Last month I traveled to Tanzania to join our Unite team in hosting a week-long workshop for our newest class of Unite Scholars. Each of these scholars has succeeded through a rigorous and highly competitive two-month-long Unite selection process following her/his Form 4 graduation in late 2023. They all come from extremely impoverished and vulnerable backgrounds, have studied at local government schools, and have scored the extremely-difficult-to-achieve Division 1 (top marks) on their national Form 4 leaving examinations. These are truly extraordinary young people who have already earned great success against unimaginable odds.
Click HERE to see a one-minute video of event highlights.
The event team (left to right): Unite Food Program Manager & Environmental Scientist Clara Wilson Ngowi; Unite Program Director Anty Marche; Unite Scholars Program Assistant Imani Faustine; Unite University Scholar Loyce Cheja (social work); Unite Founder & Director Anne Wells (me); Unite University Scholar Stella Mosha (psychology); Unite University Scholar John John Mashimba (customs & tax); and Unite Scholars Program Manager Joan Mnzava.
We gathered together at a convent in Morogoro (a clean, safe, and affordable spot in which to house 30+ people, conduct private meetings with the use of technology and fans — it was 100 degrees in the shade — and be fed three simple meals a day). Many of our scholars spent more time traveling by foot, motorcycle, and bus from their homes across rural Tanzania than I did coming from my home in Providence, Rhode Island… a world away.
Click here to meet Asia Dausi Sasi. The rest of our new scholars’ speeches will be featured in coming blog posts.
During this workshop, we spent extensive time introducing ourselves, reviewing and signing all Unite contracts, teaching lessons in emotional intelligence and time management, and covering such topics as bullying, sexual harassment, and human rights. Everyone has experienced some degree of abuse, persecution, and/or humiliation and this courageous group was passionate about sharing, supporting one another, and discussing in depth about how every human being, male AND female, is equally deserving of respect, compassion, safety, opportunity, and kindness.
We also took time to venture beyond the convent walls for an educational field trip to learn more about best practices in agribusiness at a local cooperative that supports agricultural entrepreneurial activities for youth. And, of course, we spent plenty of time dancing, singing, laughing, and simply enjoying one another.
Click here to see a short video of our scholars dancing.
These new Unite scholars will receive their A-level school assignments from the Tanzanian government in May/June and school will begin for them again in early July. To continue their academic momentum over this long school break, they have been paired with University-level Unite Scholars who are now tutoring them in various subjects. Unite tutoring is mostly conducted online through What’s App chats and video calls. (Our scholars will work in person together whenever logistically possible.) To ensure the success of our program, every Unite scholar and teammate is provided with a smartphone and monthly bundles to assist with communications and connectivity.
Our Unite team also conducts in-person home visits for our scholars (taking weeks at a time to travel around the country) to assess needs and opportunities. Those visits inform what family support Unite will provide (e.g. solar panels, bicycles, beds, home goods as needed, food relief, medical support, etc.) and what grants can be awarded to the scholars and their families to launch and grow small businesses. I will share more in coming blog posts.
A very special thanks to our sponsors who make it all possible. We are most grateful!
For those of you who would like to sponsor a Unite Scholar or help provide necessary solar panels, beds, bicycles, grants to start small businesses, or more, please email me at anne@uniteafricafoundation, call 314.239.3996 (USA), or click on the donate button below. Thank you so much. Asante sana.
