Tag Archives: tanzania

Restrictions for College Students in Iran, Nansen Refugee Award & More

 

New Restrictions on Women’s Education in Iran
As the new school years begins in Iran, Human Rights Watch recently urged the government to lift new restrictions on women attending university and enrolling in certain academic fields. Although women make up the majority of college students in Iran, there are currently over 30 universities that now ban women from 77 different majors, including high-paying fields such as accounting, counseling, and engineering. No clear reason has been given for the change, but Iranian officials have recently expressed concern about the country’s declining birth and marriage rates–which are partially due to the rising number of women attending university. Read more here.

Somali Woman Dedicated to Girls’ Education Receives Award
This year’s winner of the Nansen Refugee Award is Hawa Aden Mohamed, a Somali woman who has worked relentlessly to empower girls and women. As a strong advocate for girls’ education, “Mama Hawa” believes in the power of learning, “I think not having education is a kind of disease…without education you do not exist much. Physically yes, but mentally and emotionally you do not exist.” She is the co-founder of Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development in Somalia, where 1,250 girls receive formal education and 1,600 over the age of 16 are taught basic literacy, numeracy, and life skills such as sewing.  Read Mama Hawa’s full store here.

Punjab Governor Calls for Quality Education for Girls
Governor Shivraj Patil spoke about the importance of educating girls during a recent visit to the Dashmesh College of Girls at Badal village in Punjab.  During his address, Patil said that quality education must be provided for girls in India, as they have the potential to shape the future of the nation.  He went on to say that educated girls contribute significantly to a nation’s socio-economic and political development. Read it here.

Girls Outnumber Boys in Tanzania Exams
Official reports out of Tanzania show that girls outnumbered boys sitting for this year’s Class Seven exams.  Figures show there were 19,943 female candidates and 18,091 male candidates in Arusha. This is great news for a region that has struggled to keep girls in school. Read it here.


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Poetry Anthology Sponsors Girls Like Sophia, Karen, & Kalkidan

By purchasing the If the World Were My Classroom anthology, you make a $15 direct donation to sponsor girls! Order your copy here.

Sophia Paulo

Meet Sophia Paolo, a 17 year old in AfricAid’s Kisa Project and one of the girls you’ll help sponsor when you purchase the If the World Were My Classroom anthology. She is one of the first girls from her village to get both a primary and secondary education and wants to be a politician so she can empower other girls and women in Tanzania. Sophia loves that the Kisa Project has given her the chance to learn more about women and improve her public speaking.

Karen

 

 

Karen, a 16 year old from Guatemala, is dreaming of going to college to be a forensic doctor. She lives with her mom and her two sisters in Santiago. Karen is excelling in English in our partner program, Starfish One by One, is extremely outgoing and also loves playing basketball!

 

 

Kalkidan

Kalkidan Girma is a 10 year old in the 3rd grade at the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia. Her name means “promise” in Amharic. Kalkidan came to Selamta when she was four years old. Now she is thriving with an excellent report card, and finished third in her second grade class last year. She already knows she wants to be a teacher when she grows up!

 

 

 

Proceeds from our anthology will benefit the education of girls like these who are from Tanzania, India, Uganda, Kenya, Guatemala, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Nepal. These girls who wouldn’t be able to afford school otherwise will now have an opportunity to be the First!

Happy Poetry Month everyone!

Want to play your part in helping make sure girls across the world have the change to go to school and learn how to make sweet poetry out of their own lives? Order the anthology today.

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Women’s Rights in Nigeria, Business Skills in Egypt & More

Women Refugee Teaches Business Skills in Egypt
Fatma Soleman is an inspiring entrepreneur in Cairo, Egypt. She fled from conflict in Ethiopia when she was 17 years old and has since been running a handicraft business to support herself and family. After partnering with a local NGO, Fatma now works to train other female refugees living in Cairo on business skills and various handicraft techniques. She even teaches her students how to approach stores throughout Cairo and find business opportunities at community bazaars. Read her story here.

