The quality of life in many East African nations remains exceedingly poor. Contagious diseases, including Malaria, Cholera, and HIV/AIDS take a terrible toll on families, and particularly children. Poor quality medical services and the lack of healthcare professionals make the high infant and maternal mortality rate even worse. The poverty and unstable political climate significantly constrain national and individual efforts to cope with, let alone overcome, East Africa’s crises in healthcare and education. But that did not deter Marian Inguanzo from seeking workable, local solutions.
As a noted New York activist and academic, Marian brought over fifteen years of experience in social work to her fact-finding tour of the region, which included Kenya and Tanzania. Based upon her findings, Marian worked to bring together local governmental authorities and the village peoples of the region to formulate an action list for dealing with issues in healthcare and education, all suited to the needs and abilities of the local areas. Marian then returned to New York to call upon her network of academic mentors as well as experts in economics, business, health, and civil services.
Marian’s efforts have helped bring about a series of sustainable and effective strategies for East African communities. For example, she not only helped establish the Tanzania Intergenerational Health Chapter, but also expanded it from one village to encompass fifteen regions throughout East Africa. In her initiative, Mkate Wa Watoto Yatima, which means, “ Bread for the Children,” Marian sponsored and raised monies for orphaned children, securing educational materials, clothing and even toys for the most vulnerable in an already fragile region. These projects serve to increase public education on health awareness for the children and older adults while strengthening civic engagement between citizen and government. The greatest impact of Marian’s work is that the Tanzania Intergenerational Health Chapter will reinforce existing, working community networks in Mbeya, Tanzania and throughout Africa, enabling Africans to generate their own solutions to African problems.
Marian has overcome much in her own life to excel and attain numerous degrees from New York’s most respected academic institutions, including Boricua College, Hunter College, and the elite New York University’s Graduate School of Social Work. She never shies away from using her personal funds, her powers of persuasion, and her indefatigable belief in possibilities to improve the life of those around her, whether at home in New York City, or in Africa thousands of miles away. In all that she does and achieves, Marian M. Inguanzo, MSW, brings to life the powerful axiom: “Think locally, act globally.”
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