Young women leading for equity and inclusion in Tanzania
A series of high profile events celebrating our Sisterhood focused on young women’s leadership for equity and inclusion in Tanzania. Once marginalized themselves, members of the CAMFED Association of women leaders share a deep commitment to ensuring the children following in their footsteps face fewer barriers to education.
Standing ready to support teen mothers in Tanzania
At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the CAMFED Association, held last month, young women and others in our movement responded to the government announcement that teen mothers would be supported to re-enter school. CAMFED Tanzania’s National Director, Lydia Wilbard, was interviewed on television alongside a teacher and our Learner Guides about the need to support girls holistically and without discrimination. This is something that CAMFED Association members — and particularly the trained Learner Guides among them — stand ready to do. They’ll work with their communities and district authorities to ensure girls get back to school, and provide the sisterhood and mentorship they need to complete their studies.
Swahili speakers will enjoy Lydia’s interviewThe CAMFED Association AGM was a chance not only to look ahead but to reflect on the achievements of the year. For example, a number of 2021 graduates from different colleges and courses (pictured top), represented and celebrated the achievements of this year’s cohort of tertiary graduates supported by CAMFED. Others staged an exhibition of goods they are producing as part of group or individual business ventures set up with CAMFED’s assistance.
CAMFED commended by Ministry at National AGM
Dr Grace Magembe from the Ministry of Health speaks at the CAMFED Tanzania AGM
At the CAMFED Tanzania National AGM on December 7th, we were honored to be joined by Professor Riziki Shemdoe, the Permanent Secretary of State in the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) and Dr Grace Magembe, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health.
During her address, Dr. Magembe emphasised the importance of gender equality and gender equity, and commended CAMFED’s efforts supporting the most vulnerable children to access education and grow into empowered, independent young adults.
Gender equality starts with education, especially education for marginalized children. I appreciate what CAMFED does to educate children from marginalized families and empower young women.
Dr Grace Magembe, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health
District Education Officers plan for school reopening in January
A District Education Officer in Tanzania making a presentation
District Education Officers (DEOs) from across 30 districts of CAMFED operations met to share learnings, achievements, and challenges from the past year, and to plan ahead for school reopening in January.
Particular topics included engaging with the new Reentry policy, the distribution of student entitlements, and coordination with other partners, as well as planning to support students in the term ahead. The DEOs will continue to be involved in the monitoring of student entitlements in the coming year and will support students who have dropped out to return to the classroom.
Strengthening our strategic partnerships for education
Professor Caroline Nombo from the Ministry of Education and Prisca Kilemile from the CAMFED Association
Also in the past few weeks CAMFED Tanzania joined the new ‘Parliamentary Organization for Quality Education for All’ as a key stakeholder. Above, CAMFED Association National Vice Chair, Prisca Kilemile (right), is pictured with the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Professor Caroline Nombo, at the launch event.
Additional recognition for our Sisterhood came during a celebration of women’s empowerment in Iringa district, where the Hon. Ummy Mwalimu, Minister of State in the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government, presented the young women in our movement with an award and a loan of 15 million Tanzanian shillings (about $6,500) to advance their businesses.
Amplifying our message at the 2021 WISE Summit
Five years after attending the WISE Summit to collect our WISE Award in recognition of CAMFED Tanzania’s Learner Guide Program, Lydia Wilbard returned to Doha, Qatar, to participate in this year’s conference. At a plenary session entitled ‘Post-pandemic Pillars of Education: Designing and funding new approaches to learning’, she underlined that, for marginalized girls particularly, many of whom are orphaned or heading up households, there is no replacement for being in school. Without the security and support networks it provides, they become even more vulnerable to drop-out, exploitative labor, and child marriage.
Watch the Post-pandemic Pillars of Education sessionEqually, Lydia highlighted the financial and emotional investment made by so many parents and guardians in the education of their children, and other more vulnerable children in their communities. Alongside joint efforts from school communities, Ministries of Health, Education and Social Services, it can make a powerful, positive impact for the most vulnerable students.
The next generation of change leaders
We are thrilled to be welcoming 5,474 young women from across Tanzania to our Sisterhood by the end of this year. In this video, 200 of 549 younger sisters from Mwanza district take part in this joyful ceremony, as they graduate from secondary school into the CAMFED Association.
Meet our future change leaders