Struggle Continues for Girls and Women in Tanzania
A recent four-day event in Arusha, Tanzania highlighted the plight of girls and women in the country, particularly those living in nomadic pastoralist communities. Things are especially difficult for females in the Northern Zone of Tanzania, including the Maasai, Meru, Barbaig, Iraqw (Mbulu) and Chagga communities. In these areas girls do not inherit property or land and their mothers do not have any say in the matter according to traditional laws. Activists joined together to discuss these issues, including violence against girls and women, education, and civil rights. Read it all here.

Iran’s Women Activists Say No to War
Human rights activists in Iran are voicing their concerns for the rights of girls and women in the shadow of war. A joint statement issued by more than 200 women’s rights activists and 15 political organizations, states that Iran is currently in a very dangerous situation with the peace and well-being of Iranians in the balance. The statement goes on to say, “The continuation of this situation, will cast a shadow of war and a militarized atmosphere over our country, exposing our people, women in particular, to further discrimination, various kinds of violence, poverty and adversity.” Read it all here.

Nigerian Lawmakers Split Over Property Rights for Women
Lawmakers in Nigeria’s State House of Assembly recently discussed a proposed bill to ensure women’s inheritance and ownership rights. Members were divided, with some opponents saying the issue is not relevant at this time and the bill should be dropped. Supporters of the bill argued that female children should have the same rights as males and should be able to inherit their parents’ property and wealth. The bill was sent to the Committee on Women Affairs where members will organize public hearings and report back to the House in a few weeks. Read all the details here.

US Department of State Expands Techwomen to Sub-Saharan Africa
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announced that TechWomen, an international exchange program that uses technology to empower women and girls around the world, will expand to sub-Saharan Africa for the first time in 2013. The program, which was launched by Secretary Clinton in 2011, will pair up women from Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe with their American counterparts during a four week mentoring program in the United States. The American mentors will then travel to Africa to do follow-up with the women and conduct workshops and training in the technology sector. Read more here.

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Updates from Eli and Glory in Tanzania


In October, Val Martin of The Uplifting Project (and a great friend of STF!) traveled to Tanzania, and stopped in to say hello to some of the girls we sponsor there. She met with Eli and Glory, two girls in their first of two years at The Kisa Project, where they’re learning computer, leadership, and life skills. We sent along a photo album of our favorite places in NYC (which you can check out here!), and Val talked to them about their future plans. Doesn’t Eli look great in her I ❤ NY tee?

 

And guess what? Next week, we’re holding an event here in New York during Social Media Week — and no matter where you are, you can take part by helping us to sponsor Eli’s last year of school! Just watch for the #SMWMagic hashtag next Thursday, February 16th. For every time it’s used, The Think Cloud will donate $1 toward her sponsorship — and I know you guys can make it happen.

Have a message for Eli or Glory? Leave it in the comments and we’ll make sure it gets to her! Plus, check out more photos from Val’s trip below:

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

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Kisa Scholars Publish Book at End of Their School Year

Have you ever wanted to write a children’s book? It is certainly one of my dreams but I am grateful that our Kisa Scholars have had the chance to make a dream like this come true.

I always know that another year is wrapping for the Kisa Scholars when the news of the children’s book arrives. This year, the Kisa Scholars helped write a newly published booked called Sam Learns Some Lessons. The really cool thing about it? They’ve based the content on stories the Kisa girls created during a writing workshop. Not only does the book highlight the girls’ creativity but it also shows its wide audience the true importance behind educating girls and empowering women, not only in Tanzania but all across the globle. The book was published by Dot-to-Dot Children’s Books, and can be purchased here. This marks the second book put out by girls at our partner schools; earlier this year, Starfish One by One in Guatemala also released a children’s book!

We are looking forward to reporting back on how the school year went for all the Kisa Scholars of ours!

