Personal information
Name: George Peter Mbwana
Date of Birth: 9-10-2005
Country: Tanzania
Study: Medicine
Why I need the iSTEPup Foundation
I have the ambition to become a doctor. This stems from a deeply personal event: my mother passed away while giving birth to me, partly due to a lack of professional healthcare at the time.
Currently, I am pursuing my Doctor of Medicine degree at the Saint Joseph College of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania. Beyond the classroom, I am actively engaging in practical training and volunteering opportunities that allow me to better understand patient care and the healthcare system.
My long-term ambition is to serve my community as a dedicated physician and specialize as a radiologist. Accurate diagnostic imaging is crucial for timely treatment but remains very limited in our region; I intend to fill this gap to strengthen early diagnosis and prevent avoidable deaths.
However, I cannot achieve this dream without the crucial support of the iSTEPup foundation. I come from a humble background, and while my father is incredibly supportive as a sole parent, he cannot fully fund my tuition fees, living expenses, and study materials. Given the current lack of student loan opportunities and alternative financial resources in Tanzania, I faced the acute risk of having to discontinue my
studies immediately.
With the help of the iSTEPup foundation and its donors I can continue my studies and pursue my dream to become a doctor. Thank you for your potential support – it will make a lasting impact on my life and the lives of many people I hope to help in the future!
Buddy
Sywert Westerhof (medical student) & Niels Dijk
We are Niels and Sywert: close-knit friends for almost twenty years. We have successfully collaborated in the past, including representing approximately 4,000 students to our high school board. Now, we are joining forces again to act as “buddies” for George.
During a trip to Tanzania, Niels was captivated by the beautiful country but also harshly confronted with its immense poverty. He met George’s father, and they became close during Niels’s time there. They spoke about earlier life events, including the tragic loss of his wife,
George’s mother.
One day, when Niels asked him why he seemed stressed, George’s father explained that he was afraid his son would have to drop out of medical school. Without financial help, his annual tuition had simply become unaffordable for him. That’s when Niels reached out to Sywert and we decided to try to support George during his studies.
We want to help George because his personal story gives him a massive intrinsic motivation. Secondly, based on his academic results so far and his volunteer work, we believe he can become a highly successful doctor who will serve his community.
To support George optimally, we have divided our responsibilities. Sywert is a fifth-year medical student and will provide George with academic guidance based on his own medical background when needed. Niels will take on the organizational side and focus on fundraising. Together, we are committed to supporting George’s education so he can pursue his dream of becoming a doctor and make a vital difference in his community.
Study results
Coming soon
News and updates:
Coming soon
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