On 16 May 2026, Iyanna Foundation and UZIKWASA brought together, for the first time in one room, the people who have taken part in our three-year Reflective Leadership Training programme. The Stakeholder Forum took place at Meru Primary School in Arusha, and it was a chance to celebrate progress, share lived experiences of change and talk about how reflective leadership can help end violence against children.
Three groups took part, each having completed the full programme of training, coaching and monitoring visits: school committees from Elerai Secondary School, Kimaseki Secondary School and Arusha Secondary School, with about 40 members each; pastors and imams from across Arusha; and officers from district offices, including the Judiciary, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Anti-Corruption Office and the education, legal, sports, human resource, community development and social welfare offices. Ward tribunal representatives from all nine wards of Arusha Municipality also attended.
The reflections were candid. A ward tribunal representative described how listening has changed their work: people feel heard, and the resolutions last longer. An imam spoke about how listening without judgement has helped him guide families away from harmful practices.
One story stood out. Schools had long sent students home as a disciplinary measure, expecting parents to act. In reality, many children never reached home, and no one knew where they were. Since the training, schools speak to families first and contact them before a child leaves the premises. As one sports teacher put it: “No child leaves this school without someone at home knowing exactly where they are.”
Two panel discussions, facilitated by Iyanna Foundation Director Prisca Lema and Erik from UZIKWASA, looked at preventing violence against children through reflective leadership and at the change inside schools. The main takeaways were the power of active listening, the move from punishment to understanding, shared accountability across sectors, the role of faith leaders, and the importance of coaching and monitoring to make change last.
The forum was also covered by ITV Tanzania: [Watch the ITV Tanzania coverage] (link: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1JMxkuEURf/).
We thank UZIKWASA and every leader who gave their time and honesty over three years. Reflective leadership is not a one-off training. It is a practice we will keep nurturing, sharing and embedding in the communities where we work.
