Increasing the empowerment, productivity, and community engagement of youth in Tanzania

Project:
Kijana Nahodha

Location:
Tanzania

Funders:
USAID

Partners:
T-MARC Tanzania
YLabs
CARE Tanzania
Tanzania Youth Coalition

Category:
Economic Inclusion
Sexual & Reproductive Health
HIV/AIDS
Mental Health

Challenge

Tanzanian youth, aged 15-25 years, are optimistic about their futures in a country that recently achieved lower-middle income status and has one of Africa’s fastest growing economies. However, these macro-achievements contrast with high rates of poverty and unemployment fueled by inadequate investments in education and healthcare, threatening youth’s current and future well-being.

The opportunities afforded to Tanzanian youth, who make up 20% of the population (12.6 million) will determine if the country can sustain and more equitably distribute its development gains. Tanzanian youth report that their three key priorities are to 1) secure work or increase their income; 2) engage more in their communities; and 3) access improved education and skills. 

Innovation

In partnership with USAID, T-MARC TANZANIA, CARE Tanzania, and the Tanzania Youth Coalition, YLabs is supporting the USAID Kijana Nahodha project, which means “The Youth Leader” in Swahili. This project will address the key priorities defined by youth and identify solutions to the barriers impeding youth’s successful transition toward adulthood. Through a holistic, youth-led approach to youth development, we will ensure that young people are equipped with the skills, resources, and support necessary to thrive. The project aims to build the capacity of youth to become leaders in their communities and provide access to information on their health and wellness, including sexual and reproductive health, mental health, nutrition, and HIV care. 

Kijana Nahodha has a three-pronged approach to achieve this goal: 

1. Increase access to educational, life and entrepreneurial skills among youth

2. Increase youth participation in activities that foster physical and mental well-being

3. Establish and /or strengthen existing networks that support youth development and community engagement

Each initiative will build on existing infrastructure in Tanzania to increase the availability, access, and quality of accelerated education, skill-building, mentorship, and financial inclusion. We aim to reach 45,000 youth over four years (2022-2026) with programming that is informed and led by young people.

Project Achievements

• Segmentation analysis: the Kijana Nahodha team has achieved a major milestone in segmentation analysis, reaching over 2,000 young people in Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar. This effort has revealed compelling descriptive and qualitative insights, leading to the identification of three distinct segments: the optimistic go-getters, the unsure wannabe entrepreneurs, and the passive life starters.

Next Steps

We are excited to announce the launch of our incubator program, specifically aimed at empowering Tanzanian youth organizations. This initiative is designed to assist them in creating and refining their innovative solutions. In the coming updates, we will delve into detailed findings about these dynamic groups—their ambitions, the obstacles they face, and the customized support strategies we have developed to aid their growth.

Should you wish to learn more about this transformative project or are considering a partnership to help us realize our vision, we invite you to get in touch at contact@ylabsglobal.org.