Student Blog

If you told me in September 2024 that 8 months later I would be doing field research in Africa I wouldn't believe you. On an unassuming Monday afternoon in October Professor Groves, who at the time to me was just another professor at Lafayette, happened to give a guest lecture on his projects in Tanzania. Remembering the story of one of my personal hero's, who strolled onto the deck of an aircraft carrier, asked to talk to the admiral, and for his efforts was granted a letter of recommendation to Annapolis naval college. I asked Professor Groves if he knew anybody in Africa. As it turns out he knew many people in Africa and helped organize an opportunity to do research in collaboration with ESRF. What started out as a mild interest in Africa as a result of needing to pick a topic for a research paper wound up as a life altering opportunity. A summer that could've consisted of clearing tables for $15 an hour turned into a career changing research opportunity in the heart of Africa.

Prior to my introduction to ESRF and Professor Groves I didn't know a soul in Africa. However, through ESRF and professor Groves I was able to contact local journalists and insiders in the mining industry and get valuable information about what's happening on the ground. Despite having never done any actual field research, I was able to gather information safely with the help of contacts in the country. The ESRF staff (particularly Marco and Zakayo) were very helpful when it came to arranging travel plans. I jumped at the opportunity to visit and observe a gold mine in western opportunity through one of Professor Grove's friends, a radio host named Edward Lucas. When doing field research in Bunda, I felt like one of those journalists in the old vice documentaries that I love watching so much.

However this trip was not only to my personal benefit. While in Bunda I documented a case of probable mercury poisoning as a result of direct skin to skin contact with the substance. This exact nature of mercury poisoning in this region of the world is rarely documented so through this project I was able to become a potential very small part in the solution to a very big problem. As I would later tell my friends, "I did journalism." I would also get to go on a visit to Dodoma, where I met local radio host Baptiste, there I got to visit another larger mine and meet with the head of mining in the Dodoma region, along with "Double M" a large artisanal mine boss. It was connections and experiences like these not possible in the U.S that made the trip to Tanzania all the more worth it.

Having the chance to go to a foreign country, interact with its people, and get the lay of the land was a truly amazing experience. It gave me valuable travel, journalism, and research experience, things that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

Spending the summer in Washington, D.C., immersing myself in research I carry such a passion for, was a lesson in perspective. As an intern with the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), I primarily researched disability rights issues, including the stigma surrounding disability in Tanzania, the factors that drive this stigma, the availability of social services for people with disabilities, and how Tanzanian media covers disability issues. 

During our first office hours session of Comparative Politics, Professor Groves asked me about my family; I mentioned that I had a twin sister with Down Syndrome and Autism. I never could have imagined that our initial conversation would lead to developing a long-term research project about disability rights. Because of my involvement in the disability community, it was easier to assume that my experiences and understanding of disability were relatively complete. However, this summer has emphasized that there is always more to learn. I was able to interview and learn from healthcare professionals, journalists, and a special education specialist. For example, my conversation with Dr. Syriacus Buguzi, a health journalist and the editor of the MwanaSayansi newspaper, revealed a gap in incentives for journalists to cover disability issues. Bijal Lal, the deputy principal of the Al Muntazir Special Education Needs School, described the gap in implementing policy that encourages inclusive education. Through these interviews, as I embarked to learn more about the lives of people with disabilities in Tanzania, I learned that there is no blanket answer to questions about such a diverse community. Every individual I interviewed had a different perspective on the quality of protection provided to people with disabilities, or what is most needed to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Along with interviews, I also used R, a data visualization program, to manipulate Afrobarometer and DHS data to understand how the experiences of people with disabilities may vary by demographic factors. 

Along with the disability rights research, I began working on a paper about the impact of distributing radios on public health and HIV/AIDS knowledge. Athena, a friend with whom I worked closely, and I have been learning R.While the process has been occasionally frustrating - our texts prove this fact - acquiring this skill has proved incredibly useful to understand and visualize data for this paper. We also worked together to learn how to build a map on GQIS for further skill-building. 

Although I was unable to travel to Tanzania, I was moved by the kindness and openness of those in Tanzania whom I had the privilege of meeting virtually. As I conducted background research and began holding conversations with individuals with a variety of expertise, I was struck by how eager everyone was to help a random undergraduate student. Additionally, having never stayed in D.C. before, I was unsure what to expect. What most stood out was the sheer passion that everyone held for their work. Being surrounded by people who cared so much and are so dedicated pushed me to work harder, and one of the reasons I fell in love with the city. 

I am incredibly grateful for meeting and working with such kind and intelligent people, including Zakayo Zakaria, a research fellow and Monitoring and Evaluation Expert at ESRF. I look forward to continuing to work with Zakayo and Professor Groves, taking what I learned this summer to build and field a survey about how to address the stigma around disability. Publishing a paper exploring the impact of radio distribution of HIV/AIDS and public health knowledge is another goal I am excited to complete in the coming year. 

