Elizabeth Mkufya: Defying odds to eke out a living

It is around 10am on a calm Monday in Dar es Salaam. The skies are clear though dotted with isolated clouds after rains had pounded the city the previous night. Along Sokoine Drive, just adjacent to Sukari House, a middle aged woman is seated behind a small table on the pavement, under a tree.

The table is strategically located so that vehicles parked nearby will not obstruct passers-by from noticing her and probably seek her services. As we walk towards her desk, she looks at us in anticipation. “Karibu,” she welcomes us while smiling before greeting us. After exchanging greetings, the lady says, “You want your shoes brushed? Come and sit on this bench.”

The seriousness on her face shows that she means business but her smile and tone of her voice shows good customer relations, assuring us of a good service.

She continues to persuade us to sit while overriding our attempts to try to explain the purpose of our visit. 

We hesitantly go to where the bench is and sit, knowing very well that she had not understood our mission. Feeling at home, after a warm welcome, we introduce ourselves and it is at this moment that we realized that our message for booking an appointment with her had not reached her. Actually, she knew that we were to come, but did not expect us that day.

So after explaining the purpose of our visit, it is then that her true colours came out; she is a shy and reserved person. It took us over ten minutes trying to convince her that it was harmless for her to tell us of her personal life. She had made it clear that she was free to discuss everything concerning her work but was not comfortable talking about her personal life.

After convincing her of the importance of the interview, she opened up. But, she whisked us some a few meters from her stall, away from her colleagues as if to make them not to hear the details of her life and family. We move some five or so metres away and stand in between parked vehicles ready for the interview.

“I am Elizabeth Musa Mkufya and I come from Arusha,” said the soft spoken woman while responding to our first question. But, before she could go any further, she had to be cut short as one of her neighbours called her for a customer who wanted to be attended to. She quickly excuses herself and rushes to her stall where she sells a mobile phone recharge card to the customer before she rushes back.

“Samahani,” she says as she takes her position ready for the resumption of the interview. “I did not get the chance to progress with my education, so I ended in Standard Seven. I did my schooling at Daudi Primary School, in Daudi Village, Arusha. I am a third born in a family of 11 children,” she continued.

Having been born and bred in Arusha, Elizabeth later on got married and together with her husband, shifted to Dar es Salaam in 2004.

This marked a watershed in her life as she found herself doing what she likes most. Her husband, a well known cobbler was her mentor and trainer.

“I started doing this job in 2007 and my station was based along Shaaban Robert Street in Dar es Salaam,” she said, adding, “I chose this job because I like it and it is unique because in the sense that other women haven’t done it. I looked all over I went and I didn’t come across any woman doing the job so I decided to do it,” said the ever smiling Elizabeth.

Again, it was another time for a short break after a customer was demanding her presence. Typical of her, she apologises before going to attend to her customer. This had to happen several times during the interview.

“By the way, I also sell mobile phone recharge cards, but they don’t make much profit,” she explains as she comes back from serving her customer, adding that she started the shoe repairing and shinning business with a capital of 80 000/-.

She continues, “The job is not easy but I try my level best. It was the zeal to look different that drove me into this. I simply wanted to look different.”

Speaking on challenges, the 34 year old mother of two said she comes across many challenges as the industry is male dominated.

“Some men come and seek services on credit but they go for good, they don’t own up,” she said.

Elizabeth also added that another challenge she faces is that many men are used to come across male cobblers and shoe shiners, so when they approach her, some of them show that they don’t have confidence in her because she is a woman. Some of them don’t believe that she can work on their shoes as good as any other male cobbler can do.

“I try by all means to prove them wrong and at the end of the day, I get a lot of customers. But, as a woman, I face a lot of sexual harassment. Many men think that because I do this job then I should be an easy target,” she added.

