Makini
Senior Member
- Dec 23, 2014
- 154
- 59
Found this somewhere, I think its interesting.
Hi, My name is Tumaini (Hope) Paul Soyala. I am a Tanzanian woman. I am a Tour Guide by profession. As the tour guide, my work is to give the guests (tourists) a broader understanding of the environment of which they are visiting such as to drive them around, to lead nature walk, to ensure their safety, security and satisfaction.
I became interested working in this industry because I am in a deep love with nature (flora, fauna and abiotic) and meeting people in general. I realised working as a tour guide can keep me close to nature as well as having opportunity to meet people who come to visit.
I joined the Professional Tour guide School in 2005; this school is located in Arusha (Sanawari). I obtained my tour guide skills and knowledge in this school. In 2006 I got an interview with the tour company which was known as Conservation Co-operation Africa, now is known as And Beyond. I passed the interview; I was the only woman who passed the interview.
The interviewees who passed were taken to the bush camp in the Serengeti ecosystem (mwewe ranger train) for two weeks selection course. I was among those who were selected to proceed with further training conducted by the same company. The training took three months in the bush.
I made it to become one of the three women tour guides of the company, apart from me there were other two female guides who were working with the same company. One was appointed to work in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, driving tourists down the crater and up, the other one was appointed to work in Manyara National Park, driving tourists in the park (she meanwhile works in Ngorongoro), I was appointed to work in Serengeti National Park, western corridor. You spend six weeks in the bush, then you get two weeks off, then six weeks in the bush, you get two weeks off, and so on and so on.
I spent seven years in the bush doing this. In 2012 I moved to a different tour company known as Dorobo Tours and Safaris which is located in Arusha town. I became operation manager for this company and I could still take tourists on safari at the same time whenever it is needed.
On 1st July 2014 I stopped working as operation manager for Dorobo Tours and signed a new contract as freelance guide, so I can have more opportunities to work with Different Companies and at the same time I became the executive secretary of IGS (Interpretive Guide Society).
From my opinion/experience I would say ninety nine per cent of this job is dominated by men. The question that I have been asking myself is WHY COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE? I have had a good experience with men in the bush; we work as a team, give each other support where it is needed.
You might feel like "a rose among thorns once you are surrounded by men" but this should not be a reason for a woman to be discouraged. You respect everybody, you respect yourself they respect you back! It is obviously that expect challenges wherever there are people, you can't go through life without challenges; you just need to deal with challenges rationally, it works really well.
Challenges make you better; never let challenges to make you give up! Let's get back to the question "WHY COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE THAT THIS JOB IS MAN DOMINATED?" The folder that carries the answers to this question is the women themselves, in other words women are the ones to make this solution to be achieved! I believe the potential challenges that are in this profession are the reasons WHY women are not doing well in this job; they are the reasons WHY women don't make it all the way.
I found out some of the challenges through my experience as a tour guide and other challenges I found out through interviewing females that are either in tour guide schools or working as tour guides or those who are looking for tour guide job and others.
The following are the WHYs that I found out, that something needed to be done in order to get more women in this profession;
1. Lack of confidence
2. Driving ability
3. Language barrier
4. Lack of proper Interview preparation
5. Poverty
6. Mingle with men
7. Lack of proper information
8. Physical exercise
LACK OF CONFIDENCE
For some reasons there is a common tendency to look at this job as a men's job. Women should believe that they can do this job too. It's just a matter of making a decision and going for it! Keep your head up to the sky never give up! It wouldn't be impossible as long as it is in you. This is a very competitive job so you need to be well prepared academically, physically, mentally with lots of positive personality. Remember, this is about dealing with people as well as natural world!
DRIVING ABILITY
Most of them do not get enough opportunity to practise to drive tourist vehicles long enough to get used to them before going for an interview. Driving extended (stretched) cars like land cruisers, land rovers, etc., long drive, driving in rough roads for example the road that goes from Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Serangeti National Park, muddy roads, changing flat tires, etc. these are some of challenges that need a lot of driving practice, as everybody knows this phrase "practice makes perfect!" Most of them give up because of this reason.
LANGUAGE BARRIER
As everybody agrees, we are Swahili speaking communities, English is our second language if not third. Most of them are not fluent in English. They become not good interviewees; most do not pass interviews because of poor English.
LACK OF PROPER INTERVIEW PREPARATION
Most do not get themselves well prepared for interviews, unfortunately. The interviews become very difficult to them. I have conducted some interviews, so this comes from my experience.
MINGLING/GETTING ALONG WITH MEN
This has become a big challenge to a lot of women in our society. This is due to probably our cultural tendency or religious tendency for the two genders to keep distance in some ways. Mingling/getting along with men is okay, it is just a matter of being aware of your boundaries. You can't avoid being with them; be it tourists, the people you work with in lodges, camps, office, etc. Be aware of this!
POVERTY
Our country remains one of the poorest countries in the world with many of its people living below World Bank poverty line. This is even worse in rural areas. Many women do not make it to follow their dreams because of poverty. Becoming a tour guide needs school fees, transport, accommodation, field practical, etc. Most of the tour guide schools are in towns which are far away from their homes.
