Shamsa is the National Chairperson of the CAMFED Association Tanzania,By, John
Kabambala.
THE BIOGRAPHY OF SHAMSA BAKARI
MKURUNGO, CAMFED TANZANIA ALUMNA:
When I
first encountered the life story of Shamsa Bakari Mkurungo, I quickly realized
this was no ordinary tale of success. Rather, it is the history of a girl who
rose from the shadows of pain, poverty, and loneliness to become a national
leader with clear vision and steadfast resolve. Shamsa is the National
Chairperson of the CAMFED Association Tanzania, a position that did not come by
chance, but through sweat, tears, and a long journey of battling difficult
circumstances. Her life affirms the proverb, "where there's a will,
there's a way." Having grown up in an environment of severe
deprivation of basic needs, Shamsa was able to turn challenges into stepping
stones that lifted her up, and life's wounds into a source of inner strength.
This is the story of a girl who did not bow to fate, but who forged her own
destiny using education, leadership, and community service as her primary
weapons. Come along with me to understand this young woman's journey more
deeply.
SHAMSA'S JOURNEY IN THIS WORLD
BEGINS HERE:
Shamsa
Bakari Mkurungo was born in Dar es Salaam City, in Temeke district, the fourth
of four children in her family. Her childhood was not filled with many
opportunities nor the prolonged comfort of her parents. At just four years old,
she lost her father, and before she could recover from that wound, at six years
old, she also lost her mother. "I was still too young to understandthe meaning of death, but I felt a huge void in my heart," Shamsa
narrates in a reflective voice. After these deaths, her life changed abruptly,
forcing her to leave the city and go live with her grandparents in a village
called Jaja, in Kibiti district, Pwani Region. It was there that her new life
began a life of lack, loneliness, endurance, and an early education in the
harsh realities of rural life.
The
village of Jaja was Shamsa's first school of life. Her grandfather was a
small-scale farmer, relying mostly on coconut farming as the family's main
source of food and income. The economic situation was precarious; there were
times when harvests dwindled, and with them, the hope of securing basic needs
like sufficient food, clothing, and school supplies. "It was normal
to wait for grandfather to sell coconuts first before I could get an exercise
book, a bag, or even shoes," she recalls. The school was far,
about a half-hour walk on foot, and during break time, Shamsa didn't even have
200 shillings for snacks, an amount that was significant at the time. She often
stayed at school until evening, studying during breaks, waiting for the time to
go home so she could at least get a meal. All of this built her
psychologically, teaching her to endure and to appreciate the little that was
available.
Her formal
education journey began at Jaja Primary School, where she studied from 2006 to
2012. Despite economic challenges, Shamsa was a diligent student, recognizing
early on that education would be her only unique doorway out of the cycle of
poverty. In 2013, she joined Mtanga Delta Secondary School in Kibiti district
for her Form One to Form Four studies. It was here that she began to encounter
new challenges of adolescence, but also here that the seeds of hope began to
sprout. "I knew very well that grandfather was striving beyond his
means to educate me, and that made me feel I had a debt to perform well,"
she says. For her, education was not just a right; it was a great sacrifice
from her grandfather and the hope of an entire generation.
In 2016,
after completing Form Four, Shamsa was selected to join Mpitimbi Secondary
School for her Form Five and Six studies, located in Songea district in the
rural areas. This journey was long, both physically and psychologically, as it
took her completely out of the environment she was accustomed to and sent her
far from family. However, she saw this as a unique opportunity. It was here
that she learned to be more independent, to live with different people, and to
solidify her dreams for the future. She completed her secondary education in
2019, ready with a great thirst to continue with higher education, despite
financial uncertainty about the next step.
