More than 40% of Tanzania’s adolescents are left out of quality lower-secondary education despite the government’s positive decision to give free access to lower-secondary education with 22% of the 2016-2017 budget allocated for education. Research has shown that factors within the schools are not the only cause of gender imbalances in education program but also home based factors which include family size, household income, parents’ education and cultural and traditional beliefs. All this contributing substantially to poor female enrollment and development. Extracurricular and out of school factors play a big role in female education. Long distances from school, sexual harassment by classmates, teachers and males in the community and inefficient use of her time contribute in making poor attendance in school.
MSICHANA Initiative project aims to promote the well being of girls within and out of school. The initiative supports them to reach their full potential by increasing self esteem and literacy, by improving school attendance and empowering them through introducing IGA’s. A total of 200 girls within school and 105 girls outside school within selectad wars of Nyamatongo are reached by the project. Out of school girls are reached through safe spaces training, open community meetings, direct onsite visits and training within the project scope.