DREAMS Focus Group Report FINAL DRAFT

PEPFARTanzaniaDREAMSInitiative
ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN TANZANIA- VIEWS AND NEEDS
SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS FOR THE TANZANIAN PEPFAR DREAMS INITIATVE
30 March 2015
Location of data collection: Mbeya, Shinyanga, and Dar es Salaam Regions of Tanzania
Research completed by: US Peace Corps Volunteers Bekah Munnikhuysen, Bethany Behrens, Fletcher
Davis, Lucy Kohler, Nida Hasan, and Samuel Owens
Analysis and Report by: Emily Hoppes, US Peace Corps
Fieldwork conducted: February and March 2015
____________________________________________________________________________________
BACKGROUND
Adolescent girls and young women in Tanzania struggle with a wide range of problems. At age 10,
91.6% of girls in Tanzania are attending school, but by age 15, this drops to 56.3%.1 Nationally
adolescent girls have a 3 in 4 chance of experiencing physical violence and a 1 in 3 chance of
experiencing sexual violence. Young married women have a 50% chance of experiencing violence from
their husbands.2 By age 15, 5.4% of Tanzanian girls are pregnant and by age 18, 39.5% are pregnant.3
All of this leads to the fact that in Tanzania adolescent girls are almost 3 times more likely to be HIV-
positive than boys of the same age.4These problems are age-related, environmental, economic,
educational, and cultural; and they can be very complex and difficult to understand. One of the best
ways to understand these problems is by talking to the girls that experience them directly, which is
why the committee in charge of the DREAMS initiative in Tanzania decided to conduct a set of informal
discussion groups with adolescent girls.
DREAMS is a PEPFAR funded initiative that began in December of 2014 and aims at giving adolescent
girls and young women the tools they need to be Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free,
Mentored, and Safe. The Tanzania DREAMS team has been tasked with the job of designing a core
package of programs that are targeted, effective, and reflect what girls in Tanzania actually need. This
discussion group study and report was created to inform the decisions and design of the DREAMS TZ
project proposal.
METHODS
1
An adolescent/youthsecondary data analysis/triangulationfrom three national datasets:
• Tanzania 2010Demographic andHealth Survey (DHS)
• 2011-2012Tanzania Malaria andHIV/AIDS Indicator Survey(THMIS); and
• Violenceagainst Childrenin Tanzania: Findings froma NationalSurvey,2009(VAC Study)
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.

A short and informal study was conducted by Peace Corps Volunteers in the field with guidance from
several DREAMS TZ committee members. Each volunteer was instructed to work with a trusted female
community counterpart, and together lead a discussion (or discussions) with small groups of
adolescent girls in their communities. In the end, data from eight different discussion groups were
included in analysis. All of the discussions were conducted with girls who are currently enrolled in
school. Their ages ranged from 13 to 19 years, and each group had between 5 to 20 participants. The
discussion groups were carried out in regions of particular interest to the DREAMS committee- one
group in Dar es Salaam, three in Shinyanga, and four groups in the Mbeya region. The specific
characteristics of these groups are summarized in the following table:
Group ID
Number Region District
Age range of
Participants
Number of
Participants
In School or
Out of School?
1 Shinyanga Kishapu 14-17, Form 1 5 In School
2 Shinyanga Kishapu 14-17, Form 2 6 In School
3 Mbeya Kyela 17-18, Form 4 5 In School
4 Mbeya Kyela 15, Form 2 7 In School
5 Dar es Salaam Temeke 13-16 (Class 5
to Form2)
6 In School
6 Mbeya Rungwe 16-17 (Form 3) 18 In School
7 Shinyanaga Shinyanga 17-19 (Form 3
and Form 4)
8 In School
8 Mbeya Rungwe 14-18 (Forms
1,2,3, and 4)
20 In School
Table 1: Summary of basic discussion group information
Before conducting these discussion groups, each participating volunteer and their community
counterpart were given detailed instructions and a set of discussion questions in both English and
Swahili (see the Appendix for these documents). Every group discussion was carried out in Swahili in
order to make the participants feel more comfortable and confident. Following the discussions,
volunteers submitted an information sheet and at least one page of notes for each of their discussion
groups. Some of these notes were translated into English by volunteers and counterparts themselves,
while others were submitted in Swahili and translated by a DREAMS committee member.
The discussion questions covered several major themes, including:
 School: What girls think about it, how long they stay in school, and what causes them to leave
 Boyfriends/sex partners: Why girls have boyfriends, the benefits and harms of having one,
where they meet these boys, what boyfriends are called in Tanzania, who girls talk to about
their boyfriends, and views about girls with older partners or more than one partner

 Sex: Where, when and how often girls have sex, how many partners per week/month, and
condom use and
 Marriage and children: Why and at what age girls get married and why and at what age girls
begin to have children
 Clinical care: How comfortable girls are visiting local clinics and the kind of care they receive at
local clinics
 Dreams and the future: Where girls feel safe and how to make communities feel more safe,
girls dreams and goals for the future and what they need to do to achieve these, and programs
that can help girls stay in school and reach their dreams
In order to begin analysis of the discussion group data, a snap-shot analysis of the discussion answers
was carried out by two members of the DREAMS committee. As these answers were analyzed,
clarifications and interpretations were made. Major themes were then pulled out and programmatic
recommendations were made based on these themes.
RESULTS
The following is a summary of the snap-shot analysis done for each of the discussion questions and
their answers from all eight group discussions.
School
Expected/preferred education level for boys and girls
Almost every group said that both girls and boys should go to school through Form 6, university, or
college. There were, however, a few outlying answers. One group said that for girls, it should be based
on personal choice. If they want to finish after standard 7, that’s fine, but if they want to go to
University, that’s fine too. Another group said boys should only go to school until Form 4. Their
reasoning for this answer was because boys already have enough opportunities and they don’t need
any more.
Actual level of education for boys and girls
For girls, there was a variety of answers to this question but many groups said that girls in their
community attend school until Form 4 or standard 7. (Note: In Tanzania, the final grade in primary
school in Standard 7, while the final grade in ordinary level secondary school is Form 4). A few groups
said that girls leave after Form 2. This answer is probably related to the fact that in Tanzania students
must pass a national examination after From 2 in order to move on. In general, the groups said that
most girls in their community stop going to school during primary or secondary school, and most do
not go on to Advanced level.

