MARIA AND CONSOLATA TO BE BURIED TOMORROW

Internal Medicine – Physician Dr. Faith Kundy of Iringa regional Referral Hospital.

Mwandishi wa habari wa gazeti la guardian mkoani Iringa Friday Simbaya (mbele) akiwa katika picha ya pamoja na walezi na ndugu wa marehemu mapacha walioungana Maria na Consolata muda mfupi baada ya mahojiano kuhusu utaratibu wa mazishi halo jumatano katika makaburi masista Tosamaganga wilayani Iringa, mkoani Iringa jana. Kutoka kushoto waliosimama nyuma ni mkuu wa masista wa Consolata Tanzania Sr. Jane Nugi, kaka mkubwa wa marehemu mapacha David Mwakikuti na Sr. Paskalina Mkolomi. (Picha na Mwandishi wetu).

Iringa District Commissioner Richard Kasesela

By Friday Simbaya, Iringa 

Tanzanian conjoined twins Maria and Consolata Mwakikuti who died at the age 21 on Saturday after suffering respiratory complications at Iringa Regional Referral hospital to be put to rest on Wednesday this week, it has been confirmed. 

The two girls, who were joined from the navel downwards and shared organs like the liver and lungs, had two hearts and separate heads and arms, according to the Internal Medicine – Physician Dr. Faith Kundy of Iringa regional Referral Hospital. 

The Iringa Regional government, Consolata Sisters Tanzania and the relatives of late twins held the meeting today (yesterday) to discuss on the matter of the funeral of the late conjoined twins and have agreed to bury them in one coffin and one grave. 

According to the Iringa District Commissioner Richard Kasesela on behalf of the Iringa regional Commissioner Amina Masenza, told the journalist yesterday that everything has gone well and said the girls will be put to rest on Wednesday. 

He said that the bodies of the late twins are preserved at Iringa Regional Referral Hospital mortuary and they were now preparing their coffin for body viewing at Ruaha Catholic University (RUCU) where they were studying as teachers. 

Kasesela has appealed to Iringa residents come in great numbers and support for both financially and wealth towards the funeral costs. 

On her part, Consolata Sisters Tanzania Regional Superior Sr. Jane Nugi said as the guardian of the conjoined twins, they have agreed together the relatives and the government that funeral will take place at Tosamaganga Cemetery where the deceased Consolata sisters are buried in Iringa District, Iringa region. 

She said that they have received the sadden death of the twin with heartbroken and sorrow because they were living the girls as a family but now there no longer part of family because they are gone forever. 

And also, David Mwakikuti the elder brother of late conjoined twins from Dar es Salaam and their little mother Anna Mshumbusi all the way from Bukoba have arrived for the funeral of Maria and Consolata. 

Mwakikuti said they are five in the family of old man Juma Mwakukiti but now they have remained three after her young sisters died. 

He said that both his late father and his mother were government workers working as agricultural officer and livestock officer respectively. 

David mwakuti who was born in 1991 is working with Operation Mobilization (OP) company based in Dar es Saalam, adding that he is now breadwinner who is looking after young sisters. 

Both David and his little mother Anna Mshumbusi have received the death the two girls with sorrow because they have lived up with their dreams. 

They said the girls were very inspirational because they promised that when they finish their studies they wanted to be teachers and community workers to help people with disabilities like them. 

Maria and Consolata died on 2nd June, 2018 between 20:30 and 21:00 hrs at night at Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Iringa regional hospital. They were admitted at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam on 17/05/2018 before brought to Iringa regional hospital. 

WASICHANA 76 CAMFED WAJIUNGA NA ELIMU YA JUU

Shirika la kuwasaidia watoto wa kike-CAMFED TANZANIA, wilaya ya Iringa limesaidia wasichana 76 kujiunga na elimu ya juu katika vyuo mbalimbali nchini katika kipindi cha mwaka 2017/2018.

Shirika la Camfed linasaidia wasichana kuanzia kidato cha kwanza hadi kidado cha sita na hatimaye kujiunga elimu ya juu kwa wasichana wanaotoka katika familia duni kwa lengo la kuwakwamua na umasikini. 

Mratibu wa miradi ya Camfed Wilaya ya iringa, Abia Mwisaka alisema hayo wakati ya kongamano la wasichana wanaosoma katika vyuo mbalimbali lililoandaliwa na shirika hilo mkoani Iringa jana. 

