Interview leeftijdsgenoot Tamari

Lieve allemaal,

Zoals beloofd ook het interview met een leeftijdsgenoot in Tanzania; met die lieve Tamari Moto! (destijds 21 jaar):

Can you please introduce yourself to the readers?
My name is Tamari Moto and I’m 21 years old. I am working as an assistent volunteers coordinator. I started working at IOP at august 2012. And I really love my work here.

What is it like to be a 21 year old girl in Tanzania?
I feel strong as a 21 year old girl. When I was 15/16 years it was difficult to stand in front of people, but now it is totally fine by me. I enjoy standing in front of people. So it is totally different now that I'm 21!
Furthermore it is difficult to be a girl in Tanzania. Most things we don’t do the same as the boys. The boys think that we are weak and that they are better. But that is not true, we are all the same.

But do you have the same rights?
We do have the same rights. But still.. they act like they are higher then us. In family the man is the head of the house.
There was a lot of violonce against girls but now it is getting better. The government stopped this. They also stopped the circumcision. Girls were also forced to marry a man who is a lot older. But now they’ve changed it.

What do you do in your free time/in the weekends?
I really love to be with friends. I don’t like to stay alone/be at home. So I go out with friends very often. Sometimes we go hiking into the mountains, taking pictures. Or we are going to Iringa. And on Sunday I normally go to church and after that to scouts. When I’m alone I’m thinking a lot.. but when i’m with others I get some distraction!

What is your favourite music?
Gospel! I really love to sing. Rose Mhando – she is a gospel singer, I really like her!

How do you see your future?
I’m very glad that I’ve got my sponsor. Cause I was planning to go to school. I really love to study to become a libraryan. So i’m going to study at the university in Dar es Salam for 3 years! It is starting in next september. After finishing my study I will perhaps come back to IOP, but you never know!

What are the most important values in life?
Praying to god, respecting other people and being happy!!

Veel liefs,

Eline