Stawi Lab is a project designed to help youth-led organizations with limited systems and structure to operate to their full potential through capacity building and mentorship. The Stawi Lab Mentorship Program at the end of March was a powerful moment of reflection and aspiration under the guidance of Dr. Victoria Lihiru. Dr Victoria Lihiru is creating pathways where none existed before. She is a bold voice for gender equality and social inclusion in Tanzania, Victoria’s journey blends academia, advocacy, and action. As a lecturer in law, governance, and gender at the Open University of Tanzania, she isn’t just teaching theory, she is shaping a new generation of thinkers and doers. During the mentorship meeting participants Barbara Mlata from Binti Kiranja and Upendo Mwakyusa an executive director from Call for Environmental Conversation shared their journeys celebrating achievements, addressing challenges in team building, branding, and setting ambitious goals for 2025 in career advancement, financial independence, and personal growth. While this marked the last formal session, Dr. Lihiru reaffirmed her ongoing support, underscoring that mentorship extends beyond structured meetings, it is a lifelong commitment to growth and empowerment, committing herself to extend her support beyond the mentorship meetings.
The Stawi mentorship journey did not end with the insightful session from Dr. Lihiru. It extended further when Mary Daniel, Executive Director of Nyayo Tanzania had the opportunity to engage with Vanessa Anyoti, a distinguished member of Her Initiative’s Board of Directors who currently serves as the CEO of the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation and a seasoned professional holding a master’s degree in epidemiology and biostatistics. With a remarkable 8 year career spanning development, program management and youth leadership.
Their meeting was more than a conversation; it was a transformative exchange centered around partnerships, resource mobilization, and organizational positioning. Vanessa brought to the table not just her expertise, but also her passion for empowering emerging leaders. Through their discussions, Mary gained critical insights that would redefine how she tells the story of her work and its impact.
For Mary, this mentorship was profoundly eye-opening. She shared how, before this encounter, her focus had primarily been on reporting project activities, the "what" of her work. The deeper "why", the true impact of her work in the communities she serves was often left untold. Vanessa emphasized the importance of impact storytelling: capturing the human stories behind the numbers, the transformations behind the activities, and the deeper narrative that moves hearts and mobilizes resources.
In a dynamic session led by Lydia Charles Moyo Executive Director from Her Initiative, the Stawi Lab Network brought together youth-led organizations to explore what it truly takes to build sustainability, the conversation quickly delved into practical tools for growth strengthening positioning, improving access to unrestricted funding, and leveraging networks for collective advocacy and visibility.
Key initiatives like the Knowledge Hub and the upcoming virtual donor showcase were spotlighted as platforms for amplifying youth voices. Lydia emphasized the importance of funding diversification, tapping into local sources, corporate sponsors, and individual donors as well as the need for clear sustainability policies.
The end goal is make sure that each organization under the Stawi Lab flagship comes out more skilled, aware and with enough knowledge and expertise to grow as an organization by strengthening their organizational structure and systems to have a better impact in their communities