Increase Girls' Access to Education in Tanzania

It is our honor to share that seven young women graduated from University in July 2024.  This incredible accomplishment is a result of the young women’s grit and determination and your generous donations. In a country where only one in 260 females are likely to reach university, these women have defied the odds. All seven graduates are the first in their families to go to university and are beacons of hope and inspiration for their families and communities. 

In Tanzania, students complete their university degrees in July. Official diplomas are awarded at a graduation ceremony held in November. In the months between, students return home to spend time with their families. During this time, many students find opportunities to gain additional experience in their fields through volunteering and paid internships. After they receive their diplomas, they begin to apply and interview for jobs. 

We’d like to highlight one of the recent graduates: Hekima, age 23. Hekima attended Mkongoro Secondary School in her home village from 2014-2019, where she enjoyed studying civics, history, geography, and languages. After high school, she attended Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE) in Iringa where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with a specialization to teach English and geography. 

During her teaching field placements at Busulara and Mkoloni Secondary Schools, she inspired young girls who looked up to her. She advises girls to work hard and focus on their studies so they can achieve good results. 

She was recently hired as a teacher at the Lake Tanganyika Education Center in Kigoma, founded and directed by Madaga Fadhili, the Education Director for our partner organization, Project Wezesha. She is looking forward to supporting students at this center as they focus for a year on increasing their subject knowledge to excel on national exams so they can attend top ranked high schools and eventually join the university programs of their choice. 

Hekima reports that her education helped develop the thinking skills and personality traits that will help her as she supports her family, develops as an educator, and participates in society. 

Congrats to Hekima and all of the recent graduates!

Links:

• Girls Education International - Home page
• Girls Education International - Podcast

“It was believed that science was meant for boys only, not girls, and in our school there were no girls students taking science.” This is Sarafina’s reflection on when she was a secondary school student with aspirations of studying science. 

Now Sarafina serves as a mentor in the University of Dodoma’s mentoring program that encourages female secondary school students to pursue STEM careers.  As a student of education with a concentration in biology, Sarafina shares her journey, challenges, and triumphs with younger students to demonstrate that it is feasible for women to achieve success in STEM. 

Sarafina shares the following advice with her mentees to help them overcome challenges: 

• Manage stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
• Seek help and support.
• Use effective time management and develop studying skills. 

With this advice, Sarafina hopes to inspire the next generation of women in STEM to pursue their dreams of becoming doctors, engineers, teachers, and pilots. 

Sarafina’s mentorship is a reminder of the ripple effect of educating girls. You can learn more about Girls Education International's transformative effects on girls' lives in our latest Impact Report. Click here to read it. 

Your dedication enables students like Sarafina to play a pivotal role in continuing the chain reaction of educating girls. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Links:

• Read the Girls Education International's latest Impact Report
• Listen to Girls Education International's latest podcast episode