International Observances

INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUGS ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING | How far with the fight against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking?

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Drug abuse and illicit trafficking remain a global crisis, but beyond statistics lies the human tragedy of addiction and lost potential. In Tanzania, studies show that most drug users begin between ages 15 and 24, with many continuing for over a decade. The surge in trafficking and local use, including heroin and methamphetamine, threatens the country’s youth and workforce. The fight must center on prevention, compassion, supportive recovery and effort towards breaking cycles of crime, stigma, and despair through education, awareness, and stronger community systems.

WORLD DAY OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY | The necessity of passing on cultural philosophies for young people today

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rom our cultural philosophies, at least shared across the people of African origin, both those within the continent and those in diaspora, the sense of community is deep and strong; as the Ubuntu philosophy for example says “I am because we are.”

When young people are taught that this is our way of life they grow with a reflection to own this new sense of being as a backdrop and a springboard from which they bounce as well as make sense of their life.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF STREET CHILDREN | Is the vulnerable child of today the offender of tomorrow?

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When the system has poor incentives to guide young people to be productive and engaged in the society, even after they have been integrally formed well in their homes they can lose it all as they switch into the survival mode of the streets.

Countries with lowest crime rates have the best job security as well. In Tanzania, many individuals currently in correctional facilities (prisons) might not be there if meaningful employment opportunities had been available. It is a big problem to accept our kind of frustrating joblessness as a social dynamic, even among those who are educated.

INTERVIEW | “A Child is a Free Mind”: Author Corona Kimaro Cermak on Storytelling, Identity, and Tanzanian Children’s Literature

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My African heritage plays a crucial role in my storytelling. My Swahili culture and language largely constitutes my identity as a storyteller. ven though my children are half Czech, and half Tanzanian, they are blended in both cultures in a beautiful way. I believed by them having Swahili language and cultural awareness they will appreciate more the half of who they are, and be happy and free, when they visit Tanzania.

Utumwa na mtazamo wa kisasa na zamani

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Kwa sasa, haina maana yoyote kukaa na kusimuliana historia ya mambo yaliyotokea nyuma, hasa yale yenye kuleta maumivu ya kijamii, bila kuyatazama kwa mtazamo mpana wenye maono ya mbeleni. Hii ni nadharia nzuri kuitumia katika kuizungumzia historia pana iliyopo nyuma ya pazia la historia ya utumwa.
Historia ya utumwa ni kielelezo dhahiri kwamba bila kujisimamia wenyewe kwa umoja wa nia tunakuwa ni vibaraka wa watu wenye tamaa, ukweli ambao upo wazi hata katika maisha ya kila siku.

Make interesting literature readily available to promote literacy | World Literacy Day

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We need to not only avail books, but also to maximize the available technology for improving literacy and reading in our country. Inasmuch as a good cause is propagated from above, interested stakeholders can join hands to make the dream come true.

World Heritage Day reminds us to prioritize our local Cultural Heritage

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The global diversity of cultures and heritage makes for an unimaginable learning corpus which no human person can exhaust.  As such, a better starting point of discussing appreciation of cultural heritage is appreciation of culture itself.

The ending Black History Month stirs the need to re-examine ‘The narrator’s point of view

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Every story and history has a storyteller (narrator) who oftentimes influences the story based on their point of view. As such learning one’s history as written by another, as in this case, the history of the people of Africa as written by non-African people of Europe and America, endangers the integrity of the story being told, as these groups have had a contention in the past which has left behind deep wounds.

Why we should be concerned with the rise in sight impairments

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For over 20 years, the annual World Sight Day, marked on 12th October this year, has been a tool for raising awareness of the wider nature of visual impairment, and prevention of sight problems. This advocacy is crucial as 90% of vision loss is avoidable and correctable if attended early enough.

World Mental Health Day and the urgency of local intervention

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Mental health is key to the life of the society. It is a prerequisite for physical health. Left untreated, mental health disorders and problems hinder people from relating meaningfully and retards their abilities for productive work as it hampers creativity and concentration in the work.