EDWARD MLOWE

Born and raised in Tanzania, Edward was raised in a difficult economic environment by only his farther. Despite these challenges, Edward successfully completed his undergraduate degree with support from a higher education student loan from abroad. Vision and passion to improve his community, especially for the youth, Edward volunteers and would like to start a project that specifically targets children in orphanages in his community.

“The Pandemic Has Opened my Mind to Be Connected to the World Through Digital Platforms”

Q: Tell us a few things about your country, and also your life's story!

I am privileged to be born in the most beautiful country in the world, Tanzania. It is a country with a magnitude of opportunities blessed by God. Unit and peace are the things in Tanzania that prove it to be the right place to live and travel. However, the country is associated with life complexities that the large population in Tanzania strives to deal with. As a young individual, I provide innovative solutions to assist the country’s business achievements and improve the state of our vulnerable community, and ultimately, to contribute to the Sustainable Development goals (SDGs). #Karibu Tanzania, #Hakuna Matata (#Welcome to Tanzania). #TanzaniaRoyalTour

Q: How did you experience the global pandemic crisis, did it change your life or/and your views about the world? How?

COVID-19 has impacted my life plans and I had some challenging moments as I was in the final year of my studies. During the peak of the pandemic, I took all measures and precautions for COVID-19 including getting vaccinated. The pandemic has opened my mind to be connected to the world through digital platforms, changing my work from physical to online by about 60%. I pride myself on continuous knowledge acquisition. During COVID-19, I attempted various online courses and training and shared life experiences with different people around the world.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

My country faces some challenges including a large number of graduates from higher education levels who have no jobs. For the past five to six years the government has not addressed this issue, although youth comprise about 50% of the total country’s population and thus ultimately the key to the nation’s development. However, the current Madam President Mama Samia Suluhu Hassan is attempting to address this challenge. The challenge is caused by the existing education system which prepares students to be employed by someone and not get self-employed. Therefore, the youth need extra skills that will help them to navigate the situations.

Q: Share with us some of the hurdles that you had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them?

In 2021 I had a hard time working at my local NGO which ceased to operate for 15 months due to a global pandemic. Most of the staff didn’t come back and I was among the newcomers (fresh graduates) in the office. We are required to get working experience from our own experience. I have been required to organize my team to work with a few resources available in the organization for daily operations and fundraising to meet community projects. We did our best to resume the operations of the organization. The organization is youth-led, and I am proud of my team for cooperating in daily operations.

Q: If you were to ask one thing from our current leaders, what would it be?

Most youths are striving to the current situations, what should youth do in this fast-changing world for the betterment of the next generations?

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you?

Mentors play a vital role in my life. I believe that they have experienced the different difficulties and goodness of life and thus offer different skills that I haven’t. I am proud of my mentor Marina Antoniou. She guides me and helps me to focus my efforts on achieving my personal and organizational goals. I appreciate GTF for the 2022 mentorship programme.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share?  

The present world needs to associate with different people to achieve goals such as collaborating in solving our challenges. The 21st  Century’s youth need to continue to develop skills and be innovators for the benefit of future generations.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives!

In my country we have a local NGO known as Participatory Development Concern (PADECO), this is a youth-led organization working towards social service provision, entrepreneurship, and empowerment as well as environmental conservation. PADECO aspires to improve the living conditions of the poor and marginalized communities by adopting a participatory approach to all stakeholders in the projects, where we collaborate with the government, international development organizations, communities, and financiers to improve the quality of life for the poor by strengthening their livelihood programmes and develop community-based models for environmental conservation to protect and use the resources for sustainable developments. I am proud of the Founder and Executive Director (Wilbard  Mwinuka) who got the idea to serve the marginalized communities in Tanzania.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are made towards gender equality?

Women face a lot of challenges including isolation in some life spheres which mostly occurs in marginalized communities. The challenge is due to little awareness about women’s power in the developments and to local leaders that do not have the skills to respond to the gender inequalities in their communities.

Different national and international policies are implemented to ensure the end of gender inequalities. Also, some organizations provide legal aid to further empower these women, although did not cover the rural areas/marginalized communities. It is time for young leaders to reimagine what we can do for marginalized societies to have equality.

Q: Share with us a phrase, a poem or a story that means something to you.

Haaaaa! I have a life philosophy that makes me better. And I always rely on it. My philosophy is ‘STUDY-PRACTICE- TEACH’.

This makes me want to acquire knowledge and practice what I learned because I am not doing it for myself. I prefer my fellow mates to also get the right answer and new by teaching them (leaving no one behind), I also become better on the particular matter.

Q: Share with us a project that you would like to make happen for your country or a cause that you are passionate about.

I would like to be open to the different orphanage centers in my local communities that serve and care for marginalized children. As a young leader, I believe in struggling for the betterment of the future generations preparing for their life today, will have an impact to get a well-organized society.

Q: Anything else that you may wish to add?

I appreciate the Global Thinkers Forum for this programme.