A Strong Start to the Year
Adolescent girls at Kizimkazi Primary School excited to learn about their bodies and holistic wellbeing in January 2025.
Our team at WAJAMAMA has been very busy this first month of 2025 leading workshops, participating in meaningful and change-making conversations, and working to strengthen our organization’s strategy and foundation. We are excited to share some of our achievements from the year thus far!
Group Care Model (GCM) in Full Swing!
In January, our team conducted 24 Group Care sessions for 179 women across five villages in the southern district of Unguja Island. During these sessions, the mothers not only received high-quality prenatal care and facilitated learning but also benefitted from mental health support. Through our recently integrated mental health program, the women we serve now have the opportunity to learn about the emotions they may experience during and after pregnancy, healthy strategies to manage distress and regulate emotions, and effective communication practices with their partners or families.
Another significant highlight for WAJAMAMA was our participation in the Ministry of Health's annual review meeting for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+NUT). During this three-day meeting, our team engaged with key stakeholders in the public health sector and contributed to discussions regarding upcoming strategic plans. We also had the chance to present the successes of our Group Care Model (GCM) and explore how it could potentially alleviate many of the challenges faced by healthcare providers, mothers, and their babies, thereby ensuring better maternal and child health outcomes. It was extremely encouraging to receive positive feedback from public health leaders in Zanzibar regarding WAJAMAMA’s contributions to improving RMNCAH+NUT outcomes in the archipelago, as well as the impending expansion of our GCM.
CEO Nafisa Jiddawi presenting WAJAMAMA’s GCM to key stakeholders from the Ministry of Health and Development Partners at Zanzibar’s RMNCAH+NUT annual review meeting in January 2025.
Well-Girl Workshops in Kizimkazi
A key step in the fight against gender inequality is ensuring that no girl is left behind simply because they menstruate. Through our Well-Girl program, our Reproductive Health and Accessibility team successfully reached over 120 girls at Kizimkazi Primary and Secondary School in January. Each one of these girls was equipped with knowledge and tools to manage their menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) and enhance their mental health, nutrition, and holistic wellbeing. Read more about one of the workshops here.
Girls at Kizimkazi Primary School raise their hands to contribute to the Well-Girl session discussing MHH, mental health, and nutrition.
Supporting the Development of Mental Health Animation Content with the Tai School of Creatives
Digital tools play a vital role in the way that people understand and learn about issues around the world. Tanzanian organization, Tai, is well-known for its captivating animation series that relays important social messaging about issues such as disabilities, climate change, and gender equality. Our team attended Day 1 of the TanzAnimation training with the Tai School of Creatives to aid in the development of mental health animation content. Learn more about the session here.
WAJAMAMA’s Mental Health and Safeguarding Officer provides key inputs about mental health awareness at the Tai School of Creatives.
Team Retreat at Kendwa Rocks
To kick off the new year, our teams from the NGO and the Clinic attended an overnight retreat at Kendwa Rocks Resort. In addition to undergoing a session with Lumen Insights to learn more about how to cohesively work as a team with differing personalities and workstyles, this was an opportunity for our full team to bond and discuss our mission moving forward.
Spread the Word
Period poverty plagues the lives of millions of girls and women globally, particularly in developing countries, where a lack of access to menstrual products, inadequate education, and stigmatization perpetuate gender inequality.
To commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025, for every email subscription we receive, we are pledging to donate one reusable menstrual kit to up to 750 women and girls in Zanzibar. We kindly request that you encourage your friends, family, colleagues, and community members to subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter below so we can achieve our goal of tackling period poverty in Zanzibar!
Our 2024 Annual Progress Report
To learn more about what we accomplished in 2024, as well as our goals for 2025 as we prepare to scale our GCM, read our Annual Report here!
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Thank you for being part of the WAJAMAMA community. Together, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of women, children, and adolescents.