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Girls’ Education in Tanzania: A Must-Have

A recent article printed in the Guardian tackled the issue of a growing population in Tanzania and how educating girls and women can help reduce pregnancies in the regions. Tanzania, the 172nd poorest nation in the world, is the home to our partner school, the Kisa Project.

As the researcher behind the Kisa Project,  I am learning daily the great difficulties that Tanzanian girls face, especially when they become pregnant at a young age and are unable to keep progressing in the classroom. As the article mentions, stigmatization is high when a young girl must drop out of school to have a baby. Young girls are left with no choice but to leave their school books behind to care for their child, giving up their dreams to become nurses and teachers in their country.

Often we think that poverty stems from “no money,” when really, poverty in Tanzania is associated with illiteracy. A lack of the ABCs. A lack of the 1-2-3s. The Tanzanian Government is saying that the high fertility rate is coming from the low educational status of women throughout the country. And how can a woman combat this status when they have no chance to learn to read?

Programs like the Kisa Project are working to change the culture and the norms in Tanzania by giving girls the fuel they need to stay in school and push on towards a bright future. As always, I am eager to see our Kisa Scholars go out and tackle statistics like the ones above to bring more of their sisters into the gift of education.

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New Teachers For South Sudan, Slowing Teen Pregnancy & More

Female Circumcision Rates Lowered in Senegal
Over 92 millions African girls have undergone female circumcision, a dangerous and painful tradition often performed with little to no pain medication. Although this practice is still carried out in many countries, the African nation of Senegal is working to put a stop to cutting. A local group called Tostan has had a major impact in lowering the use of this practice with an education program that seeks to build support on the dangers of cutting. While Tostan is careful not to denounce it as barbaric, they do seek to change social conventions and perceptions of cutting. Read more about Tostan’s efforts here.

Argentina Lowers Illiteracy Rate
In 2004 Argentina created “Encuentros,” a literacy program dedicated to lowering the country’s illiteracy rate. The program called on civil society volunteers to teach reading and writing in a range of over 50,000 community centers and was heavily focused on lowering the illiteracy rate of women, particularly those over thirty years old. As a result of the program’s success, Argentina’s illiteracy rated has dropped from 2.6 percent in 2001 to 1.9 percent in 2010. Read more about the program here.

Education in Tanzania Critical to Slowing Teenage Pregnancy
In Tanzania’s region of Shinyanga the average woman marries young and gives birth to seven children. Unfortunately for the hundreds of schoolgirls who become pregnant, their education is brought to a halt as the taboo of young mothers returning to school is especially strong. For a country with a soaring population, the answer to slowing growth is increasing education for girls, which leads to lower birth rates and increased economic growth. Read more here.

Uganda to Create Jobs for Teachers in South Sudan
The president of Uganda Yoweri Museveni says his country will send teachers to South Sudan in an effort to help the new nation recover from decades of conflict that have badly affected literacy and the education system. Read more here.

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A Surprise for the Kisa Girls from STF in NYC!

Next week, Val Martin is headed to Tanzania to visit the Kisa Project, and she’s going to be bringing them a special surprise from She’s the First! Check out the cool photo album we made for them of all our favorite places in NYC. Think they’ll like it?

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Can You Help Elizabeth Find Colleges in London?

Elizabeth David, a KISA Scholar in Tanzania sponsored by GIRLS WHO ROCK 2010, is enjoying a well-deserved holiday from school right now, and is using her time off to dream big about her future! She wants to go to business school in London, but needs our help!

In our most recent letter to Elizabeth, we told her about UN Week in New York and asked her what she thought about us sharing her letters with all of you – it sounds like she is excited to hear from the She’s the First community! Check out her letter below, and help us do some research on her behalf!

Elizabeth Says:

Hi,
Its realy nice to hear from you guys since i’ve missed your letters a lot. My holiday is going well but kind of fast though. By the way, I had a favor to ask, please when you have time can you help me to do a research on the net on good universities in London which provide scholarships and some other important info cause I was thinking about having my first degree of business administration there. I will be very gratefull.

