Maida: "If you want to educate society, educate a woman."

Hi all!

We just wanted to tell you all a bit more about the scholars we selected so we figured we'd write our thoughts about each scholar for you all to read!

I do not think we will ever forget when Maida told us in her interview that she was so proud to be a woman because she believes, “Women are the nucleus of society. Behind every successful man is a woman. If you want to educate society, educate a woman.” She spoke with such conviction and passion about the strength of women which was so encouraging to see in this society where the women you see walking through the streets do not always emit that same spark of confidence. Immediately upon hearing her talk, I knew we had to select her because her belief in women’s empowerment spoke so well to the heart of our mission at S4Si.

Maida has three brothers and three sisters and lives with her parents. She loves physics and math and wants to study and do well in school in order to improve her family’s standard of living and hopes to have the opportunity to make the pilgrimage to Mecca some day. If she had the chance to talk to the president of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, she said she would advise him to provide the people of Zanzibar with more economic, political and social support, for she is concerned about the political struggles between Tanzania and Zanzibar.