Interning with ESRF and spending the summer in D.C. solidified my passion for international affairs, and I have faith that continuing the work we developed will make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. 

Throughout my college career, I have developed a passion for political science and environmental studies, which is why I was all ears when I heard that Dar es Salaam’s beautiful beaches are in dire need of help. That’s where Zakayo Zakaria, a research fellow and Monitoring and Evaluation Expert at the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), came in. The view of Msasani Beach’s tranquil waters and vast horizon is tainted by the hundreds of pounds of litter deposited along the shoreline. Zakayo established CoastClean Tanzania in April to engage Dar es Salaam’s at-risk youth in weekly beach cleanups. Both as a student and environmental advocate, I was thrilled to be invited to help Zakayo realize his vision of clean, accessible beaches.

I was fortunate enough to spend the month of June 2025 in Tanzania interning with ESRF, giving me the perfect chance to explore potential research interests and connect with some incredible people. Shortly after landing in Dar, I was taken to dinner by Zakayo and Salma Emmanuel, whom I talked to about our shared interest in renewable energy. From there, in addition to helping with CoastClean, I was able to work with her and Professor Dylan Groves in analyzing data and writing a paper on the influence of health news and climate news on Tanzanians’ willingness to buy solar lanterns. This project gave me exposure to software systems like RStudio and QGIS, allowing me to view data in multiple ways and draw conclusions from those results. 

While in Tanzania, I observed how the booming and bustling nature of the city led to increased liter, waste mismanagement, and pollution. On my second day in Dar, I took a Sunday afternoon stroll along Coco Beach and noted that despite the waste accumulating on the sand and in the water, children still ran up and down the beach, laughing and playing; men and women sat or walked along the shore, enjoying the view and each other’s company; and vendors, restaurants, and shops all promoted their array of souvenirs and services. This, to me, stressed the importance of safeguarding the beach’s health. 

After participating in one of the CoastClean cleanups, I used the information I gathered to begin paving the path forward. Zakayo and I identified safety, consistency, and quality as three areas of top importance. Since then, my work with CoastClean has largely consisted of outreach to other organizations, maintaining a social media presence, and fundraising. I am excited to continue my work with Global Media Lab and CoastClean Tanzania.

Outside of research work and CoastClean, this trip created many fun opportunities for me to explore Tanzania. My fondest memory is from my weekend trip to Zanzibar with my colleague Bode Brewer. After dinner, we decided to take a shortcut from the beach we were on to the beach connecting to our hotel, which involved hopping along rocks to avoid the high tide. When we made it back safely, we were greeted by the clearest sky and brightest stars I have ever seen. We spend hours admiring the view and enjoying the slow, quiet crash of the waves. With this being one of my first extended trips abroad, I can say with confidence that my experience with ESRF and Global Media Lab has broadened my way of thinking and grown my sense of adventure.

In April 2025, I was confronted with an opportunity to intern at a research institution in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, by Professor Dylan Groves. After much thought and consideration, I decided to seize the opportunity. For the entire month of June 2025, I interned at the Economic and Social Research Foundation in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I was accompanied by Athena Wagner, a prospective senior at Lafayette College. Initially, I was a bit uneasy about living for an entire month with someone I had only met a few times. To my surprise, we worked exceptionally well together.

 The Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) is an independent policy research think tank established in Tanzania for the purposes of undertaking research and providing evidence to support the economic management process in Tanzania. While there, I immersed myself in culture and education. In the office, I embraced the ‘9 to 5’ lifestyle through my many chores, article dissectings, and Swahili lessons. 

While at the foundation, I spent much of my time inquiring and perusing the internet for information that could support future project proposals. While I revised and qualified multiple proposals for future ESRF projects, an example of one of my strongest revisions was a project proposal regarding civic engagement among secondary-school students in the region of Tanga. This research experiment, while in early development, would facilitate treatment and control groups to understand whether student interaction with the pillars of democracy would morph into a desire to become civically engaged. My revisions to the proposal were based on the means of administering the treatment. Through research and communication with locals, it was apparent that debate and contrary thoughts were non-existent. To address this deficiency, I proposed adding a debate forum to the treatment schools in the region to give students an early understanding of healthy disagreement.

 In addition to that project, I was also tasked with brainstorming research questions and experimental design for college students in Tanzania. On one of the last days of my trip, I ventured out to the College of Dar es Salaam to perform very informal rounds of questioning to students on the ground. I was escorted by a student of the college. While our efforts to get an idea of democratic morale fell flat after being removed from campus, the experience gave me some insight into what life is like for those of us who seek to elicit change. 

In addition to that research, we also completed a ‘Swahili 101’ language course that was taught by a research fellow. During these lessons, we learned directions, greetings, colors, fruit, and number systems. The Swahili basics truly helped communication between us and the locals. 

Lastly, our experiences outside of the office might have topped our in-office work. Our exploration of a hodgepodge of cuisine gave my palate a workout, and I'm better for it. Between a ferry ride and an overnighter on the island of Zanzibar, to a long weekend and safari in the Serengeti, we covered much ground. This trip was truly a life-changing experience, and I am eternally grateful for the support and resources provided to me by Lafayette College. To future students who are offered such an opportunity, cur non?

