Overall 

In the first three years of its existence, MIF has lived its mission of inspiring communities towards sustainable action and provide strategic leadership through coordinated and concerted efforts to improve education, health and economic status of women and youth. MIF has developed a wide network of implementing partners across the three areas of focus (education, socio-economic empowerment and health). A total of 9 MOUs have been entered with local and international partners attracting a total of more than TZS 2 billion in the reference period. 

While the scope of MIF’s Strategic Plan (SP) is very broad, the management chose few strategic areas of focus as quick wins and entry points to the society. These areas include interventions in the education sector (main), women and youth socio-economic empowerment (intermediate) and the health sector (minimal implementation). Also, MIF is implementing its sustainable dream project of owning and running a Resource Centre which will harbour both training of women and youth on entrepreneurship skills through the vocational education stream as well as providing space for the foundation office (Headquarters) while using the facilities to generate income by providing various envisaged services.

Success Flags on Education Program 

Of several interventions identified in the SP, the management chose to strategically implement interventions that aimed to quickly improve performance of secondary school – form four results. MIF implemented a total of 12 interventions in the Kusini Unguja region that the Foundation can acclaim credibility of the results and outcomes (Refer to the side bar for the 12 interventions). 

Achievements of the Education Program

Women and Youth are Socio-Economically Empowered:

Under Health Program: the aim is, in a long run, provide care, treatment, and psycho-social support to alleviate mental health problems among women and youth in Zanzibar but also support the Government efforts to reduce maternal mortality and improve maternal health outcomes in the Isles in particular and in Tanzania as a whole. Due to prioritization approach and in order to avoid spreading our efforts too thins across the various programs, the Management has not implemented many activities under this program. Initial efforts included activities that aimed at creating awareness and general public knowledge on mental health and promote mental well-being in the general population and support the Ministry of Health to improve quality of mental health services. Also, the efforts included linking the mental and reproductive health efforts with poverty alleviation strategies under the socio-economic empowerment which bears direct relationship with mental well-being. 

Achievements of the Health Program

We are Learning as We Move Forward 

The three years of MIF’s life have provided an opportunity for the Management to ascertain its conceptions based on its Strategic Plan but also provide learning on how best we can achieve our goals and objectives. The Management has clearly established the power of networking while appreciating a balanced state of networking as each partner demonstrate own dynamics based on their primary objectives that brought them to the partnership. It was also a time to reflect on the team’s capacity and identify own managerial gaps and worked on them. The Team Building training facilitated by Hon Chairperson responded to this learning and helped to rebuild the team, pick new spirits and drive the Foundation with reactivated enthusiasm. 

With the completion of the Bungi Resource Centre under way; which is expected to be handed over to MIF by end of July 2025; a strong Board that is proactive rather that reactive, a determined Foundation Chair who is committed to live her vision through this Foundation and good and strong support we receive from the two Governments (RGoZ and the Government of URT), the Management feels confident that execution of our ongoing program and initiation of our new programs to come will lead to bigger results and more appealing and impactful outcomes