Asked on the fortunes of the business, Elizabeth had this to say, “The business pays a lot because as of now, we shine shoes for between 500/- and 1000/-. We repair a shoe’s sole for 8, 000/-. And, what is good about the business is that you can charge whatever amount you are comfortable with.”

She said that on a good day, she can take home 30, 000/- or more and she has managed to develop her life. With the business, she has managed to put food on the table, paid school fees for her two children, and has managed to buy a plot where she is planning to build her own house.

As a married woman and a mother, Elizabeth leaves home early in the morning to start work at 6 O’clock and this enables her to serve customers who will be rushing for work.

“I knock off at around six in the evening, so that I can get transport to Kigamboni and have some time with my family,” she added.

Asked on how she balances family life with her busy schedule, Elizabeth said that she shares the house with her mother-in-law, so it is easy to balance work with family life.

“As a woman, you have to plan your time so that you balance the two. I just plan. I have two kids aged seven and 10 years and they are all in primary school. I also do not work during weekends hence will get time with my family. But, whenever I am tied up my mother-in-law chips in for me,” she added.

Though she cherishes her job and can look back and be proud of her achievements, the business is without its bad side. In 2010, she was arrested for operating her business along the streets and had to spend 14 days in prison.

“The case took six months but luckily I won it. The problem is that I lost everything when I was arrested, so I had to start afresh. I relocated from where I was to Nyumba ya Sanaa. And, when they destroyed it ready to construct a new building, I temporarily stayed home for two months and I looked for a place. That’s how I ended up being here,” she said adding that she started operating at her new location in December, last year.

Though she decried harassment from city militia, who always demand bribes, she said the city fathers have allowed her and others to operate where she is operating from.

Elizabeth, however, went on to advise other women to work and not wait for their husbands to feed them.

“As women, we are able to work. We have the power and can make a difference. Women out there should not rely on their husbands for everything,” she added.

Asked about her dreams, Elizabeth said that she wants to one day own her own shop dealing with selling and repairing of shoes. She also hopes that the business should spread to other regions in the country.

Dina Marios: Using microphone to change lives

 The Tanzania Women Achievement Awards (TWAA) hosted its fourth awards giving ceremony at Serena Hotel last week. The event, meant to honour women who made a difference in this country, saw scores of them walking away with various prizes for their sterling work and sacrifices.

But, the top honours went to none other than Dina Marios, a lady with an angelic voice that has turned the fortunes of many disadvantaged Tanzanians.

Dina is arguably one of the few people who can make use of their talents for the benefit of the community. Through her radio programme, Leo Tena, listeners’ lives never remain the same; she thrives to fight for the empowerment of women and children living in difficult circumstances.

This paper tracked the winner to her hub, Clouds FM, where she revealed that the award has motivated her to continue with her efforts of supporting women in the country through her radio programme.

Explaining more on the popular radio programme, Leo Tena, that has revolutionized the face of broadcasting in this country, Dina said it rocks the airwaves from Monday to Friday at 10:00am to 13:00pm.

She added that the programme that attracts thousands of women listeners, not to mention men, is an interactive one and has three different segments that deal with women and children affairs.

Dina believes that it was the radio programme that saw her scooping the Best Woman Awards 2013 and she has every reason to be proud once she looks back at what she has achieved in helping the disadvantaged.

“You know, as a young woman I am so proud of my achievement. This TWAA award has real made me proud of my work and I have been creating different radio segments aimed at discussing women affairs," she said.

Through her radio programme Dina embarked on a massive fundraising campaign to support children at Mwandaliwa Orphanage Center located at Mbweni in Dar es Salaam, who were on the verge of returning to the streets to beg.

Dina said that she got wind of the sorry state of affairs from one of her listeners, who tipped her on the goings on at the orphanage and how children were suffering.

She took the initiative to visit the center where she talked to the owner of the centre, who explained the situation on the ground.

During the interview with the owner, Dina noticed that the centre was in dire need of money to support various activities as some children had dropped out of school due to lack of school fees.

