Hello CCDS community! My name is Candace Kumar and I will be completing my 4th year IDS co-op placement in Kigoma, Tanzania. Kigoma is a lovely rural town on the northwestern coast of Tanzania bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. It is right on Lake Tanganyika, the longest river in the world! Kigoma is known for its farming and fishing communities and a stop way into Gombe National Park, where Jane Goodall did her research! I am so thrilled to start this new chapter in my life.
I will be fulfilling a 9-month placement with Seed Change Tanzania as a Program and Communications Intern. Seed Change Tanzania is a non-profit grassroots organization working to combat poverty for rural palm oil farmers through agricultural and microfinance programs. Seed Change is committed to making a sustainable impact for local farmers and the environment. The organization is dedicated to initiatives that are adaptable to climate change and result in minimal environmental degradation to preserve natural forests. As Program and Communications Intern, I will be responsible for online media communications such as writing blog posts, creating promotional material and updating social media platforms. I will also be working on program development such as writing reports and assisting community workshops on farming and microfinance.
My research interests include sustainable agriculture, traditional knowledge systems, climate change adaptation techniques and rural livelihoods, which strongly align with the objectives of Seed Change Tanzania. My final research project will likely fall within one of these topics however it is a work in progress!
This placement was made possible through the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship program in partnership with the Centre for Critical Development Studies. I am extremely privileged and grateful to be one of many QE Scholar recipients embarking on an IDS placement. I hope to develop my professional skills and make an impactful contribution to the organization during my time in Tanzania. I look forward to making meaningful connections to the people I meet, exploring the country and hopefully picking up some Swahili!
Follow my journey at:
https://candaceinkigoma.wixsite.com/website
All the best!
Candace