AT just 18 years old, Raya Elhawi found herself trapped in a marriage she never truly chose. What was meant to be a lifelong partnership quickly became a cycle of abuse.

Leaving was not an option, at least not in the eyes of her family or society. Despite not fully understanding her rights at the time, she knew deep down that what she was experiencing was wrong.

“I asked my parents if all marriages were like this, but they told me to endure it,” she recalls. “I refused because I knew they were accepting something that wasn’t right.”

Determined to break free, she sought help, but her pleas were ignored, and divorce was deemed unthinkable. With no support system, Raya had to fight for herself. The journey to freedom was slow and full of obstacles. The Tanzanian legal system was uncooperative, but she persisted.

When she finally secured a divorce, relief did not come—only a haunting question: How many others are trapped like I was? And who will fight for them if no one fought for me?

That question stayed with her, shaping her path forward. As she worked to rebuild her life, fate introduced her to a young boy in 2007—an encounter that would change everything.

The boy had a speech impediment, yet his intelligence and potential were undeniable. “As he struggled to explain his challenges, I couldn’t help but sympathize,” Raya recalls. 

His mother—the only person supporting his education—had passed away the very day his primary school exam results were released. With no financial support, his dreams of continuing school slipped away. He resorted to braiding hair to earn money for school fees.

The same system that had failed Raya was about to fail him, and she refused to stand by. Determined to give him a chance, she fought tirelessly for his education, reaching out to schools and donors, unwilling to accept that a child’s future should be determined by money.

Her persistence paid off—he was able to return to school. In that moment, Raya found her purpose: I can fight for others the way I fought for myself, beginning with him.

This realization led her to like-minded individuals who shared her passion for justice. Together, they founded Mkombozi, an organization dedicated to supporting academically gifted but financially disadvantaged students.

Though she played a crucial role in its formation, Raya chose to serve as vice chairperson rather than take a major leadership role.

By 2010, Mkombozi had supported numerous students through donations and sponsorships. In between 2010 and 2011, a new opportunity emerged when free community justice empowerment training programmes were introduced.

These programmes aimed to equip individuals with legal knowledge, enabling them to help others access justice. Raya seized this opportunity, earning legal certifications that empowered her to challenge the very systems that had once oppressed her.

In 2012, together with her team established an official legal aid organization, which was formally registered on January 15th, 2016, as the Bridge to Justice Foundation (B2JF)—a non-profit based in Bagamoyo.

Despite its promising start, the foundation struggled with funding for years. Elhawi, who had initially taken a lesser role, raised concerns, but her fellow founders dismissed them. Eventually, the foundation teetered on the brink of collapse. When financial benefits dwindled, her colleagues abandoned the project, leaving behind five years of unpaid penalties totalling 750,000/-.

She was at a crossroads. “My goal was to help the community. How could I let this institution die like Mkombozi had?” Determined not to give up, she used her own money to pay off the debts and keep the foundation alive.

By 2021, B2JF had been rebuilt with a renewed focus on advocating for vulnerable groups. The organization provided legal aid and healthcare whenever possible and, when resources were limited, partnered with other organizations to extend support.

Last year, they were able to provide health insurance to 35 individuals, enabling them to secure healthcare services at different health facilities for free. Beneficiaries included women, children, people with disabilities, the elderly and young domestic workers.

In 2023, through the Woman and Peace project (Mwanamke na Amani), we were able to empower women and girls through capacity building trainings whereas they are now able to join decision-making bodies, conflict resolution forums and take-up leadership roles.

However, in 2024, the foundation secured funding for a new project through Swiss Contact, a non-profit organization that secures funds from Switzerland.

With the support from Swiss Contact , Elhawi said, they started a new initiative—Mwanamke na Ujuzi (Women and Skills) that was aimed to empower young mothers, particularly those out of school and those raising children alone without support from the fathers.

“Swiss Contact’s mission is to empower women, so they needed women to be the primary beneficiaries,” Elhawi told The Guardian adding; “We also proposed an amendment to the contract for the project to become sustainable and reach out to a good number of vulnerable groups.

Instead of solely offering legal education, the project was redesigned to provide economic empowerment, vocational training, and basic health support. This expansion would ensure young women gain financial independence and access their rights just like men.

Many young girls, especially in coastal areas, undergo initiation rites (unyago) at ages 13-14. These ceremonies or rituals signify a person's transition into a new status, group, or level of understanding, often marking a significant life stage like adulthood or membership in a community

The rituals, according to her, are sometimes leading to early pregnancies because most of the teenage girls lack sexual and reproductive health knowledge, leading to further marginalization.

Mariam Rajab, a field officer said that B2JF leaders collaborate with local government leaders at all levels whereas they jointly identify those in need, ensuring parents understood the programme before allowing their daughters to attend training sessions.

She added: “We realized that most of the girls had no idea of what they are going to learn. We decided to introduce soft skills training before vocational lessons. These sessions covered self-awareness, counselling, gender education, entrepreneurship, marketing, and financial literacy”.

Despite progress, challenges remain. Some students lack motivation, and short training periods limit learning. Additionally, inadequate tools hinder effective instruction. The foundation also tracks student progress using ODK (Open Data Kit), monitoring attendance and participation to determine who qualifies for start-up kits.

Looking ahead, Elhawi hopes to establish a formal vocational training center to support a wider community beyond young mothers.

 “Bagamoyo lacks such an institution,” she explains. “A school covering 80 percent of fees, offering various skills, could transform lives.”

Bridge to Justice provides transport stipends and meals to ease students' burdens. Their success is measured by whether graduates integrate into society, support their children, and inspire others.

“When you help someone who has lost hope regain their strength, you change lives,” Elhawi stated.

Arnold Gerald, a local tailor, praise the programme saying; “I feel good because a true artisan is not selfish. A good artisan wishes for others success as well. I am happy because craftsmanship has its peak. You can practice it for many years.”

Gerald works as an instructor at the B2JF foundation, he is proud of successfully training a number of young women who are now good tailors and can be recommended for any type of related jobs.

“There are customers who could prefer their attires be made by these young girls instead of me. To me this is an achievement,” he added.

Pili Mtonga, a Mama Africa bag sewing instructor, also shared her thoughts. “Despite the challenges these young mothers face, such as household responsibilities, most of them manage their learning sessions accordingly”.

Happiness Msaki, a crochet instructor said: “Some students can still be hard headed with a lazy and care free attitude, they see us as both being on the same level and don't afford us with the respect and grace needed to teach property,”