Our Impact

Explore how the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation is reshaping futures through health, education, and youth empowerment initiatives across Tanzania and beyond.

Driving change. Building systems. Empowering people

Since its establishment, the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation (JMKF) has worked at the intersection of health, education, and youth development to address systemic challenges and deliver lasting impact across Tanzania and the region. Guided by the leadership of H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the Foundation brings together research, advocacy, innovation, and partnerships to drive progress where it matters most, and to shape forward-looking solutions for Africa’s development. These numbers are more than milestones, they reflect lives impacted, systems strengthened, and futures reimagined.

Highlights of Our Reach and Results

Changemakers mobilized

Mobilized 4,391 changemakers across 7 national and regional policy forums shaping discourse on maternal health, adolescent well-being, and universal health coverage.

Youth leaders equipped

Equipped 548 youth leaders with entrepreneurial, legal, and civic leadership skills, sparking the rise of youth-led ventures that are creating jobs, solving problems, and shifting narratives.

Million views

Reached over 4.8 million viewers per episode with Kijana Leo, our award-winning youth program, making it one of the most impactful public platforms for youth voice and leadership.

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Generated critical insights through three landmark studies thus filling critical data gaps and informing national strategies in maternal care, youth agribusiness, and health systems.

Positioned youth at the decision-making table through active representation on national, regional, and continental platforms influencing policies that shape the future of Africa’s young generation.

Built the systems to scale impact with robust operational infrastructure, transparent governance frameworks, and 11 programmatic concepts to catalyse multi-sectoral engagement and donor collaboration and partnerships.

Systemic change starts with structure, credibility, and strategic partnership

Since inception, the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation (JMKF) has transformed a vision for health, education, and youth empowerment into a powerful vehicle for progress. Today, JMKF is a respected voice in national policy, a launchpad for youth innovation, and a trusted bridge between communities and institutions. Over the last five years, JMKF has shifted systems, shaped national conversations, and delivered tangible results across key sectors. Below are some of the ways we have made meaningful, measurable impact, with long-term outcomes in motion.

Policy Influence Through Strategic Convening

We bring people together to shape public solutions. From reproductive health and gender equity to youth mental health and universal health coverage, JMKF is a catalyst for national dialogue and decision-making. To date the Foundation has:

Hosted 7 multi-stakeholder forums with over 4,300 participants, including policymakers, youth leaders, and development partners, driving inclusive dialogue on health and social policy.

Co-hosted Tanzania’s first and second RMNCAH+N Conferences, which are now national platforms informing reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health priorities.

Led Tanzania’s first national dialogue on youth mental health, putting mental wellness on the national agenda and setting the stage for integrated youth-centred solutions.

Partnered with Plan International to host International Day of the Girl Child events, mobilizing national attention around adolescent rights and mental well-being.

Co-convened the Zanzibar Universal Health Insurance Policy Forum, directly shaping the strategic framework for equitable health access on the islands.

Why it matters: These convenings have moved key issues from the margins to the mainstream, turning conversations into coordinated strategies and opening space for youth and marginalized voices in policy formation.

Research that informs Action

We generate evidence that drives smarter policy and funding. JMKF research initiatives close knowledge gaps and give stakeholders the data they need to act. We have:

    • Produced Tanzania’s first national mapping of maternal and newborn health interventions (2016–2021), informing resource allocation and coverage strategies.
    • Conducted the first systematic review of maternity waiting homes in four regions, providing insight to strengthen maternal care infrastructure.
    • Commissioned a regional agribusiness study on youth and women’s participation, spotlighting bottlenecks and economic opportunities in a critical growth sector.
    • Co-developed national operational guidelines for maternity waiting homes, now awaiting government endorsement and set to standardize care nationwide.

    Why it matters: These studies have laid the technical groundwork for scalable interventions and helping decision-makers invest where it counts and empowering communities with proven models.

    Youth Engagement

    We equip youth with tools, networks, and visibility to lead. JMKF nurtures the next generation of changemakers through hands-on training, media, and cross-border collaboration. To date, the Foundation has:

      • Trained 548 youth entrepreneurs in financial literacy, legal rights, leadership, and governance. This has contributed to translating skills into startups, social enterprises, and advocacy initiatives.
      • Supported 21 youth-led ventures with legal aid, technical assistance, and market access thereby reducing barriers and accelerating business growth.
      • Produced 7 episodes of Kijana Leo, JMKF’s nationally broadcast youth talk show reaching 8 million viewers per episode thus giving young people a national platform to voice solutions and shape narratives.
      • Launched the East African Community Youth Fellowship Program, bringing together 30 regional youth leaders to collaborate on public policy, innovation, and diplomacy.
      • Why it matters: JMKF is not just investing in youth. It is amplifying their leadership on national and regional stages, turning capacity into influence.
      World Malaria Day Commemoration

      Building for Scale: Systems, Strategy, and Sustainability

      We have laid the groundwork to deliver bigger and better impact in the years ahead. JMKF has established a resilient institutional backbone designed for scale, accountability, and innovation. As such we have built robust operational and governance systems, ensuring programmatic rigor, financial integrity, and long-term institutional sustainability. Additionally, in line with its Resource Mobilization Strategy, JMKF has co-designed and developed 11 strategic projects across health, education, youth empowerment, and policy, which now serve as entry points for donor engagement, co-financing, and partnership development.

      Why it matters: In investing in its operational structures, JMKF has enhanced its institutional readiness for scale making it a credible, high-capacity partner for long-term investment.

      Looking Ahead

      The work continues, with systems in place, partnerships growing, and new ideas ready to take flight. JMKF invites partners, funders, and allies to join us in unlocking potential and shaping the future, together.

      Join us in scaling solutions that work.

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