For boys, the answers were much different. Most groups said that boys in their communities go on to
finish Form 4 (Ordinary level) and Form 6 (Advanced level), and many groups also said that boys go to
university, college, or higher education.
There is an obvious difference between how far girls get in their education versus how far boys get in
these communities. Very few groups said that the girls in their communities go on to university or even
Advanced level, while it was fairly common for boys. There is also a discrepancy between how far girls
think they should go in school and how far they do go. They all believe girls should study at college or
university, but this rarely seems to happen.
What girls like about school
During most groups discussions this question was over looked or purposefully not answered. The only
group that did answer the questions said that they liked school because it gave them “empowerment
and liberation”.
What girls do not like about school
The most common reason girls don’t like school is corporal punishment, which is most commonly
called “chapa” in Swahili. Every single group mentioned this problem, and it was often the first to be
discussed. Other reasons they don’t like school include school fees, failing their classes, the
environment at the school, including poor buildings with no electricity and water, lack of basic
resources like school supplies and menstrual pads, problems with other students such as bullying or
stealing, and difficulties with school leadership and teachers, including the issue of teachers having
love affairs with students. The volunteer from discussion group 7 in Shinyanga noted that the issue of
teachers being sexually involved with students was the most surprising thing to come out of her group
discussion. She was not surprised so much by the fact that it was happening, but more so by the fact
that school leadership knew it was happening, knew which teachers were involved, and seemto have
no intention of dealing with the problem.
Reasons girls leave school
The data from these discussion groups gave a long and comprehensive list of the reasons girls leave
school. Girls leave school because of pregnancy, sickness, and menstruation. They may leave because
they fail their classes. They leave school for financial reason, because of poverty and an inability to pay
school fees. Many girls leave school because of the views of their parents. Girls said that a lot of
parents in their communities do not see the importance of keeping their girls in school. Some believe
their girls should be homemakers, and many want their girls to leave school early, get married, and
receive a bride price. This helps families who are struggling financially. Parents also expect their girls to
do more work at home like cooking and chores and so there is less time to study so they do worse in
school. Some girls also leave school because of peer pressure; all of their friends are dropping out and
getting boyfriends. Finally, some girls leave because their school is too far away, it can be dangerous to
walk there, and there are no good, safe transport options.

Some groups said that on occasion girls in their communities really do want to leave school. However,
a vast majority said that girls do not want to leave school, but that they have no choice in the matter or
are not encouraged to do so.
Suggestions and interest in in-school programs
Some of the suggestions they did come up were programs that provide advice, counseling, and
tutoring; Femina Hip (health reading and discussion clubs), life skills, health education, sports clubs,
arts and agriculture education; giving girls positions and responsibilities- leadership; educating society
about bad traditional practices; and building dormitories and improving the housing at schools.
All of the girls said that they would be interested in these types of programs, and that they could help
girls in many different ways. These programs would give them good role models. They would help girls
pass exams and stay in school. They would help girls stay away from negative pressures and achieve
their goals, and they would increase girls’ safety and help girls protect themselves.
Boyfriends and Sex Partners
Reasons to take boyfriends (or sex partners)
Acquisition of money and gifts was by far the most common reason girls gave for having a boyfriend or
sex partner. Some of the gifts mentioned were very small things like chips, soda, mandaazi (donuts),
and soap. They also said that girls decide to take partners because they lack education, or because they
cannot resist temptation. Parental pressure was a common theme again here. They said girls’ parents
pressure them to take boyfriends or partners so they can be financially supported by a man instead of
their parents, or in order get a bride price for the family. The final reason girls have boyfriends is peer
pressure- all of their friends have boyfriends so they need one too, or they may see on TV that all of
the girls their age have boyfriends.
Local terms for boyfriends and sex partners
The full list of names provided is: Sweetie, baby, mtoto (baby), my chocolate, darling, honey, wangu
(mine), boyfriend, mchumba (fiancé), mtu wangu (my person) rafiki yangu (my friend), rafiki (friend), ,
bwana (sir), mjomba (uncle), kaka (brother), ndogo (small one or younger brother), ujizo, kidumu,
hawala, mchepuko (deviation), pedeshee, sugar daddy, Serengeti, buzi (pimp), ATM, baba cha njaa
(hunger daddy)
A closer look at this list reveals a few interesting things. First of all many of these names reflect the fact
that many girls take a boyfriend for financial reasons, i.e.: ATM, sugar daddy, and “buzi”, which means
pimp. Second, many more of the names reflect the secretive nature of their relationships, i.e.: “rafiki
yangu”, my friend, or “Kaka” or “ndogo”, brother.
Places girls meet their boyfriends/partners for the first time
The most common places girls meet their boyfriends for the first time are school, during travel (on the
way home from school, streets, on the road), and at discos and bars. They also said they meet boys at

