MWANZA — More than 600 young people in Kwimba District have benefited from a community-based programme designed to prevent violence, reduce stigma and strengthen awareness of child protection.
The initiative, implemented by the non-governmental organisation Amani Girls, seeks to equip youths with practical knowledge on how to recognise abuse, protect themselves and report cases of violence within their communities.
The programme was conducted in five wards in Kwimba District — Mwandu, Shilembo, Hungumalwa, Bupamwa and Kikubiji — where participants received education on a range of issues affecting young people.
Among the subjects covered were puberty, reproductive health, teenage pregnancy, child protection and ways of preventing violence and discrimination against children.
Speaking during a review meeting for development projects at the Kwimba District Council, Amani Girls Project Officer, Ndaturu Joseph, said the training had made a significant contribution to improving young people’s understanding of their rights.
He explained that many youths had gained greater awareness of the different forms of violence and the steps they could take when they or others faced abuse.
According to Joseph, the programme is ultimately intended to help create safer communities where children and young people can live without fear of violence, exploitation or stigma.
“More than 600 young people in Kwimba have received education on violence prevention and stigma. Our main objective is to help reduce, and eventually eliminate, violence within communities, especially violence affecting children and young people,” he said.
Beyond violence prevention, Amani Girls has also been working to support girls who left school prematurely. Joseph said the organisation was encouraging such girls to consider returning to education, while also providing reproductive health information to help them make responsible and informed choices.
The initiative comes amid concerns that inadequate knowledge about child protection, reproductive health and teenage pregnancy continues to expose some young people to significant risks.
Kwimba District Community Development Officer Rozalia Magoti welcomed the programme but urged Amani Girls to extend its activities to other wards where awareness remains limited.
She noted that some communities still require more education on how to prevent child abuse, violence and teenage pregnancies.
Magoti stressed that protecting children should not be left to government institutions or non-governmental organisations alone. Instead, she called for stronger cooperation among local authorities, civil society organisations, schools, parents and residents.
She said families and communities have an important role to play in identifying risks early and creating an environment where children can speak openly about abuse and seek help.
Magoti also urged communities to challenge traditions and attitudes that prevent children, particularly girls, from accessing education.
She argued that harmful social practices can limit young people’s opportunities and leave them more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
“Efforts to tackle violence must start within families and communities. Harmful traditions and attitudes that prevent children, especially girls, from receiving an education need to be rejected,” she said.
The district official further emphasised that sustained awareness campaigns would be necessary to ensure that knowledge gained through the programme translates into lasting behavioural change.
With continued collaboration between community leaders, schools, parents, government authorities and organisations such as Amani Girls, the district hopes to strengthen child protection mechanisms and give young people greater confidence to speak out against violence.
The programme’s organisers believe that educating youths about their rights, health and available support systems can play a vital role in building safer communities and reducing violence against children across Kwimba District.
