How the World Bank Project supports early childhood development in Tanzania while also addressing Gender-Based Violence

The World Bank, through the Pamoja Project is rolling out initiatives to combat Gender-based violence in Tanzania while also laying grounds for early childhood caring programs.

The World Bank-supported PAMOJA project aims to increase access to economic opportunities for women and Gender-Based Violence prevention as well as provision of response services in targeted areas of Tanzania (both on the mainland and Isles).

Tanzania is launching efforts to strengthen the country’s childcare workforce through the World Bank-supported PAMOJA Project.

This is in recognition of the fact that childcare as a critical multisectoral development priority.

The initiative aims to expand access to quality community-based childcare services while addressing workforce challenges, including limited qualifications and training opportunities for childcare practitioners.

The project also focuses on developing national standards, accredited training programs, professional career pathways, internships, and digital quality assurance systems to improve service quality and support women’s economic empowerment across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Context of Childcare in Tanzania

Childcare is managed by multiple ministries in both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar and coordinated through local government structures.

It is being recognized as a multi-sectoral initiative, linked to national development goals, in line with the Generation Equality as stipulated in Vision 2050.

The Guidelines exist for the establishment of caregivers, provision of play and learning materials, and setting regulations.

But there are also challenges including limited infrastructure (out of the 5,158 children day care centers, only 291 are community-based) and insufficiently trained childcare workers.

The World Bank supported PAMOJA Project aims at expanding women’s economic opportunities and strengthening childcare services while addressing gender-based violence.

The five-year program being implemented at the cost of USD 116 million runs between 2025 and 2029.

Pamoja project covers a total of 48 district and municipal councils across the Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Project components include women’s economic empowerment, the prevention of Gender Based Violence as well as GBV response 

It also entails community-based childcare rollout through innovations and partnerships, plus project management and monitoring 

Formation of Community-Based Day Care Centers (CDCCs).

Women’s groups will get a short session on importance of early childhood development and how to set-up and request Community-Based Day Care Centers (CDCCs).

The initiative empowers women’s groups with awareness sessions on early childhood development (ECD).

Identify 200 Community-Based Day Care Centers for phased rollout (88 + 112).

Establish strong foundations, including updated guidelines, infrastructure design, operational manuals, play and learning packages, as well as monitoring systems.

Train caregivers and leaders on new standards and ensure the implementation of quality assurance systems for sustainability.

Childcare Workforce Challenges

Most childcare practitioners have limited education.

In fact, over 77 percent of them have only primary or no education, while few hold specialized early childhood qualifications.

Training opportunities have been found to exist but are inconsistent, costly, and limited, therefore calling for urgent need for shorter, accessible career pathways.

There is therefore an urgent need to upskill existing practitioners and create new shorter professional career pathways. The World Bank-PAMOJA project reportedly provides an opportunity to address these challenges.

Workforce Strengthening Measures

– Develop national guidelines and manuals for childcare practitioners.

– Create and accredit short courses delivered by approved stakeholders.

– Establish a national practitioner framework for continuous learning.

– Launch internship programs for technical college graduates.

– Use a digital Quality Assurance System to monitor workforce needs in real time.

The document highlights Tanzania’s childcare challenges and outlines how the World Bank’s PAMOJA project will strengthen infrastructure, workforce training, and community-based childcare to empower women and improve early childhood development.