Till next time,
Elizabeth.

Do you want to help out and do some research on London universities for her? Do you have any advice for her in her college search? We know you all have great ideas! Leave her comments below and we’ll send them back to her!

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Introducing Elizabeth Abshire: AfricAids’s New Executive Director

[ Editor's Note: Today I am wicked excited to introduce you to the newest member of the STF extended family: Elizabeth Abshire. Elizabeth is the new Executive Director of AfricAid, one of our partners in Tanzania, and will be taking over for Ashley Schuyler as she heads back to school.  As the researcher for Kisa, I had the pleasure to ask Elizabeth a few questions about her work and hopes for the Kisa Project in the future. Enjoy!]

Elizabeth Abshire, new Executive Director at AfricAid

EA: It was a job posting on the Colorado non-profit job board. I was in a corporate position and looking for a change. My heart was really in Africa already.

STF: You mentioned running your own nonprofit for a few years in Kenya. Where did you first develop a passion for social change? Do you have a special tie or connection to Africa?

EA: I started a non-profit in 2007 that focused on educational opportunities in Kenya, specifically in Kibera which is a large slum area in Nairobi. I have been intrigued by Africa my entire life and finally had a chance to visit in 2007. I could not come home and live my life the same way after that.

STF: We love advocating for girls’ education (obviously). What message about girls’ education would you like to send the world?

EA: This is really the key. Everyone wants to help and there are so many great missions. I believe that many of the efforts treat the systems of poverty. Educating a girl gets to the core and will transform villages, nations and continents.

STF: Running a nonprofit in the US that creates social change in the developing world can be a difficult task. How do you make people in this country care about the issues in the developing world?

EA: It can be challenging, though I’ve found most people care intrinsically if you can slow them down enough to talk to them. It also helps if they’ve had any experience in a third world, developing nation.

STF: What has it been like getting to interact with the girls at the Kisa Project?

EA: Truly amazing! Everyday I am inspired by their dedication, strength, and brilliance. I’ve never seen girls their age who so understand the value of education in the way they do.

STF: What are you hoping to work on and/or make better with AfricAid in the coming years?

EA: I think AfricAid has a wonderful direction and vision. My hope is to extend it across Tanzania and other countries in Africa.

STF: As you are just getting adjusted to your new job, what has been the most rewarding and the most challenging aspects of your journey thus far?

EA: The most rewarding aspect was definitely my trip to Tanzania in May. It was indescribable to see our programs in action and the real difference they made in girls’ lives.

The most challenging has been learning the new organization culture and really focusing on fundraising. In my corporate job I was given a budget to spend, now I need to raise it, too.

STF: She’s the First is all about taking pride in being the “first” — just asmany girls we sponsor are the first in their family to graduate. What are you the “first” to do?

EA: I’m the first in my family to start a non-profit — and to leave the corporate world to run one!

Thanks so much for the interview, Elizabeth! We look forward to seeing the positive growth and change that will surely come to Kisa in the months to come!

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Be a Penpal with Glory John from Tanzania!

Thanks to the funds raised from our Flip cams, She’s the First has been able to sponsor two more girls from the Kisa Project! Meet Glory John, one of the lucky girls, and and become her penpal by writing to her in the comments!

Glory John is 19 years old and the first born in her family. We recently received a letter from Glory John about what she’s doing in school and a little more about her and how excited she is to be a part of the She’s the First family.

Glory John says:

Hello She’s the first!
Am very happy to have you as my sponsors, friends and important people in my life.
I am Glory John, a form five student at ENABOISHU HIGH SCHOOL. Am glad that i got a chance to be here for my further education. My ambition is to work on big companies like UN since i really wish to help women,orphans,refugees and street children.
I fill sorry for my self because i did not make a digital story. But i wish one day to do that and you will get to hear it when am done. Is that fine with you my dudes?
guess what!I only stay with my father my mother passed away almost 6 years ago, i some time miss her allot and wish to be by her side but she is no where to be seen. Am sure if she could be around and hear everything about KISA she could be proud of me and you my sponsors. But God is good he has given me new friends{sponsors}who have been good to me always and they are very concern. IT’S YOU SHE’S THE FIRST.
I love you more than you can guess and i wish one day to see you all. You know what? Am proud of you all cause you told me some of you are doing music and is the thing i really love in life.
Will you mind to tell me which kind of music are you doing?

