The journey of becoming

DAR ES SALAAM: WHEN Rosemary Otaru began sharing educational messages on social media, she never imagined that the habit would eventually lead her to become a published author.

Today, through her book Dear Youth, she is encouraging young people to discover their purpose early and pursue it with determination.

For Ms Otaru, the journey from teacher and mentor to author has been shaped by a simple conviction, greatness does not arrive overnight.

It begins with recognising one’s potential, embracing small beginnings and remaining committed to personal growth.

Through her book, she hopes to inspire a generation of young Tanzanians to stop waiting for the right time and start building their future today.

At 36, Ms Otaru speaks passionately about the importance of nurturing children’s talents from an early age. She believes many young people possess gifts that often go unnoticed until much later in life.

“People have been waiting to start until they are great, forgetting that greatness is built through experience and consistency,” she says.

It is a message she returns to repeatedly—not only as an author but also as someone who has spent years working closely with young people.

Before embarking on her authorship journey, Otaru served as an Economics teacher at Kigurunyembe Secondary School in Morogoro Region between 2015 and 2017.

Teaching Form Five and Form Six students gave her an opportunity to influence young lives both inside and outside the classroom.

While helping students understand economic principles, she also found herself drawn to mentoring them through personal and academic challenges.

“Beyond teaching Economics at the school, I also used to set aside time for mentoring students so as to help them achieve their academic targets. I believed mentorship and coaching was my calling,” Ms Otaru said.

She said those interactions deepened her understanding of the challenges facing young people and strengthened her desire to support them beyond the classroom.

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Her interest in youth development was further enhanced through short training courses in Psychology, which provided valuable skills for understanding human behaviour and supporting students facing various personal struggles.

Looking back, Ms Otaru believes many young people simply need someone to recognise their potential and encourage them to pursue it.

“Today, we can have a closer look at a five-year-old child and discover that he or she is a musician or a journalist,” she says.

“Why should we invest in children while they are still young?” The question lies at the heart of Dear Youth, a book she describes as a call to action for parents, teachers, authors and leaders to help young people identify and pursue their purpose early in life.

According to Ms Otaru, education should do more than prepare students for employment.

It should also help them discover their talents, nurture creativity and develop the confidence to create opportunities for themselves and others.

“Young people should not wait until they graduate to start pursuing their dreams. University should be a place where they develop their talents, test their ideas and cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset that will contribute to Tanzania’s future development,” she said.

Ms Otaru believes that encouraging youth to follow their passions can help build a generation characterised by creativity, resilience and self reliance rather than dependence on government employment opportunities alone.

To achieve this, she advocates for greater investment in mentorship programmes, life-skills training and talent-development academies within the formal education system.

Yet Ms Otaru’s own journey demonstrates that purpose is often discovered gradually. Before securing her first job, she wrote and distributed approximately ten job application letters to different institutions.

The experience tested her patience and determination but ultimately taught her valuable lessons about persistence.

Like many young graduates, she faced uncertainty. Rather than allowing setbacks to discourage her, she continued pushing forward until an opportunity emerged.

Those experiences would later shape many of the lessons contained in her book.

Academically, Ms Otaru holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Finance from the Institute of Accountancy Arusha (IAA), a qualification that provided the foundation for her career in education and personal development. Her path to becoming an author was inspired by several influential figures.

In Tanzania, she admires Joel Nanauka, whose work as a motivational speaker inspired many young people before his transition into public service.

Internationally, she draws inspiration from American author and speaker Priscilla Shirer, whose work focuses on faith, personal growth and empowerment.

She also credits Pastor Tony Kapola for encouraging her to recognise and utilise her God-given potential.

“His teachings motivated me to take the first step towards writing,” she said In January 2024, Otaru began working on what would eventually become Dear Youth.

Nearly two years later, in December 2025, she completed the manuscript.

The book draws heavily from her experiences as a teacher, mentor and aspiring coach. It explores themes such as purpose, discipline, wise decision-making, self-awareness and the power of silence in personal growth.

“The book is a reminder for young people to start now. For me, success is often less about circumstances and more about the choices people make each day,” Ms Otaru said Officially launched in Dar es Salaam on May 23 this year, Dear Youth represent more than a personal achievement.

It is an extension of a mission she has pursued for years, helping young people recognise their worth and pursue meaningful lives.

Driven by her faith in God, effective time management, punctuality and attention to detail, she continues to invest her time in inspiring others.

Away from her professional responsibilities, she enjoys football, marathon running and travelling— activities that allow her to discover new places, meet new people and gain fresh perspectives.

As she looks ahead, Ms Otaru remains committed to mentoring, coaching and encouraging young people to believe in their potential.

Looking back on her own journey—from teacher and mentor to published author—Otaru sees proof that meaningful achievements often begin in unexpected ways.

What started as sharing educational messages online has grown into a platform for inspiring young people to pursue their purpose with confidence.