I would be remiss if I did not specifically extend a thank you to Professor Dylan Groves, Danford Sango, and Athena Wagner. 

Sincerely, 

Bode Brewer

brewerb@lafayette.edu

(610) 621-3857

This winter I had the opportunity to travel to Chicago Illinois and share my research at the African Studies Association Conference with Professor Dylan Groves and Francis Nyonzo. My presentation expanded on previous research by Professor Groves which analyzed the effects of watchdog journalism on government responsiveness in Tanzania. With his results showing the impact of government responsiveness, I presented a future research design scheduled for January 2025 examining how journalism makes an impact. To answer this question, we are exploring whether radio journalism changes citizens' perceptions of government and assigning responsibility for bureaucratic shortcomings. In our presentation, Francis Nyonzo discussed the limitations and barriers to the supply of quality journalism. He explained the state of media in Tanzania, lamenting that journalists often go underpaid, are pressured by the government, and are often suppressed. 

This trip also allowed me to explore other fields of study across Africa. I listened to presentations about “The Impact of Policy Framing on Public Support Toward a Closer US-African Engagement” by Yongzheng (Parker) Li, from the University of British Columbia. I was also able to discuss the future CRT and Gender Ideology in the face of a new Trump administration with Scott Burnett from Pennsylvania State University. The most interesting panel I attended was “Author Meets Critic: Joan Wicken and Her Lifelong Collaboration with Tanzania’s President Nyerere” which gave me an understanding of Tanzanian history through the perspective of Joan Wicken’s relationship with Tanzania’s first president, Julius Nyerere. It was interesting to hear scholars discuss the impacts of these historical characters and how they fit into the broader Tanzanian history. This panel inspired me to learn more about Tanzanian history as I continue my research project in the upcoming semester. 

June 7, 2022 was a bad day to live in Loliondo. Hundreds of government security personnel stormed the town and demarcated 1,500 square kilometers of Maasai territory that they planned to evict residents from. The Maasai are a pastoralist tribe in Tanzania and Kenya that live near the Ngorongoro and Serengeti National Parks. Security shot and tear gassed Maasai who resisted, injuring at least 40 people (Amnesty International). Community members were forced to flee their homes and hide in the wilderness. Those who remain in the demarcated areas live without essential resources and under the threat of being pushed off their land in the near future. 

When indigenous communities are pushed off their land and their resistance is met with police repression, what tools do they have at their disposal to fight back? Maasai have employed creative solutions to spread awareness and put pressure on the government by bringing this issue to the global stage. 

Tanzania’s government is more responsive to pressures from global attention rather than national attention, specifically when it comes to their tourism industry and relationships with international organizations. Maasai have been creating YouTube videos with firsthand accounts and documentation of protests that have spread across the internet and even made international news. 

As part of the Global Media Lab, I am leading a research initiative to study the media strategies that Maasai pastoralists are using to fight back against land disposition in Tanzania. Building on the month I spent conducting research in Tanzania this summer, I will be documenting existing media strategies through interviews with experts and online research. I will also be working with Maasai communities to develop and test new media messages to see what is most effective. 

Over the Fall 2024 semester, I have conducted a deep dive into social media accounts used by Maasai and their allies and developed a typology of messaging strategies with a particular focus on activists’ choice of mediums (video, image, audio), message frames (human rights, conservation, state oppression), and message content (individual stories versus data-focused reporting).

As part of this research, our team has spoken with a variety of leaders in human rights activism in Tanzania. Our qualitative interview subjects include Roland Ebole, a human rights activist with Amnesty International from Kenya, about the types of influence the Tanzanian government is most likely to respond to and how the current issue is well reported but has yet to translate to policy change. We have also spoken with Human Rights Watch’s Oryem Nyekoabout about the challenges to getting the Maasai community’s message to spread outside the country. 

Finally, we have spoken to Joseph Oleshenguy, a Maasai human rights attorney and activist and leader of MISA, about the challenges faced by their organization due to government threats and censorship, and the importance of maintaining connections with journalists and media outlets and potential security risks associated with sharing information on social media, suspicious encounters with journalists and police officers, and how to proceed with this project.

Our next step is to continue to expand the database of media content employed by Maasai communities and carry out A/B tests to understand which strategies are most effective at attracting and persuading international audiences. Our ultimate goal is to help Maasai activists develop a cost-effective media strategy to pressure the government into policy change.

