Using Participatory Research and Action to Address the HIV-related Vulnerabilities of Adolescent Girls in Tanzania

Girls and young women are more likely to be HIV-positive than their male peers, due in large part to an array of gender inequalities that negatively impact their mental and physical well- being. Vijana Tunaweza Newala, or Newala Youth Can, is a participatory research and action project in the Newala District of Tanzania, aimed at both understanding and responding to girls’ HIV-related vulnerabilities. The project’s overarching purpose was to design and qualitatively assess a pilot intervention model to address their most pressing needs.This report highlights the project’s four phases of action: formative research, intervention design, peer education program, and assessment.