church, guesthouses, through their friends, cinema huts, parties and on holiday, tuition/ tutoring
centers, and the market.
Good things and bad things about having a boyfriend or sex partner
Every group said that money was a good reason to have a boyfriend, continuing the theme set out in
the earlier questions. The other good things about having a boyfriend were gifts, comfort, emotional
support, “ it feels nice” (attention), respect, exchange of ideas, to study together, and to decrease
hormones and sex drive.
Almost every group mentioned that unwanted pregnancy and disease (HIV and STIs) were the bad
things associated with having a boyfriend. Another common answer was parent disapproval. Other
groups said that boys are a distraction causing poor performance in school, or causing them to drop
school altogether. Several others said that having a boyfriend can keep you from achieving your goals
and dreams.
Who girls say about their boyfriends
Girls said that they only tell friends, peers, and sisters about their boyfriends, and they only tell the
ones that they can really trust. They are very secretive and cautious about whom they tell. They are
afraid that their friends will tell their parents or other people about their relationships. They would
never want their parents or teachers to find out.
How girls feel discussing their boyfriends
Generally girls said that they do not feel free to discuss their boyfriends. Girls feel that they need to be
careful who they talk to and where they talk about it, in case the wrong person hears and shares their
secret. They only discuss it with their friends and even then, they are very cautious.
Girls feel like they need to be cautious and secretive when discussing this topic because they don’t
want their parents and teachers to find out. They say that their parents and teachers would not
approve, they would get punished, and some of them would even be told to leave home. One group
also expressed the fear that if two or more girls are sleeping with the same boy, or if a girl is with
someone else’s boyfriend, telling too many people would reveal their secret.
Opinions about girls with older boyfriends
All of the girls viewed this kind of relationship badly and said that it should stop as soon as possible.
They say this kind of man will ruin a girl’s life. According to the discussions, they assume these girls are
prostitutes, cheaters, lustful, and getting money or for what they are doing. One group said this kind of
girls is stupid because she might be cheating with someone else’s husband.
When discussed further one group of girls say that this kind of relationship could be beneficial in a
way, because the girl is probably receiving a lot of money and gifts.
Opinions about girls with more than one boyfriend

Girls who have more than one boyfriend are also viewed badly by most other girls. They are seen as
making bad decisions, immoral, prostitutes, and even “insane”. Several discussion groups mentioned
that these girls are increasing their risk for HIV and they are helping to spread disease.
Importance of having a boyfriend
Most of the girls said it was not important for young women to have a boyfriend because they need to
stay in school and/or focus on their work. Some also said they were too young for boyfriends.
However, one group said that if you are not a student then a fiancé/boyfriend is “a must”.
Age of boyfriends
One group of girls said that an equal age between a girl and boy is best, but a large majority said the
man should always be older, three or four years older in particular. One group said that the reason for
this was to “have respect in the relationship”.
Sex
Where adolescent girls go to have sex
Most often girls said they go to a guesthouse, the bush or woods, or to someone’s house (either the
man if he lives alone or their own while their parents are gone). Girls also said they go to school
bathrooms, the “ghetto”, friend’s rooms, houses under construction, and anywhere far away. The
places certainly reflect the secretive nature of their relationships.
Where they go, how many times they go, and how many partners they have
Most girls said that they go to have sex at night, and a smaller number said in the afternoon. Many said
that they go mainly on the weekends because this is when they have free time. Several said that they
go in the afternoon so that their parents don’t know; their parents are busy at this time or expect them
to be at school at this time, so they won’t suspect anything.
When asked how often they have sex, girls gave a variety of answers, but most commonly they said
two times a week. This is because they do it on the weekend. Other groups said one time a week, three
times a week, or 3-5 times a week. One group made a distinction saying that for in school girls it is
twice a week (on the weekends), but for out of school girls it is more often; “sometimes everyday”.
When asked how many partners they have, again, there was a variety of answers because they said it
really depends on the girl. The answer ranged from four partners a month, 4-6 partners a month, up to
10 partners a month. One group said that for girls in Form 1 and 2 it is common to have only one
partner a month, but for girls in Form 3 and 4 it’s common to have three partners a month. This
suggests that for older girls it is more common to have a larger number of partners. Also, one group
said it was common to have one boyfriend at home and one at school. The answers to this question
suggest that having multiple partners is fairly common among adolescent girl. Only two discussion
groups mentioned that girls might have only one partner.

