- Global charity Right To Play’s Save Her Seat project has supported thousands of girls to overcome barriers, learn and develop critical life skills
- The project is funded by the UK government through UK Aid Match, and donations from the public and LFC Foundation
Girls in rural Tanzania are thriving thanks to a project that has supported them to stay in school, claim their rights and develop the essential life skills to transform their futures.
The three-year Save Her Seat project, which was launched by global development charity Right To Play in 2023, has focused on promoting gender equality, improving learning outcomes for vulnerable girls and empowering them to reach their full potential.
The project, which has been funded by the UK government through UK Aid Match, and generous donations from the public and LFC Foundation – the official charity of Liverpool Football Club, has reached more than 15,800 children (over 52% of whom are girls) in 40 primary schools across the Mara region of northern Tanzania over the past three years.
As a result of the project, girls are being supported to stay in school, with attendance rising to above 90% (up from 79% at the start of the project).
Significantly more girls have also been equipped with essential life skills, with over 53% of girls demonstrating adequate life skills, such as self-confidence, problem solving and leadership – three times higher than at the start of the project.
Girls in Tanzania often face a range of obstacles that stand in the way of their education and development. Negative attitudes persist toward girls’ education in many communities. Harmful and discriminatory practices, an unequal burden of domestic responsibility, and issues such as early marriage, also restrict girls’ opportunities and prevent them from attending school.
However, thanks to the project, attitudes towards girls’ education within communities have seen a significant positive shift. More than 79% of girls now report that parental support for their right to education has increased – up from 44% at the start of the project. Engaging local communities has been a key aspect of the project to dismantle harmful gender norms and barriers to girls’ learning.
Gillian McMahon, Executive Director of Right To Play UK, said: “The Save Her Seat project has demonstrated the transformative impact that education, play and safe, inclusive learning environments can have on girls’ lives.
“Together with teachers, government partners and local communities, this project has helped girls in Tanzania grow in confidence, strengthen life skills and overcome barriers that too often prevent them from staying in school and fulfilling their potential. For many girls, staying in education means gaining not only knowledge, but also safety, support and the opportunity to shape their own futures.
“The project has shown what is possible when girls are empowered and communities unite to support their education. We are incredibly grateful for the vital funding from the UK government, alongside our partners and supporters, who have helped make this life-changing work possible.”
Maria Mongi, Country Director for Right To Play Tanzania, said: “When girls are supported to stay in school, the impact can last a lifetime. This project has helped girls to believe in themselves and develop the critical life skills that enable them to pursue their dreams and aspirations. It has also strengthened support for girls’ education within families, schools and communities.
“Educating girls is one of the most powerful investments we can make for the future. By helping girls stay in school, we are helping create healthier, safer and more equal communities.”
Over the course of the project, more than 2,000 girls participated in Girls’ Club sessions, which provided safe spaces for peer learning and discussions, practical skills application and an opportunity for girls to reflect on their experiences of growing up. The sessions included education and support on key issues such as menstrual health, and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
A key element of the project has been supporting teachers to embed gender-responsive play-based learning in teaching and learning, helping ensure school learning environments are safe and inclusive for all children, particularly girls and children with disabilities. By the end of the project, 93% of teachers demonstrated these practices within the classroom, compared to 60% at the outset.
Supporting teachers through training and professional development has also been essential to the success of the project and ensuring its impact is sustained over the long term.
The project has provided training to 157 teachers across the three years of implementation and has strengthened coaching methods for teachers at school and district level, aligned with Tanzania’s teacher training framework. Teacher satisfaction with coaching and mentoring from government education officials has risen from 71% to almost 97% at the end of the project.
Right To Play is an organisation that protects, educates and empowers children to rise above adversity through play – reaching more than 4.6 million vulnerable children globally in 2025. Founded in 2000, the charity uses play-based learning and psychosocial support to help vulnerable children affected by conflict, poverty, displacement, prejudice and exploitation. Working in 13 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Right To Play is the leading global development organisation focused on using the power of play to transform children’s lives.
To find out more about the work of Right To Play and the impact of the charity’s project in Tanzania, please visit: https://righttoplay.org.uk/en-gb/national-offices/national-office-uk/whats-new/save-her-seat-transforms-the-lives-of-girls-in-tanzania/
