Women Empowerment
Across Africa, political, societal and economic norms disadvantage women from men. The victims of gender-based violence, economic vulnerability, social isolation, and child marriages – where, in Sub-Saharan Africa, one in three girls will be married before age 18 – women face a multitude of intense challenges every day.
Our Women Empowerment Project in Tanzania advocate for gender equality by empowering local women to develop economic independence, essential professional skills, and the self-confidence to follow their dreams! During these projects, volunteers will assist in community programs that offer vocational skills training and English lessons to local women. Aimed at helping women develop economic autonomy, these programs teach valuable skills needed for employment, including computer literacy, resume writing, and career goal setting.
Volunteers will also get involved in women’s groups, where we come together with locals to discover sustainable solutions to tackling social issues in the community and empower women to be advocates for positive change. In addition to working with adult women, Tanzania project volunteers will work with young girls in the community in after-school settings. By exploring essential life skills and encouraging self-confidence, these programs aim to develop a solid foundation for girls as they move through adolescence and into womanhood.
Teaching English and Community Engagement
While Tanzania recently achieved almost universal access to primary school education for young students, nearly 70% of children in Tanzania are not enrolled in secondary school by age 14 – 17. Education is an opportunity that can be truly life-changing for communities and children alike; however, inadequate school systems, poor classroom conditions, and a lack of teachers make achieving quality education extremely difficult. With a student-qualified teacher ratio of 131:1 in pre-primary school settings, many children are neglected (at no fault of the incredible teachers in these schools) the individual attention they need to thrive academically and remain in school moving forward.
Our teaching programs in Moshi aim to support local schools and teachers by providing critical one-on-one attention to students struggling with class concepts. Identifying students who appear to be falling behind, volunteers will work individually with students, going through class lessons at a slower pace to ensure students understand essential ideas. Encouraging and uplifting students who may be feeling discouraged by school, these interactions can be influential to a child’s educational journey, both in the short and long term.
Additionally, volunteers on our Teaching and Community Engagement projects will work closely with Maasai warriors in our Maasai Literacy Program. Living a semi-nomadic lifestyle throughout their childhood, many Maasai warriors never developed fundamental reading or writing skills. As English literacy quickly becomes an essential skill for gaining employment, our Maasai Literacy Programs aim to empower local warriors to build confidence in their English speaking, reading and writing skills. By developing English literacy, Maasai warriors can gain opportunities to find income-generating employment, start businesses, maintain their culture, and take charge of their future.
