a really incredible experience; it’s going to be intense,” predicted Hart, who has never been on the trip before. “We need to make sure the money’s going where it’s supposed to be.”
S4Si will be accompanied by the University chapter of Engineers Without Borders, a nonprofit organization of engineers dedicated to improving the quality of life in developing communities around the world. The engineers will be doing the actual building of the desks and shelves. According to both Cronin and Serra, partnering with other groups in order to distribute and leverage the workload is essential.
Making it happen
The library project is possible partly because of donations from various organizations both large and small, ranging from the local library to Amazon.com. S4Si raises money through a mailing campaign, grants and events, Cronin said.
The mailing campaign includes an informational letter about the cause and the sponsored scholars that is sent out to alumni, family and friends. According to Hart, who is in charge of the campaign, it is the organization’s largest source of revenue.
Matching grants are obtained from various corporations with the help of the Forum for African Women Educationalists, a pan-African non-government organization. Other revenue is generated through raffles and bar nights. Although these may seem to be small events, their effects go a long way.
This region of the world “has an income of less than a dollar a day, so when we sell a raffle ticket for $3, that has a huge impact,” Hart said.
The money is not only used for scholarships and projects like the library — plans are also in the works for a college guide and a trust fund.
The guide would be comprised of a directory of schools, scholarships, and financial aid possibilities that the students could use as references for their lives after high school, Serra said. The universities are from all over the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Kenya.
The trust fund runs in a similar vein, as it would ensure that the scholars will continue receiving funding for their entire high school career, Hart said.
A growing mission
Through their work during the past two years, members of the group said they have found that it is almost impossible not to expand their goals in order to continue helping the students. It’s particularly tempting to venture into different fields now that the group has established a firm foundation, Hart said.
Two years after its commencement, the group is at a “tipping point,” Cronin agreed.
“We are at a unique point right now where we’ve established the organization, and we’ve got our foundation set to the point where we can look to expand,” Hart said.
The impact is greatest, however, if it is concentrated in a small area. By only directing their attention to the students at Ben Bella, S4Si ensures that they make at least a marginal difference for one or two people, Cronin said.
“Every effort I put into the group has a really tangible result in the lives of students in Zanzibar,” Hart said.”[The students in the program] have some of the most potential to impart change and help their country grow out of disparity. $10,000 really makes a lifelong difference.”
Age: 21-22
What: Co-Founded University of Virginia Chapter of Students for Students International
In communities and across the globe, young people helping young people can go a long way. Pat Cronin and Kathryn Serra followed the 1995 founders of S4Si at UNC and continue to help make a difference. Check out the article from The Cavalier Daily, the UVA Student Newspaper.
Destination: Zanzibar
Students at the University work to help their peers halfway around the globe
Irene Kan
Cavalier Daily Senior Writer
University students work year-round to make a difference in the University community. From raising money for charitable causes in the Charlottesville community to playing with kids or spending time with the elderly, University students find many ways to be involved in the local area. But what about the global community?
Fourth-year College student Pat Cronin said this is the question he had in mind when he co-founded Students for Students International. a group aiming to increase access to education in Zanzibar, an island region of Tanzania. According to Cronin’s co-founder fourth-year Kathryn Serra, 79 percent of the Tanzanian population goes through middle school, but only 29 percent continues on to high school. S4Si works to increase the number of students who go on to high school, and eventually college.
In order to accomplish this task, all 14 members must have large responsibilities. But, Serra said, the structure of the organization is “very fluid,” which allows the different parts of the organization, such as fundraising, service and operation, to work in conjunction with each other.
Sarah Elaine Hart, a second-year in the College, said her personal responsibilities were more time-consuming at the beginning of the semester, but when they die down, someone else’s responsibilities will become heavier. At that point, she can lessen the load for someone who helped her earlier.
“Somehow it works out so we can help each other out,” she said.
A positive change
In the two years that the group has been in existence at the University, it has focused primarily on funding scholarships for certain students at the Ben Bella School, a science and technology magnet school in Stone Town, Zanzibar. The town may be small, Cronin said, but that doesn’t mean its inhabitants should be overlooked.
The African students are chosen by the S4Si chapter at UNC-Chapel Hill, where the group originated in 1995. These students feel privileged to receive what students here often take for granted: a high school education, Hart said.