Ways to encourage girls to wait longer to start having sex
Most groups said that some kind of advice, counseling, and/or education would help girls to wait
longer to have sex. They mentioned programs that give parent advice and support, give girls people to
talk to, education about prevention methods, gender and sex education, learning from other girl’s
mistakes, and opportunities to reflect on their personal goals. One group said girls being able to stand
up for themselves would help. Another interesting answer was that “society needs to love their female
children more (have different expectations for them)”. One group also said that simply helping to meet
girls’ basic needs would help.
Condom use
Every group said that girls their age do not use condoms. Reasons they use do or do not use condoms
and where they go to buy condoms
Most groups said that girls do not use condoms because their partners or boyfriends do not want to
use them. Their partners say that they will feel less pleasure with condoms. Many girls also said that
they are too embarrassed to buy condoms at local stores. Some other reasons the girls mentioned:
they may have no education about condom use, they do not have easy access to condoms, religious
beliefs won’t allow condom use, the cost of condoms is too high, sex is spontaneous so there is no
time, or they may get paid more money by their partner if they do not use a condom. Every group said
that girls might decide to use condoms to prevent pregnancy and disease (like AIDS and STIs).
Girls most commonly buy condoms at the store, but they may also get them from the clinic,
government hospitals, from friends, at projects and seminars, or the man brings them.
Questions about Marriage and Children
The best age to start having children
Girls think the best age to start having children is between age 18 and 27. The most common answer
was age 25; while some girls said that they should start after finishing school.
Reasons to start having children
The most common reasons adolescent girls may start to have children are financial or accidental
reasons. As far as financial reason, the groups said that girls start to have children in order to keep
their sugar daddies, because they don’t get money from their parents, but they will if they live with
their boyfriend, and because living with their boyfriend would be better than living at home. As far as
accidental reason, girls have love affairs, can’t resist temptation and desire, and have sex at a young
age, so some pregnancies are inevitable. One group said girls my start to have children because they
have low self-esteem. A few groups said that girls start to have kids because they want to or because
they planned it that way.
The best age to get married

Girls think the best age to get married is between 18 and 25. The most common answers were 20, 22,
23, and 25.
An interesting note is that within individual groups it was common that the age of marriage was higher
than the age to start having children. This could imply that it is not uncommon for women start to have
children before they are married.
Reasons to get married
There were three major reasons adolescent girls get married. The first reason is local customs and
beliefs. Parent pressures girls to get married in order to get a bride price. The second reason is
financial; the girl and her family are living in poverty, the girl’s family wants her to depend financially
on someone else and not on them, and things are bad at home so the girls wants to leave. The third
reason is peer pressure; other girls her age are getting married (and receiving bride prices) so she feels
like she needs to as well.
Clinical Care
Ease of visiting the local clinics
All of the girls said that getting health care at local clinics is not easy and that they do not feel free to
go. The clinics in the village are far and transport is difficult to find. One group said that girls usually
only visit a clinic when they are taking a child or younger sibling. Another group said that they thought
they were too young to benefit from clinical services.
Comfort-level visiting the local clinics
As stated above, girls do not feel comfortable and are often too embarrassed to visit the clinic. Many
discussion groups said that going to clinics is not worth it because they do not have medicine, supplies,
or enough staff. Other groups said that often girls are sent away with no help, and if a young pregnant
girl comes in she is severely criticized and judged by the medical staff. One group mentioned that it is
easier for an older woman or girl to get care than a younger one, especially when pregnant.
Stories about clinic visits
Many of the girls said they had stories, but they were too afraid, embarrassed, or tired to share.
However, two groups did share specific stories:
“A girl was beaten at the clinic by the nurses because she waited for a long time to go to get tested for
pregnancy. The nurse beat her because she should have come earlier.”
“I had a friend who went to local clinic when she was pregnant early and the nurses used very harsh
language with her. They just lectured her about how she was stupid and irresponsible for getting
pregnant so early, what was she thinking, etc. She did not feel like she was being helped so she left and
stayed at home (did not continue school) until the day of birth. “
Making health care easier for adolescent girls

The girls gave several suggestions for things that would make it easier to visit the clinic. The following
would help: more female doctors and nurses, better nurses, more health education and services at
school, more education and awareness about the clinics. They said that improving the quality of clinics
would also help: stocking more medicine, providing free or cheap menstrual pads for girls, and building
more housing for doctors and nurses.
Dreams and the Future
Safe spaces in the community and how to make communities safer
The most common place girls feels safe is at school. This is interesting considering all of the school
problems the girls discussed above. Many groups also said they feel safe at home or at friend’s homes.
One group said church is a safe place. Several groups mentioned the fact that larger towns are better
and safer than rural villages. Discussion group three says: “The village is not a good place to live
because water is dirty, little healthcare, no security, no transportation, and it is not safe. Town is better
because there are more social services like water, electricity, healthcare, etc.”
Most girls could not think of things that would make them feel safer in their communities. Again, this is
probably because they have not been exposed to many programs, and so have no reference point.
Only one group answered and said that strict laws and better leaders would make communities safer
for them.
Dreams for the future
These girls have big plans for the future. Most of them said they wanted to be doctors or teachers
when they grow up. Others want to be a nurse, lawyer, accountant, secretary, engineer, writer, bank
teller, soldier, police officer, and business woman; all careers that could help make the lives of future
adolescent girls better. One group just said that they want a good life and want to help people; others
said they want good schools and social services for their future children; and still others want to finish
school and make it to higher education.
How to make these dreams happen
Most girls said that studying and staying in school is the best way to make their dreams happen. Others
said that girls need courage, self confidence, and to stand up and be strong. They also said that girls
need to stay away from temptations. Finally, they said that girls need more parent and teacher
support, and better parent-child trust.
Programs that help girls reach their dreams
The girls had a lot of different ideas for programs that may help them in reaching their dreams. Many
of these were related to education. They said they need more educated teachers, teachers that
encourage their students, more science teachers, and more help with their studies. Specific
educational programs that were mentioned include Maua Mazuri (girls empowerment through the
arts), Zinduka (grassroot soccer), health clubs, and farming and agricultural education. They also said

