Meet Vaileth Mgema a determined Maasai woman from Tanzania who defied the odds and excelled in mathematics, pursuing a master’s degree as the sole student in her class. Her inspiring journey shows that with dedication, late-night study sessions, and unwavering passion, mathematics can be conquered by anyone.
I am a young lady from Tanzania, belonging to the Maasai tribe, which practices pastoralism. I have always had access to mathematics education and have come to appreciate the tranquility of late-night math study sessions. Despite not having a strong foundation in mathematics initially, I found joy in staying up late to tackle challenging math problems through self-study, group discussions, and unexpected tests, which I believe have been beneficial.
My higher education journey began at Mzumbe University, where I enrolled in certificate-level statistics courses. Initially torn between pursuing accounting or statistics, I chose statistics due to my limited math background. While I initially perceived statistics as simple mean, mode, and average calculations, I soon realized it required a rigorous mathematical foundation. I decided to dedicate late-night hours to strengthen my math skills and chose statistics over accounting. During challenging moments, I received encouragement from others, including university instructors, who reminded me that worthwhile achievements don’t come easily.
My drive for mathematical revision and practice led me to persistently solve math problems, repeating them multiple times until I found solutions. I would seek confirmation and clarifications from individuals in various disciplines, often leaving them astonished when I mentioned studying statistics within the department of mathematics and statistics. They would inquire whether I excelled in working with numbers, further motivating me to embrace this unique path.
One day, my grandmother asked about my university course, prompting me to explain my educational and career aspirations in mathematics. While she humorously questioned if I intended to count our cows, I realized that my degree in statistics had broader applications, including addressing social and economic issues within my pastoral community, such as climate change and food security.
An interesting fact about my journey is that, since I started studying mathematics, there haven’t been many students in our bachelor’s degree program. Remarkably, I excelled and entered the master’s program in statistics. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree, I decided to pursue a postgraduate degree, enrolling in the Master of Science in Applied Statistics at the same university where I earned my bachelor’s degree. Initially, my class included three boys and only one girl. However, after a few lectures, two of the boys decided to switch to project planning management, leaving me as the sole student in the class.
While uncertain about how to handle this situation, I received guidance from my lecturers, who assured me that studying as a single student in a master’s program was not uncommon. I decided to put in extra effort, collaborate closely with my lecturers, and implement strategies to cope with the unique learning environment. Alongside hard work, prayer played a significant role, enabling me to pass all my subjects in the first semester. Currently, I am in my second semester as a single-class student, confident that I will successfully complete my studies and eventually graduate.
I would like to encourage the younger generation not to fear mathematics, as it becomes less challenging with consistent effort and practice, even if it means working late into the night. The late hours can be quite helpful!
Vaileth Mgema
Master of Science in Applied Statistics, Mzumbe University, Morogoro. Tanzania.
Your story is remakarble and inspiring especially to the generation of young ladies who think math is a taboo, congratulations.
Your inspiration to the young generation of ladies who thinks that math is a taboo….Your hustle is a school for all the young generation that dedication is key.
HI Vaileth, a beautiful description of a wonderful passion that will hopefully bring you more joy and also success in the future. Wishing you the best of luck in the rest of your life journey. Warm regards, Niels.