“What’s astounding to me is that half the amount I spend on textbooks a semester pays for a year of school,” Hart said. “It’s mind-boggling.”
For the past two years, the group has set a fundraising goal of $10,000 to be used to fund scholarships and other projects for the school, according to Hart.
Their latest project is to build a library for a girls’ hostel in Zanzibar, Cronin said. In January 2008, the group will be traveling to Stone Town to transform a dilapidated storage closet twice the size of a dorm room and filled with broken mattresses into a room of desks, computers and books. The group will be staying in the same hostel that they will be revamping.
The Rosetta Stone program, a computerized language instruction program, will also be installed on the school’s computers to help improve the students’ proficiency in English, which is the language they test in, but is often their second or third language, Cronin said.
“It’s going to be a really incredible experience; it’s going to be intense,” predicted Hart, who has never been on the trip before. “We need to make sure the money’s going where it’s supposed to be.”
S4Si will be accompanied by the University chapter of Engineers Without Borders, a nonprofit organization of engineers dedicated to improving the quality of life in developing communities around the world. The engineers will be doing the actual building of the desks and shelves. According to both Cronin and Serra, partnering with other groups in order to distribute and leverage the workload is essential.
Making it happen
The library project is possible partly because of donations from various organizations both large and small, ranging from the local library to Amazon.com. S4Si raises money through a mailing campaign, grants and events, Cronin said.
The mailing campaign includes an informational letter about the cause and the sponsored scholars that is sent out to alumni, family and friends. According to Hart, who is in charge of the campaign, it is the organization’s largest source of revenue.
Matching grants are obtained from various corporations with the help of the Forum for African Women Educationalists, a pan-African non-government organization. Other revenue is generated through raffles and bar nights. Although these may seem to be small events, their effects go a long way.
This region of the world “has an income of less than a dollar a day, so when we sell a raffle ticket for $3, that has a huge impact,” Hart said.
The money is not only used for scholarships and projects like the library — plans are also in the works for a college guide and a trust fund.
The guide would be comprised of a directory of schools, scholarships, and financial aid possibilities that the students could use as references for their lives after high school, Serra said. The universities are from all over the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Kenya.
The trust fund runs in a similar vein, as it would ensure that the scholars will continue receiving funding for their entire high school career, Hart said.
A growing mission
Through their work during the past two years, members of the group said they have found that it is almost impossible not to expand their goals in order to continue helping the students. It’s particularly tempting to venture into different fields now that the group has established a firm foundation, Hart said.
Two years after its commencement, the group is at a “tipping point,” Cronin agreed.
“We are at a unique point right now where we’ve established the organization, and we’ve got our foundation set to the point where we can look to expand,” Hart said.
The impact is greatest, however, if it is concentrated in a small area. By only directing their attention to the students at Ben Bella, S4Si ensures that they make at least a marginal difference for one or two people, Cronin said.
“Every effort I put into the group has a really tangible result in the lives of students in Zanzibar,” Hart said.”[The students in the program] have some of the most potential to impart change and help their country grow out of disparity. $10,000 really makes a lifelong difference.”
Tennessee to Tanzania: A Mzungu Adventure
Who: Brian Christie
Age: 23
What: Volunteering at HIV Clinic in Tanzania
Daniel Joseph, an avid BIY reader, sent us this story a little while back. It is a great thing when recent college graduates take the time after graduation to do something good rather than jumping straight into corporate life. It benefits both them as individuals and many in need of help. This is the story of one young man doing just that. Brian Christie is a 2007 graduate of Dartmouth College from Nashville, TN, volunteering at an HIV Clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for most of this year. He is blogging about the experience here. His first three posts from July are below:
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
First Post
Hey.
My name is Brian and this is my blog. I left this July to work for a pediatric AIDS clinic in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Moving from suburban USA to sub-Saharan Africa, from the ups and downs of America to the hilarity and tragedy that is the third world, there’s a lot going on over here.
I want to use this space as a spot to tell you about where I am: the beautiful places I keep going, the crazy people I keep meeting, the horrible circumstances that seem to constantly engulf so many peoples lives. Although I’ve just gotten here, this experience has already taught me so much, and promises so much more. I hope that, in the few reflections I manage to get in here, I might share something with you.
