A Lifetime of Caring: Celebrating Nurse Dainess Mangowi
Nurse Dainess Mangowi.
In honor of International Nurses Day on May 12, FAME celebrates one of its remarkable nurses, Dainess Mangowi, who has dedicated her life to caring for others. As she approaches her 70th birthday later this year, Dainess finds herself contemplating retirement and is ready to bid farewell to FAME, where she has worked for six years.
Dainess has spent over four decades as a nurse, starting her journey as a young woman studying nursing in Mwanza, northern Tanzania. Her passion for nursing started when she witnessed the compassion of a nurse who cared for her uncle's triplets in 1969. Inspired by this act of kindness, she embarked on a lifelong mission to make a difference in the lives of those who needed it most.
“My uncle got triplets that were barely 2 lbs each! I didn’t think they would survive, but the nurses cared for them until they were big enough to go home. The compassionate nature of the nurses and their smart uniforms is what ignited my passion for nursing. However, my father had other plans for me; he wanted me to be a teacher.”
Nurse Dainess was adamant, defied her father- unheard of in those days- and went to nursing school. She was overlooked for a scholarship she believed she was the most qualified for, but that did not stop her. She continued to persist and after four years of nursing school, in 1977, Dainess got her first job.
“My first job was at a local hospital, which paid me 575 Tshs ($0.20) before tax! I didn’t mind the pay; I was just happy to be doing my dream job and taking care of patients. When I got a man who wanted to marry me, I moved to Moshi in North Eastern Tanzania to get married. I started working for a hospital there that paid much more!”
Nurse Dainess poses with FAME’s Head Nurse, Kizito.
“Dainess is a wonderful nurse. She is a great ambassador for the nursing profession! Seeing her retiring is a big loss for the FAME nursing department.”
-Kizito
When she turned 60, Nurse Dainess retired. She was ready to rest after a long career. However, her retirement wasn't a long one.
“During my retirement, I started caring for my neighbor who had HIV and later developed AIDS, as her family ostracized her. This renewed my passion for caring for sick people and I decided to go back to work. Sitting at home wasn’t very exciting anymore. So I started looking for nursing jobs.”
In 2017, FAME advertised two nurse positions. Nurse Dainess applied but wasn't sure anyone would give an over-60-year-old nurse a chance. She was called for an interview, hired and put to work in FAME’s inpatient ward. She was 64 years old.
FAME’s Head Doctor, Gabriel Kissima, Presents Dainess with her ‘Winner of the Outpatient (OPD) and Emergency Department Nurse of the Year Award 2022’.
Nurse Dainess is ecstatic about her award!
“I was so happy when FAME hired me. I quickly realized FAME was a much better workplace than anywhere I had worked. For instance, FAME was very accommodating and honored my request not to work night shifts as I have back problems from years of lifting heavy patients; therefore, I needed to rest in the evenings.”
Nurse Dainess worked in the inpatient ward for six months and then was moved to the outpatient clinic (OPD), where she is still working today. Her love for nursing extends beyond administering medications and treating wounds. She genuinely cares for every patient who crosses FAME, treating them with unwavering compassion and understanding.
“It has been a joy working at FAME. I have seen the expansion that has taken place over the years. When I started, the radiology department was being built. Now it’s one of the best in northern Tanzania and prevents a lot of referrals by offering CT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds. FAME is always looking to meet the local community’s healthcare needs and I’m proud to have been part of this work.”
Nurse Dianess also mentions that FAME management appreciates the employees' work and is very supportive of them, providing good salaries and giving them the freedom to work without micromanaging. However, she believes it's time to hang up her boots.
“This time, when I retire, I’m not coming back! I am serious about resting! We have a good nursing team at FAME and I’m sure they will continue to provide the same quality of care for which FAME is known. I am grateful to end my career at FAME; these past six years have been the best of my long career!”
Early this month, during FAME's labor day celebrations, Nurse Dainess was selected as a winner of the Outpatient (OPD) and Emergency Department Nurse of the Year Award 2022. This bittersweet occasion of winning an award just before her retirement demonstrates the immeasurable loss her retirement represents to FAME.
FAME will miss Nurse Dainess’s gentle touch, soothing voice and radiant smile that comforted even the most distressed patients. FAME expresses profound gratitude for her tireless dedication and wishes her all the best in her retirement.