Comment below and tell Glory all about your favorite music, and ask the questions you want answered about her life. We’ll send your notes to her to answer!

[Editor's note: Letters from students are not edited for grammar, style, etc.]

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Be a Penpal with Eli from Tanzania!

Meet Eli! She’s one of the two new Kisa Scholars now sponsored in the AfricAid program in Tanzania. The $4,000+ raised from sales of the She’s the First Flip cam collection funded her education, making all of YOU her sponsors.

Eli wrote to us this week, letting us that she’s now the head girl and expressing what it means to her to have your support and encouragement. We’re so inspired and moved by her words, and we know you will be, too:

thanks a lot ladies !!!!

i am doing well in school and i am very busy preparing my self for the terminals exams next week !!!
i have good news 4 kisa members and you sponsors!!!most of us have chosen to be leaders here at school!!! we had election last week and i am THE HEAD GIRL!! Now i can make what i learn in kisa IN ACTION!!! Lovely!!!
at SCHOOL I am doing HISTORY ,LANGUAGE ,PHILOSOPHY & SWAHILI!!!! SO HOPEFULLY I WILL BE JOURNALIST !! I HOPE TO READ YOUR MAGAZINES!!!!!!!
AM HAPPY BECAUSE NOW I CAN STAND AND TELL PEOPLE WHAT IS WRITE AND WHAT IS WRONG IN LIFE!!I LEARN TO FORGIVE AND FORGET!! THERE IS WHERE YOU CAN MOVE ON!!!IN KISA WE LEARN ABOUT MARTIN LUTHER AND MAHATMA GANDHI !!THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED IN LOVE! TEY SAY ,”LOVE YOUR ENEMY
!’”WHEN YOU LOVE AND FORGET & FORGIVE THEN YOUR LIFE BE PROGRESS!!!
IT IS GOOD WHEN YOU HAVE COURAGE!!!WHEN YOU HAVE SUPPORTERS!!! U FEEL YOU ARE NO LONGER A LONE !!!AND THERE IS WHERE YOU FIGHT TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME REALITY !!WE SHOULD NOT LIVE OUR DREAMS BUT WE ARE THE ONE MAKES OUR DREAMS LIVE!!!
KISA IS THE BEST FAMILY !!THE FAMILY THAT UP GRADE!!!I AM HAPPY BEING IN KISA !!I HOPE TO HERE BACK FROM YOU SO SOON!!!

Here’s the digital story she put together to tell us about her life. She’s already a digital storyteller!

Eli wants to be a journalist and help women and children, just like so many on the She’s the First team. Comment on her video and letter below and we will ensure she gets all your warm messages of support. Check back for her response!

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A Digital Story From The Kisa Project

I could easily spend an entire day watching the digital stories made by the girls at the Kisa Project in Tanzania. Each month, the Kisa Project features a scholar, setting her story to music and pictures and allowing the girl to tell it herself.

Meet Dorca, the girl who has inspired me today. Dorca tells her amazing story about the hardship and the struggle it took to get an education. Dorca is the first lady in her family to pursue an advanced level of schooling! She attributes her determination to her family who taught her to always be independent.

 

Thanks for being the first, Dorca! You inspire all of us!

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Our Kisa Girls Get More Active Online!

A kisa schola on the computerWe have some exciting news to share from our tech-savvy scholars over at the Kisa Project.

