Class Year

12

Current Hometown:

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Job and Employer

Project Manager for D-tree International

Work:

I currently work as Project Manager for D-tree International, a global digital health
NGO. I oversee a portfolio of health projects that we implement in mainland Tanzania in
partnership with other NGOs, the Government of Tanzania, and health workers. D-tree leverages technology to strengthen health systems and improve delivery of health care. I support the design, development, implementation, and monitoring of such systems and tools for health care delivery.

Community work & family

Aside from my job, I run a mentorship program called Fanaka which I founded with a few
friends. The volunteer program is now a non-profit for which I’m the Director. The aim is to
give back to the community through mentoring youths. We recruit high school students from
public schools in Tanzania and pair them with professionals for one-on-one mentorship and
guidance, as they begin to seriously think about their careers and applying to universities. We
also hold monthly workshops that provide these students with basic skills such as self-branding,
public speaking, entrepreneurial, ICT, etc., which are currently missing in the curriculum of many public schools of Tanzania but are important in the personal and professional development of every student. I am also a businesswoman.

Graduate School

University of California Berkeley

Graduation Year

2015

Degree

Master of Public Health in Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology with a specialty in Global Health

Senior project:

My senior project was a continuation of my internship at The Jackson Laboratory: “The Role of ALT mechanism in Telomerase-Deficient Mice.”

Internship:

I pursued two internships: the first one in 2010 in the Department of Preventive Award Full scholarship for four academic years Services at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Tanzania, and another in 2011 - a research project at The Jackson Laboratory.

Human ecology in action:

Human ecology is comprehensive – I refer to it as an interconnectedness which I see in
everyday life, within our societies. Essentially, if we are to function as a society, we need to
understand human ecology; we cannot tackle challenges if we don’t approach them holistically.
I believe I practice human ecology every day, in my personal and work life.

A COA experience that was particularly significant or memorable:

The International Student Organization – I will always cherish the moments I had with
my friends preparing and performing cultural shows and fundraising for different causes.

Considerations for prospective students:

College of the Atlantic opened up new possibilities for me. I arrived at COA straight from Tanzania, East Africa. There was a lot to learn and acclimate to: new environment, culture, community, and courses. I basically matured at COA because I was given the opportunity to design my educational path and develop critical thinking. My experiences in college transformed my personality and mentality and in many ways had a great impact on what I pursued and keep
pursuing after COA.