that counseling and advice, peer groups, NGOs, parent education, and being in a larger town would
help.
DISCUSSION
Several important ideas and poignant issues emerged from synthesizing the discussion notes. These
included concepts of safe spaces, parental and societal expectations, and healthy relationships as
described below.
School as a safe space
It is not hard to see from the discussions that the problems girls have with school far outweigh the
reasons girls like school. Many of the girls could not or did not even want to discuss why they like
school. And all of the girls have problems with corporal punishment at their schools. This is a
precarious imbalance, one that is most likely contributing to the high drop-out rate among adolescent
girls.
Despite these factors, girls want to stay in school and actually view school as a “safe space”. Actually, it
was the most popular answer when girls were asked to name safe places in their community. These
two things may seem contradictory at first: Girls really dislike school and are beaten often at school,
but they want to be there and still consider it a safe space. It could be that schools aren’t exactly safe,
but they are the safest option that girls have. The dangers at home and in other places in their
community are far worse than those at school. In other discussions as well, girls implied that life at
home is not ideal. Many girls said that they would rather live with a boyfriend than at home with their
parents. A difficult home life seems to be a major and prevalent problem for adolescent girls in
Tanzania.
Parent-child relationship and parental expectations
These discussions were full of examples and comments that suggest girls do not have very good
relationships with their parents. Parents expect a lot from their girls. They expect their girls to do more
chores and contribute more to the household than boys. And many parents value these homemaking
skills more than their girls’ education. Girls may even be asked to stay home or take time away from
their studies to complete these tasks.
Some parents even value marriage more than their girls’ education. They pull their girls out of school
to marry them off and collect a bride price. But before this time, parents expect their girls to be chaste
and cautious when it comes to boys. Girls would never discuss their boyfriends with their parents and
are very careful to hide all relationships from their parents.
There is definitely a disconnect. Before marriage, parents do not want their girls to be involved with
boys at all, but when the time comes they ask their daughters to drop everything and take a husband.
If a girl is found to be in a relationship, the parents may ask her to leave and begin to depend
financially on her boyfriend; or the girl may even be kicked out of the house, at which point she will
inevitably be forced to live with her boyfriend.

It seems parents see no value in their girls being involved with boys until there is a financial benefit.
They want to control what their girls do in many aspects and there is rarely ever open and equal
communication. That being said, there is definitely room to improve the parent-girl relationship.
Societal expectations
According to the discussions, Tanzanian society has a lot of unfair expectations for their girls. First of
all, most girls said they do not want to leave school but have no choice. They are never encouraged to
stay in school. This is made clear by the notes from discussion group three: “More boys have higher
education because they are encouraged more than girls are. If a boy fails, then he is encouraged to try
again, but when a girl fails she is not given a second chance.”
Society also seems to have a lot of expectations for girls when it comes to relationships. It is very
common for girls to take boyfriends and/or sex partners, but because of traditional values, these
relationships are extremely secretive and even taboo. As group seven puts it: “Society says it’s not
allowed even though everyone is doing it.”
Once in a relationship (even though it is frowned upon or hidden), there are even more expectations
for girls. Several comments from the discussions suggest that young women should and do have less
power than men in their relationships. Many girls said that they do not use condoms when they have
sex because their partners do not want to. This suggests that the opinion of the man holds more
weight, at least in this case. One group also said that in relationships the man should always be older
than a woman to “have respect in the relationship”. This suggests that it is essential for a woman to
have respect for her man, but not necessarily the other way around. This imbalance does not seem to
be a problem for girls. Despite a lack of mutual respect, girls expressed interest in being in relationships
and even consider themselves lucky to have partners that can provide for them and buy them things.
Another interesting societal expectation was revealed when the girls discussed ages for having children
and getting married. Within individual groups it was common that the age of marriage was higher than
the age to start having children. This could imply that it is not uncommon for women start to have
children before they are married. It could even imply that women should prove that they are able to
have children before she is married off. A woman in Tanzanian society is expected to be a mother.
Many of the girls in the discussions above realize how unfair some of these expectations are for girls.
Many more are at a loss for what to do. One group suggest: “society needs to love their female
children more and have different expectations for them”.
Lack of healthy relationships
The parental and societal pressures discussed above cause a situation in which girls seek out
relationships for the wrong reasons, and often in desperate situations.
Over and over in the questions above, girls associate their relationships with money, and this can be a
very dangerous thing. According to these discussions, girls seek out relationship and/or marriage solely
for financial purposes. This means that respect and support are only secondary concerns, and so
absent in their relationships. It also means that there is unequal power in their relationships. At its

best, this situation causes girls to be bored, overworked, and unfulfilled. At its worst, male partners
take advantage of this power dynamic, and abuse women and girls.
When girls are bored or dissatisfied with their relationship, they may seek out other partners to help
fulfill their needs. This is reflected in the answers above about number of partners. Girls seemto think
that having more than one partner is more common than having just one. This answer combined with
the fact that girls almost never use condoms during their sexual encounters demonstrates that these
girls are continuously at risk.
Difficulties with program examples
The girls struggled with question about things that could help improve their lives. They were asked
what kinds of programs could help them stay in school, stay safe, and achieve their dreams; and they
did not know what to say. They struggled to find examples. This may be because they have not been
exposed to many programs that could help them, and so do not have any reference points.
PROGRAMATIC RECCOMENDATIONS
Based on the answers above and the common themes and problems that the girls mentioned, we have
developed five programmatic suggestions for the DREAMS committee.
1. Girls need better role models
In the discussions above, girls were constantly saying that they need better people in their lives;
better parents, better nurses, better leadership, and better teachers. They also regularly
mentioned needing mentorship, tutoring, counseling, and advice. Surrounding girls with people
who can help them and who they can look up to is essential for the success of any other project.
Programs that provide training to parents, nurses, teachers, and any other leaders are essential.
2. Girls need adolescent-friendly health services
The clinical experiences these girls discussed are pretty dismal. Scaling up adolescent friendly
services is extremely important in addressing this problem. It would also benefit girls if clinical
services could come to them at schools and/or other centrally located places. Currently, many girls
do not visit clinics because they are too far away and transportation is unreliable.
3. Girls need life skills and health education
Most of the girls in these discussion groups mentioned that they need education about health and
life skills. They also suggested that these kinds of programs could help girls reach their dreams.
Particularly, life skills that teach girls about healthy relationships would be very important
considering some of the discussions above. Most girls associate relationships with money and/or
disease and pregnancy. Programs that give girls confidence, and teach then that their relationship
can be loving and fulfilling would be very beneficial.
4. Girls need support staying in school
These girls realize what so much research has proven- if girls stay at school their future lives will
be better. Girls want to be in school but they need support staying there, and they need an

