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Malala
Okay, I'm gonna be predictable and jump on this bandwagon, but it is a worthy bandwagon and one that speaks to some of the core values of The Toa Nafasi Project.There was a lot of reportage on Malala...
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IASE, IASE, Baby
At a time when there's lots of icky, hot-button acronyms being bandied about in the news and media (ISIS, ISIL, NIH, CDC, FOMO, STBY, DILLIGAS, the list goes on - or, TLGO), I thought it would be a...
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Answer Sheet
I am starting to really get down with The Washington Post's blog, Answer Sheet, by education writer Valerie Strauss. I've re-posted a couple of her entries on my blog before to bring attention to the...
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The Year of Living Dangerously
Hello, hello, hello, and many salaams to all! It is now November and I am more than halfway through my annual stateside sojourn during which I have been addressing administrative and fundraising...
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Class Inaction
Here's a story that caught my eye in a rather unpleasant way this past week. According to NBC.com, a class action lawsuit has been filed against the city alleging that the Department of Education...
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Not That There's Anything Wrong with That!
This past week, comedian Jerry Seinfeld created waves when he told NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams that he thought he figured somewhere on the autism spectrum. (Check out some of the...
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Give a Little Bit
Pole sana, dear readers, for my prolonged silence. The first Toa Nafasi "friend-raiser" of 2014 (and the first ever in New York City) followed by a working weekend in Philadelphia devoted to...
View ArticleProject Darasani
Part of my work with The Toa Nafasi Project is to be aware of other NGOs involved with the education sector in Tanzania. I have Google alerts set, my internal radar up, and my "Momager" (recently...
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NYC to DC to GE
Hi everybody, hope all is well. New York is aflurry (is that a word?!) with the first snowfall of the season and, as I prep to head back to the Muthaland in just a few short weeks, I am enjoying the...
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Go, Ghana, Go
I stumbled upon this recent article from SpyGhana.com, Ghana's leading general news and information destination online. It describes that nation's impending inclusive education policy, planned for...
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"Getting Through" vs Breaking Through
In December 2012, I posted a blog entry titled "Black Friday" about the shooting spree at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut by an emotionally troubled and intellectually impaired...
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'Tis the Season
Season's greetings, dear readers!! I hope everyone has been having a wonderful winter thus far. I am still in New York, delayed slightly by some admin tasks that require my attention before I can...
View ArticleMaking Space
Toa nafasi literally translated from the Swahili means "make space" though for the purposes of naming our organization, it stands for "provide a chance." This subtle differential occurred to me when I...
View ArticleShow Me the Money
An interesting perspective on donor funding from the Tanzania Daily News.... Actually, it made me quite angry, but what can you do?The writer *appears* to understand why a foreign donor might want to...
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Eagle Has Landed
I am happy to report that my dear lil' mama has arrived safe and sound in Moshi for her first month in-country as acting Toa Nafasi secretary and brand-new board member! Truthfully, I think she *may*...
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(Social) Skillz to Pay the Billz
Week One of Mama's Tanzanian "staycation" (not a vacation per se since she's been here a million times before, is not participating in any tourist activities, and will shortly be put to work by me, her...
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Back to School
Well, I have been back at school one week now and I can confidently say that Toa Nafasi has definitely had a positive impact on the good denizens of Msaranga. The differences between the regular...
View ArticleThe Wackness
Years ago, when I was still young and vain and silly, I was complaining to a friend about my looks. My unusual ethnic heritage gave way to a plethora of imperfections: the wild tangle of curly hair,...
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Call for Overhaul
Big news in the education sector recently as Tanzania unveils new education overhaul plan. I am of two minds about this, particularly the switch from English as the medium of instruction in secondary...
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Change Happens
One of my favorite things about my job is seeing change happen right before my eyes. Change for the better. Granted, it doesn't always present itself *so readily* and there are many *storms to be...
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