Lack of food was also among major problems rocking the orphanage as some children could spend a day without eating anything.

After getting the full details, Dina got back to the studio and started a campaign to support the center.

It took her three days to raise six million shillings and different food stuffs such as rice, beans and flour as well as other important basic needs.

Dina revealed that she also participated in trying to save the life of a famous film actor, Said Kilowoko known as Sajuki. She used her radio programme in soliciting for funds for his treatment.

She appreciates the radio management: the MD, Joseph Kusaga and Sebastian Maganga the Radio Programmes Manager for their support and encouragement.

“I remember when I was continuing with my programme of fundraising for Sajuki’s treatment, one of the bosses Rugemalila Mutahaba came and also joined the effort by organising artists to sing a song known as Mboni Yangu that was used to encourage people to contribute towards the cause.

“As a result, politicians and other people joined hands in supporting it,” she said.

In her radio programmes, Dina encourages listeners to donate what they have no matter how small it is.

She also takes the opportunity to preach about the role each member of the community can play in changing the lives of people surrounding them.

Since the majority of her listeners are women they easily cope and follow her advices.

"I have that power in me. I can convince people to follow my advice that means I can use the power of the microphone in changing the community," she said.

Asked on what set her onto the path to become one of the most powerful broadcasters in the country, Dina said people used to tell her that she had a good voice for broadcasting. So one day, one of her friends, who were attached at Times Radio, took her to the studio and showed her how things are done.

The experience had to change her life forever as she was inspired to realize the dream. So, she went to Arusha where she joined Radio 5 on a three-month attachment.

From there she had short stints with Triple A radio and Time FM on part time bases before she joined Clouds FM in 2006.

"After I joined Clouds FM, I realize that it is a radio more inclined to entertainment so I had to arrange my programme in the same format while giving priority to community issues in a different way," Dina said.

Dina mostly uses Taarab music to entertain her listeners and as a platform to deliver her messages to the people.

The 26 years old diva from Kagera Region has also assisted in the organisation of Mwanamakuka Awards backed by the United Women Friends (UWF) aimed at honouring women.

Through her Leo Tena radio programme, Dina promotes the awards and became part of the Mwanamakuka Awards where they support budding entrepreneurs.

Touched by the plight of house helps in the country, Dina is the founder of awards for house girls in Tanzania held every May and has been in existence for the past three years.

She believes that if the community recognizes the importance of house girls and offer effective support, financially and materially, they will continue with their vital work in the community.

Dina said that house girls are very important in our daily lives as they take care of our families through cooking, washing dishes as well as rearing our children.

She added that as a radio presenter, she understands the importance of house girls that’s why she launched awards for them.

"In these awards we offer certificates as well as money to the winners and their bosses, who are responsible for writing letters of recognition to us, that shows the extent they recognize the contribution made by the girls in their lives," She said.

Speaking about her experiences in dealing with house girls, Dina said that she had an opportunity to meet a house girl who had worked for a certain family for 30 years.

She also met another house girl who had lived with a certain family for 25 years and she continued with her work even after the mother and father of the house had died.

Dina honoured the two ladies with awards as some cash and urged members of the community to borrow the same leaf.

"What I can say is let’s support them, give them love and together we can make the society free of any kind of harassment to house girls," she argued.

 

 

Hope 4 Young Girls Tanzania: Where teen girls empower others

By SIMBARASHE MSASANURI 

Teenage pregnancies remain a thorn in the flesh for the education sector in this country. And, from the look of things, no light is shinning at the end of the dark tunnel as thousands of schoolgirls’ dreams continue being cut short.

It is never an easy walk for the girl child as, despite trying to grapple with realities of poverty and neglect, many of them have to endure the pressure from their body

changes and that from men who will be on the prowl like a pride of hungry lions that have spotted a hapless kudu.

