ONCE AN ADVOCATE, ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE

Written by Baraka Leonard Mfilinge, Global Schools Alumnus (Cohort 2, Tanzania)

This blog is part of the 'Once An Advocate Always An Advocate' Blog Series

The class fell silent when I distributed the lesson plans in Swahili, which I had translated for use in the Global Schools Program. As students read about mazingira (environment), their eyes sparkled with recognition. Some whispered it gently to one another, grinning as if they had just discovered something new. At that moment, I realised how powerful learning can be when it reaches a learner’s heart. It strengthened my conviction that young people ought to feel empowered to develop a sustainable future. That belief led me to become a Global Schools Program Advocate, partnering with community members and students to spark conversations around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Overcoming Skepticism

Getting the program launched wasn’t simple. There were doubts among school leaders and teachers, who thought it would merely add to their workload. I still recall visiting my headmaster’s office, fearing my proposal would be shut down before I even finished explaining it. Instead, when I explained how sustainability could contribute to student learning and well-being, he listened. That one moment of reassurance helped restore my confidence.

My colleagues were even more challenging to convince. Most were skeptical until I invited them for sodas and snacks after class. What might have been a tense meeting turned into a casual conversation. We joked, exchanged classroom stories, and their doubts gradually disappeared. Even now, it remains my first practical lesson in advocacy: leadership is not built on power, but on trust, humility, and conviction. That afternoon taught me that sometimes a simple act like sharing a beverage can open more doors than any argument.

Making Sustainability Personal

As the program gained momentum, I wanted sustainability to feel real for my students. In history lessons, I linked the SDGs to Tanzania’s past, showing how climate action and inequality shape daily life. To make learning enjoyable, I wrote songs in Swahili. Before long, there was singing, laughter, and energy in the classroom as students cooperated to learn the goals.

Among my fondest memories is translating Global Schools lesson plans for grades 5–8 into Swahili. When children read mazingira (environment), their eyes lit up with excitement. Some repeated it again and again, giggling as if they had uncovered a secret.

That single word broke down boundaries and made global concepts feel personal. It reinforced my belief in the essence of advocacy: accessibility in language, but also in creativity and simplicity.

Learning Outside the Classroom

I wanted children to understand that advocacy does not end at the school gate. We visited hospitals to support patients, conducted advocacy training in local schools, and walked the corridors of the Legal and Human Rights Center in Dar es Salaam as part of a human rights unit. Watching students step into such spaces, ask questions, and connect lessons with real life revealed just how much young people learn when education extends beyond the classroom.

From One School to a Movement

What began as a project in a single classroom quickly grew. My outreach encouraged over 40 teachers to sign up for the next Advocate training, and I now help facilitate a WhatsApp group of more than 65 active teachers. Each time a teacher describes how they integrate the SDGs into their lessons, I feel proud that more children are gaining knowledge.

As a Mentor Advocate, I have also traveled more than 1,000 miles across Tanzania to support new Advocates. During these journeys, I witnessed the inspiring impact of youth leadership in creating change in both urban and rural areas. What struck me most was their energy and motivation, given the opportunity, young people rise to become leaders.

From Advocacy to Professional Practice

Today, I work in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL), a field that helps organisations use evidence to strengthen programs and make informed decisions. My early work in advocacy prepared me for this. Just as I once translated lesson plans so children could grasp sustainability, I now translate complex data so communities can use it.

Over the past decade, I have helped more than 30 organisations build data systems and sustainability indicators, including the Untold Foundation. I also mentor through EvalYouth and the Open University of Tanzania’s Monitoring and Evaluation professional network (OUT-VOPME), and co-author articles on African evaluation.

The lessons I gained as an Advocate, crossing boundaries, simplifying complex ideas, and building coalitions, still guide my work. Whether designing a data system or mentoring young evaluators, I remain convinced that knowledge drives change only when it is accessible and credible.

Permanent Teachings

What matters most is that advocacy has taught me that real change is not about statistics alone, but about people’s daily lives. From a student whispering mazingira in awe to a teacher proudly embedding sustainability in a lesson, these moments remain etched in my memory. They show that determination, cooperation, and small actions can add up to lasting change.

As the Global Schools Program marks its seventh year, I can trace how far advocacy has come. For me, being an Advocate was never just a role, but it became the foundation of a lifelong calling. The skills I learned such as translating across cultures, building conversations, and mobilising young people, are the same lessons I apply in MEAL, mentoring, and policy today.

Once someone becomes an Advocate, their commitment doesn’t fade. It grows from small classroom sparks into movements that shape communities, influence policy, and guide the future we share.