LACK OF INFORMATION
The majority of women especially those once in rural areas don't have any idea about this job, even those once who have heard about this job and became interested they don't have a fully understanding of how to go through this in order to become a tour guide. We need to bring them proper and complete information about this game.
LACK OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE
Nature walk, long drive, camping, hiking, etc. need someone to be physically fit. A lot of female don't take exercise, this can make this job very difficult to them.
The small number of female tour guides is caused by one of the above if not all. In 2008 I came up with an idea and thought I had to do something to change this picture as a whole. Driving tourists on safari and seeing few or no female tour guides makes me feel like doing something over this.
The first step I decided to take is to share my experience with the females who are in tour guide schools in order to encourage them. I introduced this idea to the Professional Tour guide School principal, Mr Izoba Vedasto Izoba, he thought it is a great idea so he allowed me to start meeting with the female tour guide students in his school.
In the same year 2008 I started to visit them whenever I got the chance and I still meet them now and then. On May 2014 I went to meet some female guides at Mweka Wildlife College.
Whenever we meet we discuss about my experience but also about their perceptions. Meanwhile I share my experience with those once who are in tour guide schools, but also those ones who plan to become tour guides.
I also interview them a lot just to find out about what is going on in the women tour guides scope. But the basic concept is targeted to reach females who are learning and who are planning to become tour guides both in rural and urban areas who are facing the above challenges but also to make those once who are already in the game to meet so we can share our experiences. The idea is to get them through those challenges all the way, not only that but also to make them to become one of the best tour guides which would lead to have more competitive female tour guides.
The mission is to promote, support and encourage women and girls who are interested in becoming tour guides to reach their goals. In order to get this mission going, the above challenges needed to be dealt with. This needs a lot of commitment physically, mentally and financially.
From above concerns, I have decided to formulate an organization known as Tanzania Female Guides Association that would specifically deal with the above challenges.
The organization that needs a lot of co-operation, support and team work both from within the country (i.e. the government, National Parks, tour operators, tour guides, tour guides schools, private sectors, individuals, etc.) and from abroad in order to keep it going.
Ideas are always welcome!
This organization needs the following for it to become active; in other words the following would be the organization skeleton so it needs to be filled with flesh!
1. A lot of Co-operation, support and team work
2. A plot in Arusha where we can build a centre where we can put an office, classes, meeting place, place for exercise and camp site.
3. Good transports mainly for practices and other activities
4. Direct finance for school supports, i.e. school fees, field practical, hostel, etc.
5. Library
Source: http://visitarusha.com/safari-for-women
Hi, My name is Tumaini (Hope) Paul Soyala. I am a Tanzanian woman. I am a Tour Guide by profession. As the tour guide, my work is to give the guests (tourists) a broader understanding of the environment of which they are visiting such as to drive them around, to lead nature walk, to ensure their safety, security and satisfaction.
I became interested working in this industry because I am in a deep love with nature (flora, fauna and abiotic) and meeting people in general. I realised working as a tour guide can keep me close to nature as well as having opportunity to meet people who come to visit.
I joined the Professional Tour guide School in 2005; this school is located in Arusha (Sanawari). I obtained my tour guide skills and knowledge in this school. In 2006 I got an interview with the tour company which was known as Conservation Co-operation Africa, now is known as And Beyond. I passed the interview; I was the only woman who passed the interview.
The interviewees who passed were taken to the bush camp in the Serengeti ecosystem (mwewe ranger train) for two weeks selection course. I was among those who were selected to proceed with further training conducted by the same company. The training took three months in the bush.
I made it to become one of the three women tour guides of the company, apart from me there were other two female guides who were working with the same company. One was appointed to work in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, driving tourists down the crater and up, the other one was appointed to work in Manyara National Park, driving tourists in the park (she meanwhile works in Ngorongoro), I was appointed to work in Serengeti National Park, western corridor. You spend six weeks in the bush, then you get two weeks off, then six weeks in the bush, you get two weeks off, and so on and so on.
I spent seven years in the bush doing this. In 2012 I moved to a different tour company known as Dorobo Tours and Safaris which is located in Arusha town. I became operation manager for this company and I could still take tourists on safari at the same time whenever it is needed.
On 1st July 2014 I stopped working as operation manager for Dorobo Tours and signed a new contract as freelance guide, so I can have more opportunities to work with Different Companies and at the same time I became the executive secretary of IGS (Interpretive Guide Society).
From my opinion/experience I would say ninety nine per cent of this job is dominated by men. The question that I have been asking myself is WHY COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE? I have had a good experience with men in the bush; we work as a team, give each other support where it is needed.
You might feel like "a rose among thorns once you are surrounded by men" but this should not be a reason for a woman to be discouraged. You respect everybody, you respect yourself they respect you back! It is obviously that expect challenges wherever there are people, you can't go through life without challenges; you just need to deal with challenges rationally, it works really well.
