- PROJECT INFORMATION
2.1. PROJECT TITLE: - IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS LIVING RURAL AREAS OF NZEGA DISTRICT BY MOBILIZING COMMUNITY TO PREVENT UNWANTED SCHOOL GIRLS PREGNANCIES
2.3 PROJECT SUMMARY
The project aims to defend adolescent girls of Nzega district by mobilizing community to prevent unwanted pregnancies and enable girls to complete primary, secondary and higher learning education in a sustainable way.
The main intervention will include; Prevention and combating of school girls’ pregnancies defend adolescent girls accessing education, reproductive health, mobilizing community participating in the discussions of construction school Hostels or dormitories around secondary schools, traditional practices, care and support impregnated girls attaining vocational skills training and networking education and advocacy on school girls pregnancies.
The project will provide a sustainable approach to schoolgirls’ pregnancies control through, community mobilizing and participation in training and discussions on prevention and combating schoolgirls’ pregnancies. It will also mitigate the impact of distance between home and schools, lack of enough training on reproductive health to adolescent girls, renting and traditional practices as the main opportunistic factors that tends to school girls pregnancies. The project activities will be undertaken in close partnership with Nzega District Council, Police Station, and Court and the Ministry of Education for prevention and Control schoolgirls’ pregnancy will guide wards government the implementation of the project.
2.4. PROBLEM STATEMENT
The report of Legal Human Rights Center of 2010, show that thousands of girls drop out of school along the way from the primary to high learning institutions, the major hindrance to the ability of girls to access education is pregnancy.
According to CEDO survey and statistics from Nzega District Education Office show that the rate of pregnancies among school girls is still high in Nzega District, out of all students enrolled in primary and secondary school in 2008 to 2010; 195 students failed to complete their education due to early pregnancies. It rose from 51 at the end of 2008, to 53 end of 2009 and 91 at the end of 2010. Over 70.2% of the reported impregnated cases were in the age range of 12-17 years from rural areas. This is a particular problem in Nzega District Tabora Region. This situation is also experienced in other Districts and regions like Mtwara, Songea, Ruvuma and Lindi.
In spite of discussion with community members of Nzega District the organization observation revealed that lack of school hostel and dormitories, training on reproductive health to school girls, traditional practices, renting and distance between homes and schools are among the strong contributing factors leading to school girls becoming pregnancy in Nzega District.
Expelling school girls from their studies has several effects such as an increased rate of unemployment among women, increase in the illiteracy rate, increased risk of HIV infection, and risk of expelled girls resorting to prostitution. The organization and community members suggested to establish the program of provides training to community (youths) to prevent school girl pregnancies and improve the lives of adolescent girls in education and reproductive health.
2.5. THE PROJECT OUTCOME
Reduce school girls’ pregnancies through behavioral change among community of Nzega District rural areas and enabling girls to complete primary, secondary and high learning education by Decembers 2012.
2.6. OUTCOME INDICATORS
- Rate of pregnancies among school girls, reduced in Nzega District and risk of expelled girls resorting to prostitution, and illiteracy rate reduced in Nzega District.
- Girls to access education and complete primary, secondary and high instructions and increase employment among women and reduced illiterate rate in Nzega District.