And if you’re reading this, feel free to comment and let me know what you think.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Where We Live
Theres 2 1/2 of us who live together. Paul and I stay together, and Ben is here about 1/2 the time. Paul is one of my best friends from high-school; he just graduated from Penn. He’s staying here with me through April. Ben is a rising senior at Dartmouth and is here for a month longer. He spends most of his time working at the school that I’ll tell you about later.
So when Paul and I got here, Ben had already cased the joint out and found a couple good places for us to stay. We wanted to use the internet at home (so we could apply to med school) which meant we settled on the first place we came to. Its called Lamada and its hilarious.
Lamada is a hotel with apartments. What that means is we basically live in a glorified hotel room all the time. If you see a picture of the place, or walk around, it looks awesome. But as soon as you spend more than 15 min here, you start to notice things. Nothing works. As I’m currently typing this, there are 2 guys flipping the power on and off and messing with switches cause 3 of the lights in the main room don’t work and no one knows why. The main overhead light stays on all the time cause they forgot to put a switch in for it. Other funny shit includes– no door handles, a sink fixture with no pipes, and bathroom sink in the kitchen.
But don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. This place is 1000x what we expected coming here, so its more entertaining than enraging. People come in all the time to fix something, tell us theyre going to get a wrench or a cord, and then never come back.
That brings me to the staff. We’re not actually sure who runs the place or is in charge, we only know the people we see every day. We’ve got:
Stephen: Receptionist, first guy we met. Probably about 20, speaks pretty good English. If we ever ask him about anything though, he just “HAHAHA!!!”s at us until we finally go away.
Fake Manager: We don’t actually know his name, we just know that he’s the main guy we talk to, that he acts like the manager, and that he’s not. When we asked him why the internet goes out all the time he shrugged his shoulders and set “Its a 3rd world country!”
Patrick/Joseph/3 other guys: The technicians. Always in to fix the internet and what not, but they have no actual expertise in the area. The just fiddle around on our computers til they get bored and then leave.
Mr. Martin: No idea what he does. Not even actually sure he works here, he just talks to us a lot. Unsure of his real name, except that the first name he introduced himself as “Mr. Martin. Mr. Martin Luther King! Hahahahahaha!!!!”
Terry: Receptionist. Shes probably about 20 years old and cares less about her job than the people at the DMV. They have some rule here that theres 24hr reception service, which means that she has night shifts a lot. She gets sheets and just lays out on the floor and goes to sleep.
So thats our apt. All in all, its a good time and a lot of fun. As much as we might want to get angry about the total lack of any work getting done here, people joke around about it so much that its hard to get mad.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Where I work, Part I
So I work at a couple places. The first one, the main one, is called the Dartmouth Pediatric Program. Its a pediatric HIV clinic in downtown Dar, about 200m from the ocean. Its a collaboration between Dartmouth and the MUCHS, the Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences. I work there with about 8 other people. There are 2 doctors, Dr. File and Dr. Jema, both new doctors a couple years out of Muhimbili, the premier teaching hospital in Tanzania. File (pronounced “fee-lay”) is a really warmhearted woman, who loves to laugh and who knows her stuff. Jema is much the same way– they speak pretty perfect English, and use it to give me a hard time (all in good fun), especially about the fact that I suck at Swahili.
Speaking of Swahili, damn. All the native speakers here are like “Its an easy language!” or “You’ll be speaking in no time!” F that. This language has zero indo-european or romantic roots, so every word is straight memorization. Sure, the verb forms are pretty easy and straightforward, but that doesnt help much if you cant remember verb youre looking for is. As you can tell, its not coming too easily for me.
So back to the office. We’ve got our 2 counselors, Sister Janet and Sister Elimina. I havent gotten to know them very well yet, except that Elimina absolutely delights in all forms of humor that come at my expense. More on that later. Next is Etigala, who does most of the cleaning and other things (boiling water to drink in the morning, etc). Having a bit of a hard time to break through to her, seeing as she doesn’t speak much English.
The clinic is run by Dr. Helga Nuburi. She teaches at Muhimbili, among having her patients there and also being in charge here. Helga is a rock star. She’s super nice, gets right to the heart of what a problem might be, and just all around kicks-ass. She is only around once every couple days, which sucks, but when she is, things get done.
