Miriam Gebert

Name: Miriam Gebert

Location: Moshi (Kilimanjaro), Tantania

Position with World Unite!: Coordinator in Moshi

Nationality: German

Languages: German, English, Swahili, French

Miriam is coordinator and providing support to our participants in Moshi/Kilimanjaro. She is from Berlin and was a World Unite! participant in 2008, doing an internship in Moshi. She holds a BSc Degree in Nursing and a MSc Degree in Public Health. She worked as a nurse for 2 years in Tanzania before she became a World Unite! team member in 2012.

Can you summarise your role with World Unite!?

This is really difficult to say! During our participants' stay: I am a coordinator, I am a sister when they need one, I am a nurse as soon as anyone gets sick, I am teacher if needed. Sometimes I am a counsellor, I am a friend, I am..... I am just there for them!

What place in Moshi do you find most enjoyable to spend your leisure time at?

TCP Golf Club. It is a 30 mins ride out of Moshi. A wonderful ride through the sugar cane plantations. It is a Golf Club with a very nice restaurant where you can relax, sit in the grass, and it has a playground for my kids and even a pool where we often go swimming.

What do you enjoy most about your work with World Unite?

I love to work with people from all over the world, but most amazing about my job is to see our participants coming here, growing, gaining so much experience, seeing them how they learn for themselves so much without even recognizing it! And at the same time to see how all these projects benefit and also grow due to their impact!

What is your favourite local food and where do you find it?

There are soooo many.... It is changing very often. Right now: Pilau and self-made Chili sauce. You can find at any local celebration, and in most local restaurants. But the best one is at my home :)

Which sound and smell do you find characteristic for Moshi?

Sound? You mean SOUNDS! Here are so many!!!!! Number one: Neighbours sweeping early in the morning, usually starting at 6am… Number two: chicken… here you hear chicken at ANY time, even at night although they should be asleep…. Number three: music. At every corner, at every shop, Tanzanians LOVE music so you here it everywhere.

What should a participant who comes to Moshi definitely not miss?

Meet Tanzanians, get into the culture! Experience the so much welcoming people and get infected by their easiness! And for sure do a safari! A life time experience.

Do you have any hobbies and special interests? Where do you do these at your destination?

Oh my job is my hobby! I like to meet new people, experience new adventures, travel around. So my job is my hobby. But one thing my job unfortunatly can’t give me is to sail and to read. Okay, emails I read a lot, but not books… Hopefully new participants can feed me with some new books!

What is the most memorable experience you had with a World Unite! participant?

There are many, but the best: I made friends, some very close friends, spread all over the world! They became like family and they come back to Tanzania regularly to visit us!