Tanzania Books

The Grow & Know model was developed in Tanzania in 2009, resulting in the publication of the first girls’ book, Vipindi vya Maisha (Growth and Changes). In 2013, recognizing the need for similar guidance for boys, we developed the first boys’ book Kuwa Kijana (To Become a Young Man). Both books are written in Swahili and English. They target early adolescents aged 10-14 and incorporate real life stories as well as factual guidance about puberty and body changes.

The third book in Tanzania, Afya Njema Kipindi Cha Ujana Balehe (Healthy Adolescence), was developed in 2018 from Dr. Sommer’s research focused on the the linkages between alcohol use and unsafe sexual behaviors.  Healthy Adolescence targets older adolescents aged 15-19 years old, and aims to pick up where the two puberty books leave off, with health education and young peoples’ stories of peer pressures around alcohol use and unsafe sex. Healthy Adolescence is written in both Swahili and English.

All three books are also available in Braille.

Growth and Changes
(Vipindi vya Maisha)

To Become a Young Man
(Kuwa Kijana)

Healthy Adolescence
(Afya Njema Kipindi Cha Ujana Balehe)

photos from the field