Engineer Makwaya: Eager to promote greener ports and marine transportation

“MY name is Sauda Makwaya, I work as a marine engineer and I am a member of the Association for Women in Maritime Sector Eastern and Southern Africa (WOMESA) Tanzanian Chapter.”

That is the voice of a young lady, vibrant and focused as she introduces herself to me.

You have to agree with me that it is very rare to come across women no matter of age, color, or creed, manning and repairing different types of marine vessels as trained and qualified engineers.

Here I also have to admit that in all the years I have lived and worked as a journalist, I have never met a female engineer; I have never even imagined that such professionals exist in women under the sun until I met Engineer Makwaya when commemorating the world maritime day, an event facilitated by the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC)

The 28-year-old, single lady expresses her zeal of not working as a marine engineer, which is a rare case for females in Tanzania and abroad, but she is committed to using her expertise to promote greener ports and marine transportation. This is to minimize environmental harm to sea life in times of all prevailing global warming fueled by climatic changes.

Of course, it is a fact that if not well managed, marine activities like shipping, fishing, and other transportation can be harmful to sea environment, which are dependent on future generations. TASAC manages and ensures that no pollution from marine vessels marinates chemicals in the seas, rivers, and oceans.

“My duty as a marine engineer is to ensure that vessels are safer for human transpiration across the sea. I also intervene to reparse vessels while being sailed and encounter technical hurdles on the way. This is done in regard to ensuring that no leakages of oils or other sulphuric liquids which pollutes the water environment,”

Born in Tabora region and grew up in the Tanga region, Engineer Makwaya is proud of coming from a humble background, and joining the average schooling system, but by being dedicated and remaining focused and visionary made her reach this milestone of her career success.

While leading the WOMESA team to educate members of the public in Kilwa on the opportunities in marine transportation, Engineer Makwaya says that this is not the end of the road in pursuing career and educational dreams.

She is thankful to the Almighty for securing a scholarship abroad for doing a master’s degree in marine engineering, which she is expected to start the next academic year in one of the universities in China.

“I thank God that I will now be going to study a master’s degree at Dalian Maritime University (DMU) in China which will shape my carrier further and enable me to severe my mother country better after I complete my two-year study,”

In her previous work experience, Ms Makwaya has worked with different maritime and engineering organizations and companies as a university student doing her studies at the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI) and consultancy services.

The companies include Azam Marine, Zanzibar Shipping Corporation (SHIPCO), Tanzania Electrical Mechanics and services agency (TEMESA) At Kivukoni ferries which links passengers plying between Dar es Salaam City centre and Kigamboni that is also a home for sand beaches used for recreation for people from different backgrounds

She also passed fieldwork training at Tanga Port where she practiced as a cadet engineer, where her responsibilities ranged from mechanics where she oversaw the functionality of the auxiliary engine and main engine, welding, plumbing, and electrical works in a power generator built within the ship.

“I remember one of the most difficult tasks I have ever done is to work to recover a sunk cargo ship which was sinking in the Indian ocean. This gave me the experience to work anywhere with ships of any size in the world,” she recalls.

Engineer Makwaya used the commemoration of world maritime day to visit Ilulu Secondary School in Kilwa district, where her call to the girl pupils is that they should study there was to advise them to opt for science subjects which will make them study maritime courses in future studies.

While studying her degree at DMI where she completed her studies in 2019, she was irritated by the fact that her class was composed of only two girls out of 22 students who graduated.

Her opinion is that more efforts be put in to have more girl children take up opportunities in the sector. Her conviction also is that once involved in maritime jobs, women will not only be earners but also akin to environmental protection measures.

She is very grateful to her supportive parents who believe in girl education and giving her all the needed support to become a marine engineer. She is the last born in a family with eight children, where two of her elder sisters are mining and chemical engineers.

Plans of getting married, becoming a mother, when God wishes are part of her life.

“I am in engagement with one handsome boy and we hope to get married as soon as I come back from studies abroad. I am also planning to be a mother and this is my wish,” she says shyly.

Tanzania is planning to build a fishing port along the Kilwa shoreline,  a move that increases job openings in the maritime sector, along with other ports for handling local and foreign cargo, a move Engineer Makwaya sees as girls must not be left behind for tapping them.

One of the key issues in maritime transportation is focusing on technologies embracing greener shipping to combat global warming. This when involving women like Engineer Makwaya, is a good sign as women would always wish to access platforms to showcase inclusive maritime innovation, research and development, and the demonstration and deployment of new technologies.