Supporting Children Through Nutrition, Education and Protection
In Tanzania, where the population lives in poverty and many children under five are stunted due to malnutrition, Save the Children is working alongside communities to create lasting change. Through innovative nutrition programs, child protection systems, and emergency response, we're helping families build resilient futures for their children.
What the data says
47.2% of the population in Tanzania is multidimensionally poor, with rural communities bearing the heaviest burden.
Tanzania's economic growth has been robust, yet poverty reduction has progressed more slowly than anticipated (from 26.5% to 26.2% based on the national poverty line).
For children, the challenges are acute. Nearly one-third of children under 5 are stunted, a sign of chronic malnutrition that can affect development for life. High poverty levels in Tanzania are shaped by limited access to quality education, healthcare, clean water and electricity, particularly in rural households that rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture exposed to climate variability.
The country's youthful population presents both challenge and opportunity. Tanzania has one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations in Africa, with a median age of 18.4 and 43% under 15. Ensuring these children grow up healthy, educated and protected will determine Tanzania's future prosperity.
Ndikiray and her son, Abdul, smile as they hold a cup of fresh goat milk they received from Save the Children through the Improving Food and Nutrition Security project in Tanzania, which aims to improve family nutrition and well-being.
Our work in Tanzania
Save the Children has been working in Tanzania for decades, partnering with communities, local organisations and government to address the root causes of child poverty and malnutrition.
Fighting malnutrition through livestock and nutrition programs
Our Lishe Yangu, Maisha Yangu (Improving Food and Nutrition Security in Dodoma) project, funded by Save the Children South Korea, is transforming lives across the Dodoma Region. Operating in 58 wards and 166 villages, the initiative provides dairy goats and comprehensive training to vulnerable families, helping them secure consistent nutrition for their children.
The program has reached 1,584 beneficiaries so far, combining livestock support with training in sustainable animal care, nutrition education and small business management. Families learn to use goat milk to improve children's diets while selling surplus milk and manure for additional income. Community savings groups, peer mentoring and the passing-on of goats to other families ensure the benefits spread far beyond the initial recipients.
The project aims to achieve a 70% increase in household food security and a 5% reduction in child stunting, building foundations for children to not just survive, but thrive.
Emergency response
When three weeks of devastating rains killed 58 people including four children in Rufiji region in 2024, Save the Children responded swiftly alongside partner organisations. We delivered 200 mattresses and 200 mosquito nets to the Government rescue team for distribution to displaced families in temporary shelters, ensuring children had safe, dignified places to sleep during the crisis.
Strengthening child protection systems
In Zanzibar, our 'one stop centre' is strengthening the child protection system, providing children experiencing violence and abuse with a clear point of contact for support. Through our multi-stakeholder system, we're raising awareness of all forms of child abuse and working to ensure abusers face justice.
Our Child Rights Governance System helps children participate in decisions that affect their lives, while our Young Reporters Network equips young people with advocacy, journalism and social media skills to amplify their voices.
Improving maternal and child health
Our Kangaroo Mothercare Centre saves infants' lives through evidence-based care for premature and low-birthweight babies. Working with partners, we're enabling higher immunisation rates, training health professionals and improving maternity and neonatal services across the country.
The Partnership for Nutrition in Tanzania (PANITA) has grown to include 306 civil society organisations, spearheading coordinated action against malnutrition nationwide.
A mother's story: How a dairy goat changed everything
Ndikiray, 31, is the mother of two sons in Dodoma Region. For years, she worked as a tailor, but the income wasn't enough to consistently meet her children's nutritional needs. Most days, their meals consisted of basic vegetables, leaving her children at risk of malnutrition.
When Ndikiray received a dairy goat through our Lishe Yangu, Maisha Yangu project, everything changed.
Ndikiray smiles as she milks the dairy goat his family received through Save the Children’s Improving Food and Nutrition Security project in Tanzania, support that is helping enhance their household nutrition and food security.
"After I received the dairy goat, things started to change, now my children drink nutritious milk every day. I no longer have to worry about where to find it or how to pay for it," she explains.
The goat's milk quickly became vital to her sons' daily meals, supporting their physical development and protecting them from illnesses linked to poor nutrition. As the goat began producing more milk, Ndikiray sold the surplus milk and manure, saving the income through a local women's group. With time, she built a chicken coop, began growing vegetables, and is now dreaming of opening a small fabric shop.
But Ndikiray's children aren't the only ones benefiting. "When my children's friends come to play in the morning, I give them milk. It makes me happy to know they are not going hungry," she says. This ripple effect shows how one intervention, when focused on caregivers, can protect and nourish many children.
"Projects like these are more than goats. They are about giving children a chance. I believe that, and I am proof of it," Ndikiray reflects. "I want to give my children the best chance in life. I believe my goats can help me pay for their school fees, and I'll keep working until that dream is real."
Looking ahead
Our approach is built on partnership and sustainability. We work with communities to identify their priorities, then provide the resources, training and support to achieve lasting change. Whether it's livestock for nutrition, safe spaces for children, or improved health services, we ensure families have the tools to continue thriving after our direct support ends.
By combining practical help with advocacy for better policies and increased investment in children, we're addressing both immediate needs and systemic challenges.
Tanzania's youthful population represents incredible potential. With the right investments in health, nutrition, education and protection, today's children can become the architects of their country's prosperity. We're committed to walking alongside communities, ensuring every child has the opportunity to grow up healthy, learn, and contribute to their society.
Through programs like Lishe Yangu, Maisha Yangu, we're proving that sustainable, community-led change is possible.
One goat, one family, one village at a time, we're helping build a Tanzania where all children can reach their potential.
*Names updated to protect identities
Page updated February 2026