AfricAid recently completed the installation of computer labs at two of Kisa partner schools in Tanzania. The first school, Enaboishu Secondary School, received a donation of 11 computers from the Ross Family Foundation. Enaboishu hired a full-time computer teacher who recently attended a two-week training by ViaAfrica and will be helping the scholars use the computers on a daily basis! The recent Kisa newsletter reports that the girls are “already proficient and very active online!”

The Kisa Scholars received their website training on July 9th with Kisa mentor Esther as their coach. They will now have access to the website and a better opportunity to communicate with sponsors!

We look forward to seeing the strides these girls will make with the internet at their fingertips!

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Kisa Scholars Get Special Visitors in Tanzania

Sponsors share a meal in Tanzania

Our Kisa Scholars in Tanzania had an exciting month, thanks to special guests who came during one very exciting week in June!

AfricAid and Africa Adventure Consultants led their first guided trip to visit the girls, on the way taking participants through the Serengeti and Tanzanian culture.

Though seeing the wild animals in the jungle was a thrill, participants attested that meeting the girls was the best part of the trip. The Kisa Project scholars don’t leave the campus throughout the school year, so they warmly welcomed their guests. They adored sharing stories with their sponsors and getting to know one another.

The group visited two primary schools during the trip, Upendo and Losinoni, and two secondary schools, Muungano and Arusha Secondary. They even had the chance to visit some of the homes throughout the area.

Plenty of sharing was done by all; the Kisa girls were very excited to meet sponsors and a 2012 trip is already in the works.

The June 2011 newsletter was packed with a lot of energy and excitement and even some questions to fuel dialogue between the Kisa Scholars and us. Here is a personal favorite of mine: Who is the most inspiring woman leader you know? Share your answer in the comments below!

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Kisa Scholars Pay it Forward to Younger Students

We are so excited to hear how the scholars over at AfricAid’s Kisa Project, one of our partner programs in Tanzania, pay it forward to younger girls just entering into the two-year program.

We recently received an update on a trip some of the current Kisa Scholars from Arusha Secondary School made to two Tanzanian secondary schools entering the program–Edmund Rice Secondary School and Enaboishu Secondary School. The scholars spoke to the girls about how the Kisa Project can be their gateway to success. They encouraged the girls to apply for this program run by AfricAid. Nice, a current scholar, said: “We girls have great dreams to make change in our communities. Opportunities are there; we should grab them with our two hands. Kisa is an opportunity!”

As always, we are beyond excited to see the Kisa Scholar program grow and spread into more communities in Tanzania. You can support by writing comments back to Elizabeth, Grace and Happiness, the three Kisa Scholars She’s the First sponsored in 2010 as a result of GIRLS WHO ROCK. They are now in their second year of the program. (We are about to begin correspondence with two more Kisa Scholars, Eli and Glory, whose education was funded by the $4,000+ our Flip cams raised!) And of course, you could help fundraise to sponsor a sixth scholar — learn more here!

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Be a Pen Pal: Write Back to Elizabeth & Grace in Tanzania

The Kisa Scholars in Tanzania are officially back from their vacation and ready to hit the books once again. We love being able to email back and forth with the three students whom GIRLS WHO ROCK 2010 sponsored—Elizabeth, Happiness, and Grace—and hearing directly from them how their time at school is going.

From the looks of their letters, the girls are busy and ready to start their studies! In the comments, leave Grace & Elizabeth a note of encouragement, or a question, which we can relay back in our response! We’ll post Happiness’ update soon.

Grace Lyimo

The following is a message from Grace:

hallow!
Sorry for taking a lot of time to answer you i was having some problems.
I real enjoyed taking economics. as other students i do experience some problems which are normal but i do my best to solve them as i have been taught by mentors that in order to live with people you have to know her weakness and her strength so am happy to be in kisa because its helps me a lot living with people as hear at school we are many people with different culture and comes from different places.
Hope we will communicate more
Have a nice time, till next time.

This is from Elizabeth:

Elizabeth David

how are you doing?I’m fine and going well with my studies,and Grace is doing fine as well.

