KNM Tanzania celebrates Africa Day

...Speakers suggested that the western mainstream media focuses excessively on the ‘problems’ of Africa at the expense of its abundant social, intellectual, cultural and environmental strengths. Speakers also argued that African nations need to develop on their own terms and that the agendas of larger, externally-led development agents are often unclear.
But there’s ‘development’ and then there’s development… the kind where ‘small is beautiful’, actions are determined by real needs and the people behind the push are committed to build genuine relationships with their targeted communities and stick it out for the long haul. Brisbane’s Stu O’Brien provides a remarkable example of this ethos. O’Brien hosted a stall at the festival to raise funds for KNM Tanzania, a project he set up in 2009.

KNM stands for ‘kundi la nguvu mamas’, Swahili for ‘group of strong mothers’.  

“We support young mothers to go back to school after having children. We run sewing and beading programs to support them and sponsor them to continue through secondary school and into college,” said Mr O’Brien.

“I was living there for two years and set up the program and ran it when I was there and I go back every year to visit.”

The program is having positive impact on the lives of young mothers in Tanzania.

“We had our first girl get a job this year. She’s graduated and she’s now teaching English in a kindergarten,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Some of the young women have started their own businesses. We’ve bought them sewing machines and they’re producing skirts and bags and all sorts of handicrafts. And all the women are continuing on through their studies. Lots of the mothers are now able to support their kids through kindergarten.”

 

Read the full article here :    citizenj.edgeqld.org.au