WHERE AND WHEN SHAMSA MET CAMFED:
That same
year, 2019, Shamsa enrolled at the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (TIA) in
Dar es Salaam City, pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and Public
Sector Finance. She studied until 2022, a journey that was not easy at all. In
her first year at college, she delayed completing the procedures for a
government loan, a situation that threatened her dream of higher education. It
was during this period that CAMFED emerged again as a savior, paying her fees
and providing her with sustenance money. "That's when I realized
that true support doesn't end with secondary school alone," she
says. Finally, she graduated with her degree, standing as an example of triumph
against the odds.
However,
Shamsa's challenges were not only economic. She also faced social and familial
pains that greatly affected her psyche. While in Form Three, her paternal
family rejected her and her siblings due to inheritance conflicts. "It
was a profound pain to see blood relatives turn into strangers,"
she recounts with sorrow. That situation shook her psychologically and even
academically, as she found herself lacking motivation and asking herself deep
questions about her worth as a human being. Yet, instead of breaking down, she
learned to stand up again, realizing that a person's value is not measured by
acceptance from people alone, but by the courage to move forward and not allow
oneself to be brought down.
Shamsa's
journey of transformation officially began in 2013 when she was informed about
the CAMFED organization while at Mtanga Delta Secondary. When she heard about
the criteria and the type of support offered, she never imagined her name would
be recommended. Fortune smiled upon her when she was among the students who
received sponsorship. "That is where the light of hope began to
shine brighter," she says with a smile. CAMFED didn't just help
her financially; it provided her with a whole system of upbringing and life in
general, protection and empowerment that built a new Shamsa, a confident girl
with broad dreams who believed in living the future she envisioned.
According
to Shamsa herself, she states without hesitation, "Today's Shamsa,
90 percent, is a product of CAMFED." Starting from Form One, she
was provided with all basic needs: school supplies, fees, hostel accommodation,
and upkeep money. Beyond that, she received economic empowerment support
through business loans and entrepreneurship training under the Business Guide
program. This was not short-term aid, but an investment in her future life. CAMFED
also built Shamsa in life skills and leadership. Through the Learner Guide
program, she got the opportunity to become an empowerment facilitator for
education and life skills for secondary school students. This training built
her confidence, courage for public speaking, and the ability to make sound
decisions for her benefit and that of the community. "I learned to
identify and believe in my own voice," she says. It was here that
the seeds of leadership began to sprout rapidly.
BECOMING TOMORROW'S LEADER AND THE
MESSAGE OF REPRESENTATION:
From a
journalist's perspective, it is clear that CAMFED's support was not merely
financial, but strategic and future-oriented for this young woman. Shamsa
emphasizes that without mentorship and self-awareness education, financial
support alone would not have made her the wise leader she is. Her leadership
today is built on a foundation of ethics, accountability, and broad vision both
within and beyond CAMFED. Speaking with confidence, Shamsa does not hesitate to
say, "Without CAMFED, perhaps today I would be a completelydifferent person." She believes she would not have a university
degree, civility, nor the ability to be economically self-reliant. This is a
profound statement, but also a testament to the power of empowering one girl to
change her family and an entire community. Through CAMFED's training, Shamsa
gained leadership skills that set her apart from many. She has the ability to
build arguments, speak with communities at various levels, and handle
challenges with wisdom. Her leadership is evident starting within the family,
extending to the surrounding community, and finally at the national level
through the CAMFED Association Tanzania.
Economically,
Shamsa has been empowered to own a small, officially registered business that
pays taxes to the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). Although the income is not
yet substantial, she dreams of expanding it into a large-scale enterprise. This
is a living example of how the right empowerment can yield lasting results.
Shamsa discovered her leadership talent when she was a life skills facilitator.
Students trusted her, opened up to her about their challenges, and saw in her a
true leader they could confide in about their needs and problems without fear,
believing she could help solve them and find freedom through her. "That's
when I realized I could help people through the knowledge I had gained,"
she says. This experience opened doors to leadership in student institutions
and non-governmental organizations.