environment that is conducive to learning. In analyzing the answers above, it is clear that girls
need financial support for school supplies, uniforms, menstrual supplies and school fees; but they
also need schools to be more friendly and safe places.
5. Girls need help addressing harmful, traditional values and practices
Many of the problems that the girls discussed above are caused by cultural norms and values.
Programs that provide education about and that promote the value of girls in Tanzania society
would also be beneficial. One particularly harmful practice that came up again and again in these
discussions was bride price. Many girls are being forced to leave school and marry early because
their families need the financial support of a bride price. Any programs that could tackle this
practice, or even just address the financial problems that are at its root, would also be useful.
APPENDIX
Documents Given to Discussion Group Leaders
Instructions for Peace Corps VolunteersandCounterparts
Thank youfor yourhelpinconductinggroupdiscussionswithgirlsandyoung womeninDaresSalaam,
Shinyanga,andMbeyato informthe upcomingDREAMSInitiative programmingforgirls.Thoughthese
discussiongroupsanddatacollectionare structuredlike astudy,itisnot approvedforsharingoutside of our
program (andtherefore notaresearchactivity). However,these informal discussionswill helpguideour
program planningonthe newinitiative (andgiveyousome formal facilitatorexperience).
Formingdiscussiongroups
 Please be intouchwithEmilyonhow many groupsyouwouldlike toconductand a general profile of
whoyou can conductgroup discussionswith(ouraimis12-24 groupsacross the three regions-aiming
for abouttwo pervolunteer).
 Generallywe trytogroup girlstogetherbyage group andby in-school oroutof school. So,you can try
groupsof girls12-14, 15-17, and 18-20. It is okayto vary a little but12 year-oldgirlsmaynotbe
comfortable talkinginthe same groupas19 year-oldgirls.Itwouldalsobe goodto have a couple groups
that include youngwomenwhohave alreadygivenbirthand/orare alreadymarried
 Normallywe keepdiscussiongroupsata size of 6-8 girls/youngwomenbutyoureallycanhave a
discussionwithasfewas3 or 4 andas many as 10-12 in a group. If you have a groupthat is meeting
regularlyforanotherreasonwithadifferentconfiguration,feel freetotryand use that existing
structure as well.
 Whenrecruitinggirls/youngwomenfordiscussiongroups,itisgoodto invite those whowillbe open
and talk- a groupwithtoo manygirlswhoare shy maynot give youa lot of information.
 (ForPCVs) When available,pleaseinclude a counterpartwho can help both with yourrecruitment
processand with group facilitation
Ensuringconfidentiality
 Eventhoughthisis notformal research,it is still veryimportantforgirlstofeel comfortable inthe
group. Thismeanswe have to promise nottoshare outside of ourDREAMS planninggroup. Inaddition,

youwill needtogetthe girls/youngwomeningroupstoagree notto share what people sayduringthe
discussiongroupwithotherpeopleinthe communitysotheycanfeel safe andfree totalk.
Notesfromeachgroup
 Please share backbothone DiscussionGroupInformationSheetandone setof writtennotesof what
the girlssaidduringthe group discussion(thatwe canmatch withthe informationsheet).
 Please includeyourname,date of group,brief descriptionof age groupandlocationof the groupinthe
writtennotes.
 There isno formal guideline forthe formatof yournotes- itmay be easiertolisthighlightsandmajor
pointsundereachquestions.We appreciate asmuchdetail asyoucan give us,but alsounderstandthat
takingnotesbyhand can be challenging.
How to conducta groupdiscussion
 Please feelfree tostartwitha short activity tohelpgirlsfeel comfortable.
 Whenleadingthiskindof discussionthink,thinkof the facilitatorrole like beingareport- youare trying
to elicitthe storyfromyourgroup participants-thismeansalotof listening,probingforgirlstoclarify,
give examples,orfurtherexplainthingstheysay,andhelpinggive everyone inthe groupachance to
talk.The group shouldfeel like acomfortable discussionamonggirls.
 The questionnaire turnedabitlong- the questionsin boldcan be givenmore time, but please don’tlet
girlsspendtoomuch time onthe questionsthataren’tinbold-manywillgenerate shortanswers.
 The discussiongrouptime aimisgenerally 90-120 minutes. But,if girlsare not enjoyingit,youmaywish
to endearlier,andif girlsare reallyenjoyingityoumaygo a bit longerorask some of the questionsafter
a breakor ona differentday.Theyare volunteeringtheirfree time sowe don’tholdthemif theyare
unhappyinthe group.
 Sometimesgirlsandyoungwomencanbe shy- aftereachquestion,counttotenslowlyinyourheadto
give thema chance to gather theirthoughtsandbuildcourage totalk. If youtalk toomuch, theymay
getscared to talk.If it becomescleartheydidnotunderstandthe question,tryrephrasingit.
 Please askone questionata time andgive time forthe girls/youngwomentoanswer. If somethingvery
interestingandnewcomesup,please be encourage toprobe more andask furtherquestions-thereare
likelyquestionsnotincludedinthe currentguide thatcould be importantforthe planningteam. And,if
youdiscoversomething,pleaseshare itwithus.
 If a one or more girlsare dominating,youmaywantto start callingonothergirlstospeakfirstfor
differentquestions(orasksomeone whohasn’tspokenina while whatshe thinks). Forsome short
answers,like bestage,youcanalsogo aroundthe circle andhave everyone give aquickanswer).
 If someone causesproblems,she canbe askedto leave. Likewise,anyparticipantshouldfeelfree to
leave atany time if she isuncomfortable.
GirlsDiscussionGroup InformationSheet
1. Name of PCV_________________________________
2. Date of Group Discussion(GD)______________________
3. Locationof GD: Region________________________; Town/Village/City_____________________

