Local youth ruffles feathers in fight against poverty

Eva, a young campaigner from Malinzanga, Tanzania and her classmates from Mlowa School, went to Dodoma to speak with high-level members of the Tanzanian government and presented their demands in person.

Other high level dignitaries who stood up in support of #StandWithEva Campaign are; The Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, William Lukuvi, who is also the MP for Ismani constituency where Eva hails from, Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office, Union Affairs and Environment, January Makamba, Deputy Speaker of the Tanzania National Parliament, Tulia Ackson and the parliament as a whole.

The PM congratulated Eva for writing to the President of The United States of America, Barack Obama, last year requesting him and other world leader to honour promises they make to citizens.

The Stand with Eva Campaign which is now a global campaign is supported by Restless Development and ONE Campaign, where the two organizations have jointly committed to support Eva and her fellow youth from Mlowa Secondary School.

Eva and her community have been leading an effort to ask their government for clean water in their village since February. With the support of her classmates, youth-led charity Restless Development and anti-poverty group the ONE Campaign, Eva’s petition has been signed by 150,000 people from more than 80 countries around the world – demonstrating a massive show of support.

Speaking ahead of an event where they will hand in the petition to the government, Eva said: “I’m so excited to be a part of this campaign and looking forward to meeting members of parliament and other political figures.”

Eva’s schoolmates had written to the fourth phase government last year to ask for clean water and safe toilets at their school, but their request was met with silence.

Margaret Milwa, the Tanzania Country Director for Restless Development, said: “What started as a letter from Eva and her classmates has swelled into a campaign that has attracted global backing, and proves young people can and do change to their communities.

Eva’s determination to take this petition to her National Parliament is inspiring other young people to show their power and hold their leaders to account - now those leaders need to show they are listening,” said Margaret Milwa, the Tanzania Country Director for Restless Development.

The One Campaign executive director, Mwambu Wanendeya, said the Eva Campaign is a story with a profound message which speaks to people around the world who understand her desire to live in a world without poverty, adding that Eva has demonstrated that in a bid to fight poverty in our community, every voice counts, and that by adding your voice leaders are forced to take note and fiercely contribute to the fight to end poverty.

Last year, Eva wrote to US President Barack Obama, telling him that she and her classmates had big ambitions for their future, but without access to basic things like clean water, electricity and nutritious food, it was hard for them to stay in school and achieve them.

Obama endorsed her calls for action in a speech made at the UN General Assembly in September