The gap that remained

Over the past year, the Heshima Project has changed how girls in Nanyamba see themselves. Confidence in their own decision-making has risen from 5.5% to 76.7% in six months, and school attendance is up to 78%. However, teachers and coordinators in the 17 schools evidenced what is still missing, and that is that there is nowhere private for girls to go in a school environment during menstruation.

Not one of the 17 schools has a private washroom, a changing room, reliable water, or somewhere safe to dispose of sanitary materials. For a girl on her period, that’s often still the difference between staying in class and going home. We built the confidence to stay, now we need to build the facilities that let her.

What we’re building

From September 2026, the Nanyamba Girls MHM Wash Project will bring WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) infrastructure to 12 of the Nanyamba schools covered by the Heshima project, private washrooms, changing rooms, clean water and proper disposal facilities, so girls no longer have to choose between managing their period and staying at school.

Key Features

12 schools in Nanyamba Town Council

Private washrooms and changing rooms

Reliable water supply

Safe disposal facilities for sanitary materials

Runs September 2026 – August 2027

Backed by the Tanzanian Government

This project carries a vote of confidence we’re proud of: in August 2026, Tanzania’s Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Group formally approved the  “Girls MHM Wash Nanyamba,” programme, recognising this as a national priority, not just a local one. It’s a signal of the trust our Tanzanian team has built with the government and of a shared commitment, between EdUKaid and the Ministry, to keeping girls in school.

Why it matters

Heshima proved that when girls feel confident and supported, they stay in school. This project makes sure that progress doesn’t stall the moment a girl gets her period. It’s the missing piece, turning a change in attitude into a change girls can rely on, every single month.

What’s next

Work began in September 2026 across the 12 schools, running alongside the ongoing Heshima Project so that Dignity Clubs, training and new facilities reinforce each other on the ground. 

Project Funders

Share our Project

Our Projects

EdUKaid Partner Schools

EdUKaid has focused on developing and supporting the provision of pre-primary schools alongside the Tanzanian government led facilities, undertaken renovation projects and raised funds to pay the salaries of teachers and teaching assistants.

EdUKaid Community Centre

In 2022, with a grant funded by The Herbert & Stefanie Straus Memorial Trust, EdUKaid’s run-down office building in the coastal town of Mikindani was transformed into into a multi-functional, mixed-faith, Community Centre.

Nanyamba Girls MHM Wash Project

The Nanyamba Girls MHM Wash Project will bring WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) infrastructure to 12 of the Nanyamba schools covered by the Heshima project, so girls no longer have to choose between managing their period and staying at school.

The Community Led Pre-Primary Satellite Project

Mtwara is a predominantly rural region with many remote villages located far from formal schools. Young children often have to walk several kilometres, frequently without adult supervision, making access to education unsafe and difficult.

The Play Scheme Project (pilot)

1 in 3 children in Tanzania are of early childhood age but across the country there are huge gaps in the provision of adequate, quality care for younger children, especially those aged 2-4.

Capacity Building and Localisation Project for EdUKaid Tanzania 2025/2027

Recent strategic reviews and a detailed capacity assessment undertaken in both Tanzania and the UK highlight the need for devolved authority, underpinned by stronger local systems, including governance, HR, finance, and programme delivery.

Supporting Literacy

Within our community centres there is a strong focus on encouraging and developing literacy skills, using a variety of techniques and approaches to achieve this.

Heshima Project, Nanyamba

EdUKaid's work on Heshima project started in 2020, when an initial needs assessment across 16 partner schools found rising drop-out linked to early relationships, early marriage and truancy, even as enrolment was growing.