It feels so good to be on my last year and thinking that soon am going to be in the university but it’s hard work too. It means studying hard so as to get good grades in my mock exam and especially my final exam.

How’s the concert preparation going?Well, I wish you guys all the best.

Lots of love,

Elizabeth.

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Another Vivanista Contest Victory…Thanks to You!

As the semester winds down and the stress of Finals Week kicks in here at Syracuse University, receiving word that STF*{Syracuse} had another success in a Vivanista contest was a major bright spot.

Mbithe Pius (m-bee-thay - but the "th" is hard, almost like a "D")

The contest, Vivanista’s Flash Fundrasier competition, challenged seven college campus teams from across the country to plan and execute creative fundraisers held within a 48-hour period. (We held a benefit concert to raise money to sponsor Mbithe Pius at the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya…and we raised enough to educate her for a full year!) The group that raised the most money would be granted $1,000 for their charity of choice.

Stanford University’s Bowl-A-Thon for the American Cancer Society raised almost $1,000 and received the additonal $1,000 grant. (Congrats, Stanford!)

But the fun didn’t end when the fundraising was over. Vivanista asked each group to submit a video recap of their fundraiser.  The videos would then be judged based on creativity, social impact and spirit.

However, the “most creative” award was also vote-based. And thanks to YOU, our wonderful supporters, our video managed to garner the most votes!

Thanks to everyone who tweeted, re-tweeted (#FlashFundraiser!), posted on Facebook or simply told their friends to vote for us. It’s no secret that leveraging the power of social networking is critical to She’s the First’s success.

She’s the First*{Syracuse} shares the victory with all of you, and expresses our gratitude to Vivanista for sponsoring another great contest. We enjoyed participating and encourage you to check out the other schools’ videos on the contest page.

 

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Digital Forefronts with the Kisa Project

She’s the First is definitely a tech-savvy organization; its engine’s powered by social media and digital storytelling. But we aren’t the only ones who have exploring this concept of digital storytelling.

One thing that I love about the Kisa Project in Tanzania, the school that I correspond and communicate with, is how passionate they are when it comes to sharing stories. Kisa even meaning “story” in Swahili, the girls in this program are no strangers to utilizing the media to connect with others across borders and boundaries.

Every month the Kisa Project updates its interactive site with digital content produced by the girls in the program. The short videos feature a different girl each time, giving the young woman a chance to tell her own story.

It is great way to get up close and personal with the girls we are sponsoring through She’s the First. And I can guarantee that you will only need five minutes to get swept up in the stories of these courageous and smart young women.

Stay updated with the digital stories by subscribing to the Kisa Project eNewsletters, a great opportunity to get news from the girls straight into your inbox.

Be sure to check out this month’s featured story by Jackline, a Kisa scholar at Arusha Secondary School.

 

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93.6 Percent of VSI Students Pass National Exam

Girls attend class at a Village International School

This year in Tanzania, local newspapers blasted headlines about the education system facing a major crisis. Students were failing the country’s national exams at an alarmingly high rate, including the government schools, which had reportedly seen 4 out of every 5 students fail. But we are proud to announce that students at our partner school, Village Schools International, are beating the odds: 829 out of their 885 students who took the national exam passed the test — that’s 93.6 percent!

Village Schools International strives to give opportunities to the wasiochaguliwa, or the “unchosen ones”—the students who are orphaned or come from poor neighborhoods that society deems “not good enough” for their government schools. We are so happy that these children at our partner school are showing the world that no matter what your economic or social status, with the right resources and encouragement, you can succeed in school, beyond an entire country’s expectations.

But we’re bringing you even more great news from Tanzania: VSI, which is a network of 21 secondary schools, is now opening a kindergarten school! In an effort to give young children in the Tanzanian village of Madisi a head start in life before heading to primary school, VSI began building a kindergarten building at the beginning of March that they hope will be finished in time for the next school year. We can’t wait to hear how the future kindergartners will do!

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