Her step
into politics was not impulsive, but thoughtful. She believes that everything
in society is determined by politics, policies, the economy, the environment,
and development. From her perspective, to bring about significant change, one
must be part of the decision-making system. "My dream is to be a
great leader with a positive contribution to the community," she
says with firmness. However, the journey of political leadership for a woman is
not easy. Shamsa admits to encountering negative attitudes, prejudice, and even
acts of humiliation. Society often judges women in politics based on
stereotypes. "You find yourself losing people simply because you
have refused to be led astray," she says with pain. But despite
this, she does not retreat. She chooses to encourage herself, reminding herself
of her big goals and her responsibility to the community. Gender bias has not
prevented her from moving forward; rather, it has made her stronger. She sees
every challenge as a lesson and every obstacle as a bridge. Today, Shamsa
Bakari Mkurungo stands as a symbol of the victory of girls' education, social
empowerment, and the power of mentorship. Her leadership within the CAMFED
Association Tanzania reflects the organization's mission to prepare women
leaders who give back to the communities they come from.
THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF A LEADER IN
BRINGING ABOUT SOCIAL CHANGE:
There is
another very important message deserving consideration in Shamsa's journey, and
that is the accountability of a leader in bringing about sustainable social
change. Shamsa does not see a leadership position as a title or a position of
glory, but as a gift to serve others and give a voice to the voiceless. She
emphasizes that true leadership needs to be grounded in service and generosity
of heart. In the political arena, she has observed that the system often
discourages youth and women due to tough gender and class-based environments.
Therefore, she is committed to paving a new way that will empower other young
people, especially girls, to feel they have equal opportunities in national
leadership.
She says,
"Politics is not a game of intrigue or cunning, but a tool forbuilding a better society. When I look back, I see that every step I took wasfull of challenges, but it also had the opportunity to learn and grow. Now Ilove using my experience to teach other young people that there is no obstaclethat cannot be overcome." Shamsa takes the position of advising
young girls about the importance of joining cooperative groups, engaging in
community activities, and building a network of like-minded people. She
encourages them to have the courage to speak openly, participate in
discussions, and seek leadership at all levels. Furthermore, she emphasizes the
importance of maintaining environments that nurture girls and give them the
opportunity to grow intellectually, morally, and financially. "We
need to have systems that support girls from the very lowest level to the top.
This requires collaboration between the government, non-governmental
organizations, development stakeholders, and the entire community."
Shamsa believes that national leadership needs to have a new framework that
accepts and appreciates differences in gender, culture, and social background.
Regarding
the issue of women's leadership, Shamsa adds that it is not only that women
need to be leaders, but the leadership system itself needs to change to become
one that protects them and gives them an equal chance to participate. She
stresses that laws and policies protecting the rights of women and youth must
be implemented fairly and transparently. "The first step is to have
good policies, but the more crucial step is their implementation. This is where
we need leaders with integrity and the ability to lead by good example."
Shamsa also emphasizes the importance of building collaboration between
political leaders and those in community and economic spheres. She says, "No
significant change can happen in isolation. We need to collaborate with
everyone, from the small-scale farmer to the large entrepreneur, to build a
shared economy and an equitable society." With this vision, she
continues to work as a leader who connects people and brings about a shared
vision.
SOCIAL CHANGE:
In
conclusion, Shamsa's story is not that of one person alone, but a narrative of
thousands of girls going through similar challenges. It is testimony that
"when a girl is given an opportunity, she can change the world."
As a journalist, I narrate this story with the belief that Shamsa's journey is
still ongoing, and the best pages of her life are yet to be written. But beyond
that, her story is a call to the entire community to take up the responsibility
of empowering young people, especially girls, so they can achieve their dreams
and contribute to the nation's development. Shamsa Bakari Mkurungo is now a
compelling example of how strategic support, community generosity, and the
determined will of one individual can build a servant leader. She teaches us
that in every challenge there is an opportunity, and in every experience, there
is a lesson. Her journey is filled with teachings of endurance, courage, and
faith in the power of community. It is a story of hope and victory that should
spread to many more young people across Tanzania and the African continent.
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