Tanzania: Supporting an Open school for pregnant and teenage mothers

A school for pregnant and teenage mothers in Tanzania

Since gaining independence in the 1960s, the Tanzanian government has had a policy of expelling pregnant students and adolescent mothers from school. Tens of thousands of young women have been forced to abandon their ambition of completing primary and secondary education. In late 2021 the Tanzanian Ministry of Education officially granted adolescent mothers the right to return to school. Even so, due to the extensive expelling of adolescent mothers over more than six decades, it will take a considerable amount of time before the stigmatisation of the adolescent mothers disappears and their situation improves in Tanzanian society.

Benefits for teenage girls and the community

The main objective of Tumaini is to offer the abandoned mothering and pregnant students in rural Tanzania, a second chance by constructing an Open school with primary and secondary education as well as vocational training. The majority of the students will not be required to pay a tuition fee and the school is planning to provide facilities for child care, kitchen and dining hall, auditorium and dormitories for students needing to be boarding school students, etc. The completed school is planned to have a capacity of at least 450 students both day students and boarding school students.

Collecting data for a deeper understanding

The initial aim has been to collect as much data as possible to get a full understanding of the situation the young mothers are coping with as well as try to listen attentively to the Tumaini organisation what the needs really are. From a visit in August 2022 to Tabora, Malin Sandström, Leader of the Construction collected a great deal of information and specific project requirements. In interviews with some of the girls as well as their parents, they shared dreams and wishes for the future that they hoped the school could help them to accomplish. 

A multidisciplinary and holistic approach

The project itself is technically challenging and will run over a long period of time. Therefore a multidisciplinary team with a holistic approach is being recruited amongst volunteers. The project also has a need to include angels from both education, socialisation and communication within the school and its vicinity. As well as environmental impact, cost effectiveness and sustainability perspective.