Amani Girls Organization
Member
- Feb 17, 2024
- 5
- 2
Image showing adolescent girls participating in a session at Twa Twa Twa village, Morogoro region
Child marriage is prevalent in Tanzania and affects primarily girls: 92.5% of all registered child marriages are girl child marriages. According to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator, four regions – Mara, Morogoro, Shinyanga and Simiyu report girl child marriage rates above 30%. At national level, 19% of the population believe it is appropriate for a girl to marry before the age of 18 years, while only 6% of them believe the same for boys of the same age. In contexts where resources are limited, bride price is seen as a means of alleviating family’s economic burden.
In the village of Twa Twa Twa, located in Parakuyo Ward, Kilosa District in the Morogoro region, many girls are being forced into marriage at a young age by their parents. The parents believe that this will prevent the girls from one day bringing shame to the family and their lineage by getting pregnant out of wedlock. Thus, these girls are compelled to marry. If they refuse, they are often beaten, especially by their brothers.
In this village, there are few primary and secondary schools, which suffer from a lack of classrooms and teachers. Although the importance of education is emphasized, resources remain scarce. Many girls are promised in marriage while still in school, which discourages them from continuing their education.
When Amani Girls Organization (AGO) visited these groups of adolescent girls, these girls requested that education on the negative impact of child marriage also be given to their parents. The girls still live under care of their parents, who are also the ultimate decision-makers. In these communities, it is challenging for children to talk to their parents and convince them to stop the practice of child marriage.
“We need our parents to understand our dreams and help us achieve them, not cut them short with child marriage. When our parents understand the risks of child marriage, they become our strongest allies in fighting against it,” an adolescent girl at Twa Twa Twa Village.
The community in Twa Twa Twa primarily engages in cattle herding and sells milk to earn income. These families receive dowries in the form of livestock (cattle) and value livestock more than the personal development of their daughters. They take more pride in the number of livestock they own than in seeing their daughters pursue education, develop themselves, and secure jobs that will provide them with income.
This prioritization of livestock over education perpetuates a cycle of poverty and limits opportunities for young girls, who are often married off at a young age. Without education, these girls are unable to reach their full potential, contributing to a community where traditional practices overshadow the importance of personal growth and economic stability. To break this cycle, it is crucial to promote the value of education and empower families to see the long-term benefits of investing in their daughters' futures.
Amani Girls Organization (AGO), is currently implementing the project (Hapana Marefu Yasio na Mwisho - There is No Distance that has No End) is a 3-year initiative focused on eradicating child marriage in Tanzania. Led by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), the project collaborates with C-Sema, the organization operating the national child helpline #116, dedicated to advancing girls' rights and challenging harmful societal norms and values.
Reference: OECD (2022), SIGI Country Report for Tanzania, Social Institutions and Gender Index, OECD Publishing, Paris, SIGI Country Report for Tanzania
In the village of Twa Twa Twa, located in Parakuyo Ward, Kilosa District in the Morogoro region, many girls are being forced into marriage at a young age by their parents. The parents believe that this will prevent the girls from one day bringing shame to the family and their lineage by getting pregnant out of wedlock. Thus, these girls are compelled to marry. If they refuse, they are often beaten, especially by their brothers.
In this village, there are few primary and secondary schools, which suffer from a lack of classrooms and teachers. Although the importance of education is emphasized, resources remain scarce. Many girls are promised in marriage while still in school, which discourages them from continuing their education.
When Amani Girls Organization (AGO) visited these groups of adolescent girls, these girls requested that education on the negative impact of child marriage also be given to their parents. The girls still live under care of their parents, who are also the ultimate decision-makers. In these communities, it is challenging for children to talk to their parents and convince them to stop the practice of child marriage.
“We need our parents to understand our dreams and help us achieve them, not cut them short with child marriage. When our parents understand the risks of child marriage, they become our strongest allies in fighting against it,” an adolescent girl at Twa Twa Twa Village.
The community in Twa Twa Twa primarily engages in cattle herding and sells milk to earn income. These families receive dowries in the form of livestock (cattle) and value livestock more than the personal development of their daughters. They take more pride in the number of livestock they own than in seeing their daughters pursue education, develop themselves, and secure jobs that will provide them with income.
This prioritization of livestock over education perpetuates a cycle of poverty and limits opportunities for young girls, who are often married off at a young age. Without education, these girls are unable to reach their full potential, contributing to a community where traditional practices overshadow the importance of personal growth and economic stability. To break this cycle, it is crucial to promote the value of education and empower families to see the long-term benefits of investing in their daughters' futures.
Amani Girls Organization (AGO), is currently implementing the project (Hapana Marefu Yasio na Mwisho - There is No Distance that has No End) is a 3-year initiative focused on eradicating child marriage in Tanzania. Led by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), the project collaborates with C-Sema, the organization operating the national child helpline #116, dedicated to advancing girls' rights and challenging harmful societal norms and values.
Reference: OECD (2022), SIGI Country Report for Tanzania, Social Institutions and Gender Index, OECD Publishing, Paris, SIGI Country Report for Tanzania