While working on the Afya Yako public health misinformation project at the Economic and Social Research Foundation, I had many opportunities to learn new and important skills. During this stage in Afya Yako, they had baseline data from their sample of health facilities in Tanzania. The research team had a lot of raw data and it gave me a chance to practice data presentation. Using QGIS mapping software I was tasked with mapping the vaccination rates in their list of health facilities. I was given a crash course in QGIS, which gave me an introduction to the different tools and interfaces of QGIS. I was excited to start working on the first mapping project so when I got home that night I started researching independently. My first baseline resource was a video describing the process of making “professional grade maps” in QGIS. The product of this research is shown to the left. I was informed that this map does not conform to many of the generally accepted mapmaking guidelines. However, it was really helpful to engage in the trial-and-error process in the initial stage of this project. The video taught me how to add and remove features, change the colors, implement an inset map, and many more useful tools.

This initial map includes too many unnecessary features but I had more opportunities to to work with QGIS. My next project was a map displaying the number of surveys collected from each of the health facilities in the sample. This map would serve as a progress report for the researchers at ESRF and could also highlight problem areas where missing surveys indicate a procedural problem. The final product is shown to the right. It does not show any clear problem areas but does give a general synopsis of the progress at this stage of survey collection. The Afya Yako research team gave me a lot of encouragement while I was working on these projects. They provided feedback about how I could improve my work and encouraged me to come to them with any questions.

My most difficult task in QGIS was a map showing the percentage of survey respondents who listened to the treatment radio program. My challenge was to display this data (listener percentage) alongside the treatment and control radio station transmission boundaries. This kind of map uses raster data files for the transmission boundaries and I found the trial and error process especially helpful with this project. The first complete iteration of this map is shown to the right. I attempted to list the names of locations with high listening percentages that might not have been in the range of the radio transmitters. This map is difficult to interpret and with some suggestions from the research team, I removed the inset maps specific facility names. Instead, I labeled radio stations that these transmitters represented and adjusted the color scheme to more accurately communicate the message of the map. The most recent version of the map is shown to the right. I think the comparison between this product and the first map I made using a YouTube video, shows a lot of improvement in my knowledge of QGIS software.  I’m grateful for the research team’s guidance and support as I worked through challenges and became well-practiced in this skill. Becoming proficient in QGIS stands out as one of the key accomplishments during my time at ESRF.

Despite arriving in Dar Es Salaam at 5 AM after a 20+ hour journey, my excitement for my time in Tanzania only grew as Alex, Saira, and I were greeted with open arms by a beautiful Tanzanian sunrise and Zakayo, a long-time friend of Professor Groves and the Head of Knowledge Management and innovations at ESRF, the organization where I would be interning this summer as an Economic and Social Research Intern. 

My curiosity about the process of research and how it contributes to policy-making led me to Tanzania. A pilot-phase randomized controlled trial (RCT) to combat human trafficking was introduced to me towards the end of my sophomore year by Beatrice Montanto, Salma Emmanuel, and Dylan Groves. Most of the research I have participated in involved gathering and analyzing existing writings, but I’ve always been interested in how the works came to be. I ended up devoting the majority of my time to this project. Additionally, I’m interested in understanding the collaboration between evidence-based research and national governments in pushing legislature toward specific directions. The Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), an independent policy research think tank devoted to improving and evaluating Tanzania's economic management and capacity development, has helped me answer many of my questions. 

As an intern, I assisted ESRF staff with ongoing projects, which introduced me to the components and skills required for field research. Afya Yako, one of ESRF’s large-scale projects, works to assess whether local accountability journalism can enhance the bureaucratic implementation of health service delivery. I used QGIS mapping to identify clinics within a radio transmission radius, participated in and helped draft the manual and quiz for enumerator training, and sorted through collected facility data. Attending the 12th annual African Evidence Summit, I learned about RCTs done to advance evidence-informed development policy by local and foreign scholars across SSA. Presentations that stuck with me included Pascaline Dupas’s “Intergenerational Effects of Secondary Education in Ghana” and Monica Lambon-Quayefio’s “Access to Digital Credit for Smallholder Farmers: Experimental Evidence from Ghana.” Having just taken Econometrics last semester, it was so exciting seeing the importance of the subject come to life. 

Helping ESRF also gave me the perfect introduction to various areas of policy prioritized by Tanzania. Reviewing local research grant proposals exposed me to conversations surrounding issues ranging from microfinancing to pollution, from infant mortality to education technology. During Researchers on Wednesdays, staff were briefed on government priorities and budgets and discussed how to assist such objectives like job creation, increasing productivity and production, and decreasing relative costs. 

Although unfamiliar with the topic of human trafficking, I was eager to explore the issue as it shares many similarities with an area of work I am involved in: domestic violence. The research team was so quick to help me get acquainted before my internship, introducing me to previous research, evidence reviews and background information, reports from US and Tanzania authorities, and training required to engage in this research topic (IoM and CITI certifications). The project aims to (1) explore how religious leaders can influence knowledge, attitudes, norms, and behaviors related to human trafficking and (2) support the reintegration of trafficking survivors by reducing the stigma faced by trafficking survivors in Tanga, Tanzania.

