Stawi Lab Hub
Strengthening youth-led organizations advancing the rights of women and girls in Tanzania through collective learning, evidence, and community networking.
Creating Tangible Impact
Since 2021, we have been building a movement by shifting resources and power to where they matter most.
Youth-led organizations supported across 6 regions.
Over 20 Million TZS in flexible, unrestricted micro-grants directly to grassroots organizations.
Youth organisation leaders equipped with leadership & advocacy skills.
Young women reached through ripple effect (Replication of the model).
Community members reached through partner initiatives.
Imarisha Dada
Empowering young women entrepreneurs with skills and capital to scale their ventures.
Learn moreThe Challenge
The Challenge
Stawi Lab was born out of lived experience.
In 2021, Her Initiative, a youth-led organization working on girls' and young women's rights, faced serious operational challenges. Despite national and international recognition, speaking invitations at high-level events, and visibility on donor platforms, the organization struggled to access basic funding for projects, transport, meals, and office operations.
Like many youth-led organizations, the work relied heavily on unpaid volunteer labor, even as expectations, reporting demands, and visibility continued to grow.
The collective frustration of youth leaders across Tanzania:
- Over-trained and over-mentored
- Celebrated publicly but underfunded privately
- Asked to lead without resources
The Response
The Response
In response, the Executive Director, Lydia Charles, wrote an open letter titled Put Your Money Where Your Words Are (Read here).
Young people are told we can be anything, yet we are asked to wait until we are older to be trusted with resources. Imagine the solutions that could exist if someone simply believed in us with sufficient funding.
Our Impact So Far
To date, Her Initiative has proudly supported 38 organizations across six regions in Tanzania with over 20 Million TZS in unrestricted funds.
The letter raised a critical question:
How much funding actually reaches youth-led initiatives, and who is accountable for that gap?
Launch of 2026 Strategy
We are thrilled to announce our new 5-year strategy focused on digital inclusion.
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Youth Summit Success
Over 500 young leaders gathered in Dar es Salaam for our annual summit.
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Partnership with GFF
New partnership aimed at strengthening health systems for adolescent girls.
Read full storyWhy Stawi Lab Exists
The experience of Her Initiative was not unique. Across Tanzania, youth-led organizations face systemic barriers that demand a concrete response.
The Reality
Systemic Barriers
WARNING: This reality erodes agency, innovation, and sustainability.
Our Response
Strategic Action
"Stawi Lab is a call to reimagining funding, decolonizing practices, and placing resources where impact begins."
Frequently Asked Questions
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