Vodacom Tanzania, via its CSI initiative Vodacom Tanzania Foundation, has partnered with international NGO Girl Effect to launch 'Tujibebe', a mobile-based brand targeted at the youth – specifically adolescent girls.

In a statement released to the media, the company says Tujibebe (which means 'let's lift ourselves up, together') will provide young people with access to information and resources, including the skills required to set up a business, and manage finances.

The brand has been launched with a Tujibebe website and a national IVR (Interactive Voice Response) phone line - providing interactive, on-demand audio content - that will be free to access on Vodacom.

Tujibebe was officially launched at the Golden Tulip hotel in Dar es Salaam at an interactive event, officiated by the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) Board member, Simon Shayo, and attended by stakeholders from the development sector.

Shayo said: "Tujibebe shows the importance of private and non-profit collaboration to drive progress towards the sustainable development goals. I would like to encourage more members of the private sector to be innovative in their areas of expertise and partner with civil society to create projects that empower communities."

Rosalynn Mworia, Corporate Affairs Director, Vodacom Tanzania and Trustee of Vodacom Tanzania Foundation, added: "We know that mobile technology has the power to change the world, we are excited to be supporting Tujibebe through our network to develop the potential of girls and boys in our communities. The power of connectivity and technology will deliver content that will empower young people enabling them to maximise their potential."

Girl Effect CEO, Jessica Posner Odede, remarked that the brand's content has been designed to unite all young people, but with a focus on creating meaningful change for girls.

She continued: "Young people often have a huge range of questions about their future that they don't know how to act on - from the right skills to get a job, ways to safely make money or how to save for the future. We're launching Tujibebe so that when girls go online, they can access content that is entertaining, informative and relevant to their everyday lives. Our ambition is to use Tujibebe to connect girls to services around them and create lasting behaviour change."

Last month, Vodacom Tanzania Foundation unveiled its three-year strategy that seeks to promote inclusive development in the areas of health, education and agriculture.