Involved with the early stages of the project, I helped draft COSTECH (Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology) and Lafayette IRB (Institutional Review Board) proposals, pre and post-intervention surveys measuring norms and attitudes through SurveyCTO, and MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and PA (Partnership Agreements) with project partners. Throughout the process of brainstorming how to structure and draft the awareness-raising materials for Muslim and Christian leaders to disseminate to community members and at-risk youth, my priority is to learn the most about previous research conducted. I found reviewing academic articles interesting but preferred learning through conversations with local non-governmental organizations. One of the first meetings I sat in on was a performance screening, in collaboration with the University of Dar Es Salaam drama department, used to advocate for nutrient balance in local diets. It was then that I quickly caught on to the collaborative nature of work done toward improving the country. 

The research team’s supportive culture was particularly helpful whenI decided to reach out to local human trafficking organizations, who were much more familiar with the subject than the research team was. Following my first introductory meeting with the Tanzania Relief Initiative/Tanahut with Professor Groves, I arranged a second meeting, this time on behalf of ESRF. Not only does developing a network of human trafficking organizations in Tanzania benefit the project, but it also builds the foundations for future collaborations. At ESRF, this human trafficking project is the first of its kind, but I’m sure not the last. Tanahut has already agreed to provide basic human trafficking training to ESRF staff and invited ESRF to a commemoration of World Day Against Human Trafficking.

The people I met, especially Tanahut and Courage Worldwide, made it possible for me to speak to trafficking survivors. I began by reaching out to Mr. Edwin Mugambila, a lawyer and the Executive Director of Tanahut, to gain an insight into how human trafficking manifests in Tanzania and to access the extensive network of NGOs working towards trafficking in person prevention. This led me to visit Courage Worldwide in Dar Es Salaam, where, after extensive conversations with multiple staff members, I was able to set up interviews with sex-trafficked girls in Moshi. Hearing their experiences and their feedback on our project built additional background information and ensured the training we develop is narrowly tailored to address human trafficking in Tanzania. Along with many other findings, our team learned we made many assumptions that restricted what human trafficking encompassed and failed to acknowledge the cultural norms’s impact on survivor reintegration. It was a 20th birthday well spent. Without time constraints, I would’ve loved to interview survivors rehabilitated in Dar Es Salam with the help of Community Health and Social Welfare Africa.

I hope this pilot will bring a potential path to achieving the long-term objective of combating the trafficking of children for forced labor and sexual work in Tanzania, an initiative I will continue to contribute to following the conclusion of my time in the country. 

Being in Tanzania for the first time, I also wanted to live a fulfilling summer outside of the office. The best way to understand Tanzania is through experiencing its lifestyle, culture, history,and food. From the first of many Bajaji rides to the office to meeting the ESRF team, I remember my first week in Tanzania being full of new experiences. Such adventures would continue to follow me throughout my trip, some more enjoyable than others—I wouldn’t say the hospital was my favorite destination. 

Adjusting to a country on a foreign continent wasn’t easy, to say the least—food poisoning, tourist harassment, and general travel anxiety are not uncommon. However, it helped that I was with a group of peers and mentors there to guide me. Fortunately, I had people who took care of me when I was sick (three times!). 

With the advice of Marco and Zakayo, we successfully took the purple Kawe Daladala (the primary local form of transportation) to Saba Saba Day — a celebration of unification and trade — where we got to meet vendors from all across Africa. It seemed like a piece of cake after we took a much more complex route up to the historic town of Bagamoyo, once chosen as the capital of German East Africa. We visited the multi-ethnic Mji Mkongwe (Stone Town) in Zanzibar, where you can see the remainder of Arabia, India, and European influences in its cuisine and architecture. Our trip to the National Village Museum and Pugu forest hike, which included the worship cave of the Wazaramo people, taught us about the numerous tribes that inhabit Tanzania and their traditions. 

We learned how to bargain over Kanga (traditional pattern fabric) at the largest market in Tanzania, Kariakoo, where we also mastered the phrase hapana asante (No, thank you). I am proud to say I saved 10,000 TZS (around 3 dollars). I got to see 3 out of the “Big 5” animals (Elephant, African Buffalos, and Lions) at Mikumi National Park. But waking up at 4 AM and the 6-hour drive was nothing compared to my 11-hour bus ride to Moshi. My favorite was the Amapiano mixes blasting the whole way. I got to see Mount Kilimanjaro, which didn’t even look real up close, interviewed human trafficking survivors (details in a separate blog), and hiked the muddy, slippery Materuni waterfalls with Brenda. 

Don’t even get me started on the food. The local cuisine never failed to impress, from the flavor to the variety. I can see why after seeing the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, and pepper that go into cooking during our spice tour in Zanzibar. The best wali maharage (rice and beans) in town can be found at our regular lunch spot right off the side of Uporoto Street. My personal preference is to have it with a side of pili pili sauce (pepper sauce) and fresh coconut water. KukuKuku (chicken chicken) has a special place in my heart, especially the mchuzi tatu (three sauce) chicken patties with a side of chapati I had for my last meal in Tanzania. The nyama (meat), ndizi, (banana) pilau (seasoned rice) platter we had after our hike in the Pugu forest whose flavor was accentuated by our hunger from not having breakfast before our climb. I had the best fresh-caught fish and lobster by the beautiful beach of Mbudya Island, a 30-minute boat ride from the mainland. Honorable mention to WZW, run by a lovely lady who gave me free tomato egg soup when I had the stomach flu, where we interns, located 2 minutes walking distance from the restaurant, were easily their #1 customer.

