Educating women crucial to bringing positive change, says Dr Temu

AMREF Health Africa, Tanzania director, Dr Florence Temu has said that educating women is key to bringing forth positive change as she will be empowered to overcome challenges as well achieve her set goals.

Dr Temu made remarks yesterday during the commemoration of the International Women’s Day in Dar es Salaam when she visited the exhibition organised by AMREF Health Africa at Uhuru grounds in Temeke District, Dar es Salaam region to showcase the various socioeconomic activities that women have benefited from AMREF projects.

The AMREF Health Africa Tanzania director insisted that empowering and building women’s capacity through education is key to ensuring that children have good health, good education and that they can develop.

“When you educate a woman, even the statistical data indicates that a society or family that has an educated woman even the kids will be in good health and can develop and can be educated. And if resources are lacking, no money or even a single cent, if it’s building capacity then women should be targeted. Because an educated woman can bring change, can overcome challenges and diseases that can hinder her from achieving her goals hence bringing forth tremendous change,” said Dr Temu.

She highlighted that AMREF Health Africa’s objective is to reach and address the needs of the needy communities especially women and children through  various strategic projects whereby in 2021, 2.5 million  people benefitted from AMREF’s projects categorized reproductive, maternal, newborn child and adolescent health (RMNCAH); disease control and prevention (DCP) programme which comprises   HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), laboratory services, obstetric fistula and malaria interventions; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and capacity training programme.

One of the beneficiaries of the TakaMali na Afya project by AMREF Health Africa, Tausi  Shaban Hassan, a resident of Kipunguni ward in Ilala district council lauded the organisation for reaching out to Kipunguni residents.

“I am grateful for the machines that AMREF gave to us to make alternative charcoal. Through the machines we are able to conserve our surrounding environment and uplift women economically way better than we used to do in the past using our own hands,” said Tausi.

“We also received capacity building training from AMREF and we were only 10 women at the time. We also took initiative to train our fellow women to inspire them to join us. They are now experienced and they can go anywhere and work without supervision. This is all thanks to AMREF participatory health project that has enabled us to empower more people. When you empower a woman equals empower the whole community,” said Hadija Mtega.

Dr Florence Temu also insisted that men should also play part in uplifting women and recognizing their role in women and young girl’s development.

“When we talk about a woman, we also refer to young girls. And knowing that they do not live alone, men and male children need to know that they live with women and young girls who have been empowered so that they do not remain behind. Both groups should move forward together because they belong to the same community,” she added.

Article first published on ippmedia.com.