Kitenga Village

Kitenga Village is located in the Rorya District of Tanzania's Mara Region.

The University at Buffalo's Center for Educational Collaboration has been working with the Immaculate Heart Sisiters of Africa to improve education and reduce poverty in this village. Kitenga is considered to be one of the poorest village in Tanzania. Women and girls are the most vulnerable segment of the society. Early marriage, HIV & AIDS, and the drudgery of daily life are difficult to escape.

Girls from age 14 or 15 can be forced to marry mainly due to poverty, lack of education and culture. Education is seriously disregarded. There are some areas within Mara region, with insufficient classrooms, forcing teachers to hold classes under trees. Some schools have neither chairs nor desks for students, leading to poor student outcomes and lack of motivation to learn. Books are also scarce and sometimes not available. A combination of poverty, inadequate learning facilities, and scarce supplies results in little developed human capital in the village. Most people in the village have only primary level education, and some never go school at all.

In Tanzania it is estimated that women especially rural women provide 80% of labor force in rural area and producing 60% of food production.