Alisema kuwa wasichana hao walisaidiwa na shirika hilo kuendelea na elimu ya juu katika vyuo mbalimbali vilivyopo mikoa ya Sumbawanga, Njombe na Iringa. 

Mwisaka alisema kuwa lengo la kongamano hilo lilikuwa kwa ajili kuangalia changamoto mbalimbali wanazokumbana nazo wasichana walioko vyuoni ili kuona namna gani wanaweza kuepukana nazo. 

Alisema kuwa katika kongamano hilo pia waliwaalika wataalam mbalimbali kwa lengo la kuwasaidia katika Nyanja mbalimbali za maisha pamoja na namna gani wanaweza kuishi wakati wakiwa vyuoni ili kuepukana na hizo changamoto. 

Wataalamu walioalikwa kwenye kongamano ni pamoja na mtaalam wa afya ambaye aliwapitisha katika mambo ya afya kama vile namna ya kujikinga na VVU/UKIMWI, adhari za ndoa za utotoni pamoja na mimba za utotoni. 

Alisema kuwa wasichana wakiwa katika afya njema wataweza kujikinga na kutimiza ndoto zao za kusoma na baadaye kupata ajira kwa vile wasichana wengi wanatoka katika mazingira tofauti, yaani wengine wanatoka maeneo ya vijijini, kwayo wasipopewa elimu ya afya wanaweza kushindwa kutimiza malengo yao. 

Pia, alisema kuwa wasichana hao wakiwa katika kongamano hilo walipitisha katika sera ya ulinzi wa mtoto ili kuwajuza juu ya ulinzi wa mtoto kuhakikisha mtoto analindwa na kuheshimiwa. 

Mwisaka alisema wataalamu wengine walioalikwa ni pamoja na afisa utumishi wa Wilaya ya Iringa aliyewapitisha wasichana hao katika namna ya kuandika CV nzuri, kuandika barua ya kazi na vitu gani wanatakiwa kufanya wanapoitwa kwenye usaili, ili wamalizapo vyuo wasipate shida. 

Mtaalumu mwingine aliyealikwa katika kongamano hilo ni Yule wa bodi ya mikopo kwa wanafunzi ilikuweza kuwaunganisha wasichana hao na bodi ya mikopo ambaye aliwaeleza namna ya kuomba mikopo na nani anastahili kupata mkopo wa wanafunzi. 

Naye, mtaalamu kutoka chuo kikuu kishiriki cha Mkwawa (MUCE) Dr. Winston Mdegella waliwataka wasichana hao waiishi maisha yao na sio maisha ya kufuata mkumbo wanapokuwa vyuoni. 

Alisema kuwa maisha ya chuo ni maisha yanaomwezesha mtu kijitafakari na kujitambua tofuati na maisha ya shule ya msingi na sekondari. 

Dr. Mdegella alisisitiza kuwa maisha ya chuo ni maisha huru lakini uhuru huo usiutumie vibaya ambao mwisho wake unamadhara mengi kuliko faida. 

Aliwaasa wasichana na wanafunzi wengine kusoma kwa bidii kwaani asilimia 80 waielekeze katika masomo na asilimia 20 iliobaki ndio wawezetumia kwa mambo mengine. 

Kwa upande wake, Ofisa Elimu wa Wilaya ya Kilolo, Gloria Kang’omba waliwataka wasichana hao kufikilia nje ya boski kwa kuwa ajira kwa sasa zimekuwa za shida lakini waelekeze mawazo yao katika kujiajiri. 

Alisema kuwa wasichana hao wanatakiwa kusoma kwa bidii liwaweze kufanya vizuri katika masomo yao na hatimaye kukuwa katika soko la ajira. 

Kang’omba alisema kuwa wanafunzi wanaomaliza vyuo nchini ni kubwa na kila mwaka wanafunzi mbalimbali katika vyuo ni wengi kwa hiyo wasichana hao wanabudi kufikilia kujiari kulikokuajiriwa. 