And I can’t forget Joyce. She’s our receptionist, and I share a room with her where my computer and desk are. She speaks pretty good English and, as I just learned from lending her my ipod, LOVES the Kings of Leon. Shes also the closest person in the clinic to my age, minus Margi, another intern. What that means, is that, because we share an office, everyone gives her tons of shit about the two of us. Constantly, people will speak really quickly in Swahlili to her and, even though I can’t catch a word of it, I can tell by her reactions and the way they keep glancing at me, that they’re giving us shit. Afterwards, as though I knew what they said word for word, she says “Sorry, they were joking!” Of course, the primary culprit for these acts are Elimina.
So those are the people I work with. Well, except Margi. Shes a rising sophmore at Dartmouth and has been here about a month longer than I have (I got here the 9th of July, I think). She works mainly in trying to connect DPP with other programs, and so is constantly exploring other NGOs and meeting new people. It seems like a pretty cool deal. She speaks a lot better Swahili than I do.
You might be wondering now, what do I do? Good question. Considering I have no medical education thus far, really, it would seem like an extremely specialized clinic (by Tanzanian standards) wouldnt be the best place for me. Well, I’m doing a couple things. The main one is helping with getting an online database running here. After getting everything online, I’m analzying it to try to help get kids on ARVs (anti-HIV drugs) faster, as right now the time between figuring out they have HIV and getting them on drugs is taking too long. Besides that, I’m doing alot of random things, like teaching the nurses how to use computer applications, designing a new broshure, and trying to learn how AIDS treatment works. Oh, and I’m the resident “my computer broke, come fix it” guy. So I’m about 33% awkward American, 33% medical student, and 33% IT guy.
Oh, and 1% total badass.
Age: 23
What: Volunteering at HIV Clinic in Tanzania
Daniel Joseph, an avid BIY reader, sent us this story a little while back. It is a great thing when recent college graduates take the time after graduation to do something good rather than jumping straight into corporate life. It benefits both them as individuals and many in need of help. This is the story of one young man doing just that. Brian Christie is a 2007 graduate of Dartmouth College from Nashville, TN, volunteering at an HIV Clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for most of this year. He is blogging about the experience here. His first three posts from July are below:
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
First Post
Hey.
My name is Brian and this is my blog. I left this July to work for a pediatric AIDS clinic in downtown Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Moving from suburban USA to sub-Saharan Africa, from the ups and downs of America to the hilarity and tragedy that is the third world, there’s a lot going on over here.
I want to use this space as a spot to tell you about where I am: the beautiful places I keep going, the crazy people I keep meeting, the horrible circumstances that seem to constantly engulf so many peoples lives. Although I’ve just gotten here, this experience has already taught me so much, and promises so much more. I hope that, in the few reflections I manage to get in here, I might share something with you.
And if you’re reading this, feel free to comment and let me know what you think.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Where We Live
Theres 2 1/2 of us who live together. Paul and I stay together, and Ben is here about 1/2 the time. Paul is one of my best friends from high-school; he just graduated from Penn. He’s staying here with me through April. Ben is a rising senior at Dartmouth and is here for a month longer. He spends most of his time working at the school that I’ll tell you about later.
So when Paul and I got here, Ben had already cased the joint out and found a couple good places for us to stay. We wanted to use the internet at home (so we could apply to med school) which meant we settled on the first place we came to. Its called Lamada and its hilarious.
Lamada is a hotel with apartments. What that means is we basically live in a glorified hotel room all the time. If you see a picture of the place, or walk around, it looks awesome. But as soon as you spend more than 15 min here, you start to notice things. Nothing works. As I’m currently typing this, there are 2 guys flipping the power on and off and messing with switches cause 3 of the lights in the main room don’t work and no one knows why. The main overhead light stays on all the time cause they forgot to put a switch in for it. Other funny shit includes– no door handles, a sink fixture with no pipes, and bathroom sink in the kitchen.
But don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. This place is 1000x what we expected coming here, so its more entertaining than enraging. People come in all the time to fix something, tell us theyre going to get a wrench or a cord, and then never come back.
That brings me to the staff. We’re not actually sure who runs the place or is in charge, we only know the people we see every day. We’ve got:
Stephen: Receptionist, first guy we met. Probably about 20, speaks pretty good English. If we ever ask him about anything though, he just “HAHAHA!!!”s at us until we finally go away.
