Daring Girls

AfricAid’s mission is to improve the standing of women in society through robust, locally-led mentorship initiatives that cultivate confidence, improve academic and health outcomes, and promote socially-responsible leadership skills.

AfricAid supports the work of our sister organization, GLAMI (Girls Livelihood and Mentorship Initiative), in providing mentorship opportunities to secondary school girls in Tanzania to complete their education, develop into confident leaders, and transform their own lives and their communities. We equip girls to overcome challenges and reach their full potential because educated girls create lasting positive change. The outcome is proactive, resilient, and socially responsible girls who secure better jobs, raise healthier families, and increase the standing of women in society.

We accomplish this through two extracurricular mentoring programs: Binti Shupavu and Kisa Project.

Binti Shupavu means “courageous daughters” in Swahili. Binti Shupavu is a four-year life skills course for lower secondary school girls covering topics such as study skills, personal leadership, health, and self-confidence with the goal of increasing graduation rates for vulnerable girls. Through Binti Shupavu, Tanzanian girls are empowered to become brave leaders. Tanzanian girls are often discouraged from finishing secondary school, and even those who attend face myriad obstacles both within and outside the classroom. Binti supports girls to build the resilience and skills they need to complete secondary school, continue their education or gain meaningful employment, and become role models for other girls.

Kisa Project is a two-year leadership course that prepares girls in their last two years of secondary school to attend university and create positive social change in their communities. Kisa means “story” in Swahili. Through the Kisa Project, young Tanzanian women are empowered to become the creative authors of their own future stories. Young women in Tanzania are not generally taught to believe they are equal to their male counterparts and rarely have role models to show them otherwise. Kisa supports young women to build the confidence and skills they need to pursue excellence in leadership, prepare for future employment, and initiate meaningful societal change.

The Binti Shupavu and Kisa Project programs are delivered to Scholars by Mentors. All of our Mentors are young, university-educated Tanzanian women who receive extensive training to provide meaningful and effective support to Scholars. These women understand the needs of Scholars, given they have recently overcome the same challenges that the Scholars now face and can provide living proof of the possibility of success.

Binti Shupavu Impacts

Outcome 1: Binti Shupavu Alumnae are resilient and prepared for future challenges.
Upon graduation from the program, Binti Alumnae are 28% more resilient according to a quantitative scale of resiliency than they were at the start.

Outcome 2: Binti Shupavu Scholars graduate from lower secondary school.
98% of Scholars graduate from lower secondary, compared to a national graduation rate of about 69%.

Outcome 3: The parents and communities of Binti Shupavu Alumnae support girls to continue their education.
Teachers of Binti Scholars notice a change in their academic achievements and gain more respect for girls’ capabilities.

Kisa Project Impacts

Outcome 1: Kisa Alumnae engage in community development.
The most popular plan for the future among Kisa graduates is to work in community development. 87% of Kisa graduates report having already brought up gender issues in their communities.

Outcome 2: Kisa Alumnae’s communities recognize the worth of girls and women.
85% of Kisa graduates in 2019 report that a change has taken place in their communities due to Kisa. Changes include improved gender equality and less pregnancy.

Outcome 3: Kisa Alumnae are confident leaders.
78% of Kisa graduates in 2019 report that they hold a leadership role, 20% more than at baseline. 100% of Kisa graduates (whose results we obtained) passed their final school exam in 2018, and 97% of Alumnae transition to higher education.