 Besides this anomaly, girls are fast becoming an endangered species as they also face other challenges such as lack of confidence, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), poverty and neglect.

It is against this background that a group of young ladies formed a group meant to make a difference in girls’ lives. Known as Hope 4 Young Girls Tanzania, the group provides the much needed dim light at the end of a very dark tunnel as it eyes changing lives of thousands of girls throughout the country.

According to the group’s Executive Director, Relations and Planning, Janet Mushi, the organization caters for schoolgirls from the age of 11 to 19. And, it is aimed at changing their lives in order for them to become better people in life.

“The group’s activities revolve around three areas of Education, Health and Sports. We attract their attention through sports and we use games such as volleyball, tug of war, basketball and netball, just but to mention a few. And, after these girls participate in these games, we gather them and teach them on various topics such as teenage pregnancies, STIs and HIV,” she added.

She also said that the group works hand in hand with teachers in various schools before they hold their functions. Of which, at the end of the teaching session, they give the girls questionnaires which they answer and the student who scores the highest marks is automatically made the organisation’s ambassador to the school.

The not for profit organisation which was an initiative of Salama Kikuda who is the Executive Director – Operations; Irene Dama, the Development Director; Janet Mush who is the Executive Director Relations and Planning and two other members, in June 2011, is headquartered in Mwenge.

According to Janet, the organization has grown from the five founding members to eight and is fronted by a group of schoolgirls from various schools known as Young Leaders, who are on the fore front of executing the activities.

“We are working with a group of nine young leaders and our role is to organize for them to empower others. We are using these young girls to educate others because it is easy for their colleagues to understand and emulate them. This also gives confidence to the girls,” she said.

“We decided to form this organization because we had seen that many girls’ lives are jeopardised and they face many difficulties in their lives. Elderly men are chasing after them and most of their dreams are plunged into uncertainty because they would have fallen pregnant.”

“Many girls, who wanted, for example to be doctors, never realize their dreams due to the problems. So, we educate them so that they know their rights and we provide the much needed friend and shoulder to lean on,” said Janet adding that many parents fail to get time with their children.

According to her, most girls don’t have someone to talk to hence they lose confidence when they face challenges.

“We sensitize girls on dangers of teenage pregnancies for them to take precautions. We also appeal to parents to be close to their children. In fact, they should be friendly to their children as this will make it easier for them to know what is happening to their teenagers,” Janet said.

She also highlighted that poverty is not the sole cause of the problems. “Even if the family is poor, if parents take time to talk to their children, they will know what is happening and therefore will be equipped to face any eventuality,” she said.

Hope 4 Young Girls Tanzania has so far conducted its activities in five schools where girls were enlightened. The organization that operates in Dar es Salaam and Coast regions has changed the lives of school girls at Mwenge Primary School, Kenton High School and Mapambano Primary School, all in dare s Salaam, and Mloganzila Primary School in Kibaha, just but to mention these.

“Though we have made some inroads in our endeavours, we are still crippled by lack of finances and support.  We are funding this initiative from our pockets and we are calling upon donors and well wishers to join hands with us in the fight against this social anomaly,” Janet said, adding that because of financial constrains, the organization has failed to implement some of its plans such as printing and dishing out educational materials.

 “We, leaders of the group together with the young leaders, need support and training… the training will make us more effective,” said Janet.

The group has plans to recruit members and volunteers while at the same time start girls’ clubs in schools with the ambassadors leading them.

Besides talking to the girls, knowing their problems with the aim of solving them the group also visits girl children in hospitals who are suffering from different ailments.

“So far, the group visited Muhimbili National Hospital and talked to children suffering from different diseases. We encouraged them and gave them moral support besides helping them with their different needs.  We recently helped a girl who was suffering from cancer,” she said.

She added that the girl, who was admitted to the hospital, had no money but had a letter under her pillow which she had intended to use for begging.

