On International Women’s Day, We’re Celebrating Empowered, Independent Women!
Story by Owen Mwandumbya; Photos by Edwin Mjwahuzi
At 18 and just out of secondary school, Angel Banda knew what she didn’t want. She didn’t want to work as a maid for a man who continually propositioned her for sex. In fact, she didn’t want to depend on men at all. But what else could she do? Her hometown had few options, so she moved more than 300 miles to Kyela, one of Tanzania’s southernmost districts. Maybe there, she could pursue her dream of becoming a hair stylist.
“I was moving around just like any other girl who has lost direction,” Angel says. In Tanzania and across the globe, young women in Angel’s position frequently enter into one or more relationships with men to help pay for housing or school, or to have a sense of security and stability. These relationships put them at high risk for violence and infections like HIV.
But with guidance from a Jhpiego-trained empowerment worker, Angel joined other women her age and formed a savings group to begin gaining financial control of her life. Each week, every member contributed 1,000 shillings — about 50 cents.
Over time, Angel’s group received training on business skills, financial management and gender issues, like effective communications skills, contraceptive methods and gender-based violence.
The training unleashed Angel’s inner entrepreneur. Armed with a loan and new skills, she launched her salon and now lives independently.
Sauti, a Jhpiego-led project funded by the United States Agency for International Development, promotes gender equity. It empowers women to be self-reliant, launch small business initiatives to take control of their finances and raise up their communities, and understand their health risks and opportunities to build bright futures for themselves and their families. The project brings together a wide range of partners and promotes health and equity throughout key regions of Tanzania.
“Today, I know my health status, and I understand how to protect myself from dangerous diseases, including HIV/AIDS. This has been possible because of the Sauti Project,” Angel says.
Angel is not unique, however. More than 35,000 women across three regions of Tanzania have received training on economic empowerment to take control of their lives:
Nkami Tetere — Nkami dreamed of launching her own business but didn’t know how. “With Sauti, now not only do I have entrepreneurship skills, I am living a safe life, free from HIV risks.”
Anna Mkingira — “We were trained on how to start a business, develop capital and keep records.” Anna now invests in livestock and has power over her finances and life.
Regina Soko — This single mother was losing hope before a loan from Sauti changed her life. “Now I have my own tailoring mart, and things are going well with me.” Regina is even teaching other girls her trade.
The Jhpiego-led Sauti Project is making dreams come true, thanks to the partnership with the Government of Tanzania; collaboration with EngenderHealth, the Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Research-Mwanza and Pact; implementation funding from the DREAMS Initiative through the United States Agency for International Development; and provision of revolving loans supported by the International Labour Organization in Kyela.
