Kellen hands off a prize of TSH 20,000 to Baby Bahati, a Form 2 student in Kyela District who won our Empowered Girls essay contest in January 2011. The award was funded by Chocolate University, a nonprofit in Springfield, Missouri.

MISSION

Arming girls with a stronger self-image and skills to succeed, the club aims to empower girls in secondary school for a better tomorrow.

MOTTO

Education is our weapon.

OBJECTIVES

1. Instill positive self-image among girl students

Developing girls' self-esteem so that they can compete favorably with boys academically in class, be able to say no to undesired proposals from men, and be able to speak out when something is going wrong. Girls will learn to value themselves and to know that God has given each of them great potential to change their schools, communities, and country.

2. Teach women’s rights

Social and legal professionals will teach the girls to stand for their rights against forced marriage, abuse, and other issues that prevent women from reaching their potential. 

3. Sex education

This will aim to encourage girls to abstain from sex before marriage and sex before completing education. United we can drive this monster called Sex out of schools.

4. Family planning

Health professionals and teachers will focus on educating girls on their bodies and how they work, dispel the rampant myths about pregnancy, and teach the science involving fertility rates and poverty alleviation. 

5. Problem solving and conflict resolution

A simple, research-based problem-solving paradigm will be introduced to help girls learn to assess the various choices they have and the effects of the decisions they make. The outcome will be that the girls will know how to better handle the unique problems that girl students face and trained how to think through decisions.

6. Leadership training

Equipping girls with leadership skills to make a broader impact on their families and communities, with applications such as HIV/AIDS peer counseling, helping other girls in their villages know their options when they are violated, and disseminating lessons and resources with their communities.

7. Cultural awareness

Helping girls distinguish between the cultural practices that can cripple their future and those that can help them stand strong in the face of adversity.

STRATEGY

Phase One: Late 2010

Activities will take place on weekends in the pilot program at Enaboishu Secondary School in Arusha. Girls will be invited and encouraged to participate, staff advisers and student officers will be chosen, and the following activities and events will take place:

• Guidance and counseling talks will be provided by teachers

• Girls will be taught ways of helping each other in confronting problems

• Training seminars will be offered by visiting professionals

• Music, dance and drama will be practiced to encourage creativity, build interest

• Debates will take place to teach critical thinking

• Educational and inspirational movies will be played

Phase Two: Late 2011

With the success of the pilot program, Empowered Girls will be spread to other interested schools.

• Work with staff advisers to organise club

• Work with established network of professionals to share with expansion clubs

• Begin sharing between clubs of resources, such as pamphlets and inspirational movies

• Have debates between girls’ clubs of different schools

• Media coverage will be sought to spread ideas, broaden network of helpful professionals

Phase Three: 2012

Successful girls’ clubs at the handful of schools in Phase Two will enable the clubs to spread to many other schools, creating a network of clubs with expanded resources to empower a great number of girls with a stronger self-image and skills to succeed. It will create a generation of empowered girls.

UPDATE: SUCCESSES

Enaboishu Secondary School, Arusha Vijijini

The pilot program was started in October 2010 at the school located in a periurban setting just north of Arusha. Faculty advisers were chosen: Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Mlay. Student leaders were chosen, an anthem was composed and an essay contest was held. The essay winner had her piece published in the Arusha Times, the country’s largest English newspaper outside of Dar es Salaam, and cash prizes were given for the top three essayists. A seminar was held with civic and health professionals giving presentations to the 350 girls in attendance. An informal before-and-after survey of the girls’ attitudes and beliefs showed many dispelled myths. Administrators at other schools in the area approached seeking to replicate the club for their students, but time and funding were insufficient for our participation.

Mwaya Secondary School, Tenende village, Kyela

A program was launched in January 2011 in southwestern Tanzania with funding from the US nonprofit Chocolate University. The school is in a rural setting. Faculty and community advisers were chosen. Student leaders were chosen. A health professional and local female leaders presented a seminar. A bilingual essay contest was held, with the winners receiving cash prizes. The enthusiasm for the club among students, staff, and community members is promising to yield self-sustaining activities, even without ongoing funding.