Empowering girls and women through education is a major driving force behind St Jude’s and it’s what we were passionate about on International Women’s Day which was held on March 8. The day is a global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women in the past, present and future.
As part of International Women’s Day celebrations, Gemma was interviewed recently on Channel 10’s ‘Wake Up’. We were so excited that she had the opportunity to share the St Jude’s story with a national audience. Here are some excerpts from her interview:
“Growing up with seven brothers and I think my mum bought herself a dress once every ten years as school fees were always a priority and Mum and Dad used to say education is everything. If you have got a good education, you can get yourself a good job and you’re independent and you have more power so I think that belief has gone through all of my brothers and myself. I just wanted a good private school in Tanzania which is accessible to the poor and we are not biased whether it’s girls, boys or what religion or what tribe the children are and it’s to give the kids the tools to have a good education and tools in life so they can all get good jobs after they finish school and university….”
“...The Chairman of our parent’s committee is a woman and looks after 1,800 parents and grandparents and aunties and uncles and the Chairman of our school Board is a woman. We have a lot of deputies and academic leaders who are women. It’s really good and it’s good for the kids to see that it doesn’t matter what tribe you are or religion you are, if you’re really passionate about your job, you will be promoted… It’s exciting.”
Traveling is one of life's biggest privileges. Adventures and experiences of a lifetime are ripe for the picking on all seven continents. Having just completed my own 2.5 year adventure across five of those continents, people often ask me how they can give back while they travel...
An associate professor at Reed College said "there's both a gentleness and a fierceness to life" in East Africa.
"When you greet someone you ask them how they are, and the answer is 'important'," said Reed biologist Sarah Schaack during a Skype interview from a hostel in Uganda. It's one of her favorite aspects of the culture.
Schaack is in East Africa teaching bioinformatics and sequencing the DNA of a pest that frequently devastates the region's staple crops. She hopes to empower African scientists to combat the pest that harms the regions health and economy.
She's not the only Portlander with a heart for Africa. We invited readers to share stories about their experiences or highlight the service they've done on the continent.
From Kailey Gramberg, The School of St Jude:
I first traveled to Tanzania in 2012. I immediately fell in love with the warmth and generosity of people and the vibrancy of the culture -- the music, the dance, the language, the fabric -- everything is just so alive here! I love that it takes five minutes to go through all the proper greetings with someone. The pace of life is much slower and I’m constantly reminded to slow down and be present.
The School of St Jude in Arusha has given the gift of education to 150 of the poorest children from Tanzania who will receive a completely free, high-quality education in January.
It was an emotional and happy day for the parents and students this week, as they were fitted in their very own St Jude's uniform. The uniform symbolises the free education that they will embark on in the New Year and the opportunity to truly break free from the cycle of poverty that they have been born into. The students are selected from thousands of Tanzanian children, based on their academic ability and their genuine financial need.
Gemma Sisia is an Australian woman who founded The School of St Jude in Arusha, Tanzania. Her work fighting poverty through education has turned this private, charity-funded school into one of East Africa's most renowned educational institutions. St Jude is the patron saint of hopeless causes, which suits Gemma and her pursuit to educate the brightest and poorest in Tanzanian society.
The school bell sounds and hundreds of Tanzanian children pile out of their classrooms as laughter, singing and shouting fill the air. More than 1650 children from impoverished backgrounds from the Arusha region, in Northern Tanzania, are relishing in a free, high quality education at The School of St Jude.
They’re now closer to realising their dreams compared to those studying in a Tanzanian government school where there are limited resources, overcrowded classrooms and no meals. At St Jude’s, these children are challenging themselves to escape a life of poverty and are focused on becoming doctors, teachers or leaders in their field.
