Meet Joha: A young leader driving positive community change in Tanzania

For Joha, a 14-year-old Standard Seven pupil in Tanzania, the AHADI project’s Adolescent Steering Committee (ASC) has been a platform for youth leadership, helping her build the confidence and skills to use her voice to influence positive change in her community.

What is an Adolescent Steering Committee?

Through the Adolescent Steering Committee, young people are equipped with leadership skills, knowledge, and opportunities to engage with community leaders, raise awareness on issues affecting adolescents, and influence positive social change.

The Adolescent Steering Committee sits at the core of AHADI's (Accelerated Hope and Development for Urban Adolescents in Tanzania) governance, ensuring the project is not just designed for young people but shaped by them. Through this structure, World Vision keeps adolescent voices where they belong: at the center of decision-making. The ASC convenes twice a year, alternating between Dar es Salaam and Dodoma. Feeding into it are smaller, district-level groups that meet more frequently and at additional special events throughout the year.

How AHADI helped Joha build leadership skills and champion youth health in her community

Before becoming an ASC member, Joha rarely spoke in public and believed that children, especially girls, had little influence on community decisions. Today, she is one of the advocates in her community, speaking with adolescents, parents, and community members about issues affecting young people and encouraging positive action.

Through the knowledge and leadership skills she has gained from AHADI, Joha now encourages adolescents in her community to seek health services whenever they need them instead of remaining silent or relying on misinformation. She regularly speaks with her peers about the importance of visiting health facilities to receive accurate information and services that help them stay healthy and make informed decisions.

“Many young people are afraid or shy to visit health facilities because they think they will be judged. I tell them there is nothing to fear. Getting the right information and services helps us protect our future,” Joha explains.

Joha speaks up for inclusion and safety

Beyond promoting access to health services, Joha is passionate about creating a community where every child is respected and included. Living with a disability has presented her with challenges, including facing social barriers, but it has never stopped her from pursuing her dreams and advocating for positive change. Through her participation in the AHADI Adolescent Steering Committee, Joha works alongside her peers, sharing ideas, discussing challenges affecting young people, and contributing to solutions within her community.

“Violence should never be accepted as normal. When something is wrong, we should speak up and protect one another. Our community becomes stronger when everyone feels safe, respected, and included,” she says.

Equipping the next generation of female leaders

Joha is also determined to challenge negative stereotypes that prevent girls from reaching their full potential. She encourages girls to remain in school, believe in themselves, and pursue their dreams with confidence.

“I want every girl to know that being a girl should never stop you from achieving your dreams. We can become teachers, doctors, leaders, or anything we work hard for. We have the ability to make our communities better,” she says with a smile.

Her growing confidence has inspired other adolescents, especially girls, to participate in community discussions and openly share ideas that help solve local challenges. Community members have also begun recognizing that young people can be valuable partners in creating positive change when their voices are heard and respected.

For Joha, leadership is not about being the oldest person in the room; it is about having the courage to speak for those whose voices are often unheard and encouraging others to become part of the solution.

When adolescents are empowered with knowledge, skills, and opportunities, they become powerful champions for change. Through the AHADI Project and its Adolescent Steering Committee, young leaders like Joha are transforming their communities one conversation, one voice, and one action at a time.

The AHADI project (Accelerated Hope and Development for Urban Adolescents in Tanzania) is funded by Global Affairs Canada. It is implemented by World Vision Canada and World Vision Tanzania in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma cities.

AHADI runs from 2022 to 2029 and supports girls and boys ages 10–24. The project challenges unequal gender norms, strengthens sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and works to prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Learn more about AHADI: https://www.worldvision.ca/en/learn/programs/ahadi