“Same Rifumo, Different Lenses: Tanzania to South Africa”
By Rifumo Khoza (UNC Master of Social Work ’27)
Summer 2026 AFE Blog Post Series
Taking a moment to rest and recharge in Tanzania
Service. It is a term we all know too well by now.
This summer, I had the opportunity to go back into the field after a year of study in UNC’s Master of Social Work program. I was going in with a different lens while hoping to understand how I could appreciate different cultures and utilize my skills optimally through service.
Tanzania: Learning to Serve Beyond Comfort
The School of Social Work gave me the opportunity to go to Living Water Children’s Centre (LWCC), a faith-based NGO located in Arusha, Tanzania. The Centre provides comprehensive residential care, counseling, education support and child protection services for children at-risk. I was excited for two reasons: first, this was my first time visiting Tanzania, and second, I would finally have the chance to put my learning into practice in a new context. Working alongside other social workers, I got a glimpse of the Global North and Global South schools of thought, and how differently they each approach the same commitment to human wellbeing. For instance, while a team from the Global North is more likely to start with a documented care plan, LWCC prioritized relationships before paperwork.
Moreover, my time at the LWCC challenged me both professionally and personally. As a South African visiting another African country, I witnessed how systems such as infrastructural resources, capital, human labor, and administrative policies impacted service. As I worked with vulnerable children who had experienced trauma and were from disadvantaged backgrounds, a normal day for me included hours spent simply getting to a client during a home visit, walking or travelling on roads that were far from comfortable. I learned that service asks you to move against your own comfort. I also learned that in Tanzania, time is not the priority; what matters at the end of the day is that the client is served well.
I facilitated circle dialogue sessions with learners at the Centre. This practice created a safe space for young people to express themselves, be heard, and find their own healing and peace. I carried out individual psychosocial support sessions, conducted home visits (including visits to explore the possibility of family reunification), and accompanied clients to the hospital. I engaged with the Tanzanian Social Welfare Department, sat in on a disciplinary meeting, held meetings with parents, and took part in mental health staff training. I also designed a support toolkit, which was a step-by-step conversation script to guide staff in facilitating different types of dialogue aimed at healing and peacebuilding. I ran a training session to demonstrate how these dialogues could be used in practice. In this experience, Tanzania taught me about humility and the value of collectiveness.
A learning moment at Living Water Children Centre
South Africa: Masiphathisane Primary School
I continued my AFE in South Africa at Masiphathisane Primary School in Vredenburg, Western Cape.
In South Africa, I held individual psychosocial support sessions with learners of diverse backgrounds at the school. Additionally, I make referrals to the local health department, and work with parents to provide further support.
Engaging parents during a health and personal responsibility outreach session
As for specific projects, I had the privilege of working with the school’s soccer team coach, where I have identified sponsorship opportunities from local companies such as Transnet and Tronox, which are two renowned mining companies that invest in local community development in South Africa. Additionally, I am assisting with a soccer donation drive, to help secure basic soccer gear for learners so they can continue playing. I have also been working in collaboration with Vredenburg Hospital Western Cape to promote the wellbeing of learners and the community. Through this collaboration, I designed a parenting support program, targeting parents within the Vredenburg community. Some topics for this initiative include trauma-informed communication and positive discipline. Furthermore, I have been involved in a holiday program for all schools within the Vredenburg district. The program seeks to equip learners with skills and knowledge to promote their wellbeing and involves group discussions on topics such as peer bullying, personal hygiene and peer pressure.
My AFE experience has shown me that communities are strongest when they are equipped to lead their own transformation.
Building trust and belonging through play during a Holiday Program Activity
Holding Both Experiences Together
Looking at Tanzania and South Africa, I keep returning to the Ubuntu philosophy: I am because we are. In Tanzania, Ubuntu showed up in circle dialogues and collective healing. In South Africa, it shows up in counselling sessions and collaborative work. Both experiences speak directly to the Rotary pillars of peacebuilding and education; peace built through the patient work of showing up, listening, and equipping communities to carry their own solutions forward.
Same Rifumo. Different countries. One continuing question: where do I fit in this whole idea of service? I am still learning the answer, one dialogue circle, one stakeholder meeting, one session at a time.