I leave Tanzania missing its people. The first thing we learned about Swahili is greetings, and in Swahili culture, greetings aren’t merely a formality but a conversation that establishes meaningful connections between strangers. Although slightly different in meaning, no matter whether you can start a conversation with Mambo, Shekamoo, Mzima, Karibu, or Habari, there is always a response from a place of value and respect. I also saw the similarities between my Chinese family and Tanzania’s strong emphasis on family, which comforted me being so far from home. Witnessing the warmth and joy of family gatherings when having dinner with Brenda (ESRF staff) and her extended family on my birthday was one of my favorite nights spent in Tanzania. 

Being the last one to leave Tanzania, it took me around 2 hours to say goodbye to everyone who was not only my coworkers but became my friends. It’s difficult to leave people when you know you still have much to learn from them. To others that are considering similar journeys, my advice to you is to soak it all in because the weeks will fly by and remember to take your malarone and doxycycline on time. This was truly an eye-opening experience and asante sana to everyone who made this journey possible and memorable!

As a double major in International Affairs/Government and Law, it seems logical that I would pursue an internship in a foreign country. It makes it all the more interesting that I happened upon this opportunity mostly by chance.  When I signed up to take Professor Grove’s Comparative Politics class, I had no idea that simply talking to him about my interests in the field could have led me to the African continent and an internship that was the most unique and extraordinary experience I’ve been lucky enough to go through.  I had never been to Africa before the internship, so going into the trip I was intrigued by the continent and its history, and curious about what it would be like.  

The trip, certainly, was not all a piece of cake. I knew it wouldn’t be.  Anxiety has long been something I have struggled with, and I was certainly anxious before the trip and afraid that it would negatively affect my experience.  The one thing I told myself in the weeks leading up to the trip and on the flight over was that I shouldn’t let my fear of the fear of anxiety determine my experience.  I had no problems on the flight over - having friends by my side certainly helped - and arrived at the early hour of 3 am local time with no issues.  We were fortunate enough to keep our luggage (sorry Ben and Alana) and when I stepped out of the airport for the first time I had one remarkable thought in my mind which I voiced, “Wow this looks a lot like Florida”.  Ironically, the airport parking lot had me reminiscing about trips to Disney World as a kid, and my fear of the trip was low.  

This made it especially confusing when several hours later I threw up.  Annoyingly enough, I got extremely nervous when we were waiting for our Airbnb and couldn’t stop myself from the negative side effects of my anxiety.  For the next two days, I could barely eat or sleep and was bedridden. This was my longest distance away from home and after the longest travel I have ever had, which I, in hindsight, should’ve seen coming.  The lack of sleep and food, as well as being in a foreign land 8,000 miles from home made me question whether I was strong enough to complete the trip.  I hadn’t even stepped into the office yet, however, the trip was already a loss in my mind.  I worried that I had to go home, gaining no experience and letting down those close to me whom I had told I was doing a 6-week internship to earlier in the year.  Thankfully, my friends I lived with helped me when I was sick and I was able to get into the office two days after my arrival.  Still ill and semi-malnourished, I worried this would be just one of few office days before I disappointingly would have to leave.  But being in the professional setting, seeing the work that ESRF was doing, and being around my friends rallied my spirits and allowed me to go on our first adventure together to Zanzibar as a group, where earlier that day I feared I wouldn’t be able to go.

Having the experience of travel and seeing the positives of the country, and the great experience that I would have in the country were I to stay, was crucial in my mental battle I endured.  Friday night in Zanzibar, I ate my first full meal of the trip since the plane ride over.   Surrounded by friends both from Lafayette and new ones, fellow interns from Ghana and Italy, I was excited and able to get back on my feet.  This in turn made me much more excited for work when we returned, and I was able to focus more and looked forward to having a positive impact on the organization.

The work that I ended up doing consisted mainly of environmental and refugee issues.  A complex chain between the two was created in my mind the more I discovered about the history of Tanzania, the current environmental issues, and the Maasai pastoralists of the Ngorongoro region.  The interconnectedness of indigenous land rights, the tourism industry, human rights abuses, and climate refugees changed my perception of Tanzania and Africa as a whole.  The intersectionality of these issues did not make me confident in the ability to solve them, but rather I saw it as a unique challenge outside of my traditional academic work.

