Mobilization and Education Support to Urban Poor Street Girls for Lives to Change – Tanzania

This initiative takes girls off the streets and gives their caregivers the chance to better support themselves through forming small businesses. “Mobilization and Education Support to Urban Poor Street Girls for Lives to Change” provides training and access to small loans for disadvantaged urban populations, so they can engage in productive activities like green gardening. This social intervention not only gives street girls a new start, it imparts environmental sensitivity to the community.

Fast facts:

20 girls in the program
100 women provided access to small business loans

The problem

Poverty often manifests as a vicious cycle where parents are unable to support their children, who are left to survive on their own on the streets. The children repeat the pattern by coming into adulthood in poverty and having their own children. Poverty and environmental problems are linked, as for example population growth puts increased pressure on natural resources.

The solution

This project returns Tanzanian street girls to their caregivers, and provides the caregivers with micro-financing and training to start small money-making enterprises. Through the program, women in the program have started vegetable gardens and are preparing food to sell; they have stands at markets and run garment shops, among other activities. The women are also made aware of environmental benefits that are associated with activities like gardening. The girls, meanwhile, receive support to stay in school.

Helping the planet

Women who are more educated and better-off tend to have fewer children. This means less pressure on natural resources. Sensitization to the environmental benefits increases awareness of environmental problems and motivation to address them.

Helping people

Community members receive education and vocational training, increasing their quality of life. Women are able to better support themselves and their families, helping to break the cycle of poverty.

Spillover effect

This activity has potential to expand beyond the current beneficiaries. As it grows, results will spread beyond benefitting individuals to helping whole communities.