From Thacher to Tanzania

Emma Patterson CdeP 2012 returns to share her experience teaching in rural Tanzania.
Last weekend, Emma Patterson CdeP 2012 returned to campus to visit her sister Lulu '19 and generously offered to speak to the community about her experience living and teaching in rural Tanzania. After having traveled to Kenya on a few occasions, Emma knew she wanted to make a difference in eastern Africa. Upon graduating from Bowdoin College last spring, Emma took a year-long post with Princeton in Africa, serving as an educational fellow at the Orkeeswa School. 

During her presentation after formal dinner on Sunday, Emma shared details and pictures from her experience thus far. Additionally, she screened a short film entitled Black Head Cow created by students and educators from the Orkeeswa School exploring the important topic of early marriage in Maasai culture and its conflict with female education. 

Emma commented, "The film is one that was created by Orkeeswa students and my boss (who is a filmmaker). It was the idea of the students to make a film about early marriage in the community, and the film is a representation of what often happens in this very traditional Maasai community with girls and marriage. It shows the conflict that tends to exist between education and marriage. Not only does it help give context to where I live/work, but I think it also sparks some interesting discussions."
 
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