Texas Children's Global Health Baylor Foundation Tanzania
2024 at a Glance
16 Years in Operation, Mbeya & Mwanza, Tanzania
7,766 People Reached
99 Health Professionals Trained
32 Staff Employed
Voices of Hope: Stories of Strength, Healing, and Resilience
Empowering teen leaders in psychosocial programs fosters ownership, inspiration, and adherence. At Baylor Foundation Tanzania, adolescents lead, mentor, and shape their future—because “when we lead, we inspire.”
Empowering adolescent teen leaders and peer educators has transformed Baylor Foundation Tanzania’s adolescent psychosocial programs. By placing young people at the center of these initiatives, they gain not only a sense of responsibility but also the confidence to take ownership of their health and future.
One of the most remarkable aspects of this approach is the role of teen leaders in the Teen Club program. These young leaders are not just participants—they are planners, facilitators, and role models. Before each session, they meet to choose discussion topics, assign responsibilities, and shape the event’s flow. On the day of the event, they take charge—leading sessions, sharing their experiences, and fostering a supportive environment.
This peer-led model has been powerful. Adolescents find motivation in seeing their peers take the lead, reinforcing the importance of ART adherence, clinic visits, and reducing risky behaviors. As one teen leader put it:
When we lead, we inspire.”
After every session, these young leaders come together again, evaluating what worked and identifying areas for improvement. Their insights drive the program forward, ensuring it remains relevant and impactful.
Baylor Foundation Tanzania has witnessed firsthand the power of adolescent-led initiatives. The future of psychosocial support belongs to these young leaders—equipped, empowered, and ready to guide their peers toward healthier, brighter futures.
From cooking demonstrations to a thriving tailoring business, FJ’s journey with Baylor Foundation Tanzania empowered her to build a hopeful future.
FJ, a determined 20-year-old, is the eldest of three children, living with her mother, a hardworking fruit vendor. Diagnosed with HIV as a child, she began receiving care at Baylor Foundation Tanzania in 2012. As she grew older, she juggled her education with supporting her mother’s business, doing everything she could to help meet their family’s needs.
In 2018, her life took an unexpected turn. Baylor Foundation Tanzania launched a cooking demonstration program to educate caregivers on nutrition, food preparation, and hygiene. FJ, an active member of the adolescent club, was chosen as an assistant cook, helping the foundation’s nutritionist conduct weekly demonstrations. More than just a job, this opportunity gave her independence—her wages were deposited into her first-ever bank account.
Her dedication did not go unnoticed. Recognizing her potential, the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) sponsored her enrollment in a vocational tailoring school. Determined to build a better future, FJ saved her earnings, and upon graduating, she proudly purchased a brand-new sewing machine to launch her own business.
Now, as a skilled seamstress earning a steady income while maintaining her ART regimen, FJ reflects on her journey with gratitude.
Baylor Foundation Tanzania gives me hope."
A life-saving home-based TB care program transforms JB’s health, restoring his appetite, playfulness, and hope through early detection and treatment.
When JB was just 13 months old, his world was quiet. He didn’t play, didn’t laugh, and barely ate. His mother, worried and exhausted, brought him to a clinic where he was diagnosed with malnutrition. But something more was lurking beneath his fragile condition.
Thanks to the TB Home-Based Care (HBC) program supported by Baylor Foundation Tanzania, JB’s case didn’t go unnoticed. Community health workers, tracing TB cases door to door, found him. They linked him to a local hospital, where the real culprit was revealed—he had tuberculosis. Just one week later, he was referred to Baylor Foundation Tanzania’s clinic, where he could receive comprehensive care for both TB and malnutrition.
Two months later, JB’s transformation was nothing short of remarkable. He had gained weight, his appetite had returned, and for the first time in months, he was laughing and playing.
I had lost hope—but then they came to our home and changed everything."
TB HBC is not just about identifying cases; it’s about saving lives. Coordinators follow up with patients, screen household contacts, and ensure young children receive preventive therapy. Through their dedication, children like JB not only survive—but thrive.
A determined student overcomes stigma, treatment lapses, and health decline to reclaim her future with resilience and Baylor’s support.
For as long as she can remember, Tussa has been a patient at the Baylor Foundation Tanzania COE in Mbeya. She recalls walking through the doors of the old clinic before the move to the larger, new facilities. The COE had become her second home—a place of encouragement, support, and belonging. Clinic staff and her family praised her dedication, calling her one of the best clients. She thrived in Teen Club and Salama Camp, eventually becoming a teen leader, peer educator, and facilitator for community ART groups.
With the same determination, Tussa set her sights on higher education, eager to be a leader in her community, just as she had been at the COE. When she received her university acceptance letter, she felt unstoppable. But as she moved 400 miles away, excitement quickly turned into isolation.
Almost immediately, she sensed the stigma. Teachers, peers—people she had hoped would be her new support system—became barriers. Fear of rejection led her to hide her HIV status. She began skipping doses of her medication, wanting nothing more than to feel like a “normal” student. One missed dose became two, then weeks, until she stopped her ART altogether.
Her health deteriorated, fatigue replaced focus, and soon, she was missing classes. The weight of secrecy and sickness became unbearable. Eventually, she dropped out.
But Tussa is not one to give up. Now back on ART, she is regaining her strength and preparing to return to university next year. She has found a network of peers who have walked a similar path, reminding her that she is not alone. She dreams of becoming a psychologist—using her story to guide others through the same struggles.
HIV is a part of us, but it does not define us. We must take control of it, not let it take control of us.”
She repeats this to herself every day.
HIV is a part of us, but it does not define us. We must take control of it, not let it take control of us.”
Tussa is grateful for the unwavering support of Baylor Foundation Tanzania, especially for young women like her who are fighting to reclaim their futures.
2024 Annual Report
Explore the achievements, progress, and impact in Baylor Foundation Tanzania's latest report.
Notable Programs
Optimizing Case Identification
Health Systems Strengthening
Empowerment Through Holistic Support
Tuberculosis Program
Palliative Care Program
Discover more about our related programs:
Leadership & Partnerships
Leadership
Lumumba Mwita, MD, MMED
Executive Director
Partnerships
Tanzanian Ministry of Health
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
Bugando Medical Centre
Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital
Regional and Zonal Governments in the Lake and Southern Highlands Zones
Mbeya Medical Research Center – National Institute for Medical Research (MMRC-NIMR)
Tanzania Health Promotion Support (THPS)
SeriousFun Children’s Network
Baylor College of Medicine
Texas Children’s Hospital
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)
Jhpiego
Deloitte Tanzania
Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)
International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP)
Jhpiego - Tanzania
Afya Bora Mtoto Imara Program
Uhuru TB & Family Planning Project
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