Tanzania Projects

History and Objectives

SIHA's first international project began in 1992 in Guyana, South America. In 1994, SIHA expanded its efforts to include Tanzania. Recent projects have addressed health concerns on malaria, HIV/AIDS, STIs, safe drinking water/diarrheal diseases, maternal health and tuberculosis. In addition to delivering health related seminars, SIHA strives to work with the communities it visits in order to create sustainable change. Past successes have included the formation of the Malaria Control Partnership (MACOPA), started in Bagamoyo in 2002 and the Miono library, started in 2007 with the aid of SIHA donations. MACOPA and the Miono Library serve as a testament to the sustainability of SIHA's efforts, as do countless other partnerships formed within the communities at the grassroots level.

The primary goal of SIHA is to effect real and sustainable progress in the greatest health threats affecting the developing world. In accordance with the Alma-Ata mandate of "Health for All", SIHA works to educate communities about the importance of primary health care, most notably the ideals of universal access and community participation. In accordance with the intersectoral nature of primary health care, each SIHA team is made up of students from diverse educational backgrounds with a wide range of experiences and strengths. By striving for this diversity, SIHA works to maintain an effective team that is able to deal with both the scientific and education aspects of the project as well as the challenges of integrating into a foreign culture and community.

While the primary goals of SIHA all focus around disease prevention, the projects have innumerable added benefits for participants. Students who travel on projects with SIHA gain first hand experience in international work and develop a strong intercultural understanding that leads to increased compassion and cooperation. Additionally, experiences in SIHA improve leadership, interpersonal skills, and the ability to work in small groups to achieve large goals. Finally, members gain a truer and more global understanding of the major health concerns facing the world today.

Project Overview

A typical SIHA project in Tanzania is 10 weeks in length, running from approximately May to mid-July. Several teams of 3-5 students and a student advisor are located in each project village. SIHA’s project villages are selected by community assessments and recommendations from our partner NGO in Tanzania, Population Services International (PSI). SIHA works in villages that are in rural areas, usually the largest of a group of small communities. SIHA’s projects for the summer of 2011 were located in two regions of Tanzania – one in the Pwani region, in the village of Mlandizi, and another in the Dodoma region, in the village of Veyula.

SIHA’s health education is carried out principally through interactive seminars, conducted by the SIHA team with the assistance of a Swahili translator. These seminars cover such topics as HIV/AIDS, malaria, safe water and diarrheal diseases, maternal health, and sexual health. These seminars are presented to school children, clinic attendees and community members. Much of SIHA’s most important work occurs outside of the seminars, in community outreach activities. This includes building partnerships with local youth, women’s and HIV support groups to create sustainable change in the community. Other past outreach activities have included a girl’s soccer league, a feminine pad distribution program in primary/secondary schools, and discounted bednet sales.

If you wish to join SIHA, visit our membership section. Click here to download the International brochure.