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Prisca Lema

My name is Prisca Lema, I am the founder and the Executive Director of Iyanna foundation; I have a degree in leadership and governance attained from MSDC. My vision for the organization came as a result of my experience growing up as an orphan in Arusha going through difficulties in order to make a difference in her life and her siblings’ lives. 

Based on the tough journey I went through which included neglect after her parents passed away, I learned to be an adult when I was yet a teenager, which is an experience, I would never wish on someone. Navigating teenage life with no real guidance and being lucky to have a few friends who saw something in me and decided to support me to finish my basic education with the hope that it will lift me to achieve my potential. 

I got an opportunity to volunteer and work with the youth especially young girls. Through my personal experience and what I have seen girls and women go through just to make it in life; I got motivated to establish this organization. I want to contribute by giving girls and women from disadvantaged background a change to overcome obstacles in life the same way some people contribute to my life. I hope the organization will be able to change someone’s life for the better. You can read more about my personal life on the founders’ story page on this website.

Thea Haavet

My name is Thea Elisabeth Haavet. I am a Christian lady from Oslo, Norway. My passions and talents lies in creating moving films by getting access to unique people and making it easy for them to open up and share their stories. I have a desire for creating engaging films about courage, creativity, spirituality and healing, all with the overarching goal of enriching the viewer’s spiritual journey and helping to bring justice and change to areas where oppression and inequity are rife.
I am a founder of Soulspace Film, a film production company based in Oslo Norway, which works with a network of award- winning professionals that are passionate about telling stories that matter and inspiring change. My area of specialty is
multicultural work that builds bridges and allows viewers from all nationalities and walks of life to get to know people from a variety of cultures and religions. Through my work with immigrant women and their kids in Norway – as well as local NGOs in places like Iraq, South Africa and Zambia, I believe I can help advice my close friend Prisca and the Iyanna organization through her journey to make a difference in the lives of young girls and their children who are victims of abuse and teen pregnancies.

Thea Haavet

My name is Thea Elisabeth Haavet. I am a Christian lady from Oslo, Norway. My passions and talents lies in creating moving films by getting access to unique people and making it easy for them to open up and share their stories. I have a desire for creating engaging films about courage, creativity, spirituality and healing, all with the overarching goal of enriching the viewer’s spiritual journey and helping to bring justice and change to areas where oppression and inequity are rife.
I am a founder of Soulspace Film, a film production company based in Oslo Norway, which works with a network of award- winning professionals that are passionate about telling stories that matter and inspiring change. My area of specialty is
multicultural work that builds bridges and allows viewers from all nationalities and walks of life to get to know people from a variety of cultures and religions. Through my work with immigrant women and their kids in Norway – as well as local NGOs in places like Iraq, South Africa and Zambia, I believe I can help advice my close friend Prisca and the Iyanna organization through her journey to make a difference in the lives of young girls and their children who are victims of abuse and teen pregnancies.

Irene Joshua Ndossy

My name is Irene Joshua Ndossy, I am an Advocate Notary Public Commissioner for Oaths by profession currently working at the Arusha regional commissioner’s office. I am also involved as a Lawyer appointed on Tanzania to review some topics annually on the Sub-Saharan African Countries Laws through Konrad -Adenauer -Stiftung- (KAS) Germany Political Foundation, associated with Christian Democratic Union of Germany. I am also, a member of the Employment and labor Committee of Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS) and a board Member of Chels Microfinance registered under Bank of Tanzania.

In my career I aspire to work with the under privileged in the community and in 2016, me and some of my friends established a legal aid organization called FRAL (foundation for research and assistance in law) to help the most disadvantaged people in the community.  

With my experience and working in the communities in Tanzania and the region, I decided to work with and support Iyanna foundation as an advisor. This is because I believe that with the right information, young girls the main target group of Iyanna foundation who become victims of abuse and neglect in the society can be empowered to claim their rights enshrined in our constitution. In addition, by creating awareness in the community, we can empower our girls from disadvantaged communities to become champions in their lives and inspire both men and women to become good knowledgeable citizens

Ntambara Fiston

My name is Ntambara Fiston, I am from Rwanda but now am a resident in Sweden. When I moved to settle in Jönköping city in Sweden in 2013, I experienced a different environment from the one came from in Rwanda, to be able to adjust in the new environment I started an after-school program for schoolchildren in the cities of Jönköping, Skillingaryd the program involved mainly sports and life skills activities. Through this experience, I learned that kids would always be open to share challenges they are going through when they are in a safe, relaxed and joyful environment. 

