Fanisi Tanzania

Empowering children, families and communities to improve child welfare in their schools and communities.

Egmont Partner Fanisi works in Tanzania’s rural Sengerema District where 80% of the population rely on small-scale agriculture to support their families. Many struggle to provide enough food and basic commodities resulting in high secondary school dropout rates as young people seek piecework to boost their family income. Household stress caused by economic pressures as well as traditional beliefs and adverse behaviours leave children vulnerable to abuse, putting girls especially at greater risk of contracting HIV.

In partnership with Egmont, Fanisi is supporting particularly vulnerable orphans, children and their families at eight schools across Sengerema District.

Through school-based groups, pupils are learning about their rights and how to report and prevent abuse. Pupils are also being supported to set up school-based businesses to raise funds for materials and uniforms, and school dropout rates are falling as a result.

In the community, Fanisi is training caregivers in positive parenting and child abuse prevention. In addition, caregivers are being supported to boost their incomes through Village Savings and Loan groups (VSLs) and training to start their own small businesses so they can more easily provide for their families.