Wakati huohuo, Ofisa mikopo kutoka chuo kikuu kishiriki cha Mkwawa (MUCE) Dr. Kennedy Muhema akitoa taarifa ya bodi ya mikopo wanafunzi alisema kuwa bodi hiyo tangu mwaka 1994/1995 hadi 2017/2018 imeweza kutoa mikopo kwa wanafunzi 438,257 wenye thamani ya trillion tatu (3trn/-). 

Alisema kuwa katika mwaka wa masomo 2017/2018 bodi hiyo imepanga kuwapatia mikopo wanafunzi wapatao 120,417 kati yao 33,857 ni wanafunzi wa mwaka wa kwanza na 86,560 ni wanafunzi wanaoendelea na masomo katika vyuo mbalimbali nchini. 

Dr. Muhema pia alisema kuwa katika mwaka wa masomo 2018/2019 inatajiwa kutoa mikopo kwa wanafunzi wapatao 124,000 ambapo kati yao 40,544 ni wanafunzi wa mwaka wa kwanza. Na Friday Simbaya, Iringa 

76 CAMFED GIRLS JOIN HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS IN IRINGA LAST YEAR

By Friday Simbaya, Iringa 

The CAMFED TANZANIA in Iringa district has helped 76 girls join higher learning education at various universities in the 2017/2018 year. 

The Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) helps girls from form one to form six and eventually join higher learning education for girls from poor families with the aim of eliminating them from poverty. 

CAMFED Iringa District Coordinator, Abia Mwisaka said this during a conference of girls dubbed as ‘Tertiary Girls’ Forum’ studying at various universities organized by the organization in Iringa yesterday. 

She said the girls were helped by the organization to continue with higher education at various universities in Sumbawanga, Njombe and Iringa regions. 

Mwisaka said the purpose of the meeting was to look at the various challenges facing the girls in the colleges and universities to see how they could avoid them. 

She said that at the conference she also invited various experts to help them in the various areas of life and how they can survive while in the colleges or universities to avoid those challenges. 

Invitations at the forum include a health expert who passed them on health issues such as how to protect themselves from HIV / AIDS, early child marriage and child pregnancy. 

She said that girls in good health would be able to protect themselves and fulfill their dreams and later get jobs as many girls come from a different environment, while others come from rural areas, where their cannot afford to achieve their goals. 

She also said that the girls in the conference took part in the child protection policy on to go about nurture child protection to ensure that the child was protected and respected. 

Mwisaka said other invited experts included, Human Resource Officer from Iringa district who invited the girls to write a good CV, write an official letter and what they should do when they were called on for interviews, so that they could not have problems after finishing their studies. 

Another spokesman who was invited to the conference was the One of the students loans board who were able to connect the girls with the credit board who told them how to apply for loans and who should qualify for a student loan. 

The Credit Officer from Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE) Dr. Kennedy Muhema under section 16 (1) board is required to extend to loans the needy and eligible students. 

Eligible as per section 17 include; must be a Tanzanian, must have been admitted to fully accredited higher education institutions for higher diploma, diploma, and degree o full time basis. 

The other one, a person with no financial assistance from any source, continuing student who has passed exams to enable him/her advance to the following year of study. 

In his statement from the students loans board, he said that the board since 1994/1995 until 2017/2018 managed to lend to 438,257 students worth 3 trillion / -. 

He said that during the year 2017/2018, the board has extended loans 120,417 students, from which 33,857 to the first year and 86,560 students are continuing studies at various universities. 

Dr. Muhema also said that during the 2018/2019 academic year the board projects to extend loans 124,000 students, among which 40,544 students were the first year. 

Another specialist from Mkwawa University (MUCE) Dr. Winston Mdegella wanted the girls to live their lives and not to live in an artificial life of copying others. 

He said college life is a lifestyle that enables one to meditate and to identify himself different with the life of primary and secondary school. 

Dr. Mdegella emphasized that college life is a free life but that freedom does not mean to abuse it whose end is not profitable. 

He urged girls and other students to study hard and committee their time into lessons and part of the remaining percent should be used on other things. 

On the other hand, the Kilolo District Education Officer, Gloria Kang'omba, urged the girls to get out of the box and think beyond because employment has now been difficult but to focus their attention on self-employed. 

She said that those girls should be diligent in studies so that they can do well in their exams and eventually grow in the labor market. 

Kang'omba said that graduating students in the country are large and each year students at a number of colleges are many, so the girls are becoming more unemployed. 

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