Her Initiative is a women-led nongovernmental organization based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The organization strives to challenge societal norms which devalue girls and perpetuate cycles of poverty to develop financial resilience among girls and young women in Tanzania. To that end, its programs focus on financial literacy, education access, and life skills development. The organization is also active in advocacy efforts to end child marriage, combat gender-based violence, and strengthen sexual and reproductive health rights.
Poverty disproportionately affects women and girls in Tanzania. Economically disadvantaged families often struggle to afford food, clothing, school fees, and other needs related to keeping their children in school. As a result, girls are increasingly vulnerable to dropping out of school, marrying early, and engaging in risky behaviors to earn money for basic survival. These intersecting factors diminish the likelihood of girls completing their education and contribute to an intergenerational cycle of poverty. Her Initiative aims to disrupt this trajectory that contributes to the secondary status of girls in Tanzania.
The Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund will support Her Initiative’s “Mshiko Clubs.” Mshiko Clubs are school-based programs that offer girls a pathway to independence through financial literacy training and academic support. During the first phase of the project, Her Initiative will offer training and mentorship on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and life skills. The second phase of the project will focus on academic achievement. Girls will receive personalized education support through an AI-learning platform, and they will participate in group seminars on the importance of staying in school. In the third phase, girls will engage in an active learning challenge that will allow them to use the skills they have learned over the course of the program. The challenge will culminate in an award ceremony to celebrate achievements and provide clubs with grants to purchase school supplies.
Her Initiative aims to directly support 250 girls and indirectly reach 500 girls through peer-to-peer training. In turn, girls will have the opportunity to develop crucial life skills, gain confidence, and define their own life’s path. To learn more about Her Initiative, please visit the organization’s website and social media pages:
See more projects: Africa, East Africa, Education, Leadership & Life Skills Development