Getruda: Education helped me see that I can influence positive change in the world

6 minute read

Education has helped me to become the woman I am today, and to believe in my own potential.

My name is Getruda and I’m from the Mwanza region of Tanzania. My education journey started when I was in primary school. I was living with my dad and step mom very far away from the school, so I was walking two hours back and forth every day. I remember, I didn’t always have shoes, so I was traveling the long distance barefoot. 

One day, my school skirt tore from my hips all the way to the knee. I asked my dad to buy me a new one, but he didn’t have enough money and I couldn’t afford to miss any school. I decided to go to school anyway with my torn skirt tied at the end so that it didn’t blow away in the wind. 

Later that year, Sir Ruben, who was a new teacher at the school, enquired about my torn uniform, and with the approval of my dad, bought me a new one. It was the first time I had been offered a helping hand from somebody else. I never expected something like this. The next day, when I was walking to school in a perfect, beautiful new uniform, it didn’t just represent a uniform — I was wearing my confidence and walking with confidence — going to school and being just like everybody else. 

When I finished primary school, I moved to a new city, Bagamoyo, and started at secondary school. My sister was paying my school fees, but each year was an increasing struggle. She had more and more responsibilities and could not afford to pay for my school fees as well as fees for her own children. My situation felt very precarious. I knew I wanted to go higher in my education, but I didn’t have any certainty that my sister would be able to support me. 

In 2015, when I was in Form 2, I heard of an organization called CAMFED. Madame Saveline, who was overseeing the CAMFED supported students, realized that I needed help. That is how CAMFED stepped into my life.

With CAMFED supporting my education, I didn’t have to worry about buying school uniforms anymore. I didn’t have to worry about where I’m going to get my books or other supplies, I could focus on studying. 

Joining a fearless pan-African sisterhood 

In 2016 after I graduated secondary school, I joined the CAMFED Association — the leadership network of young women educated with CAMFED support. So far it has been nothing but an amazing experience. Now it’s no longer just me. It is us, together. 

It feels great to be part of this huge sisterhood. Everywhere I go, I know that I have a sister. We share our stories, we support each other, just knowing that there’s somebody there to lean on, is inspiring. Sisterhood to me is being surrounded by somebody who is there to help you at any moment — it’s wonderful.

Just a few months after my school graduation, an opportunity arose to study towards an International Baccalaureate at the United World College in Eswatini.

During the application process CAMFED supported me and made sure that I was comfortable in every situation. I went with three other young women in the CAMFED Association to Dar es Salaam to interview for the opportunity. I remember that night we stayed up late memorizing physics and encouraging each other! 

I was so thrilled to hear I had been selected to join the course at United World College, but when I got there I found the adjustment to a new environment challenging. As a girl who came from a very rural area with few opportunities, college life was very different!  There were so many people from different countries, different cultures, different everything. At first I felt like I didn’t belong there and I was struggling. But among those supporting me was CAMFED, keeping me going with financial and emotional support. 

Paying it forward to the next generation of young women

I graduated from the United World College after two years and returned home to Tanzania in 2019. There, I got an opportunity to intern at the CAMFED office in Dar es Salaam. In this role, I was part of an outreach program to mentor girls who had dropped out of school due to poverty, early pregnancy, and other factors.  I shared my own journey, helping to inspire and encourage them to return to school with support from CAMFED.   

Throughout the experience, I heard stories from other girls and realized that although many of us come from similar, disadvantaged backgrounds, actually our stories were different, our inspirations were different, our situations were different, and our struggles were different. Yet still we could come together and inspire each other. It was very profound!

I still wanted to go further with my education, and I successfully applied for a degree in Psychology at Luther College in Iowa with CAMFED’s support. I traveled to the United States in 2021 where I am still studying, and hope to graduate in 2024. 

Having been on such a transformational education journey, I wanted to give back and pay forward the benefits of my education. So last year, I established a group called the Brilliant Girls Premium, to help young women in Tanzania access higher education opportunities and prepare for university applications. I’m currently establishing a money transaction business which will help sustainably finance the application processes and expand our reach. It has been amazing to connect with sisters back home and support them on their path to success. 

In July 2023, I volunteered as a chaperone to 14 CAMFED-supported students invited by a renowned scientist to attend a summer school program at the University of Pennsylvania in the USA. Like me, these girls came from remote villages in their countries – Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These are communities where opportunities like this do not even sniff the village’s air let alone reach the people who live there. However, because of the organizations like CAMFED, these girls were able to participate.

With my fellow chaperone and CAMFED staff member Agnes Mgoji and the group of school students who we supervised on a special trip to the University of Pennsylvania. (Credit: CAMFED)