Her Excellency Salma Kikwete,
First Lady of the United Republic of Tanzania

Salma Kikwete is the First Lady of the United Republic of Tanzania, founder and Chair of Women and Development Foundation (WAMA). A non profit organization committed to increased number of economically empowered women, progressive communities, and educated healthy children.

To realize this vision and give support to her great course, Mama Salma Kikwete founded Wanawake na Maendeleo (WAMA) which translate Women and Development. Her vision is backed by the invaluable first hand knowledge and experience she gained in more than 20 years she spent as a teacher.

She believes that education and health are essential prerequisites in unlocking the potential of many poor Tanzanians to contribute to their country’s development, Africa and the world at large. She maintains that education, entrepreneurship and innovation are the key to liberate Tanzanians from ignorance, poverty and disease. She is a firm advocate for the elimination of gender inequities in accessing education and health services for ensuring equitable development.

In order to ensure that girls from poor families do not miss this chance of a life time, WAMA Foundation has scaled up its girl child education program which has so far benefited more than six hundred (600) girls. To date two hundred and ninety (290) have a 4 year full scholarships that enable them to pay for school fees, uniforms, books, transportation and other costs.

As a pioneer of girl child education and a child rights advocate who has received numerous awards. Recently she was crowned the Champion of Anti Stigma campaigns by the Embassy of United Sates in Dar es Salaam. Currently she is the Vice-President of the Organization of African First Ladies Against AIDS (OAFLA) – Eastern Region.

“Treat Every Child as Your Own” is her trademark theme in Tanzania.