Communications | Parents Engagement Meetings | Binti Shupavu Program | 10th December 2024
Imagine a school where parents, teachers, and students work together to foster academic progress, personal development, and the protection of every child, especially the girl child. A school where communication flows freely, and the success of each girl is a shared priority. A community where every parent fulfills their responsibility to support their daughters in staying in school and thriving. Sounds like a dream? We’re working on that too.
GLAMI conducts parents’ engagement meetings annually in our partner schools as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting girls’ education and achieving a vision of a community that prioritizes girls’ education. This year, we successfully held parents’ engagement meetings at all nine of our partner schools in Morogoro.
Our Social Work department began by preparing for these meetings, gathering input from the team to identify challenges when working with Binti parents and Binti Scholars that needed addressing during the Parents Engagement Meetings. They focused on what should be facilitated during the meetings, selecting key topics for discussion based on needs arising from follow-ups with Binti scholars through their parents and how Binti parents respond to shared issues. The Social Work department then prepared and shared a concept note with the team for execution. Mentors play a crucial role in these meetings, as they are responsible for calling and inviting all Binti parents and following up to ensure their attendance, while also providing necessary updates for the meetings.
GLAMI facilitated parents’ engagement meetings in nine partner schools, reaching 719 Binti Shupavu parents across the Morogoro region. These sessions raised awareness about child rights, youth sexual and reproductive health, and effective parenting, as proposed by the team. These meetings also served as a platform to introduce GLAMI and the Binti Shupavu Program to parents who were new to the program. Our team ensured the goals and objectives of the meetings were met. Each participating team member had specific responsibilities, such as introducing GLAMI and its programs to parents, sharing program achievements, addressing challenges, registering parents’ attendance, taking minutes, or serving as the Master of Ceremony to lead the meetings.
Binti Parents at Parent Engagement Meetings
District Social Workers also participated in these meetings, facilitating sessions on raising awareness about child rights, sexual and reproductive health, and effective parenting. School administrators and ward government leaders collaborated with GLAMI, not only participating in the meetings but also ensuring their success by creating a cooperative environment that supports girls’ education and fosters sustainable development opportunities for our beneficiaries.
District Social Workers facilitating sessions on child rights, sexual and reproductive health, and parenting during Parents Engagement Meetings
From these meetings, we observed a significant shift in parents’ understanding and attitudes toward prioritizing and supporting girls’ education. The active participation of parents in discussions, asking and answering questions, demonstrated the importance of these meetings for Binti parents. One parent shared, “I am grateful for the discussions during the meeting on how parents can participate in their children’s education and upbringing. Our children are going through behavioral changes in their adolescent stage that can lead to moral decay if not properly handled by parents. I’ve learned that I must understand my child’s stage of adolescence, and if I don’t play my part, she won’t achieve her goals. I’m happy my daughter learns so much from GLAMI mentors as role models.”
Binti parents also had the chance to share how their daughters have positively transformed since joining the Binti Program. One parent shared that after her daughter learned to make reusable sanitary pads during a Binti session, she taught her mother and sister, empowering her family while raising awareness about menstrual health. The parent expressed gratitude, saying, “Through obtaining this valuable skill, I can now make my own sanitary pads, which has reduced the financial burden on my family.”
Another Binti parent expressed gratitude for the GLAMI Emergency Fund, a support system for Binti Scholars during their time in school. This assistance includes items such as sanitary towels, scholastic materials, school lunch, and hostel fees, provided as emergency support to ensure Binti Scholars continue their education. She shared how this fund relieved her family’s financial burden, especially this year, when floods devastated their family farm and destroyed crops. Despite these hardships, the fund allowed her daughter to stay in school, providing much-needed stability during a challenging time.
Binti Shupavu parents sharing feedback on the impact of the Binti Program on their families, particularly their daughters
Through these meetings, government leaders, GLAMI, and parents worked together to develop strategies to address various challenges faced by girls in their communities, ensuring a unified approach to creating a safe and supportive environment for every girl child. During one of these meetings, a Ward Councillor emphasized, “The primary responsibility for a child’s upbringing starts with the parent or guardian, with teachers and the community following afterward.” He highlighted the importance of focusing on proper and positive upbringing to raise strong girls who will contribute to societal change.
Another Ward Executive Officer, Raymond Alfred Mwakilema, added, “There is no politics in raising a child. If a child makes a mistake, the parent must accept it and help transform that behavior, not defend it.” He emphasized the role of parents in ensuring proper upbringing and urged them to address harmful cultural practices that prevent girls from staying in school.
In return, parents experienced a greater sense of empowerment, belonging, and ownership through these engagement meetings. One parent from Ngerengere Secondary School shared, “Thank you for your hard work in supporting my daughter’s development. You give attention to each child and ensure that every child in your program receives the support they need.” This feedback underscores the positive impact of these meetings on both parents and their children.
As GLAMI continues to expand its reach and impact, it remains committed to strengthening the partnership between parents, schools, and the broader community, ensuring that girls in Tanzania are given every opportunity to succeed. By equipping parents with the knowledge and skills they need, GLAMI is helping create an environment where girls not only attend school but are also empowered to excel. Through their families’ support, these girls can break down barriers and reach their full potential.
Deborah Ijiko, GLAMI Program Social Worker and Agness Akyoo, GLAMI Outreach Social Worker