Tanzania's aHero programme: How Tamasha is helping adolescent mothers access lifesaving support

In communities across Songwe Region, a network of Young Mentor Mothers (YMMs) is helping ensure that pregnant adolescents, young mothers and children are identified early and connected to essential health services.

Young Mentor Mothers work within communities to identify women, children and adolescents who may need support and refer them to services including antenatal care, HIV testing, treatment, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, sexual and reproductive health care and psychosocial support. Through regular follow-up, they help families remain connected to care and ensure that mothers and children do not fall through the cracks. Young Mentor Mothers are young women, often also living with HIV and adhering to treatment, who use their own experiences to support peers navigating pregnancy, motherhood and treatment.

One of those young leaders is Tamasha. Although she is a newly appointed Young Mentor Mother, she has already become a trusted source of guidance and support for adolescent girls and young mothers in her community. "I chose to become a mentor because I am a living example to others," she says. "Through my own experience I have been able to motivate many adolescents and young women."

From peer support to community leadership

Tamasha was nominated for the role by her local Mum-to-Mum group, whose members had supported her throughout her own pregnancy journey. Today, she provides education on HIV prevention, HIV transmission and the importance of regular health testing. Every week, she meets with adolescents and young mothers, helping them understand how to protect their health and access available services.

"Every Friday I meet with adolescents to guide them, support them, and help them understand how to protect their health and make informed decisions," she explains.  "I work with women to remove fears and misconceptions related to pregnancy, breastfeeding, and how a mother living with HIV can protect her baby from infection."

Learning from those who came before

As one of the youngest mentors in her community, Tamasha has benefited from ongoing support from experienced mentor mothers, Sara and Mary. With their guidance, she learned how to follow up with pregnant and breastfeeding adolescents and young mothers enrolled in prevention of mother-to-child transmission services, helping ensure they remain engaged in care throughout pregnancy and beyond. The experienced mentors also advocated for Tamasha within the community, helping community members recognize her as a capable educator and trusted resource. Together, they provide HIV and sexual and reproductive health education through group sessions and one-on-one counselling, creating safe spaces where young women can ask questions and seek support without fear of judgement.

Helping mothers and babies thrive

For Tamasha, some of the most rewarding moments come from seeing women and children thrive. "One of the greatest successes in my work is a woman living with HIV who gave birth to a baby free from infection," she says. "The child is still healthy up to now."

She has also supported women facing HIV-related stigma, helping them rebuild confidence and feel accepted within their communities. "I helped another woman overcome the stigma she faced due to her HIV status, helping her regain confidence and see herself as equal to others."

According to Tamasha's nurse supervisor, the combination of community follow-up, peer counselling and strong links to health facilities is helping more mothers remain in care throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding.

"Young Mentor Mothers like Tamasha are helping us reach adolescent mothers who might otherwise be missed. We are seeing more women adhere to treatment, more infants returning for follow-up services, and more babies being born HIV-free because mothers are receiving the support they need throughout the prevention of mother-to-child transmission journey."

As awareness grows, more adolescents are accessing sexual and reproductive health services and seeking HIV testing and support. "Women now feel better supported and more confident than before," Tamasha says.

Today, Tamasha is helping ensure that adolescents do not face pregnancy, HIV or motherhood alone. By transforming her own experience into a source of strength for others, she is proving that when young women are empowered to lead, entire communities benefit.

This Young Mentor Mother approach is supported by UNICEF Tanzania through the aHERO Project, implemented by Baylor Foundation.