STEMM Announces New In-Country Director

For the first time in three years, the Tanzanian Board of STEMM has hired a new full-time In Country Director to administrate our beautiful campus in Mbuguni, Tanzania.

Yananayi Chipangura (affectionately known as Dr. Yani) was chosen by the Board of Directors following her graduation from Medical School and internship at Mt. Meru Medical Center in Arusha, where she was well known to the medical side of our organization as a talented young doctor, with international experience and dynamic people skills.

Dr. Yani is Zimbabwean but left home at 16 to study abroad in Wales (UK) and the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. Additionally, she took her MBBS in Ukraine. Sandwiched in between her educational career was a stint back in Zimbabwe working with HIV positive young girls. Dr. Yani says that her father’s battle with end-stage Renal Disease was a major influence on her decision to enter Medicine. Additionally, losing her father to that kidney failure battle, helps her understand the vulnerability of being fatherless and fuels her desire to help at a place such as STEMM.

Another major influence on her interest in leading the team at an orphanage like STEMM goes back to her childhood in Zimbabwe. She saw many kids, her age and younger, walking the streets without parents and she was aware that she had parents who loved her and supported her but some kids did not. It was a dichotomy which conflicted her into her adulthood and she sees STEMM as a place where this ache can find expression as she helps care for our orphans.

Dr. Yani’s favorite Bible verse(s), 1 Corinthians 1:24 — 29 says a lot about her motivations in being a leader at STEMM: (in part…) “ …But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.” We find our wisdom and strength on our knees before God.

The Board of Directors of the Siouxland Tanzania Educational Medical Ministries has a goal of using our 80 acre farm as a vehicle to drive self-sustainability from the Tanzanian side of our organization. This would make STEMM a true partnership between the American and Tanzanian sides of our organization, allowing the US side to pour into the Mbuguni area, and Tanzania at large, in a more impactful manner. Dr. Yani believes in this vision and, as an organization, we are blessed to have someone so accomplished at the helm of STEMM, Tanzania, leading us towards this goal. Please help us welcome Dr. Yani Chipangura to STEMM!