TCI Helps Moivo Dispensary in Arusha, Tanzania, Activate Support Groups for Young First-time Mothers

First-time mothers in Arusha District Council, sharing their experiences with program implementation teams from Arusha City.

With The Challenge Initiative’s (TCI’s) support, Moivo Dispensary in Arusha, Tanzania, is now holding group meetings for first-time mothers that dropped out of school once they became pregnant. While they give birth at health facilities, these young women often lack support and guidance to navigate motherhood while they are still growing up themselves.

Ms. Kylie Gyubie, Reproductive and Child Health In-charge at Moivo Dispensary, explains how the groups started:

With support from various partners, I started the group meetings as a way of encouraging the young girls [to] visit the dispensary for postnatal check-ups. It was not easy as most of them would disappear immediately after giving birth.”

The dispensary was limited in capacity, but with the help of partners, it began holding life-skills sessions. At first, only eight first-time mothers attended. Now, there are 104 active first-time mothers in the group that meet regularly to get services as well as encourage one another. Some of the activities that the mothers engage in include reproductive health and nutritional talks, income-generating activities, such as baking, and table banking to help members pursue activities in which they are interested. Ms. Gyubie shares how TCI helped the dispensary to think and act differently:

TCI has taught us to think differently. We are the ones to come up with solutions to our challenges. Many other partners and cities are coming to see how we did it. We have even supported Arusha District Council to establish groups in give hospitals. I hope to learn more and mobilize other actors to come and support more facilities.”