Ultimately my experience was fulfilled by the people.  Competitions as to who could learn more Swahili between me and my roommates made our connection stronger, and our ties to the country deeper.  Talking with researchers from other countries and those at ESRF made me see the good across the world, outside of my Lafayette bubble that I like to believe is humanity’s ideal.  I also enjoyed talking to the people of Tanzania.  Whether it be fluent or broken English, or just a grumble gesturing to convey intent, I found that the people of Tanzania were extremely nice. This reinforced my ideas that people should be naturally good, and not pitted against one another. The kindness of the locals and the familiar-looking (at times) environment made me feel welcome and reminded me that no matter where I go in the world people are still people - often the same.  

After interacting with the people I did, traveling and working, I ultimately grew more this summer than I think I have in any previous experience.  After all, the core of mankind’s spirit is new experiences and this trip certainly checked that box.  Travel is essential not just because of the fun experiences but also because the work people do in the international field is critical to our success as a species.  Regretfully my trip was only so long, but I hope to make others in my life feel how I felt visiting Tanzanians’ home - Karibu. 

School and education are often seen as sources of abundant knowledge and information. Although, I have learned that my enthusiasm for learning is not bounded by the walls of an institution. Interning abroad is more than just a cool thing to put on your resume. It has allowed me to see that while I can sit in lectures learning about the world around me, I’m not fully satisfied with my education if I haven’t driven myself to see it for myself.

I have spent a total of 6 weeks interning for the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Throughout my time, I have learned much about the country’s history, economic and social problems, culture, and way of life. For most of my time, I was engaged with the Afya Yako project on health misinformation. It was interesting to see the project’s supply and demand approach to solving poor health services, from focusing on empowering citizens to keep authorities and providers accountable. It allowed me to reflect on the concept of civil society and how it exists in Tanzania. As I met people, in and out of the office, it was interesting to see how Tanzanian people didn’t use politics as a table conversation. It especially stood out to me as a New Yorker where you are bound to see politics seep its way into the conversation between a pair of friends you happen to eavesdrop on at a cafe. As the protests on taxes in Kenya occurred in the same period range as the protests at the Kariokoo market in Dar’s city center, I started to inquire more about how civil society is shaped by the historical development of Tanzania post-independence. I began to ask questions to project members and other academics in the office, allowing me to puzzle together the observations I made in my day-to-day life in the city. I wanted to know why did I see portraits of Samia Suluhu Hassan at a supermarket, or why did Tanzanians take pride in their Swahili being better than Kenyan’s. While these seem like simple mental notes, they lead up to a bigger picture that paints why Tanzania faces certain issues and overcomes others. The best part of working on a project about Tanzanians in Tanzania was that it encouraged me to be my very own detective. I didn’t just observe, I wanted to inquire on why. And while I had Google, any article I read couldn’t have made me understand it better than hearing and seeing the several answers and perspectives juggled in front of me. It forced me to think, reflect, make conclusions, scratch them, and start all over again. 

While my time in Tanzania would be classified as a career development experience. It feels inappropriate for me to say my experience was only a building block for my academic and professional future. From weekend trips to Zanzibar and Bagamoyo,  or taking daladalas to Saba Saba, I learned that I enjoy connecting with the very people who are impacted by the issues ESRF works with. From conversations with locals at the beach or at the lunch spot around the corner from the office (if you know, you know), what made this experience meaningful was knowing that projects like Afya Yako couldn’t be without the people I met on this trip. I’m grateful for this internship because it has shown me that while I'm eager to develop my career in international or regional affairs, it is important to me that the work I do makes a difference in the world, even if some call it tiny. 

Walking out of the airport my future felt tangible; I was about to spend a month living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Throughout my time working with the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), I would come to learn about a fascinating country and culture, hard work, problem solving, and myself. I hope you enjoy a little slice of the life I lived this summer.

The bustling streets of Dar es Salaam invigorate all the senses. Smells of roasting mishkaki waft through the air. Boda bodas and bijaji weave impossible paths. The sun and heat wrap you in their embrace. People laugh and chat in large groups. I would take all this in with my window rolled down on my way to the office each morning.

When I first arrived, the ESRF was getting a large scale survey up and running. I learned that many people in Tanzania are distrusting of healthcare, so a creative solution was proposed: running a radio drama. The survey in question would measure the impact of the radio drama on the public's perceptions of healthcare. For me, this meant becoming adept in spreadsheets and tracking data about radio stations, health care facilities, district medical officers, etc.

With all preparations in order, the survey commenced. I moved onto my next task, assisting ESRF’s communication department with their social media and outreach strategy. I would regularly meet with higher ups to discuss how to drive up engagement, overall brand renewal, and to review content.

Delving deep into Tanzania's legal history, I researched a land dispute involving the Maasai tribe. In an interview with a Maasai radio journalist, I learned about how an indigenous group that has been historically exploited by the tourism industry are being forced off their land with little compensation or resources to survive. In speaking with a human rights attorney, I heard first hand experience of how lawyers are using trials to advocate for a more representative constitution

On the weekeneds, I swam in crystal clear waters, listened to live music, and travelled to surrounding islands. I credit some of my best memories to my colleagues and friends Benjamin Risley, Saira Ali, Alex Brown, and Isabella Tang. Together we created a sense of unconditional companionship and a home away from home. I'll never forget playing cards on the roof of our hotel in Zanzibar, exploring the Kariakoo Market, and laughing until my chest hurt.

