Investigating the Causes and Effects of Teenage Pregnancies in Arusha, Tanzania (Lyanna Foundation)
About the project
Teenage pregnancies are a significant problem in Tanzania, with nearly one in four girls becoming pregnant or giving birth to their first child by the age of 18. This has a significant impact on the lives of these young girls, as they are often forced to drop out of school and face limited economic opportunities. The situation is particularly dire in Arusha, where teenage pregnancy rates are among the highest in the country.
In many communities, there are taboos around discussing sexual and reproductive health with the youth and children, which creates an opening for children, both boys and girls, to seek information from social media and the internet. This can lead to exposing them to pornography, exploitation, online bullying and other harmful content.
Factors such as poverty, gender inequality, social norms, low levels of education, and the lack of comprehensive reproductive health education all contribute to the problem. A comprehensive approach that addresses these underlying issues is needed to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancies and improve the lives of young girls in Tanzania.
Iyanna Foundation aims to address this problem by providing safety and economic opportunities to out-of-school girls in the community, promoting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects to young girls in the local community, and raising awareness on attitudes towards sex and health education among teenagers and youths. However, more needs to be done to address the root causes of teenage pregnancies in Arusha, Tanzania.
Topics for the thesis
Iyanna Foundation is seeking master students who can study and address the problem of the underlying cause of teenage pregnancies. The study can focus on the individuals and /or institutions (with an interest in addressing the pregnancies) or structural challenges, such as poverty, gender inequality, social norms, low levels of education, lack of comprehensive reproductive health education any other factor that contributed to the problem of teenage pregnancies. The study can also explore the impact of taboos around discussing sexual and reproductive health with children and the role of the internet in shaping attitudes towards sex and reproductive health.
The study findings will help the Iyanna Foundation and other stakeholders in the local community be informed and develop targeted interventions and programs to address the problem. The study will be shared with local organizations and community members. Further, The Iyanna Foundation will use the insights to develop targeted interventions and programs to address the problem. At the same time, other organizations can also use the information to create their initiatives.
Relevant for
Students from International Social Welfare, Social Work, Child Welfare, Family Therapy.
Max number of students: 3
About us
Iyanna Foundation is a non-governmental organization established in Tanzania; the organization aims to address the challenges faced by girls and women in our community in Arusha and the regions surrounding us. Our Aim as an organization is to provide safety and economic opportunities to out-of-school girls in the community, promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM Subjects) to young girls within the schools in the community, and raise awareness on attitudes towards sex and health education among teenagers and youths.
Another primary goal of the Foundation – since its inception, has been working with local secondary and primary schools in Arusha and Moshi by giving life skills education to both boys and girls with a focus on leadership, self-awareness, reproductive health, and promoting STEM subjects, especially to underprivileged girls. The organization uses the game of chess as a tool to reach out to the youth, promoting the benefits of chess but at the same time not making chess an end but a means to achieve our objectives.
Website of the organization: IYANA FOUNDATION
Contact persons
Application and questions can be sent to:
- Prisca Lema, Director of Iyanna Foundation prisca.lema@iyannafoundation.org
- Elly Omondi Project Manager Iyanna Foundation omoelly@hotmail.com
- Blanka Støren-Vaczy PhD. Associat professior OsloMet, blanst@oslome.no