Young, pregnant and on their own: Teenage pregnancies often lead girls and young women in Tanzania into a hopeless situation. They are destined to drop out of school and descend into poverty and a lack of prospects. Adela Mazengo could have had a similar fate. An Ebli training program offered her an opportunity, which she seized.
Catherine Hollinger, Program Coordinator Tanzania
“I just want my child to have it better than me one day,” says Adela Mazengo*, smiling and rocking her little daughter back and forth on her lap. The 20-year-old Tanzanian has had some tough times. Adela Mazengo became pregnant at the age of 17. From the seventh month onwards, hiding the pregnancy was no longer an option and she had to leave school. Adela Mazengo could not expect any support from home. Her aunt, Adela lived with her, did not want to support her. So the young mother was completely on her own and had to look after her child alone. Without a school-leaving certificate, no one gave her a chance.
Overcoming poverty through her own efforts
Nevertheless, Adela Mazengo was lucky. Someone from her community told her about the organization Ebli, which supports girls and young women in the large city of Mwanza in Tanzania. In collaboration with terre des hommes schweiz, Ebli is committed to helping young mothers who have not completed school to escape poverty through education and training.
Adela Mazengo’s big opportunity
Ebli offers 100 young, underage mothers without a school-leaving certificate the opportunity to take part in an economic training program with daily lessons every year. This gives the young mothers the basic skills to start their own small business. When Adela Mazengo heard about Ebli, she jumped at the chance. She started her first course in 2014, successfully completed it a year later and then also completed the business management training with flying colors.
Her own small business
She has now opened her own small business selling fried fish in her neighborhood. The business gives her a regular income with which she can provide for herself and her child and which makes her independent of her aunt. She has even expanded the business and now also sells smoked fish at the market.
Respect and self-confidence
Today, Adele Mazengo is a confident and content young woman who dares to tell her story. In addition to her training, she has found a community and self-confidence at Ebli. I have met many girls here who share my fate,” she reports. “As an underage mother, you are constantly alone and in doubt. But here we understand each other and don’t always have to explain ourselves. We are friends!” Ebli has changed everything. “People respect me again and I’ve found hope.”
Priorities
Adela Mazengo currently has two priorities: Moving her business forward and looking after her daughter. When asked about the possibility of letting a man back into her life, the young mother smiles: “No, certainly not at the moment.”
* Name changed
