Girls School Hostels in Tanzania

Building hostels for girls in secondary schools is an essential tool in combatting issues that prevent many girls from completing secondary education.

Opening of a new hostel at Ikondo Secondary School

At an individual level, this enhances girls’ life opportunities, Nationally, it is good for Tanzania as a whole, since educating girls benefits society more broadly. 

Travelling to school in rural areas, often on foot and over long distances, can be fraught with dangers for girls, who are vulnerable to male predators. Some families send their children to stay in lodgings or with relatives, but this can be an equally dangerous environment.

A quarter of Tanzanian girls aged 15-19 are pregnant or have given birth.  Pregnancy testing is compulsory on schools, and falling pregnant is usually the end of a girl's education.  Following expulsion, few schools will take girls back, especially following Presidential pronouncements that girls falling pregnant have forfeited their right to education.

TDT has very good experiences from its grants to schools for girls' hostels.  They have had a profound impact on the girls' education and wellbeing, and reductions in pregnancies.  By donating, you can give more girls a bright future.

To learn more about the need for girls' hostels and TDT's work in this area, please visit:  http://www.tanzdevtrust.org/girls-hostels/