Two weeks at United Tansania - Summer 2025

Jambo! I’m Sara Oliveira, a Portuguese Biomedical Engineering student living in the Netherlands. In the summer of 2025, I volunteered for two weeks at United Tansania, drawn by their hyena research and commitment to coexistence with humans. I’ve always been passionate about animals, and have done similar work in Namibia. I missed that sense of purpose so much that I decided to dedicate part of my summer to United Tansania.

Hyenas are often misunderstood and unfairly portrayed as villains, when, in fact, they are vital to a healthy ecosystem, acting as the savannah’s clean-up crew. In a fast-paced world, it’s easy to be misunderstood. I can relate. So, I was committed to standing up for these remarkably intelligent animals who cannot speak for themselves. Everyone can play a role in conservation, even an Engineer can be useful in a project like this!

At United Tansania, the passion for hyenas is contagious, and it shines through in every aspect of their work!