Teacher Malugu: Turning Hell into Hope for a Young Girl at Hombolo Makulu Primary School
Teacher Emmanuel Malugu, a warmhearted and composed man, serves as a teacher at Hombolo Makulu Primary School in Makulu Ward, Dodoma City. Teacher Malugu considers the TanzAfya project to be special, and he shares a remarkable story of how he identified and rescued a Standard 6 girl from sexual abuse, helping her find safety and restore her hope for life. Before the TanzAfya project, cases of sexual violence were whispered about in the community but rarely addressed.
Many incidents went unnoticed or were quietly resolved within the village. When the project was introduced, Teacher Malugu was selected to attend a one-week sexual reproductive health (SRH) training facilitated by the Ministry of Health. Inspired by the training, he began providing SRH education to his pupils and introduced a suggestion box where students could anonymously share concerns related to SRH issues.
He opened the box twice a week, accompanied by two selected pupils, and soon discovered several cases of gender-based violence. To create a safe space, he organized group discussions with girls and encouraged anyone experiencing sexual abuse to speak with him privately, assuring them of confidentiality and support. “The next day, Tina (real name changed for privacy) came into the counseling room alone. She looked shy and nervous. She told me that what I had taught them about sexual violence was happening to her at the hands of her biological father.
I was shocked. I gently asked her to explain how it started.” Recalls teacher Malugu. Tina shared that her parents had separated due to conflict, leaving her and her two younger sisters in the care of their father. His dad left in the morning and often returned home late. One night, after she had prepared his dinner, he ordered her to sleep in his room. When she resisted, he threatened to kill her if she disobeyed or told anyone. The abuse became routine, and she felt trapped and exhausted. Teacher Malugu, visibly saddened by the account, provided initial counseling and assured Tina of her safety. He promised to help her and encouraged her to remain open and confident. Following the TanzAfya protocol communicated to teachers, Mr. Malugu reported the case to the head teacher. Together, they referred Tina to the ward social work office. She was escorted to the Social Welfare Office, which immediately involved the ward executive officer and the police.
Tina was taken to a health facility for examination, which confirmed the abuse. Her father was arrested and later imprisoned. Tina now lives in a safe environment under the care of social services. The social welfare office has taken responsibility to take care of Tina and her siblings, and she is currently in standard seven in the nearby Primary school. Teacher Malugu is proud of the transformation the TanzAfya project has brought to his school and the surrounding community. “My support goes beyond the school. I talk to children, neighbors, and friends in the community,” he says. The outreach SRH services provided through the cine bus have become widely known in the area, attracting youth from beyond Hombolo Makulu Ward.
Teacher Malugu emphasizes the importance of educating parents to improve communication with their children, who often feel too shy or afraid to speak up. “I’ve become a friend to the children at school, and now they share many of their challenges with me.” Teachers that did not get formally trained have also been engaged and are now actively supporting the campaign against sexual violence and promoting sexual and reproductive health rights. He urges the need to expand interventions introduced by TanzAfya project to cover more schools and communities.
