Young people get involved – that is the simple motto of the women’s organization Wadada in Tanzania. One of the active young women is Annastazia Suphian Anthony from Mwanza on Lake Victoria. She is 19 and a delegate for Tanzania in the International Youth Network of terre des hommes schweiz. She has been campaigning for the Wadada organization since 2019.
You have been involved with Wadada since 2019. What experience have you gained from this time?
The most important thing I have learned is to be self-confident and to stand up for what I want. I have also realized that I am worth a lot as a person – for myself and others.
What do you think young people gain from Wadada’s educational programs and awareness-raising work?
At Wadada, young people learn how they can protect themselves against sexual diseases such as HIV. I also think it’s very important to educate young men about their rights and responsibilities. Even if some of the young men may have different views, it is important that they know what they are allowed to do – and what they are not allowed to do.
Wadada has been in existence for ten years and is run by women. The aim is to show young people how to manage their lives well and successfully. What is particularly important to you?
I think it is particularly important to break down patriarchal structures. Patriarchal and sometimes rigid political structures make life difficult for young people, who make up the majority of the population. Under the former, increasingly autocratic President John Magu-fuli (†), pregnant girls were no longer allowed to go to school. This severely restricted their social life and led them into a life of greater poverty and dependency.
What do you and other young people hope for from President Samia Suuhu Hassan?
I believe that something is changing politically. Young, pregnant girls are now allowed to go to school again, and that also applies to women who have children. They can finally exercise their right to education again.
Has working at Wadada helped you to take control of your life?
Yes, but not just me. We are young people and have many dreams. terre des hommes schweiz helps us to live them.
About Wadada
The aim of the women’s organization Wadada in Tanzania is to strengthen the rights of girls and young women so that they can protect themselves and others from exploitation and sexual abuse. The aim is to prevent violence by educating and informing young people. The women’s organization, which was founded in 2012, does important work in one of the countries with the highest rate of sexual violence. With Wadada, terre des hommes schweiz is making a contribution to Goals 3 and 5 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Health and Well-being and Gender Equality, thus fulfilling the requirements of the Zewo seal of approval.
The interview was conducted by Lara Haaks, former intern at terre des hommes schweiz.
