For many women, the path to leadership has not been easy. Deeply rooted social norms and structural barriers have long limited women’s participation in decision-making spaces. According to the United Nations, women are underrepresented at all levels of decision-making, and the world is far from achieving gender parity in political life. But in rural Tanzania, women like Coletha are starting to change this.
“In our region, Mtwara, women are still left behind due to traditions and customs,” explains Coletha.
“[Some customs] teach women about getting married, having children, doing housework, and fail to teach a woman to lead. When this program came, it made me happy as a woman, because I wished one day to become a leader.”
Coletha participated in training under the Advancing Gender Equality through Civil Society component of AKF’s Foundations for Education and Empowerment program, supported by Global Affairs Canada. In partnership with a local civil society organization, the Tanzania Gender Networking Program, this initiative aimed to strengthen women’s participation and leadership in decision-making roles.
At a newly established information and knowledge centre, Coletha and other women attended training on gender equality and leadership topics. After the training, Coletha decided to spread awareness about the importance of women’s leadership, and she provides mentorship and support for current and aspiring women leaders.
Coletha is a respected voice in her community, advocating for inclusive decision-making and encouraging other women to step into leadership roles. Not only does she share knowledge around her village, but she also now goes to villages throughout her ward. Many women decided to apply for leadership positions at the sub-village and local government level.
“[Since the training], 89 women filled out forms to [apply]… now 78 women are in leadership positions,” says Coletha.
For Coletha, women in leadership positions means that more community needs will be met.
“Women taking up leadership positions is important because without standing up for ourselves, [no one] will speak for our agendas.”
For Rukia, who lives in Mnyengedi village, her journey into leadership is not one she could have imagined for herself.
“The [gender equality] training first started with making us aware that women can lead and manage anything, and men don’t have to do everything. The training woke us up,” says Rukia.
“After the training, we started having our own meetings… and [my peers] advised me to represent and contest for the village chairperson position.” Rukia won the election in 2024 and became the first female chairperson in her community.
“When I was elected, I was happy, but it was mixed with fear whether I would be able to do the job, because this is something new to me and my community — standing up and leading as a woman,” says Rukia.
According to Rukia, issues that mainly affected women were often overlooked in the past. For example, women and girls are primarily responsible for household water collection globally, spending an estimated 200 million hours collecting water every day. This reduces the time that could be spent on other activities, like attending school or generating income.
She is also tackling the challenge of school attendance. Her village does not have a primary or secondary school, so students must travel long distances — up to 4 hours by foot — leading to low attendance and school completion rates. Rukia called a meeting with village elders to find a solution, and they are currently raising funds to purchase land to build a school. “We believe if we secure the land and build a school, the children will study nearby, and we can make sure they go to school. We still are in conversation with parents and children so that they continue attending school [in the meantime] because education is so important in life.”
The story of women’s leadership in Tanzania is still being written. But with each door opened, each aspiring leader mentored, and each barrier challenged, the narrative is shifting — thanks to changemakers like Coletha and Rukia.