Right To Play in Tanzania

Right To Play has been working in Tanzania since 2001 to deliver high-quality programs that increase access to quality education, empower girls and children, and promote foundational learning.

In the early days, we focused on supporting refugee communities, addressing harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, and removing barriers to gender inequality. Today, we offer programs in several contexts including refugee settlements and rural and urban communities. Our programs ensure children – including girls and children with disabilities, and children experiencing displacement – can access quality play-based early childhood and primary education.

In 2023, we reached more than 51,000 children, including more than 26,000 girls, and 17,000 children experiencing displacement.

Right To Play Tanzania's 2024-26 program priorities

• Empowering parents and caregivers to support children’s learning and well-being through play;
• Ensuring more pre-primary and primary school students can access quality play-based learning that builds their academic and holistic skills;
• Building strong partnerships with donors, government, educational institutions, and local organizations to reach more children and young people;
• Generating evidence on the impact of play on children’s social development and learning.

Challenges and Opportunities in Tanzania

Tanzania has one of the youngest populations in the world, with more than half of the country’s population under the age of 25.

The Tanzanian government has been working to increase access to high-quality early childhood education, beginning in 2014 with an initiative that made pre-primary education formal, free, and mandatory for one year for children aged 5 to 6.

While the government and its partners continue to strive to improve the quality and accessibility of early childhood education throughout the country, many early childhood centres are under-resourced, and there is a shortage of trained early childhood educators.

When it comes to primary education, many primary schools lack adequate infrastructure, learning materials, and trained teachers, which negatively impacts the quality of education that children receive. Access to primary education is uneven, with rural and low-income areas being particularly underserved.

There are opportunities to improve early childhood and primary education in Tanzania through community- and school-based programs that equip parents, caregivers, and teachers with the tools and knowledge to support children's development in a playful way.

Key Facts:

• 3.2 million children aged 7 to 17 are out of school. More than 400,000 have never attended school. (UNICEF)
• Every year, at least 120,000 girls drop out of school for reasons including teenage pregnancy and child marriage. (World Bank)
• Tanzania hosts over 230,000 refugees and asylum-seekers. Children make up a significant portion of this refugee population, with estimates ranging from 50.4% to 58%. (Relief Web, UNICEF, UNHCR)

Key Activities and Impact

Through the Play to Grow program, we help parents to support their young children’s early learning and development, to give them the best start in life and in school. Parents learn how to build emotional bonds with their children, help them develop communication and confidence, and support their early literacy and numeracy skills, all using play.

In the Serengeti and Tarime districts, we are supporting children, including out-of-school girls and children with disabilities to enroll in school and improve their literacy skills through the Enhancing Quality and Inclusive Education (EQIE) project, delivered with support from Norway . By training teachers and education officials, we create safe, inclusive, and active learning environments that help children succeed academically and socially.

In the Nyarugusu and Nduta refugee settlements, we are providing quality primary education to girls and children with disabilities who are experiencing displacement. The My Education, My Future (MEMF) program trains teachers and education officials to create inclusive and engaging learning environments, helping children catch up on learning, develop life skills, and improve their educational outcomes.

Through the Save Her Seat project, we’re supporting girls in the Mara region to stay in school and improve their learning outcomes and develop skills like communication, problem-solving, empathy, self-confidence, and teamwork. The project, supported by the Liverpool Football Club Foundation and the Government of the United Kingdom, achieves this by training teachers and education officials to use play to create safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environments and lessons.

“To achieve my dream of being a doctor, I need to focus on my science subjects and on completing my education.” Victoria, 9

Key Supporters and Partners

We collaborate with the Government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Education, the President's Office Regional Administrative and Local Government and the Tanzania Institute of Education to implement our programs.

Our work is made possible with generous support from donors, including the Liverpool Football Club Foundation, Global Affairs Canada, the Government of Norway and the UK International Development from the UK Government.

We also work closely with key implementing partners such as Africa Inland Church and the St. Justine Foundation to deliver impactful programs that create lasting change.

Country Office Address

Plot #446, Darui Street
Mikocheni Regent Estate
P.O.Box 79701
Dar es Salaam

+255 (0) 22 2774161