Monduli, Tanzania A group of 12 young researchers between 10 and 14 years old critically engaged with the themes of gender challenges and solutions in our community over 6 days at Cheche Community Library in Monduli, Tanzania.
Challenge
Child Marriage
[Kiswahili] Baadhi ya wasichana wanalazimishwa kuolewa katika umri mdogo na kuacha kwenda shule. Changamoto hii inatokana na umasikini wa wazazi wao ambao unawafanya watake kupokea mahari. Kuolewa katika umri mdogo inachangia kwenye ukosefu wa elimu kwa watoto wa kike na kuendelea kuongeza umasikini katika jamii. Kwa mfano, inasababisha watoto wa kike kushindwa kujitambua, kutokutambua haki zao, na kutokujua jinsi ya kujisaidia katika jamii.
Solution
Hatuna budi kuitisha mikutano ya kuwaelimisha watu kuhusu umuhimu wa watoto wa kike kwenda shuleni na kutokuozeshwa mapema. We need to have community gatherings to educate people on the importance of girls staying in school and not getting married at an early age.
Some girls are forced to get married at a young age and to drop out of school. This challenge is caused by their parents’ poverty that makes them need their daughter’s bride wealth. Child marriage contributes to low education levels for girls and increases poverty in the community. For example, it causes girls to lack self-understanding, not understand their rights, and struggle to thrive in the community.
Gender Discrimination
Challenge
Solution
Baadhi ya wazazi wanawabagua watoto wa kike. Watoto wa kike wanafanyishwa kazi ngumu wakati watoto wa kiume wanasoma au kucheza. Watoto wa kike wanaachishwa shule ili kufanyishwa kazi nzito kuliko umri wao. Some parents discriminate against girl children. Girls are made to do hard work while boys go to school or are playing. Some girls are forced to drop out of school to work too hard for their age.
Tunahitaji kuelimisha jamii kuhusu umuhimu wa watoto wa kike kwenda shuleni. Kama mtoto anateswa nyumbani au kunyimwa haki yake ya elimu, majirani au ndugu wanaweza kumsaidia kwa kwenda naye polisi kuripoti. We need to educate the community about the importance of girls going to school. If a child is being abused at home or being denied the right to education, neighbours or relatives can help them by reporting it to the police.
Marijuana
Challenge
Solution
Watoto wa kiume wanakutana na changamoto ya kushawishiwa kuvuta bangi, kunywa pombe, kuiba, na kujiunga na makundi mabaya. Mwisho wa siku, unakuta hawa watoto wameacha shule, kutokana na ushawishi wa mitaani. Wakati mwingine, hata wasichana hukumbwa na changamoto hii ya uvutaji bangi na unywaji pombe, lakini si sana kama wavulana. Boys encounter the challenge of being influenced to smoke marijuana, drink alcohol, steal, and join bad groups. At the end of the day, you find that these boys drop out of school, because of negative peer pressure. Girls can also struggle with pressure to smoke marijuana and drink alcohol, but less so.
Tunaweza kuelimisha jamii kuhusu madhara ya uvutaji bangi kwa kupitia mitandao ya kijamii, mabango, na magazeti. We can educate the community about the negative effects of smoking marijuana through social media, sign boards, and newspapers.
Rape
Challenge
Solution
Wanawake na wasichana wanabakwa katika jamii yetu. Sometimes women and girls are raped in our community.
Polisi inahitaji kuongeza bidii kukamata na kuwafunga wabakaji. Mtu akibakwa anatakiwa kusema ili mhusika ashitakiwe na kukamatwa na polisi. The police needs to do more to ensure they arrest and detain rapists. It is important for someone to say if they have been raped so that the rapist can be reported and arrested by police.
Female Circumcision
Challenge Ukeketaji ni changamoto katika jamii yetu. Mtu akikeketwa, kuna uwezekano wa damu nyingi kumtoka na kusababisha kifo. Female circumcision is a challenge in our community. When a girl is circumcised, she can lose a lot of blood which can even lead to her death.
Solution Tunahitaji kuelimisha jamii kuhusu madhara ya ukeketaji, kwa mfano kwa kupitia makongamano ya kidini. We need to educate our community about the negative consequences of female circumcision, for example through religious gatherings.