I'm a Canadian who has been living and working in East, West and Southern Africa since 2008; my husband and son are East Africans, and we love living in East Africa. We have two homes, one in Lusaka, Zambia; and one in Paje, Zanzibar.

We always welcome travellers to volunteer and/or work (with work permit) at our guesthouse, bar and lounge by the beach in Paje, Zanzibar.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I like meeting, learning from, mentoring and advising people on the best way to navigate environments in Africa, with interests in research; humanitarian response; volunteers, tourism and hospitality peeps (managers, operations managers, bartenders); engineering; leadership in coordination, innovation and fundraising for any just cause.

I'm especially interested in networking with women who have serious aspirations within the East Africa region.

I'm always looking for young people who can volunteer or work for the short or medium term at our guesthouse in Paje, Zanzibar (with work permit and living allowance).

Interests

The global responsibility to protect and promote cultural diversity, peacebuilding knowledge, infrastructure for education and entrepreneurship, and wise practices in cases of protracted displacement so as to break the conflict cycle.

Graduation from aid dependency to self-reliance and leadership on innovations; watersheds, energy and sustainable ecosystems; permaculture; clan land boundaries, inter-tribal relationships, conflict and peacebuilding approaches; refugee reception, inclusion in access to national services (education, water, health, environment, energy jobs and livelihoods); singing and dancing.

• music
• tourism
• travel
• adventures
• refugees
• peacbuilding

Music, Movies, and Books

Reggae, Bongo Flava, Drum and Bass, The Classics

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

First responder in three Level 3 humanitarian emergencies; raising my son. My husband built a guesthouse and dancehall by Paje Beach in Zanzibar and it is amazing. I'm so proud of him!

Teach, Learn, Share

Advisor on academic research projects, and mentor to university students engaged in human security and humanitarian response research as well an anthropologists.

What I Can Share with Hosts

While travelling I avoid talking about my work because it is exhausting and that is the time I'm in need of a break when I'm away from home. I enjoy talking to visitors at my home about work because I'm already in "work mode".

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Cambodia, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nigeria, North Korea, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, South Sudan, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam, Zambia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, China, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Korea, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia