Photo credit: Amila Sadic
By Amila Sadic, MAGG
Habari!
I have only been in Dar Es Salaam a few weeks and I already have so much to share!
I am working as a Communications, Outreach, and Partnership Fellow at The FUNGUO programme. The program is dedicated to supporting businesses and start-ups in the field of innovation. They seek out partnerships for investment opportunities in these businesses which helps stimulate the businesses and the local economy. Some of FUNGUO’s investees include companies like Hashtech- an e-ticketing company, Niajri- a workforce development technology, Livy- organic cacao products, and many more. In conclusion, they support many diverse companies and encourage equal opportunities for all categories of people.
Right off the bat on my first day at FUNGUO, I was invited to attend the 8th Tanzania Annual ICT Conference (TAIC). TAIC is a conference held annually where organizations and individuals get to share ideas, research findings, and practices. I attended the panels regarding AI, FINTech, and interoperability. These panels were highlighted by leading professionals from Tanzania, Estonia, Italy, and Finland! It is truly inspiring to see how innovative and advanced the tech future is in Tanzania. They are doing great things at a rapid pace.
Since its inception, FUNGUO has always been a program committed to promoting gender inclusion and encouraging women entrepreneurs. Their latest project in the field of gender inclusion was creating a documentary on the challenges and opportunities of their women-led businesses. Luckily for me, I came mid-way through filming and was able to be a part of the documentary (keep your eyes open for my small cameo in the documentary!). This experience allowed me to contact the women entrepreneurs, and hear their stories in a first-person perspective, but it was also an opportunity to learn more about documentary-making! My first task was to draft an event concept for the screening of the documentary. My vision was to include the featured entrepreneurs and their products as a way for the community to get to know them better and for a more engaging environment. Stay tuned for the event!
Beyond my professional endeavours, I have been exploring Dar Es Salaam in my free time! Although I was a bit disappointed that the Indian Ocean was not fully suitable for swimming, I still enjoyed exploring the many cafes and restaurants. My favourites are in an area called “Slipway Market”. It has all sorts of fusion cuisines and delicious desserts. I must admit, wearing shorts and T-shirts in November is very enjoyable! I hope everyone in Canada is staying as warm as I am!
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BSIA, its students, faculty, staff, or Board of Directors.