Tanzania; Mambo Poa

“And when you want something, all of the universe conspires in helping you achieve it.”

This was the mantra for my Tanzanian Adventure. From a last-minute amazing ticket deal to a horrible Airbnb experience that somehow scored me an awesome four-bedroomed penthouse with a private pool and amazing city views, the universe really came through for me on this trip.

But first, I ordered an #Uber and see what came. 🤗

Since it was founded in 2009, Uber has become one of the fastest-growing startups in #SiliconValley. So you can imagine my excitement when I found out how Uber has adapted its offerings with Bajaj and Bodaboda to fit the different local contexts. In a very similar way, I have come to learn, Jibu adapts its name to mean something different for every country in which it has a presence.

In Tanzania, Jibu means “answer.”

Coincidentally, my trip started out on a quest for answers. While I expected to spend the better part of my trip hanging out on white sand beaches and being handed coconut refreshments, I was taken ill within the first few days of arriving in Dar Es-salaam.

It was the sort of illness that comes with fevers and chills, and to be in hot and humid Dares-salaam with chills, I immediately knew something was terribly wrong so I rushed to see a medical professional who advised me to swap out my drinking water, and lo and behold, all my symptoms became a thing of the past.

I am sure by now you can already guess what water I got, right?

My rather brief bout of sickness prompted me to seek out organizations working to promote access to clean and affordable drinking water, which led me to Vijana Think Tank, a youth-led non-governmental organization working to support 30 young women from across Tanzania under their flagship Malkia Maji initiative, working to lead social and behavioral change as it relates to the water sector in their respective communities.

Even though Tanzania is considered to be water-abundant, it is reported that it will experience water stress due to high population growth and development, which will inevitably lead the country into a state of water scarcity within the next few decades.

Nothing brightened up my trip more than to find young people at the forefront of effecting positive change in their respective communities, and I believe that more and more young people must be empowered in such a way that no obstacle can stand in their way.

I will close out this edition with a quick tip, if you are planning to visit Tanzania, please learn some Swahili. You will thank me later. 

I hope you are as excited as I am to learn and discover how  Jibu has adapted its name to fit other local contexts. Next stop Ethiopia .

Stay Tuned