Dear Friends of PiAf,

A special thank you to all of the incredible individuals who have contributed to our 2024 Board Matching Campaign. Your support is instrumental in helping us respond to the call from so many young leaders and incredible host organization partners who are eager to engage with Princeton in Africa. For those who have not yet donated, there is still time to have your contribution matched by our dedicated Board of Directors. Please click or scan below.

This week, I am delighted to share our, 'November-December Fellows Flyer' with you. These publications, which feature 3-5 Fellows at a time, are released on a bimonthly basis and are one of the best ways to hear directly from PiAf Fellows regarding their experience.  Additionally, you get sneak peak into their daily lives through their wonderful photos. As you read of their experiences, please recognize the invaluable role that you play in helping these young individuals build lasting connections while honing their leadership skills.  

On behalf of Princeton in Africa, thank you for your ongoing commitment to our work and mission!

Sincerely,

Damilola Akinyele Wolfgarten, Executive Director

LETTERS FROM THE FIELD

Greetings from Makuyuni, Tanzania! My name is Isabel Masawi, and I work as a STEM teacher at Tumaini Secondary School under the Tanzania Education Corporation (TEC). TEC is an organization whose mission is to support high-quality education by sponsoring various educational programs and students in Tanzanian schools. After four months working at Tumaini, I can confidently say that life in Tanzania has been incredible. From engaging classes and interesting conversations with colleagues to daytime adventures, every day is exciting. Occasionally, we get random visits from elephants, zebras, and giraffes, which I can observe from the balcony using binoculars.

At Tumaini, I am part of a STEM team consisting of five other members. My role involves teaching computer science and guiding students through independent projects. The STEM program is an extended learning initiative that goes beyond the standard classroom curriculum. While some topics overlap with their regular lessons, we ensure that our material delves deeper into the subjects and introduces students to new tools and software. Currently, we are working to establish a career center to provide students with additional resources and guidance about life beyond high school.

Although I have only been in Tanzania for four months, I have already built friendships with some of the teachers and, of course, my fellow STEM team members. Makuyuni is a somewhat rural area, but it offers unique experiences. For football fans like me, there are plenty of local spots to enjoy great food and watch matches. We often have lunch or dinner in town, where the meals are delicious and affordable. Additionally, we are just 90 minutes away from Arusha, which is perfect for grocery shopping and treating ourselves to fancy restaurants. Arusha also offers activities like hiking, quad biking, and visiting waterfalls.

The people here are cheerful and always willing to teach me new Swahili words every day. One of my favorite parts of the day is sitting at lunch and planning trips that never seem to leave the table. These plans include camping in Dodoma and Mwanza, backpacking through Eastern Africa, and camping locally. While none of these trips have happened yet, dreaming about them makes eating Makande and Ugali much more fun! The experiences I have had so far make every aspect of this fellowship worthwhile, and I look forward to all that is yet to come.

These last 5 months have been a dream. I feel a sense of renewal from experiencing Kenya through a new lens. As the days go by, I am moved to go beyond myself to centre myself within this robust community which I call home.

My name is Saleef Nyambok. I am a Nexus communications fellow at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi, Kenya. ILRI was my first foray into the development space and I have benefitted immensely from discovering all the innovations around creating sustainable livestock systems. I support their work by creating content for their social media platforms. This is mainly through graphic design, photography, and short-form videos. It has also been great assisting in the ideation of broader campaigns like COP16 in Colombia, COP29 in Azerbaijan and the ILRI@50 celebrations.

Something humbling for me has been seeing how far our communications work can go. I managed to have some of my designs featured at the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali and Climate Week in New York. I also travelled to Isiolo County, in northern Kenya as part of my community outreach in August 2024. This allowed me to engage with local pastoralists in villages around Oldonyiro. I supported documenting the works of Kelvin Shikuku and Rupsha Banerjee on Bundled Livestock Insurance products. These are some ways ILRI is helping to build the resilience of pastoral communities to drastic changes in climate. 

Outside of work, I have been taking advantage of hanging out with the Fellows in Nairobi, visiting the Nairobi National Park, and traveling to Watamu, which was absolutely mind-blowing. I engage often with the voice acting community in Kenya, motivating each other within the space and sharing knowledge and resources. I live pretty close to a theater so I may catch a play from time to time. A good movie, tv-show or book is always a plan. I also try to keep fit by training at the gym often and joining running and wellness clubs when I can. I am truly humbled to be part of such an amazing experience. It certainly has and continues to change my life for the better. I look forward to more enriching experiences in my fellowship year!

Before my fellowship, Pan-Africanism seemed like an elusive concept—something discussed in theories, ideologies, and political movements, or even just tossed around as a buzzword. After spending four months at the African Leadership Academy (ALA), however, I’ve come to realize that Pan-Africanism is not just a concept, but a practice. Whether it's celebrating and showcasing Africa’s cultural diversity or working towards a shared mission of peace and prosperity on the continent, I have had the privilege of being immersed into a community that enables Pan-Africanism to be a life practice. 

As a Sudanese American, I am deeply passionate about supporting African-led initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth and prosperity. That passion is what brought me to Princeton in Africa and ALA, where I work as the Strategic Projects Associate for Anzisha —an organization that supports young entrepreneurs across Africa, ages 15 to 22 through mentorship, venture-building, and advocacy. 

In my role, I have been planning and leading a research project focused on understanding and improving the support systems for young entrepreneurs in Africa. The findings from this project will provide valuable insights to educators, investors, and other key stakeholders in the African entrepreneurial ecosystem. It is a meaningful initiative that will contribute to the promotion of youth entrepreneurship across the continent. 

In the past four months, I have had many opportunities to engage with the exceptionally talented students at ALA, as well as attend a variety of impactful events, including the 2024 Entrepreneurship Education in Africa Summit. Outside of work, I have been able to explore South Africa by traveling to Kruger National Park and Durban. With that, I have been checking out all of the incredible places Johannesburg has to offer. I spend my weekends going on nearby hikes, trying out different restaurants, and attending music events. I can’t believe I am already four months into my fellowship, and I’m so excited to see what the coming months have in store!