I learned that, these interactions are a good opportunity to intervene and help a child with challenges they are going through such as bullying, school work etc. This experience and passion to help children reach their full potential made me join in and support the vision of Iyanna foundation team as an advisor. When we intervene early in the lives of young girls in Tanzania affected by teen pregnancies, which results in trauma and victimization from families and community, we help make the world a safe and better place.

Ntambara Fiston

My name is Ntambara Fiston, I am from Rwanda but now am a resident in Sweden. When I moved to settle in Jönköping city in Sweden in 2013, I experienced a different environment from the one came from in Rwanda, to be able to adjust in the new environment I started an after-school program for schoolchildren in the cities of Jönköping, Skillingaryd the program involved mainly sports and life skills activities. Through this experience, I learned that kids would always be open to share challenges they are going through when they are in a safe, relaxed and joyful environment. 

I learned that, these interactions are a good opportunity to intervene and help a child with challenges they are going through such as bullying, school work etc. This experience and passion to help children reach their full potential made me join in and support the vision of Iyanna foundation team as an advisor. When we intervene early in the lives of young girls in Tanzania affected by teen pregnancies, which results in trauma and victimization from families and community, we help make the world a safe and better place.

Gift Glory Nelson Mamuya

My name is Gift Glory Nelson Mamuya I am Tanzanian lady who was born in 1995 in Kilimanjaro Region. I have a Bachelor Degree from St. Augustine University of Tanzania in Mwanza Region.

I have participated as a volunteer in different community projects and during this time, I have seen many challenges facing young girls’ especially teen pregnancies. For instance; teen pregnancies remains a major contributor to maternal and child mortality, pregnant girls also face health risks and complications due to their immature body, I have also observed that unplanned pregnancies in many countries where abortion is prohibited lead many to resort to unsafe practices which put the lives of many girls at risk. 

 

Many girls drop out of school due to teen pregnancies and since they had a child out of wedlock, they face a lot of stigma, rejection and isolation, physical and emotional neglect and abuse from their peers and parents. Having seen all this I was inspired to be part of the team at Iyanna foundation so that I can help be a catalyst of change to many girls by providing life skills, counsel and information that will prevent and protect girls from teen pregnancies.

Ritha James

My name is Ritha James am 37 years old married with 2 children, I got a bachelor of education in English and counseling at Mt Meru University and I studied cross cultural communication and international work at Hald International School in Norway and I am a teacher by profession. For the past 15 years I have worked with several NGOs here in Arusha which have a focus of youth empowerment such as Global service Corp, Job Opportunity institute and CHRISC Tanzania, my man roles in all these institutions was peer education working mostly with young school going girls.

My engagement overtime in these organization and things I have seen living in Arusha region, I can agree with all my colleagues in the Iyanna Foundation Team that due to a lot of factors many girls coming from poor background suffer a lot and end up being neglected because of making the mistake of getting pregnant while still in school. I believe that pregnancy is something that should be planned and a woman need to decide when is the appropriate time for her is to start her family, however people sometimes make mistakes and teenage girls end up getting pregnant, as a community we should acknowledge their mistake and support our girls so that they don’t end up condemned to life of misery, poverty and suffering.

I am proud to join in the vision of Iyanna Foundation as an advisor and tutor because the organization has a focus of giving these girls a second chance in life, so that they can live a life of dignity and have an opportunity to become who they had a dream to become, a teacher, doctor, pilot end even President 😊  

Ritha James

My name is Ritha James am 37 years old married with 2 children, I got a bachelor of education in English and counseling at Mt Meru University and I studied cross cultural communication and international work at Hald International School in Norway and I am a teacher by profession. For the past 15 years I have worked with several NGOs here in Arusha which have a focus of youth empowerment such as Global service Corp, Job Opportunity institute and CHRISC Tanzania, my man roles in all these institutions was peer education working mostly with young school going girls.

My engagement overtime in these organization and things I have seen living in Arusha region, I can agree with all my colleagues in the Iyanna Foundation Team that due to a lot of factors many girls coming from poor background suffer a lot and end up being neglected because of making the mistake of getting pregnant while still in school. I believe that pregnancy is something that should be planned and a woman need to decide when is the appropriate time for her is to start her family, however people sometimes make mistakes and teenage girls end up getting pregnant, as a community we should acknowledge their mistake and support our girls so that they don’t end up condemned to life of misery, poverty and suffering.

I am proud to join in the vision of Iyanna Foundation as an advisor and tutor because the organization has a focus of giving these girls a second chance in life, so that they can live a life of dignity and have an opportunity to become who they had a dream to become, a teacher, doctor, pilot end even President 😊