8,398 miles away from home, I gained a sense of independence I had never felt before. This experience left an imprint in my head and on my heart, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Global Media Lab.

My name is Ben Risley. I’m a rising junior at Lafayette College majoring in Government & Law and Economics with a minor in Data Science. This summer I am participating in an internship with the Economic and Social Research Foundation located in Tanzania. Through this internship, I was afforded the opportunity to travel to Tanzania to work at the ESRF office from May through June 204.

I was introduced to ESRF while working with Lafayette's Global Media Lab. As a student researcher on campus, I worked remotely with employees of ESRF and was interested in learning about the process of conducting survey experiments from their end. The Gladstone Whitman ’49 Intern Scholar Program through the Gateway Careers Center allowed me to participate in this internship during the summer of 2024. In this blog post, I’ll talk about my experience working with ESRF in Tanzania and all the valuable lessons I learned there.

ESRF is a well-established research and policy think tank in Tanzania celebrating its 30th anniversary. It has a mission to effectively inform policy and guide government actions with reliable facts and evidence. Working with ESRF, my roles changed nearly every day. I spent the majority of my time working on a public health misinformation project called Afya Yako. Under the guidance of researchers in the Governance and Capacity Development department, I organized data in Excel to be used in a survey for District Medical Officers across the country. While the survey was being administered, I collected data from enumerators and sent follow-up information to respondents. Working on Afya Yako allowed me to learn new data presentation skills as well. Using some of the data they collected, I was able to use QGIS mapping software to generate maps that showed important data points such as vaccination rate and radio transmission allowing researchers to pinpoint key areas of interest moving forward with this project. While initially I wasn’t exposed to QGIS at any level, working with it in this capacity allowed me to work with researchers and explore on my own to solve problems I faced when making these maps. My proficiency with this platform has increased exponentially as a result. 

Outside of Afya Yako, I participated in the initial review process for submissions for outside researchers who sought grant money from ESRF. This involved reading through project proposals and making sure they met all application requirements and applying skills from Econometrics to provide comments for future reviewers. A primary method of data collection at ESRF is surveys administered with the use of SurveyCTO. This software is an invaluable tool allowing for mass data collection and analysis but is also used in the research I’m involved in at Lafayette. While at ESRF I tested surveys that were about to be administered and provided feedback to survey designers. This process gave me insight into what a good survey looks like and what the process is for making adjustments in the software. I used this knowledge to experiment with SurveyCTO on my own research project and began to convert my survey from a Google Doc to a working platform.

One of the most unique experiences I had while working in person at ESRF was observing the enumerator training process. Prior to launching a survey, ESRF brings the enumerators in for a training session where they discuss survey questions for last-minute adjustments and inform the enumerators about the purpose of all the questions. I had the opportunity to be a fly on the wall in this process and participate in some adjustments made to the survey that resulted from this meeting. I was interested to see how questions were changed and discussed based on the cultural norms of the area.

One of my favorite days at work was spent watching and discussing a drama that was written in partnership with a local theater program. This drama was meant to convey the results of research conducted by ESRF. One of the biggest problems the researchers have faced is making the results of their data known to the public and creating real change. This drama was an attempt to convey their research findings through an entertainment lens. It was very interesting to hear about the problems facing Tanzanian communities and how ESRF seeks to solve them and I think I provided valuable feedback for future revisions to the drama.

The work culture of ESRF was instrumental in making my experience there so valuable. Every door at ESRF was open and the researchers were always more than willing to help however they could with any task or question I brought to them. One of the researchers was kind enough to give us an extra hour after the workday was over to teach us a basic Swahili survival course. In this session, I was able to learn the basics of Swahili which will be foundational to my future pursuit of the language. Through these classes, we were brought to the Kariakoo market and explored what it was like to shop in the biggest market in Dar es Salaam.

I learned a lot about future career environments from this internship and some valuable lessons to take away from ESRF. The most important was assertiveness. There were times during this internship when I was nervous to ask for help or bring up a problem. What I often found is that when I talked to the people I was working with, they were more than willing to guide me to the answers to my questions. They preferred that I have the answers instead of working blindly and this encouraged me to ask more questions and learn more from them. When I brought up contributions for projects, I found that those contributions were heard and taken into consideration. I appreciated how ESRF made me feel like a part of their team even though I was there for such a short time. 

I took so much away from my time spent with ESRF that it is difficult to convey how much each day of work impacted me and my future career goals. Working with researchers on Afya Yako and other projects made working with ESRF an experience that, if I could do it again, I would do without hesitation. I would encourage anyone interested in international politics or government to engage themselves in an internship with ESRF or a similar organization. Thank you to all the researchers at ESRF for making my internship experience so formative and memorable. I can confidently say that I will find a way to come back to Tanzania and work with you all in the future.