Fake Manager: We don’t actually know his name, we just know that he’s the main guy we talk to, that he acts like the manager, and that he’s not. When we asked him why the internet goes out all the time he shrugged his shoulders and set “Its a 3rd world country!”
Patrick/Joseph/3 other guys: The technicians. Always in to fix the internet and what not, but they have no actual expertise in the area. The just fiddle around on our computers til they get bored and then leave.
Mr. Martin: No idea what he does. Not even actually sure he works here, he just talks to us a lot. Unsure of his real name, except that the first name he introduced himself as “Mr. Martin. Mr. Martin Luther King! Hahahahahaha!!!!”
Terry: Receptionist. Shes probably about 20 years old and cares less about her job than the people at the DMV. They have some rule here that theres 24hr reception service, which means that she has night shifts a lot. She gets sheets and just lays out on the floor and goes to sleep.
So thats our apt. All in all, its a good time and a lot of fun. As much as we might want to get angry about the total lack of any work getting done here, people joke around about it so much that its hard to get mad.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Where I work, Part I
So I work at a couple places. The first one, the main one, is called the Dartmouth Pediatric Program. Its a pediatric HIV clinic in downtown Dar, about 200m from the ocean. Its a collaboration between Dartmouth and the MUCHS, the Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences. I work there with about 8 other people. There are 2 doctors, Dr. File and Dr. Jema, both new doctors a couple years out of Muhimbili, the premier teaching hospital in Tanzania. File (pronounced “fee-lay”) is a really warmhearted woman, who loves to laugh and who knows her stuff. Jema is much the same way– they speak pretty perfect English, and use it to give me a hard time (all in good fun), especially about the fact that I suck at Swahili.
Speaking of Swahili, damn. All the native speakers here are like “Its an easy language!” or “You’ll be speaking in no time!” F that. This language has zero indo-european or romantic roots, so every word is straight memorization. Sure, the verb forms are pretty easy and straightforward, but that doesnt help much if you cant remember verb youre looking for is. As you can tell, its not coming too easily for me.
So back to the office. We’ve got our 2 counselors, Sister Janet and Sister Elimina. I havent gotten to know them very well yet, except that Elimina absolutely delights in all forms of humor that come at my expense. More on that later. Next is Etigala, who does most of the cleaning and other things (boiling water to drink in the morning, etc). Having a bit of a hard time to break through to her, seeing as she doesn’t speak much English.
The clinic is run by Dr. Helga Nuburi. She teaches at Muhimbili, among having her patients there and also being in charge here. Helga is a rock star. She’s super nice, gets right to the heart of what a problem might be, and just all around kicks-ass. She is only around once every couple days, which sucks, but when she is, things get done.
And I can’t forget Joyce. She’s our receptionist, and I share a room with her where my computer and desk are. She speaks pretty good English and, as I just learned from lending her my ipod, LOVES the Kings of Leon. Shes also the closest person in the clinic to my age, minus Margi, another intern. What that means, is that, because we share an office, everyone gives her tons of shit about the two of us. Constantly, people will speak really quickly in Swahlili to her and, even though I can’t catch a word of it, I can tell by her reactions and the way they keep glancing at me, that they’re giving us shit. Afterwards, as though I knew what they said word for word, she says “Sorry, they were joking!” Of course, the primary culprit for these acts are Elimina.
So those are the people I work with. Well, except Margi. Shes a rising sophmore at Dartmouth and has been here about a month longer than I have (I got here the 9th of July, I think). She works mainly in trying to connect DPP with other programs, and so is constantly exploring other NGOs and meeting new people. It seems like a pretty cool deal. She speaks a lot better Swahili than I do.
You might be wondering now, what do I do? Good question. Considering I have no medical education thus far, really, it would seem like an extremely specialized clinic (by Tanzanian standards) wouldnt be the best place for me. Well, I’m doing a couple things. The main one is helping with getting an online database running here. After getting everything online, I’m analzying it to try to help get kids on ARVs (anti-HIV drugs) faster, as right now the time between figuring out they have HIV and getting them on drugs is taking too long. Besides that, I’m doing alot of random things, like teaching the nurses how to use computer applications, designing a new broshure, and trying to learn how AIDS treatment works. Oh, and I’m the resident “my computer broke, come fix it” guy. So I’m about 33% awkward American, 33% medical student, and 33% IT guy.
Oh, and 1% total badass.
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