Morogoro is one of the regions in Tanzania where young people have limited political participation. Female youth in the region are twice as marginalised as the male. Previously, the Organisation (Tanzania Support for Women Rights) implemented a project intervention in the same area that looked at Social accountability measures. This resulted in actions and formulation of tools that communities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and media use to uphold public authorities accountable for budget expenditure. This project, therefore, is the scaling up of the previous project.

The Youth participation project empowers youth to become active citizens so as they can effectively participate in decision-making processes for Exercising Social Accountability. The project strengthens youth participation in planning and budget evaluation, expenditure tracking, performance monitoring, public integrity evaluation and monitoring oversight. This results in improved service delivery through enhanced accountability at the local government authority level. The particular focus shall be put on female youth as the project target is 70%/30% female/male representation respectively.

The project ensures that CSOs and LGAs facilitating the work of Trained Trainers (project ambassadors/volunteers) at the grassroots level are empowered by the time the project funding phase comes to an end. Awareness creation is conducted throughout the life of the project to help in changing negative community attitudes, cultures and perceptions so that youth participation in decision making is promoted at all levels. This involves community meetings, printing and dissemination of various materials regarding youth space for political participation, and radio talk shows.

Tanzania Support for Women’s Rights TASUWORI – Tanzania 

Youth Participation in Social Accountability (YOPAS) 

Youth participation in decision making processes at grassroots level was minimal; the youth shunned village meetings or participating in village development activities.  However, today things have changed dramatically.  Youth are now becoming leaders in their community others have now started their own business due to social accountability project they are actively engaged in development activities.  How did such social transformation occur?  

Awareness campaign approach by TASUWORI.  The awareness campaign brought in numbers of youth, elders and women to get to know the project, raise awareness of social accountability and build strong linkages and networks among the stakeholders.     

TASUWORI project staffs have managed to form a total of 10 youth groups in the three wards where the program was being rolled out, and this will help in sustaining the change that the project is intending to bring.  Among the groups established three currently run an income generating activity; some of the business which is being run by the three groups include, Tomato sauce, Chilli sauce and Tomato paste making and selling, Probiotic yogurt making and selling, soap making, pig keeping etc. 

Collaboration and Networking between LGA and TASUWORI: The involvement of LGA leaders from the inauguration of the project and making them participate in all the other activities planned has brought more impact on the area of collaboration.  Linking the Groups with LGA for sustainability purpose has managed to create a partnership so that they may be able to access support and loan from youth fund provided by LGA, with a popular name 10% (4% youth, 4% women and 2% PWD) 

The final evaluation report of the project can be used as a reference for other partners as well as for replicating the success of this project.  This report was published with the aid from Voice Tanzania. 

The level of transformation is great.  The youth level of participation in village meetings, election, and economic activities in their locality is now high. In the period of one year we have witnessed 3 youth showing interest to contest to become leaders in their community.  The Local Government leaders now view the youth as the right shareholders as of now most leaders have seen the importance of sharing information with the youth. Be it information about meetings, about community development work or political decision making    

The youth have also changed their expectations and level of engagement.  They have embraced social accountability now youth are actively participating in village meetings and demanding for accountability in areas where their leaders are wrong.