The First Starfish Story

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas and female role models out there. As a gift to my momma Janet, the reason why I am here, I am going to introduce a new project. Janet started this blog and named in "The Starfish of Moshi" because of the Starfish Story. This is a parable of sorts that you can read under the "Starfish" tab above. It exemplifies the model of changing the world one person at a time. Here I want to personify the starfish Give a Heart to Africa helps-- our students.

I have asked them to answer a few questions and share their lives with my readers. You can read the questions in the "Starfish" tab. I edited the writing only enough for readability but did my best to retain the writer's voice and integrity. Our first installment is from an exceptionally intelligent woman, Tausi. Her name means "peacock" in Swahili and boy does that name fit her well. She is bright, strong, and a bit of a show-off. She scored a 99% on her English midterm and a 96% in business. (The average was in the 60s.) She has the best English in school and credits this to reading English books regularly. Setting the bar extraordinarily high, here is her story...

Tausi (on the right) with Paulina typing for the first time on a computer.
She was writing this story of course!

My name is Tausi Mfinanga. I am thirty nine years old. I am married. My husband’s name is Sadiki Shabani. He is fifty two years old. I have three children. I live with my family in Bonite Chekereni. My education level is Form Four (about 10^th grade). I didn't continue with further education because I had so many challenges. After form four, I was asked to wait for a year at home taking care of the children and a house generally. After a year, I was told by my cousin that there is not enough money to continue with studies. I continued waiting, at last I was pregnant and I could not think about school anymore. I like being part of GHTA because this is the only chance I can get to fulfill my ambitions. I like learning different skills, educating other women in my area how to overcome financial problems, to teach other women how to fight for their rights and self-awareness, to now their position in the family and their responsibilities. 

After GHTA, I would like to use part of my time to educate women on different ways in which one can get income. The most important thing  I have learned since I joined GHTA has been math. when I  was in  school, I hated  mathematics, but in GHTA  I enjoyed learning math  because the volunteers taught us very clearly so that everyone understood. I have improved my English very much since at home I had no one to talk to. Now I enjoy speaking English to other students and teachers at GHTA. I have learned different skills like hair braiding, photos, and painting. I did not know that before. I’m very proud of it. I enjoy being in school as an adult because I meet other students and exchange ideas about life, and learn different things so I refresh my mind. School has changed my life. It makes me busy and punctual. I used to work at a coffee plantation. It was a very difficult job. The salary was less than $2 per day and there were very few benefits. Then I became a clerk at the plantation. I cannot forget this work because there was no respect in working area, women were being abused, and there were no human rights or freedom. Employment is the biggest challenge in my life. 

My dream is to be a light in society, to educate women how to change their lives, to teach them different skills in which they can get income to support the family rather than leaving all of those responsibilities to men. GHTA has influenced my dreams because I once had a dream of studying but I failed. Now my dream is back—I am at school! I can study many things and at last change my life and bring development to my family and to society generally. GHTA is a light in my life. 

From left to right: My co-teachers Rahimu, Molly, and Megan,Tausi and me. During Tausi's home visit.