Challenges make you better; never let challenges to make you give up! Let's get back to the question "WHY COULD THIS BE POSSIBLE THAT THIS JOB IS MAN DOMINATED?" The folder that carries the answers to this question is the women themselves, in other words women are the ones to make this solution to be achieved! I believe the potential challenges that are in this profession are the reasons WHY women are not doing well in this job; they are the reasons WHY women don't make it all the way.
I found out some of the challenges through my experience as a tour guide and other challenges I found out through interviewing females that are either in tour guide schools or working as tour guides or those who are looking for tour guide job and others.
The following are the WHYs that I found out, that something needed to be done in order to get more women in this profession;
1. Lack of confidence
2. Driving ability
3. Language barrier
4. Lack of proper Interview preparation
5. Poverty
6. Mingle with men
7. Lack of proper information
8. Physical exercise
LACK OF CONFIDENCE
For some reasons there is a common tendency to look at this job as a men's job. Women should believe that they can do this job too. It's just a matter of making a decision and going for it! Keep your head up to the sky never give up! It wouldn't be impossible as long as it is in you. This is a very competitive job so you need to be well prepared academically, physically, mentally with lots of positive personality. Remember, this is about dealing with people as well as natural world!
DRIVING ABILITY
Most of them do not get enough opportunity to practise to drive tourist vehicles long enough to get used to them before going for an interview. Driving extended (stretched) cars like land cruisers, land rovers, etc., long drive, driving in rough roads for example the road that goes from Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Serangeti National Park, muddy roads, changing flat tires, etc. these are some of challenges that need a lot of driving practice, as everybody knows this phrase "practice makes perfect!" Most of them give up because of this reason.
LANGUAGE BARRIER
As everybody agrees, we are Swahili speaking communities, English is our second language if not third. Most of them are not fluent in English. They become not good interviewees; most do not pass interviews because of poor English.
LACK OF PROPER INTERVIEW PREPARATION
Most do not get themselves well prepared for interviews, unfortunately. The interviews become very difficult to them. I have conducted some interviews, so this comes from my experience.
MINGLING/GETTING ALONG WITH MEN
This has become a big challenge to a lot of women in our society. This is due to probably our cultural tendency or religious tendency for the two genders to keep distance in some ways. Mingling/getting along with men is okay, it is just a matter of being aware of your boundaries. You can't avoid being with them; be it tourists, the people you work with in lodges, camps, office, etc. Be aware of this!
POVERTY
Our country remains one of the poorest countries in the world with many of its people living below World Bank poverty line. This is even worse in rural areas. Many women do not make it to follow their dreams because of poverty. Becoming a tour guide needs school fees, transport, accommodation, field practical, etc. Most of the tour guide schools are in towns which are far away from their homes.
LACK OF INFORMATION
The majority of women especially those once in rural areas don't have any idea about this job, even those once who have heard about this job and became interested they don't have a fully understanding of how to go through this in order to become a tour guide. We need to bring them proper and complete information about this game.
LACK OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE
Nature walk, long drive, camping, hiking, etc. need someone to be physically fit. A lot of female don't take exercise, this can make this job very difficult to them.
The small number of female tour guides is caused by one of the above if not all. In 2008 I came up with an idea and thought I had to do something to change this picture as a whole. Driving tourists on safari and seeing few or no female tour guides makes me feel like doing something over this.
The first step I decided to take is to share my experience with the females who are in tour guide schools in order to encourage them. I introduced this idea to the Professional Tour guide School principal, Mr Izoba Vedasto Izoba, he thought it is a great idea so he allowed me to start meeting with the female tour guide students in his school.
In the same year 2008 I started to visit them whenever I got the chance and I still meet them now and then. On May 2014 I went to meet some female guides at Mweka Wildlife College.
Whenever we meet we discuss about my experience but also about their perceptions. Meanwhile I share my experience with those once who are in tour guide schools, but also those ones who plan to become tour guides.
I also interview them a lot just to find out about what is going on in the women tour guides scope. But the basic concept is targeted to reach females who are learning and who are planning to become tour guides both in rural and urban areas who are facing the above challenges but also to make those once who are already in the game to meet so we can share our experiences. The idea is to get them through those challenges all the way, not only that but also to make them to become one of the best tour guides which would lead to have more competitive female tour guides.
The mission is to promote, support and encourage women and girls who are interested in becoming tour guides to reach their goals. In order to get this mission going, the above challenges needed to be dealt with. This needs a lot of commitment physically, mentally and financially.
From above concerns, I have decided to formulate an organization known as Tanzania Female Guides Association that would specifically deal with the above challenges.
The organization that needs a lot of co-operation, support and team work both from within the country (i.e. the government, National Parks, tour operators, tour guides, tour guides schools, private sectors, individuals, etc.) and from abroad in order to keep it going.
Ideas are always welcome!
This organization needs the following for it to become active; in other words the following would be the organization skeleton so it needs to be filled with flesh!
1. A lot of Co-operation, support and team work
2. A plot in Arusha where we can build a centre where we can put an office, classes, meeting place, place for exercise and camp site.
3. Good transports mainly for practices and other activities
4. Direct finance for school supports, i.e. school fees, field practical, hostel, etc.
5. Library
Source: http://visitarusha.com/safari-for-women