4. How manygirlswere inthisGD? _____________
5. Numberin-school____________; Numberout-of-school_______________
6. Range of grade levelsforgirlsinschool__________________________
7. Age range of girls_____________________
8. How comfortable were the girlsinthis groupindiscussingthese topics?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
9. Please describeanychallengesyouencountered?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
10. Were there anyreallyinterestingfindingsornew issuesthatemergedthatyouwouldlike tobringtoour
attention?____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
11. Suggestionsforimprovement:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
THANK YOU for your helpin planningthe DREAMS Initiative!
DiscussionQuestions
NOTE: Items in italics are notes to the discussion leaderand not to beread to discussion participants
Introduction: Thank you for taking some time to talk to me (us) today. We aretrying to learn more about what you
and other young women (girls) your agethink about school, relationships, and your future. Please think of this group

as secret-we should not tell others outside the group what anyone said. This way, everyone should feel very free to
speak her mind. We will share some notes from this group discussion with our colleagues in Dares Salaam, but your
identities will also be kept secret from them. We will use the information that you share with us to plan more
programs for girls in communities like this one.
Do you have any questions?
Let us begin.
1. What do you like about school?
a. Until what gradelevel should girls go to school?
b. Until what gradelevel should boys go to school?
c. Until what gradelevel do most of the girls go to school in your community?
d. Until what gradelevel do most of the boys go to school in your community?
2. What don’t you like about school?
3. What are some of the reasons girls leave school?
a. Do you think they want to leave school?
4. What kinds of programs could help girls stay in schoollonger?
a. How would theseprograms help?
b. Would you beinterested in theseprograms?
5. Many girls (young women) youragehaveboyfriends orsex partners. What aresome of the main reasons
they take boyfriends (orsex partners)?
a. What do they call these boyfriends orsex partners (looking for local terms and definitions- make
sure to specify if there are differences between them)
6. What are some of the places girls meet their boyfriends/partners forthefirst time?
7. Wheredo girls yourage go to have sex? (Probe for different types of partners mentioned above taking girls
to different kinds of places)
a. What time of day do they go? (Probe for reasons)
b. How many times in oneweek?
c. How many different partners in oneweek? One month?
8. What are the good things about having a boyfriend or sex partner (can substitute with a local term)?
9. What are the bad things about having a boyfriend or sex partner (can substitute with a local term)?
10. What can encouragegirls (young women) to wait longer to start having sex?
11. Do most girls your ageuse condoms with their sex partners? (Probe here to see if they use them with all,
some or none and rationale)
a. What are the main reasons girls might not use condoms?
b. What are the main reasons girls will use condoms?
c. Where would girls go to get condoms?
12. Who do girls tell about their boyfriends (orsex partners)?
a. How free do girls (young women) feel to discuss about theirboyfriends?
b. What are reasons they feel this way? (Probe for reasons they may not feel free to talk about their
male partners)
13. What do you think about a girl (or young woman)yourage who has an older boyfriend?
a. How do you view girls (young women) youragehaving an older boyfriend (can substitute with
local term)?
b. How do you view girls (young women) youragehaving more than one boyfriend?
c. How important is it to girls (young women)to havea boyfriend?
d. Should aboyfriend be older, youngerorthesame age? (Probe for reasons)

