Global Ambassador Trip with Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
Visiting Tanzania with Maitreyi
Plan International Canada staff joined Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, our Global Celebrated Ambassador, on a trip to Geita, Tanzania to see how period products and bicycles are helping girls stay in school.
Plan International Canada communications teammates (From left) Angie Torres-Ramos and Kristi Iannuzzi joined Global Celebrated Ambassador Maitreyi Ramakrishnan on a trip to Tanzania to visit the Keeping Adolescent Girls in School (KAGIS) project.
It’s one thing to write about the work we do at Plan International Canada to promote children’s rights and equality for girls. It’s a whole other inspiring perspective when you visit one of the projects and meet the participants and see the work in action. Plan staff Angie Torres-Ramos and Kristi Iannuzzi had that opportunity when they traveled to Tanzania with Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Plan International Global Celebrated Ambassador and star of Never Have I Ever, in November. Maitreyi said it’s a trip she’ll never forget. Angie, who has been with Plan since 2012, and Kristi, who joined two years ago, feel the same way too.
FAVOURITE MEMORY
Kristi:
“We were on our way to a school to make reusable pads with students in a menstrual health club. It was the first event to kick off what took four months of planning. I had anticipated this moment for so long and now it was happening. As we walked into the classroom, we could immediately feel the students’ energy. They sang a greeting to us, and it was so moving. We joined them in making reusable menstrual pads, so the girls don’t have to skip class when they get their periods due to a lack of supplies [In Geita, 25% of girls don’t study beyond primary school, and a lack of period supplies are some of the reasons they stop going to class]. While we made the pads, we also had a chance to chat about their life and their dreams. They were also curious about what it’s like to live in Canada.”
Angie:
“One of my favourite moments was when we were serenaded off the bus by a lively group of women who participate in one of Plan’s village savings and loan associations groups. We joined them under this immense mango tree, and we were able to enjoy fresh mangoes – Maitreyi’s favourite! It was such an intimate experience following days of hustle and bustle. They sang, danced, showed us their handicrafts, and shared how the savings group helped them earn money to send their daughters to school.”
What Kristi & Angie learned about Plan’s gender equality work
Kristi:
“When we toured the school where girls had received some of the 500 bicycles Plan had distributed, I came away with a new appreciation for how dedicated Plan International is to this school and the safety of these girls. There was the work we’re doing with the KAGIS project, and the teacher showed us the dormitory that Plan Germany built. When we were driving to the school, I could see plenty of students walking in their school uniforms, but there were also plenty of kids who didn’t appear to have that opportunity or who you could see working in the fields. It was a poignant reminder that there’s work to be done to ensure all children get that chance.”
Angie:
“Seeing our work in real life unlocked a whole other perspective. You can feel the collective commitment from the participants, Plan staff and the entire community, coming together to make change. I especially felt this when we attended a KAGIS-supported soccer match where 2,000+ people attended, from babies to elderly people to donkeys that made their way onto the field at one point. The match commentator layered in messages about protecting children and support girls’ rights to get an education, such as the KAGIS slogan Si sawa bila usawa, which means “not equal without equality.”
How did the trip change Kristi and Angie?
Kristi:
“After the trip, I had a renewed sense of purpose and appreciation for our work. Sometimes you have days working from Toronto where you feel disconnected, but I just think back on that week, and I’m reminded of students like Ezra who had to walk 11 kilometres on remote roads to get to school. Now, she hops on her bike and gets there safely and quickly. And we’re playing a part in helping to make that change in her life.”
Angie:
“Absolutely, I feel the same way. It’s easy to get lost in the daily grind and forget that real girls like Ezra are the heart of our mission. I’m grateful to see firsthand how Plan’s support has helped her and how something as simple as a bike, has unlocked all kinds of opportunities for her future.”
Help remove the barriers that keep girls from reaching their full potential. We won’t stop until we are all equal.
Want to be inspired by other youths? Read our story with youth and disability activist Pelemo Nyajo from Nigeria as she explains how she uses her powerful poetry to spark change.
Interested in other ways we help girls go to school? Meet 11-year-old Salma from Nigeria, who lost her hearing when she was child and didn’t attend school until a teacher encouraged her parents to send her to classes.
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