AGAPE is an NGO that plays a role in enhancing gender equality. It is very much focused at working in the areas of women, girls and children affairs to ensure gender equality is addressed in Shinyanga region, Tanzania where the 2015/2016 TDHS report indicated the GBV (Gender Based Violence) level to be at 78% for married women in the age range of from 15 to 49 years and teenage pregnancies at 34% for girls below 18 years. Furthermore, Shinyanga region has the highest rates of child marriages with 59% (TDHS 2010, UNICEF 2012, and the report of Child Marriage in Tanzania at a glance March 2017).

In implementing its programs, AGAPE established Agape Knowledge Open School (AKOS) which is a Secondary school that also serves as a safe house for girls who have suffered from GBV in Shinyanga, Tanzania. These girls are victims of early forced marriages, childhood pregnancies and violence.

The AKOS project has won acceptability from the community, the government of Tanzania and other partners due to its active activities in fighting against girls’ abuse through its various approaches such as sensitization, legal and social aids and providing free education to girls who had been alienated from the public schooling system. AKOS has continued to grow over the years and has obtained basic infrastructure for the school and safe house where the girls could live and learn together. From 2010 to the present, the total number of AKOS girl beneficiaries is more than 270. Some are University graduates, others are entrepreneurs, others employees, while the rest are in different domains of their choice.

In spite of this great step towards the achievement of the goals of these girls hosted at the AGAPE safe house, there remain challenges that need the intervention of well-meaning individuals and organizations.

INTERVENTION

MONAI NGO is actively committed in implementing and supporting programs that cover:

• Child and Youth Protection: Focusing on ensuring that children and youth are protected and supported to achieve their full developmental potential in their life
• Prevention of GBV, Child marriages and pregnancies: To ensure there is zero GBV tolerance in the community and people have the capacity and motive to stop child marriages and pregnancies
• Skilful parenting: Targeting teen mothers aged from 14 years in training them on child protection, family budgeting and positive parenting skills through groups of between 18-30 teen parents.
• Women and Youth empowerment: Ensure economic and social empowerment to women and youth in the community through training, advocacy and use of economic forums

During this year, 2022, MONAI has signed an agreement to work in partnership with AGAPE in addressing the girls’ challenges.

MONAI SANITARY PADS DISTRIBUTION TO AKOS GIRLS

On the 5^th of November 2022, MONAI supplied 240 sanitary pads, and soap to more than 60 girls at AKOS.

MONAI also went ahead to carry out other activities such as:

• Fun and games activities that refreshed the girls’ minds and reinforced awareness on child protection and their rights. The MONAI activities are designed to address the day-to-day challenges a girl is faced with and how to deal with them
• The MONAI team which is constituted of professional medical doctors, social counselors and teachers implemented sessions of counseling and encouragement to the girls at AKOS
• MONAI also provided food, a change of menu, for the AKOS girls.