TZ receives $2.8m for youth research projects

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA has secured 2.79 million US dollars (about 7.2bn/-) to fund nine research projects under the international u’GOOD Programme, which promotes the social and economic well-being of young people in countries of the Global South.

The country emerged among the top beneficiaries out of 23 projects selected globally, following a competitive process that attracted more than 120 research proposals.

The u’GOOD Programme is a five-year collaborative initiative (2023/24–2027/28), jointly implemented by Switzerland’s Foundation Botnar, South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). In the country, the projects will be coordinated in partnership with the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH).

COSTECH Director of Research, Dr Bugwesa Katale, who represented the Director General, Dr Amos Nungu, said yesterday the country’s strong performance reflected the quality and innovation of its research community.

“Over 120 project proposals were submitted globally and only 23 were approved for funding. Tanzania managed to secure nine of them, which demonstrates the high capacity of our researchers in addressing youth-related challenges,” said Dr Katale in Dar es Salaam during the u’GOOD Conference that brought together researchers and policymakers from Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe.

The research projects will explore how young people’s economic activities are influenced by climate change and other socio-economic factors. The studies will also examine how youth in small-scale businesses and marginalised communities can benefit more effectively from national development programmes and government policies.

“The findings will be vital in shaping policies that promote youth employment, innovation and entrepreneurship,” Dr Katale said.

Through the partnership, researchers from participating countries will share knowledge, experiences and findings over the next five years to develop joint solutions to common youth challenges.

Prof Sharlene Swartz, from the Human Sciences Research Council, said 23 projects were funded across nine countries, including South Africa, Vietnam, Ecuador, Colombia, Indonesia and Romania, with multiple projects in some regions.

“It’s not only about finding your voice, but about building environments that meet young people’s needs and allow them to make a difference in the world,” Prof Swartz said.

Although the official rollout begins in May, Prof Swartz said the programme builds on several years of planning and emphasises collaborative research, where teams work and learn together in real time throughout the project period.

Dr Dorothy Ngila, a representative from South Africa’s National Research Foundation, commended the long-standing cooperation between Tanzania and South Africa in science, technology and innovation.

“The goal is to generate knowledge rooted in local contexts while strengthening research partnerships across Africa and the Global South,” Dr Ngila said.

The u’GOOD Programme is expected to deepen SouthSouth scientific collaboration and produce actionable insights to improve policies that support the social and economic inclusion of young people.