Enabel in Tanzania recently launched the Wezesha Binti (Empower the girl) program, a comprehensive effort designed to uplift girls and vulnerable boys in the Kigoma Region of Tanzania. This 25-million-euro Bilateral Cooperation between Belgium and Tanzania is dedicated to empowering young people, with a particular focus on young women. The program aims to foster a protective and gender-equal environment while equipping them with education and skills that create opportunities for decent work in the Kigoma Region.  

The initiative is specifically tailored for girls and vulnerable boys aged 14-19 in the districts of Kibondo, Kasulu, Buhigwe, Kigoma Rural, and Kigoma Urban. It ensures improved access to secondary education and training. The launch of the program emphasizes nurturing girls and young women in the Kigoma districts, encouraging their entry into various entrepreneurial sectors with flexibility and innovation as key pillars. 

Koenraad Goekint, Enabel's Resident Representative in Tanzania, outlined Enabel's vision during the launch, emphasizing the completion of secondary education and skills development for sustainable employment. Enabel in Tanzania is committed to fostering gender-balanced environments for youth and entrepreneurs, collaborating with relevant stakeholders to provide vocational training aligned with market needs, and promoting the growth of young entrepreneurs capable of generating employment opportunities. 

Ambassador Peter Huyghebaert highlighted the enduring collaboration between Belgium and Tanzania, emphasizing the program's objective of empowering young people. He connected this goal with addressing the significant challenge of gender-based violence in schools, recognizing it as a major obstacle to children's right to education. The Ambassador stressed that quality education not only empowers women but also contributes to improved health and livelihoods for both women and their children. 

The program encompasses targeted support, information dissemination, and awareness campaigns for re-entry, construction, rehabilitation, or upgrading of facilities. It involves capacity building for school staff on gender-related issues, support for a comprehensive Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) model, and the enhancement of secondary education quality through teacher in-service training, material provision, and life skills curriculum implementation. 

The project focuses on providing youth, especially young women, with labor market-relevant skills, aiming to enhance their (self)employment and entrepreneurship. This includes improving the quality and relevance of non-formal vocational education and training (VET), increasing access to quality VET for vulnerable groups, and fostering an environment in the Kigoma region that supports the needs of youth and women. 

Thobias Andengenye, Kigoma's Regional Commissioner, highlighted the significance of the program in improving the lives of youth, especially girls and young women aged 14 to 29 in the beneficiary districts. The initiative aligns with Enabel's commitment to collaborating with the government of Tanzania, local authorities, the private sector, civil society, and various stakeholders. 

The launch event was attended by government representatives, esteemed guests from international organizations, local NGOs, and implementing partners, adding a significant layer of collaboration and support to the initiative. The occasion was further enhanced by a special screening of the award-winning movie "Ndoto ya Samira," a compelling documentary portraying the journey of a 21-year-old woman as she navigates societal pressures on marriage while steadfastly pursuing her education. This cinematic addition brought a powerful and relatable dimension to the launch, shedding light on the challenges faced by young women in their pursuit of education amidst societal expectations.