Nguluma: Academic, Architect calling on women to be daring

Dar es Salaam. Although the world is progressing and women are being uplifted, the pace of doing so leaves a lot to be desired.

The world is full of buildings - which evidently means that the world is full of architects.

Only 17 percent of women are given space in Architecture, making it one of the most male-dominated sectors worldwide. The Citizen approached Dr Huba Nguluma to share her success story - and encourage aspiring women academicians, architects and all other determined hardworking women in general.

Dr Huba’s education journey started in a small village called Usangi in Mwanga District, Kilimanjaro Region where she attended class one to four at Kilaweni, and grade 5 in Kitieni Primary then relocated to Arusha to live with her aunt and uncle and attended Nduruma Primary school for grades 6 and 7 something she states to have been a common practice back in the day. She then joined Weruweru Girls for her junior secondary education (Form I-IV) in Moshi and after she excelled well in her form IV examination, she joined Rugambwa, high school in Bukoba. Dr Huba says: “Throughout this period my ambition was to become a secondary school teacher because my father was a primary school teacher and I used to admire the teaching profession. However, I changed my mind after meeting a friend who by then was a tutorial assistant at the University of Dar es Salaam. When I visited him I met his relative who was studying Architecture. I saw drawings, models and I was really impressed. I said to my friend, maybe I can venture and study Architecture. That was the turning point of my dream of becoming a secondary school teacher”. Fortunately, she was lucky enough to be enrolled at Ardhi Institute in the Department of Building design where she studied Architecture and applied for a rigorous six months course in Architecture and development tenable at IHSS, in Rotterdam, Holland. Shortly thereafter she had an opportunity to be enrolled for a Master’s of Science degree in the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm Sweden. Subsequently she was admitted for a 4 years PhD programme at the same University, where she was successfully awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD.)

After graduating from Ardhi Institute she was employed as an Assistant research Architect with the Building Research Unit of the Ministry of Lands for 2 years, then she requested the Ministry to be transferred to Ardhi University. Her request was honoured and while at Ardhi University her duties were Teaching, research and consultancy. Dr Huba also worked in an Architectural firm for two years to gain professional experience as per the requirements of Architects and Quantity Surveyors’ Registration Board (AQRB) where she successfully did her professional exams, and was registered as an Architect.

Dr Huba’s job is very demanding, teaching at the University, carrying out research and consultancy is a big challenge especially when it came to balancing work and family. However, she believes that challenges are there to be conquered. Her major trick is usually to manage time wisely. She also points out that to working in a male dominated field such as architecture is another notable challenge, which at times brings about discrimination which she refers to as a disease yet to be cured. However, this situation has made her strong, and she says, “strength and ability of women ought not to be undermined. Therefore I consider myself a successful academician and Architect. I have demonstrated this for becoming the first female Architect to become a Professor in Tanzania”. Dr Huba adds that in professional development it does not matter whether you are a man or woman, anyone given the opportunity should strive to be better in her/his profession.

Dr Huba’s has been bold on encouraging and supporting fellow women from a very young age she told the citizen a story from way back in her younger days where they had just finished grade seven and one of her friends and her brother did not pass well to qualify for enrollment in the Government schools but they qualified to go to the private school.

The father could not afford to take both of them to private school. So, he opted to send the boy and her friend was to stay at home and wait for a man to marry her. The decision of her friend’s father made her feel that the world is very unfair. Dr Huba contrary to the tradition advised her friend to refuse any man who would propose to marry her and instead demand from the father that what she wants was to go to secondary school. Later on, after 2 years one of her friend’s uncle decided to pay for her school fees and she managed to go to secondary school and later on she got her first degree.

After the short story on general life, Dr. Huba also touched on academia and architecture where she points out that there are very few female Architects who are Professors. “To become a Professor, you need to carry our research and publish papers in reputable journals. This is mostly for academicians. There is still few female Architects than male due to the reasons that this field was considered masculine carrier. However enrolment of female students has increased in the School of Architecture and Construction Management at Ardhi University. I have noted that female students are doing very well with stiff competition among fellow male students. We also have few female academic staffs who are architects this explains why we have few professors in the field.” Dr Huba believes that men can participate in changing the aura of women oppression through supporting their female family members as well as respect women and show them that they are capable of doing anything. Some men, she says, do mentor women to realize their potentiality.

Dr Huba also advices young women architects and academicians to believe in themselves, grab opportunities which come their way, work hard, be ethical and treat challenges as a stepping stone to success.

They should find role models to follow their footsteps. They should know that God made each and every one with special intention.

They have to consider their talents and qualities as a gift from God. Each one is wonderful, special and different.

When it comes to family support to working and studying or researching women such as Dr. Huba we all agree that there is inadequacy of support usually a woman is only supported until it is enough and, in most cases, women sacrifice their goals to support family and everyone else.

In the contrary Dr. Huba praises her husband and family for being supportive throughout. “I was married when I was in first year at the University and delivered my First Son when I was in second year. If it wasn’t for my husband’s support, I would not have been where I am today. When I went for further studies in Sweden for masters and PhD. programmes, it was him who was taking care of our children. There were some times in my journey of professional and academic, I got tired and frustrated, it was my husband who stood firm and said: do not give up: So, I got strength to proceed”.

She also adds that her children have always been very supportive and understanding because most of the time she was away from home for further studies and that was the time when they needed her the most. She recalls thew times they would send her post cards and letters and says that it was her ambition to set examples to them to realize that there is no difference between men and women when it comes to academic and carrier development. She believes that her sons have learnt from their father that they should give their spouses opportunity to develop in their carriers and assist them to take care of the children and not to send the children to the grandparents while the wives are away from home, a common phenomenon in our traditions.

As we were close the interview Dr. Huba says, “Women should not allow anyone to belittle them. They should believe in themselves, know the purpose in life, should not be afraid to make mistakes but rather to learn from them. They should have goals and work hard towards achieving their goals and grab whatever opportunity they find. Women should always be proud to be women and thank God for the grace and blessings bestowed on them”.

In male-dominated industries women have to deal with a handful of ego clashes and their achievement is always questioned and usually a nonexistence man would always be credited for these achievements. Dr Huba just like any women in male dominated industries face this on their daily basis, although it is annoying and discouraging one is ought to soldier own and ignore all the negativity. Only continuous achievement can defeat discouragements.