At Girls Education International, we empower young women in Tanzania to achieve their educational goals. We are thrilled to share Mariselina's story with you. Mariselina studies at Mwange Catholic University in the Kilimanjaro region of northern Tanzania. Her story is an example of the power of investing in girls' education.
“In five years, I will be a lawyer,” Mariselina proudly explains. She is currently studying to obtain a Bachelor of Law degree. In the Spring, she completed courses in torts, land law, administrative law, evidence, public international law, refugee law, and moot court. These courses are preparing her to reach her goal of supporting her community as a lawyer through legal aid.
“To study at University is the best gift I have been given,” she says. Mariselina speaks most passionately about her favorite course, Moot Court. “This is my favorite subject. We are learning court procedure and practices, and how, as a lawyer, you can convince the court.” Through Moot Court, not only is Mariselina gaining practical experience in the legal field, she is experiencing personal growth as well. “This subject helps me in building self-confidence by practicing in front of people.”
Over and over, we see that the young women that we invest in are making plans to pay that investment forward, into their communities. One of Mariselina’s passions has been learning the law regarding land ownership in Tanzania. “In our society, there are various disputes over land, so I am learning about how to solve disputes in our community.” Mariselina’s interests in land disputes are critical in Tanzania. Research from the London School of Economics shows that in Tanzania’s capital, Dar es Salaam, 70 percent of the 5 million inhabitants live in informal settlements, which often results in land disputes. In addition, women are at even greater risk of losing their land, because the highest form of property right is the title deed, and only 20 percent of land registered in Tanzania is registered to women.
“This opportunity to study at University has impacted my family and even my community, as I have knowledge now concerning the law, and I can help people and direct them on how they can obtain their rights through the court of law.”
It is because of your continued support of Girls Education International that Mariselina is preparing to re-invest her education to help her community. If you would like to stay in touch, please sign up for our newsletter. We hope that hearing Mariselina’s story has inspired you, and as always, we remain grateful for your support.
*Interview and translation provided by our partners at Project Wezesha.
Warmest regards,
Paula Kenworthy, Tanzania Project Manager
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