The teenage pregnancy in Tanzania has risen from 23% in 2010 to the current 27% among the young girls aged 15 to 19 years with 30% of the adolescent fertility rate with 1 in 4 adolescents aged 15-19 had begun childbearing (TDHS, 2016).
The research findings by HakiElimu published in 2020 indicates that 87.9% of school-children have experienced one or more forms of physical violence in their life. Nearly 3 in 10 girls and approximately 1 in 7 boys in Tanzania have experienced violence prior to the age of 18 in school settings, and 42.8% of school children acknowledged being sexually abused and they experienced it at school (Violence against Children in Tanzania report, 2011).

The major risks of child abuse have already began felt in by the children as 34% of adolescent girls in Shinyanga are pregnants even before turning 18 years and almost 500 adolescents in Tanzania dropped out of school because of early pregnancies or child marriages. Fatuma John is a standard 6 female pupil at Puni Primary School with age of 11 years in Shinyanga DC. Before YAWE starting the project she had no knowledge on the meaning of violence against children, she didn’t know even the forms of violence and she was even unable to speak before the people since she had no confidence.

“I feel exceptionally lucky, YAWE has awakened the hope of my dreams through its project in our school, I am now the catalyst of change to the others. I advise other school children to be at the fore front in reporting cases of violence and championing for the rights of children in society”
She goes on saying..........
“Before YAWE, I was not aware of the meaning of violence against children, I didn’t know even the forms of violence and also, I was very coward and unable to stand before the people and say anything, but after the coming of this organization in our school, everything has changed in my life as my confidence has real increased and now am able to stand before the people and speak against child violence”. Fatuma John, Puni Primary school

YAWE through ‘Safe School Program” is mentoring school peer activists, to raise their self-esteem, confidence on reporting violence against children and connecting them with parents, teachers and all school children to advocate for ending violence against children’s agenda. Under this project, the organization has witnessed a lot of changes among peer school activities and school children themselves as there has been an increase in reporting of child abuse cases by themselves. it has awakened the hopes of children to realize their dreams.

She continues to state “YAWE has awakened the hope of my dreams of becoming a great politician here in Tanzania and help a large number of people to know their rights and fight against all forms of violence against children and women, I will be a catalyst in revealing incidents of violence and defending the rights of children at school and society level”