Inat’s Journey from Lost Hope to Future Water Supply Engineer

Inat's dream of becoming a surgeon had always burned brightly, but her path took an unexpected turn when disaster struck.

In her final year of high school, a few weeks before her final exams, a devastating fire destroyed her school's classrooms and dormitories. The tragedy left Inat and her fellow students with nothing-no books, no notes, no equipment, and no place to study. She tried to be resilient, but the disruption took a toll. When her A-level results were released, Inat fell short of the grades needed to pursue a medical degree.

"My hopes had died," she recalled, her voice trembling with emotion. "I was so passionate about science and always wanted to be a Surgeon. But when the results came, I could not be admitted into any university. It felt like the light of hope I had was dimmed forever."

With limited options, Inat Mzee Saleh, 21, was faced with the harsh reality of finding an alternative and enrolled to obtain a basic teaching diploma-a far cry from her dream. But a glimmer of hope appeared. Her parents came across an advertisement for a "bridging foundation" course, a scholarship program aimed at helping girls who had fallen short of university entry requirements. The program offered a second chance at education and financial support, mentorship, and a pathway to degree programs in critical fields like health, agriculture, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

Envision a future powered by the intelligence of young women in Tanzania, such as Inat. That's the driving force behind the World Bank-funded Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) Project, which provided the impetus for Open University of Tanzania (OUT) to design and offer the foundation course. Recognizing that Tanzanian universities are not yet reflecting the full potential of female talent, the HEET Project supports efforts that directly tackle the obstacles holding girls back-from economic realities to academic challenges. By offering a focused one-year bridging foundation program, complete with academic and financial support, OUT is empowering determined young women who may be lacking in some qualifications to reach and thrive in higher education. This academic year, nearly 200 female students have proceeded on to enroll in universities and colleges, a significant step toward a more equitable future. The project aims to assist at least 600 female students to get enrolled in total.

But the impact of the program and HEET's interventions have reached far beyond individual success stories. These interventions are spurring broader systemic change, increasing female enrollment in STEM fields from 33% to 36%. This growth highlights HEET's role in fostering inclusivity and breaking down barriers in traditionally male-dominated disciplines.

Inat applied for the foundation course, and to her delight, she was accepted. The course became her lifeline. Over one-year, she worked tirelessly to improve her grades, driven by the knowledge that this was her chance to reclaim her dreams. The program's comprehensive support system-including tutoring, counseling, and access to resources-helped her regain her confidence and academic footing.

OUT's STEM Foundation Program is reshaping education equity, ensuring that every girl can pursue her aspirations and contribute to solving global challenges. Today, Inat is a proud first-year university student, enrolled in a degree program focused on water supply engineering.

"I'm so excited," she said with a beaming smile. "Even though I didn't get to study medicine, I still have a chance in the sciences. Engineers and doctors are sisters," she laughed.

Growing up in a small rural village in Pemba, Inat saw firsthand the daily struggle of her community as women and children trekked for miles just to fetch water. As a result, she is determined once she completes her studies to return home to Pemba and use her expertise to solve the water crisis and bring lasting change to her community. "This will give me the opportunity to be part of the solution to the longstanding water problems in our village. The broken water systems and lack of experts have caused so much suffering. I want to be one of the people who will help fix that."

Inat's story is not unique. Young women who once saw their dreams slipping away are now pursuing degrees in fields like engineering, medicine, and environmental science. They are breaking barriers, defying stereotypes, and proving that no one should be left behind.

The program has restored hope, empowered young women, and will create a ripple effect of change within communities. For Inat, it has given her the chance to become a role model for other girls in her village. "I want to show other girls, that no matter how hard things get, there is always a way forward," she said. "With determination and the right support, we can achieve anything."

It is hoped that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology will move to institutionalize this approach, in order to ensure its sustainability beyond the HEET Project's lifespan.