“As an organization, we took the copy of the letter and used it to raise funds for the girl. We even used our facebook page to post the letter so that well wishers could see it and help. So we managed to raise some money and got clothes, food etc and we handed them over to them. The girl’s situation is made worse by the fact that the mother is at home as she is having a small baby to take care of while the father is now suffering from a mental disease,” explained Janet.

According to her, the organization has big dreams such as widening to all parts of the country including rural areas, complete the establishment of their website and print educational materials that will help them spread their word.

“We want to give hope to young girls especially when it comes to education. We also plan to have a special day when we will honour girls, countrywide, who would have performed well during their national final examinations,” said Janet.

She said this will encourage the girls to work harder knowing that the community appreciates their achievements.

 

 

 

 

 

Noelah Msuya Shawa: A woman with a golden heart

 

 By Simbarashe Msasanuri

Disability is not inability goes an old age adage, but the road to success for the society’s disadvantaged is not all rosy as communities continue to frown at them. Fueled by traditional beliefs that linked disability to curses or witchcraft, people living with any kind of impairment are at the receiving end.

And, in most cases, they suffer double tragedy as despite trying to grapple with their disabilities they suffer discrimination and abuse. But, all hope is not lost as with the coming of modernization and civilization, light is beginning to shine at the end of a very dark tunnel for disabled children as the number of people with hearts of gold continues to surface.

One such lady is none other than Noelah Msuya Shawa, who has sacrificed her life to educate and offer a shoulder to lean on for children living with various disabilities and ailments.

Noelah, a Special Needs Education Teacher is the founder and the Executive Director of Child Support Tanzania (CST), a Mbeya-based organisation that caters for children with varied abilities and potentials, and gives opportunity to those with hearing impairment.

The school is also a refuge for children with visual impairment, children with Albinism, children with physical difficulties, children with mental challenges, orphans and vulnerable children and the ordinary (normal) children who do not have any disability or difficult circumstance.

 “What motivated me to start such a school is how I saw children with varied disabilities struggling in schools I taught in Singida and Mbeya, and, I also got inspiration from the fact that I grew up seeing my uncle, Pastori Mayani, from Tabora, who is a person with disability yet able.

“I saw that I was in a better position to change the plight of many such children living in our societies. The launch of the inclusive policy in Tanzania also inspired me to start such a center commonly called Early Childhood Assessment and Development Cente (ECALD) which happens to be inclusive,” said Noelah.

According to her, Child Support Tanzania was registered in 2008 as an NGO and in 2009 opened ECALD Center which is the school.

“I started the centre by using a cottage at my father's house in 2009 and by 2010, I started renting the premises that now house the center and the offices, located on plot 55/61 Block T Iyela Ward, Mbeya City. The centre has over 175 pupils while others have gone to other schools after finishing Early Childhood Development level,” she added

The school has continued to grow and as of now it employs 14 staff members, including a deaf teacher who teaches hearing impaired children and trains other teachers sign language. It has a board of 10 members headed by Hon. A.S Kapunga, the Mayor of Mbeya City Council and Mr Julius Kaijage as his vice- chairperson. The parents’ committee is headed by Mrs. Salome Kigosi a parent who has a child with disability in our center.

Noelah’s work has not gone unnoticed as many people and organisations have not only appreciated the good work but also offered a helping hand.

According to her, AbleChildAfrica a UK-based charitable organization has been in the forefront in funding and giving technical support to the organization.

“The Mbeya Business Forum, an umbrella group that brings together companies and individuals in the business sector in Mbeya like Coca Cola, SBC-Pepsi, TBL, Mbeya Cement co., SEEDco and hotels like Hill View Hotel, Beaco and many others have extended their helping hands.

“Other individuals have also been touched by our work and came forward to support us in any way they can. This is encouraging as it enables us to continue providing services to the children under our care and attention,” she said.

Though the organisation has made strides in changing the lives of many disadvantaged children in Mbeya, this is without challenges. Noelah admits that the going has not been smooth and sacrifice and hard work were the solutions.

