From volunteer to founder of social projects in Tanzania

A trip to the African country of Tanzania in early 2023 defined Marla Silvas’ future: dedicating her life to helping those communities through social entrepreneurship and volunteering.

“The first time I visited Tanzania, I had no idea what I was going to encounter. The only thing I was certain of was that I wanted to help people.

“That experience turned into my life project, because what I saw and experienced made me realize I could do more for those communities,” she explained.

A year and a half after that visit, the Monterrey campus medical student created her own volunteer agency called Hakuna Rise.

What’s more, she wants to help girls and women, primarily in the Arusha area, who have suffered from female genital mutilation.

During her travels to Tanzania as part of her agency’s activities, Marla has heard various testimonies from women and girls who have been subjected to this banned practice.

“Female genital mutilation is a practice that unfortunately continues to happen in various communities throughout Africa. When I learned about several cases, I decided to start researching the topic further.

“For the past eight months, my classmate Hannah Rodríguez and I have been conducting research to develop a community program that will help us to eradicate it,” she shared.

This research led Marla to join the Global Learning Partnership program, run by the U21 Health Sciences network, which took place in March in Nepal.

There, she took classes at Kathmandu University, located in the town of Dhulikhel, and completed an internship in a rural area of Salambu.

“My main job is to be a tool facilitator.”

Experiencing networking

At the Global Learning Partnership, this student had the opportunity to participate in various exercises related to current health issues.

“One of our main activities was working hand-in-hand with local students to carry out small health interventions around three main themes.

The first was focused on pediatric care, the second on geriatric care, and finally, chronic diseases; we also focused on general women’s health issues,” she explained.

Marla participated in disseminating information about dignified menstruation.

“Our work sharing knowledge about menstruation focused on local people in Nepal.

“So, working closely with native students from that country was key to all our networking efforts,” she acknowledged.

Working for women and girls in Tanzania

The student said that being part of the Global Learning Partnership gave her the tools to continue working on her genital mutilation research.

“Our research isn’t just aimed at revealing the numbers and cases of women and girls who have undergone genital mutilation.

“We want this to be the first step towards creating psychological support centers and safe houses for women and girls who have already experienced this practice or who are at risk of being subjected to it,” she said.

To make this possible, Marla and her team are in the process of registering this project as a Non-Governmental Organization in Tanzania, under the name of Malaika.

The project is currently in the fundraising phase, with which they hope to build the first safe house.

“We know that through prevention, we can reach out to women and girls, and we’re designing this project specifically for them, so we can provide support and, as a result of these actions, promote the eradication of this practice,” she said.

“When I learned about several cases involving female genital mutilation, I decided to start researching the topic further.”

Social entrepreneurship

Marla acknowledged that the research project wouldn’t have been possible without her Hakuna Rise startup, as these trips to Africa have allowed her to open herself up to new realities.

Marla has made five visits to Tanzania, impacting the lives of 327 children in various locations across the country.

“This project formally launched in 2024, but I’ve been working closely with various NGOs since 2023 to bring a better quality of life to these children.

“My main job is to be a tool facilitator,” she shared.

This student has managed to collect uniforms, sports equipment, school supplies, and computers for several schools through donations.

Through this startup, she also provides a volunteer-mentoring service for those seeking to travel from Mexico to Tanzania.

In addition to seeing the country, they have the opportunity to help various communities.

“This startup wouldn’t have been possible without my business partner Miriam Joseph, a Tanzanian who has become my right-hand woman throughout this journey.

Through her, I’ve been able to understand people’s needs,”.

Marla Silvas emphasized that adapting to the culture and understanding the communities’ needs has been a key part of her journey.

“You have to deconstruct yourself along the way to understand what people need and, most importantly, remain open to adaptation.

“The way I’ve found to make a social impact has become my life project, and ultimately, that’s the message I’d like to share with other young people,” she said.

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