May 2023 - Tumaini Empowers Girls through STEM
Three Tumaini Senior Secondary students, Given (Senior), Irene (Junior), and Silvia (Junior), came together to form Dadahood Tech, (meaning Sisterhood Tech in Swahili) and create the Pazasauti app as part of a tech competition. Encouraged and taught by TEC STEM instructor Ian Stiehl, they learned how to code, develop an app, and collaborate on a business plan.
The women-focused app, which means “speak out loud” in Swahili, is intended to combat domestic violence, supporting women while they are facing domestic violence, and after they begin to seek support or leave the abusive circumstance. The app would serve as a direct link to government officials, nonprofit organizations, counseling services and other means of support.
The girls shared that learning to code was an integral part of the program. They developed the app in Swahili but would hope to have an English version. Watch the videos on this page to get a sense of their experience in the Technovation program and see a demo of the Pazasauti app they created.
HEAR FROM THE GIRLS
Given - Senior
This experience challenged me, showed me that overcoming challenges is possible, and opened my mind to how many possible careers there are in STEM and computer science for women and girls in Africa and in Tanzania. Learning programming is not impossible, once you have the right guidelines.
If I were to develop an app in the future, it would be focused on the topic of cervical cancer because it is the most common cancer affecting Tanzanian women. Many women don’t know about the issue and suffer from the problem without help.
In the future, I still see myself working as an astronaut because I have a passion for exoplanets, stars, the night sky and more!
Irene, Form 4 Tumaini student
Given, Form 5 Tumaini student
Irene - Junior
The Technovation Challenge program taught me that careers in the STEM fields are possible and do not depend on men alone, but girls too! Once you have the right tutorials and guides to learn things like programming, then it’s easy for anyone to pick up those skills and create something.
I think I have a lot more to learn when it comes to developing an app, but with the right teacher, I could see myself doing it again in the future. I would create an app that would focus on childhood pregnancy in Tanzania. It is a very common problem for girls in school at a young age.
I very much want to be a doctor, either a cardiologist or a pediatrician. I really love children and want to help them follow their dreams to become successful members of society.