Jackie’s Journey to Agency and Inspiring Young Mothers to Dream Again

This is the story of a young mother who dedicated her life to helping other young mothers in Tanzania.

Jackie’s personal story and that of our partner Young Strong Mothers Foundation (YSMF) are inseparable. She tells us that YSMF was founded in Tanzania to inspire young mothers to dream again and pursue their education. As a young mother who had to learn how to fend for herself and her baby at only 15 years old, Jackie understands the stigma that comes with teenage pregnancy and the finality it creates in the lives of these young girls. At age 15, Jackie felt like she had her whole life ahead of her; she dreamed of going to a good secondary school in town, and then later to university. Jackie wanted to make friends, learn good English, and learn to be confident. Her story of resilience and her journey to building a sense of agency is how all of YSMF came to life.

Jackie’s parents died when she was young and she was forced to live with her single grandfather in a village in rural Tanzania. At age 15, when she completed her primary studies, Jackie says she was the only girl in her village who had done well and could go to secondary school. Her grandfather couldn’t afford to pay for her school fees and his attempts at seeking support from the local government offices and renowned businessmen were unsuccessful.

Jackie had two options at her age: transition to secondary school with the help of her grandfather, which had already proven impossible, or get married and hope that her husband would pay for an education. In her village, September and October are considered pairing months for marriages. If a girl isn’t married at 15, during the next pairing season, she has a lower chance of being chosen by a suitor as she is considered too old for marriage.

Jackie had missed her window of marriage while seeking funds for school. For her, staying at home was not an option. With her grandfather’s old age, staying at home would mean that Jackie would need to take the role of the breadwinner. She would need to take up manual labor, find work on a farm, or earn a job as a food vendor at the village market. Without a high school or college certificate, Jackie would be confined to this type of work, living payment to payment for the rest of her life. So, seven months later, when Jackie met with a man who claimed to have known her late parents and promised to take her to school in exchange for sex, she felt like this was the chance she had been waiting for to continue her education. At this time, Jackie was almost 16, and without a female figure to guide her, she was oblivious to the idea of sex and had little knowledge of sexual reproductive health.

Jackie never saw the man again. 

He had preyed on her innocence and disappeared with her chance at education. A few months later, Jackie was forced to leave the only home and family she knew to be homeless. The village council had passed a vote on her exclusion and Jackie’s grandfather had no choice but to send her away. 

When Jackie had her baby, Rose, she felt a renewed sense of purpose. While looking for ways to support herself and feed her baby, Jackie started working as a maid for a good family in Uganda. This is where she found the first mentor who shaped her future. She admired the lady of the house, Marion, and her composure, her mastery of English, and her strong family. When Jackie shared her dream of an education, Marion was generous and supported Jackie’s return to school.

At 21, Jackie finally got her chance while juggling her studies and her ongoing work as a maid to be able to support her baby, Rose. She remembers how difficult it was, catching up with schoolwork and facing the stigma that came with being the oldest girl and already a mother amongst her classmates. While she was contemplating dropping out, Jackie met the second person who shaped her future. This was the Director of the School, Mr. Kalibala, who saw her struggle and called on the entire school to change their attitude toward young mothers and asked them to donate school materials and uniforms to enable Jackie to continue her studies. From the donation, Jackie was able to stay in school and soon began to perform well. Her academic improvements guaranteed her bursary, which would mean financial support from the local government through the remainder of  high school.

With her high school certificate, Jackie went back to Tanzania where she got a job as a front office administrator. However, the money she earned in this work wasn’t enough to finance her university studies. Instead, Jackie made the decision to invest in her daughter’s education. While working, Jackie would meet young mothers in the streets, and she would use her story to encourage them and advise them. Jackie would then reach out to friends to help support the girls to return to school. Seeing the impact that she had on these girls, Jackie found her voice and passion for young mothers. She began volunteering in community-based organizations and in 2015, with encouragement from her friends and her then 13-year-old daughter Rose, Jackie founded and registered Young Strong Mothers Foundation (YSMF) to support the girls of Morogoro, Tanzania.

Jackie Interviewing YSMF beneficiaries at Tchezema Secondary School

Thanks to Jackie’s leadership, Young Strong Mothers Foundation now supports girls and young mothers through mentorship and psychosocial support to develop their agency and return to school. YSMF supports vulnerable adolescent girls between the ages of 8 and 18 and young mothers from ages 14 to 24. By also targeting adolescent girls, YSMF aims to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies and empower young girls to make the right decisions about their bodies and lives. YSMF also provides Early Childhood Development and psychosocial support for young mothers to enable them to care for their children and build a safe environment for themselves and their families.

One of the key programs focused on young mothers at YSMF is the 6-month vocational training program that eventually enables them to transition into the job market and earn practical income as chefs, construction workers, or tailors. Currently, YSMF has the capacity to take in 50 young mothers per cohort to join their vocational training program. Jackie says she hopes to increase this number to serve thousands of young mothers and girls each year. Through these programs, Jackie equips young mothers and girls with the resources and tools she wishes she had access to as a young girl and a young mother; to enable them to chart the course of their lives and thrive.

Starting with 15 girls in 2015, YSMF has grown to impact over 800 girls in the last year. Of these girls, over 250 are adolescent girls who received holistic educational support and almost 600 are young mothers who have been supported to go through vocational training, business, and entrepreneurship programs. YSMF now uses Jackie’s story to inform its curriculum that supports young mothers and all girls to rebuild their dreams. 

We are proud to include YSMF in our network of AMPLIFY Girls partners and celebrate Jackie’s transcendent perseverance. To learn more about Jackie’s most recent work, visit the Young Strong Mothers Foundation Facebook page and follow along.