Menstrual hygiene day was last week, which is important to SIHA because of the ongoing stigma and challenges faced by young girls all over the world while menstruating. To combat this issue here in Morogoro, SIHA and our URDI partner  continue to work on the Menstrual Health project aiming to empower school-aged girls to ask questions about menstruation and gain the skills necessary to manage their periods. 

The interns were also fortunate enough to visit the APOPO operation grounds here in Morogoro. APOPO is a non profit created by a Belgian university student; it focuses on training giant African pouch rats to save lives by detecting landmines and tuberculosis in sputum samples. It was a great experience to see the operations and strategies of a highly successful NGO. It was also a great deal of fun to see the rats in action! 

This Sunday the interns went on a Safari in Mikumi national park! As expected, it was a wonderful experience to see the animals in their habitat and to watch them interact with each other; lions, eland-antelope, giraffes, hippos, wildebeest and much more. Our special thanks go to Lazaro of Mbegha tours as he set up this wonderful experience for us.

 

The SIHA team preparing to set out early in the morning on Sunday.

After seeing a fully grown lion up close, one can be sure that their reputation as kings of the jungle is well deserved! -Ahmed.

Ending the Week on a "High" Note!

It was quite a busy week for our international team; firstly, the SIHA interns along with our partners in URDI met with stakeholders of Tungi Primary School. We discussed with the health teachers and the principal the current successes and limitations of our WASH project and potential improvements. The meeting was fruitful in many different ways; the interns were able to see the impact of the past years' internships and were given new resolve as a result. The meeting also brought up the discussion of community need for an addition of a menstrual health module to be added to the WASH curriculum. 

The interns were also pleased to have an introductory meeting with the Youth Power Organization founder, Charles Makongo. The YPO is a local youth led, non profit organization dedicated to empowering the next generation through community service. We were inspired by their work and are hopeful that we will find an opportunity to partner with the YPO in the near future. 

The interns ended the week on a high note with a 13km trek to the scenic Choma falls. With their spirits lifted by the breathtaking views and their bodies rejuvenated by a shower in the waterfall, the interns are feeling refreshed and eager to take on the next busy week!

-Ahmed

SIHA Interns Return to Morogoro!

 SIHA's interns are finally back in Morogoro, Tanzania after 2 long years! Due to the Covid 19 pandemic the interns were unable to travel for 2020 and 2021. However, the inspired and adaptable minds here at SIHA were able to continue to work on projects in a virtual space. Now that we are back in person we are extremely excited to work with our partners in URDI face to face; even more exciting is the prospect of working hands-on with the community and actually experiencing the rich culture of Morogoro!

 In fact, the new interns have already had their first taste of the market here in Morogoro, as they have bought necessities for the amazing new house they'll be staying at(many thanks to URDI for finding it for us).

Other than settling in, the interns have been enjoying the views of the beautiful mountainside on their morning walks, sampling delicious local foods like Ugali and listening to as many famous Tanzanian songs as they can find. It's not all fun and games though, the interns have began their volunteer meetings and are already starting to plan for the projects ahead! 

Stay tuned to the blog to see weekly updates on the 2022 SIHA interns and their adventures here in Morogoro. Check out our website to learn more about who SIHA and our URDI partners are and what we do!

SIHA's 2022 International Travel Team with URDI member , Pili(furthest left).

-Ahmed-Nasser