Empowering Adolescent Girls and Young Women through Education in Tanzania

UNESCO leads the implementation of a five year Joint Programme (JP) on Empowering Adolescent Girls and Young Women through Education in collaboration with government, UNFPA and UN Women, and funded by KOICA. To date the JP has had an impact on the lives of adolescent girls and young women, and this is highlighted in the two videos: – 1) five-minute long version and 2) two-minute short version. The short version provides highlights of the five-minute long video. The main objective of the videos is to highlight the project impact to date and increase visibility of the Joint Programme in Tanzania. This is the first to be produced and it focuses on the impact of Safe Space-TUSEME youth clubs; Guidance and counseling services for in-school adolescent boys and girls; skills training /economic empowerment for out of school young women; and the role of communities including parents in promotion of girls education. The project is implemented in four districts Kasulu, Mkoani, Sengerema and Ngorongoro. However, the videos were shot in Sengerema and Mkoani districts.

Todate 112 Safe Space-TUSEME youth clubs provided platforms for peer-led activities on life skills namely leadership, communication, self-confidence and determination. Through the peer-led activities, students are now empowered to speak out on issues hindering their education. Furthermore, the entrepreneurship skills acquired facilitated the establishment of school canteens and barbershops as income generating activities, which helps meet the needs of most vulnerable girls, such as sanitary wear, within the target schools.

There has been increased access to literacy and non-formal education for out-of-school adolescent girls and young women through training of out-of-school adolescent girls and young women to acquire literacy, numeracy, and life skills including ICT-based literacy and numeracy using tablets. The training modules consist of basic literacy, mathematical operations, communicating in English and Swahili, life skills, sexual and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, gender equality, entrepreneurship and financial management skills, environmental and civic and human rights education. Learners who did not have basic literacy and numeracy developed confidence by learning how to read and write. Young women who run small businesses like selling fruits, vegetables, doughnuts and milk tea applied better communication skills in their businesses, leading to boosted sales.