In the summer of 2023, I received an invitation that would change the trajectory of my work. The World Youth Development Forum (WYDF) invited me to participate in the China-Africa Youth Forum on Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Changsha, Hunan. This forum was an opportunity to engage with youth from across the globe and a capacity-building programme where I learned about China-Africa innovation and entrepreneurship.
During the opening ceremony, I shared the Tanzania Enlightenment Development Innovations (TEDI’s) mission in Tanzania: enhancing digital literacy in public schools. Through partnerships with the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology and district offices, we have been striving to make technology accessible to underprivileged students. For the first time, our efforts were showcased on an international stage. The feedback and support I received were overwhelming—not just for me but for the entire team back in Tanzania.
A pivotal forum moment came when I visited the China-Africa Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Base in Hunan. I met Ms. Li Weimin, the Director of the Hunan Xiangjiang New Area Foreign Science and Technology Exchange Center. During our conversation, we discussed the possibility of registering TEDI in China—an idea that hadn’t crossed my mind before. Upon my return to Tanzania, I continued the conversation with Ms. Li. After a year of meticulous work, I am proud to say that TEDI’s office in Changsha officially launched in August 2024. This new office symbolises more than just a physical presence; it represents the expansion of our mission to empower youth through education, entrepreneurship, and digital literacy on a global scale.
This achievement, however, is deeply rooted in mentorship and evidence-based leadership. In 2022, I was honoured to receive the Africa Evidence Leadership Award under the evidence user category, which recognised my commitment to using evidence in our work. Around May 2024, I joined a mentorship programme with the Africa Evidence Youth League (AEYL), led by Kirchuffs Atengble. His mentorship helped me reshape TEDI's vision and refine our approach to youth empowerment. Under his guidance, I restructured TEDI’s strategic plan and developed a five-year roadmap focusing on scalability, sustainability, and measurable impact.
The mentorship was a transformative experience. This programme taught me the importance of aligning TEDI’s goals with evidence-based strategies. This allowed us to measure our impact better and helped us build stronger partnerships. With this newfound clarity, TEDI’s focus on digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and education became more structured, driving more significant results and leading to recognition on global platforms such as WYDF.
TEDI’s presence in China is a significant milestone, opening new doors for collaboration between Tanzanian and Chinese institutions. We can now create opportunities for youth in both countries to exchange knowledge, skills, and innovative ideas. We owe much of this success to the Hunan Xiangjiang New Area Foreign Enterprise Service Center for their support in facilitating our registration and providing a platform at the Hunan Xiangjiang International Technology and Business Platform.
As we continue to grow, I reflect on how far we’ve come—from a dream of improving digital literacy in Tanzania to launching an office in China. Hard work, evidence-based practices, and strategic partnerships mark TEDI's journey. We are grateful to the All-China Youth Federation and the World Youth Development Forum for recognising our work and listing our ‘One Computer Lab One School’ project among the 100 Excellence Actions for Global Youth Development.
TEDI is poised to make even more tremendous strides in empowering youth through education, entrepreneurship, and digital literacy. The future is bright, and I am excited to see how TEDI will continue to evolve, creating a lasting impact for young people in Tanzania and beyond.
About the author: Gloria Anderson is the Founder and Executive Director of Tanzania Enlightenment Development Innovations (TEDI), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving the quality of education in Tanzania by integrating practical skills into the educational system. Under her leadership, TEDI provides programmes such as entrepreneurship and employability skills training and digital literacy initiatives. One of her notable projects, "One Computer Lab One School," aims to establish computer labs in under-resourced public schools, equipping students, and teachers with essential computer skills, including e-learning and e-teaching through educational tools, e-libraries, and e-platforms.
In addition to her role at TEDI, Gloria manages stakeholders and communities of practice at the Africa Evidence Network. Her expertise in stakeholder engagement and community development enhances her ability to drive impactful initiatives and foster collaboration within the network.
TEDI was founded based on evidence from a research study conducted by Gloria on graduates' perceptions of the contribution of university education to employability in Tanzania. The study revealed a significant gap between theoretical knowledge provided by the education system and the practical skills required in the job market and business environment, with 66% of graduates reporting a lack of soft skills. Gloria believes the key to Africa's development is generating and utilising evidence to drive transformational impacts.
Acknowledgements: The author(s) is solely responsible for the content of this article, including all errors or omissions; acknowledgements do not imply endorsement of the content. The author is grateful to Charity Chisoro for her guidance in preparing and finalising this article, as well as her editorial support.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in published blog posts, as well as any errors or omissions, are the sole responsibility of the author/s and do not represent the views of the Africa Evidence Network, its secretariat, advisory or reference groups, or its funders; nor does it imply endorsement by the afore-mentioned parties.
Suggested citation: Anderson G (2024) A Journey of Global Collaboration, Mentorship, and Youth Empowerment. Blog posting on 20 September 2024. Available at: https://www.africaevidencenetwork.org/en/learning-space/article/367/
