Protect Girls from FGM in Tanzania

Hope for Girls and Women in Tanzania runs two safe houses in Serengeti and Butiama Districts to protect survivors from gender-based violence. We also conduct community outreach in five districts; Serengeti, Butiama, Tarime, Rorya and Bunda but receive girls from different regions in the country.

• In the month of September, we started with the number of 101 survivors as shown in the table above.
• Admission was 2 girls making a total number of 102 survivors.
• We succeeded to reconcile with 5 families such as; 2 girls of fgm cases, 1 child marriage and 2 battery cases reducing the number from 102 to 97 girls at Mugumu Safe House, Serengeti District.

• Butiama Safe House, started the month of September with the total number of 62 survivors as shown in the table above.
• We admit 1 girl of FGM case.
• We managed to reconciliation with 1 family of battery case reducing the number to 63 girls to 62 survivors at Kiabakari Safe House, Butiama District.

During this month, in cooperation with social welfare and Police Gender desk we managed to admit 3 new girls with FGM and battery cases. The 2 girls were rescued from Rung ‘bore and Kebancha Village at Serengeti District while 1 girl came from Bunda district, she had completed grade 7 education and was scared of going back home since she was prepared to be cut immediately after closing. She went to her friend’s house and later the parent reported the case to the social welfare and the girl was taken and brought to the safe house.

Thank you for your support

The project of Hope for Girls and women Tanzania has been extremely busy protecting 164 survivors at the safe houses and continuing rescuing girls in danger of being cut and early child marriages during school holiday. This tradition is done secretly and forcefully within the family; the girls are unaware of what is planned by the family. 5 girls were rescued from female genital mutilation in Serengeti and 2 girls were rescued at Butiama.

Female genital mutilation situation in Mara region have decrease comparing to how we began the fight, and this is due to various interventions conducted to the community.

Easter celebrations; Girls at the safe houses celebrated the Easter day by worshiping. The safe houses received visitors whom brought various Easter gifts for girls. Special thanks to Kiabakari Roman Catholic church members and Father Voi.

The Education and Entrepreneurial Program

We are extremely proud of our four girls who have graduated high school with promising results to join university, thus we encourage girls’ sponsorship program. Our Houses provide a clean, safe and supportive environment to learn skills and continue education. There are Primary and Secondary Day Students with programs and educational materials provided. Tailoring, ear rings and bracelets making and knitted sweater making with machines and material provided for certain girls, included in the program.

Bee keeping; This project is one of our entrepreneurial program where girls are acquiring knowledge on how to keep bees and generate income by selling honey.

Agriculture and gardening; Girls in both safe houses involve themselves in planting, watering and harvesting vegetables to be used in their daily meals for their health. Girls are learning organic farming and how to make compost manure.

Supporting Our Girls;

Hope for girls and women Tanzania trained girls on sexual and reproductive health where girls learned more about menstruation and how to use sanitary pads.

Counseling sessions;95Counseling sessions were provided to 164girls, whereas psychological support was provided all the time.

Family day; Hope for Girls and Women Tanzania participated by conducting forum to girls at the safe houses where girls outlined various issues affecting families splitting due to traditions and customs such as FGM, Early child marriages and other violence.

African child day; Girls participated in the African child day by delivering ant-FGM messages through singing songs and drama. Honorable District commissioner Vicent Mashinji of Serengeti participated as guest of honor.

NaCoNGO elections; Hope for girls and women Tanzania was selected to be the leading NGO in Mara Region whereby Ms. Rhobi Samwelly was selected to be the member of council and the chairperson of Capacity building committee at national level 2024-2027.

Opportunity and other News: The Butiama sold knitted sweaters to Roman Catholic school where we received 520,000/= Tanzanian shillings. We are furthermore looking to find more markets to sell our knitted sweaters.

Hope for girls and Women in Tanzania Director Rhobi Samwelly had an opportunity to visit USA-California for her book editing and sharing about Hope’s work.

Staff indoor training; Hope staff has begun to acquire knowledge on how to produce effective and efficient services to girls. Training organized by Hope for girls takes place once every month with different topic in every session in order toattain Hope objectives and quality services to girls and community in general.

 A Special Thanks to Donors;

Thank you sincerely for all your support. Your help has been essential to keep us going, so that we can be focusing on the well-being of many girls. We will love it if you share our story to those around you. It will make a huge difference for us.

With gratitude

Rhobi