A Dream of Supporting Women

Secilia, one of TCF’s scholarship students, grew up in Oldeani town with six siblings. While in her final year of secondary school, Secilia Kalisti witnessed a mother in her village go into labor and immediately wished she knew how to help.

In Tanzania, 53% of mothers deliver at home, many without the help of a skilled birth attendant. Secilia explained “women often face limited support here, which is why I decided that I want to be an OBGYN so I can be by their side as they go through pregnancy and childbirth.”

Driven to help others, Secilia studied hard at Oldeani Secondary School (OSS), enjoying her Biology, Chemistry, and English classes most. Her standout academic performance made her an obvious choice for the Patrina Scholarship. The Patrina Scholarship is one of the post-secondary scholarships TCF awards deserving students graduating from OSS, allowing them to continue their education at the next level.

The first of her siblings to go to college, this past year Secilia started her studies in clinical medicine at Chato College of Health Sciences in northeast Tanzania. She couldn’t be more excited to take this first step towards her dream of being able to help women deliver their babies. Growing up with so many brothers and sisters at home, Secilia is a natural caretaker, so it is no surprise that her favorite classes focus on patient care and physiology.

TCF believes that empowering the next generation of leaders starts with giving every child the opportunities they deserve. We hope you join us in making futures brighter for other determined young woman like Secilia.