14. What do you think is the best age for young women to start having children? (Probe for reasons)
15. What are the main reasons girls youragestart having children?
16. What do you think is the best age for young women to get married? (Probe for reasons)
17. What are the main reasons girls yourageget married?
18. How easy is it for girls to receive health care at the local clinic?
a. How comfortable are you and others visiting the local clinic?
b. Do you have any examples where a girl was treated very well or very badly?
c. What would make it easier for girls to get health care?
19. Where are some of the places girls feel safe in this community?
a. (If none) What would make a space feel safe for girls in this community?
20. What are your dreams for your future?
21. What do you think it will take for you to make your dreams happen?
22. What kinds of programs for girls can help you reach yourdreams?
Thank you very much for sharing with us today. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Maswali ya Majadiliano
Utambulisho: Nawashukuru sana kwa kushiriki pamoja nasi leo. Tunajaribu kujifunza kuhusu nyinyi, wasichana
wengine, wa rika lenu, mnafikiri nini kuhusu shule, mahusiano, na maisha yenu ya badaaye. Majadiliano
yatakayoendelea ndani ya kikundi hiki ni ya siri na hakuna mtu mwingine wa nje ya kikundi atakayeshirikishwa. Kwa
hivyo basi, jisikie huru kusema/kuchangia mawazoyako. Tutawashirikisha tu baadhi ya notisi za majadiliano ya vikundi
wenzetu wa Dares salaam, lakini utambulisho wenu mfano (majina) yataendelea kuwa siri. Tutatumia majibu,
mawazo, na maoni yenukuaanda miradi zaidi ya kuwasaidiawasichana walio katika jamii kama hizi.
Kuna mwenye swali?
Tuanze.
1. Mnafikiriaje kuhusu shule?
a. Mnadhani msichana asome mpaka darasa ama kidato cha ngapi?
b. Mnadhani mvulana asome mpaka darasa ama kidato cha ngapi?
c. Katika jamii yako, wasichana wanasoma mpaka kidato cha ngapi?
d. Katika jamii yako, wavulana wanasoma mpaka kidato cha ngapi?
2. Nini unachukia kuhusu shule?
3. Ni sababu zipizinapelekeawasichana kuachashule/kukatizamasomo?
a. Unafikiri wasichanawanataka kuachashule?
4. Ni shughulizaaina ganizitawasaidia wasichanakuendeleakuwa shule?
a. Unadhanizitasaidiaje, kivipi?
b. Je mtapendakushirikikatika shughulihizi?
5. Wasichanawengi kama nyinyiwameshapatamarafiki wa kiume ama wapenzi. Jeni sababu gani
zinazopelekeawasichanawa umri mdogo kuwana marafiki wa kiume au wapenzi?
a. Wanawaitajehawa marafiki wa kiume au wapenzi?(kwa mfano, labda wanasema “rafiki” au
“boyfriend”au “mtu wa siri” au “shugadadi” ama “Kilimanjaro boy”kwa sababu wanaogopa
kusema“mpenzi”. Tutajiemajina yaliyozoelekakutumika hapa.)*Hakikisha unasema kama kuna
tofauti kati yao.*
6. Wanakutananao wapihawa marafiki wa kiume ama wapenzikwa mara ya kwanza?
7. Wanapendeleakwendawapi ilikufanya mapenzi/ ngono?
a. Mudagani hasa? (asubuhi/mchanaama usiku?)
b. Wanakutanakimwili mara ngapi katikawiki moja?

c. Wanafanyamapenzina wanaume wa ngap ikatika wiki moja? Katika mwezi moja?
8. Ni mambo gani mazuri kwa msichana anapokuwa na mpenzi/rafiki wa kiume/mchumba?
9. Ni mambo gani mabaya yanaweza kumpata msichana kama akiwana mpenzi/rafiki wa kiume/mchumba?
10. Je unadhanininini kinaweza kuwashawishiama kuwasaidia wasichanakusubirikufanyamapenzi/ngono?
11. Je wasichana wa umri wako hutumia kondomu wakati wa kufanya mapenzi?
a. Unadhani ni sababu gani zinazoweza kupelekea wasichana kutokutumia kondomu?
b. Ni sababu gani zinazopelekea wasichana kutumia kondomu?
c. Wasichana wanapata wapi kondomu?
12. Je wasichanawanawashirikisha kinanani zaidi kuhusu wapenzi/marafikizao wakiume/wachumbazao?
a. Je wasichanawako huru kiasi gani kujadilikuhusu wapenzi/marafiki wa kiume/wachumba zao?
b. Kwa nini unadhaniwanakuahawako huru kuwashirikishawengine?
13. Unamfikiriaje msichanawa umri wako ambaye anampenzi wa umri mkubwa kuliko yeye (kama mzee)?
a. Una maoni ganikuhusu msichanawa umri wako ambaye mpenziwa umri kubwa (kama mzee)?
b. Unawachukuliajewasichanawa umri wako wenye wapenzizaidi ya mmoja?
c. Je ni muhimu kwa msichanakuwa na mpenzi? Au siyo muhimu?
d. Je inapendezampenzikuwana umri mkubwazaidi, mdogo zaidi, au sawa sawa na msichana?
14. Je unadhani ni umri gani mzuri zaidi kwa wasichana kuanza kuzaa watoto?
15. Ni sababu ganizinazopelekeawasichanawa umri wako kupatawatoto? Zitaje
16. Je unadhani ni umri gani mzuri zaidi kwa wasichana kuolewa?
17. Ni sababu ganizinazopelekeawasichanawa umri wako kuolewa? Zitaje.
18. Je ni rahisi kiasi gani kwa wasichana wa umri wako kupata huduma za kliniki?
a. Wewe pamojana wenzako mko huru kiasi ganikwenda kliniki?
b. Je una mfano wowote wamsichana aliyepewa huduma vizuri sana au vibayasana?
c. Ni vitu gani vingeweza kurahisishawasichanakupatahudumazaafya?Pendekeza.
19. Katika jamii hii, ni mahali gani ambapo wasichana wanahisi kuwa salama zaidi?
a. (Kama hakuna) unadhani ni vitu gani vingeweza kufanya sehemu ikawa salama zaidi kwa wasichana?
20. Una ndoto gani kuhusu maisha yako ya baadaye?
21. Unadhani unahitaji nini ili kufanya ndoto zako zitimie?
22. Unadhanini aina ganiya miradi ama mipango inaweza kusaidia wasichanakufikia ndoto zenu?
Asante sana kwa kushiriki nasi leo!
Una neno ama swali lolote ulitaka kuongeza?

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