“The challenge I face as a person is mostly in sustaining the organization in case of small or no funding for the project activities planned.  The organization faces challenges such as irregular funding, negative attitude of some section of the society towards children with disabilities and not having its own premises to house the school and the offices; we are currently renting two houses where we do our work,” she revealed.

 On the issue of negative attitude and discrimination against such children, Noelah said that the society should open up to the reality that children with disabilities did not ask to be born like that or the parents of such children did not wish their children  to be with disabilities and so it is a society issue.

“The society should embrace the social model of disability that calls upon everybody to have a role to play in making the world a better place for all human kind through their contributions materially, financially and morally towards the disability course.

“For instance, fixing a bad road gives a child/person with disability on a wheelchair an opportunity to move in his/her community with ease. Helping the blind/deaf in crossing a road or to reach to a given destination lessens the effect of the impairment on the person/child. Contributing funds for building a school or learning materials for children with disabilities supports the parents who feel burdened by the costs of maintaining a child/person with disability under their care,” she said.

She went on to advise parents of children with mental challenges and the ones with disabilities in general to exercise patience and give them the privilege to mix up with others and not to lock them in houses.

“It may be challenging as some sections of the society are still not receptive to children with disabilities but through bringing the children out, the society will begin to appreciate their existence,” she added.

Born Noelah Msuya on the 23rd of December 1978, in Mbeya Region, to the family of Godfrey Msuya and Hildagard Msuya (both late) who were from Mwanga District Kilimanjaro Region, she dreams big over the society’s disadvantaged.

“My dream is one day to have an inclusive society where children with disabilities are studying in inclusive schools with other ordinary children in Tanzania and that an inclusive society where persons/children with disabilities live happily in one society without discrimination based on disability or difficult circumstances,” she said.

She also reveals that she plans to build a comprehensive inclusive school that accommodates all needs of children irrespective of their abilities, potentials and social background.

To prepare her for the future Noelah’s parents enrolled her at Sisimba Primary School, Mbeya before joining Sangu Secondary School, in the same region.

“After that, I joined KifundaTeachers' College in Iringa and thereafter continued with studies at Patandi College, Arusha for a certificate course in Special Education Specializing in Children with Intellectual Impairment. And, after teaching briefly, I joined Kyambogo University in Kampala, Uganda for a Diploma course in Special Needs Education from 2006 to 2008,” she said.

Married to Gabriel Shawa, Noelah tries to balance her private life and office work through separation of responsibilities.

According to her, this is achievable through putting each of her staff members to perform their given roles as expected of them and that gives her time with her family.

“I try not to mix up my family life and work so that no side is affected. The Executive Director that I am in the office, I do not carry it home where I am a wife and mother,” she said.

 Noelah thanks her family for unconditional support. “I would like to thank my husband for moral support. He encourages me and he is interested in what I am doing and is determined to see me succeed.

“My husband also assists me financially, for example in 2010 the organisation went through a rough patch and we did not close shop because he helped us out of the difficult situation,” she said.

Noelah also added that her company, TBL, helps her organisation with a paper-based technology where they make special chairs for the children using cardboard boxes and wheat flour.

She also thanked TBL, for its sponsorship such as that of the Day of the African Child. The company, through its Grand Malt brand sponsors her organisation by helping with the printing of T-shirts among other things.

“My family has been so supportive of my work morally and financially. They gave me family land to cultivate crops for food for the children in my school free of charge. Some have contributed their professional expertise towards my work and not forgetting the financial contribution to have the centre continue moving.”

 She also appreciates the supports she gets from parents and guardians of children who attend her school.

 “In this era of NGOs just coming up and closing shop the next day, many people have tended to lose hope. They have also been of great assistance in leading the way through co-operating with the staff on how best to help specific individual children with  given disabilities or special needs.