"HerStory Coalition and National Museum Collaborate to Document Women’s Contributions in Tanzanian History"

Recently, the HerStory Coalition, in collaboration with the National Museum under the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Sports, launched a digital information centre dedicated to promoting the contributions of women in leadership, culture, and overall development.

This initiative is part of an ongoing campaign by HerStory Coalition aimed at ensuring that the stories of women who have contributed to various movements in the nation’s development are collected, preserved, and shared.

The event took place in Songea during the Maji Maji National Cultural Tourism Festival, held from February 24th to 27th, 2025. The launch was preceded by a national workshop and dialogue that focused on the role and contributions of women in preserving the national culture, values, and leadership in Tanzania.

The Chief Guest at the launch event was General Jacob John Mkunda, Commander of the Defense and Security Forces. He commended the efforts made by the National Museum in collaboration with development stakeholders and committed to cooperate whenever information about women leaders in the military is needed."

The new centre will focus on gathering and documenting accurate information on women leaders, both before and after independence, to recognize their contributions to society—especially given that many have historically been forgotten due to various social systems. Since 2024, HerStory Coalition and the National Museum of Tanzania through their collaborative effort were committed to address gender and social injustice against women to combat the pervasive patriarchal system that undermines women in Tanzanian society.

Some of the activities implemented so far were :

• In -depth research on the life of Mwami Tereza Joseph Ntare II—the first female chief of Kasulu and the first President of the African Chiefs Association of Tanganyika in 1958. This research aimed to document, preserve, and popularize her legacy. Proposed the establishment of a dedicated museum in Kigoma for the preservation and exhibition of her story.

• Expanded research to include several prominent women in Tanzania’s history, who have played significant roles in the struggle for social transformation against the patriarchal system. These women’s stories span the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial eras and include figures such as Chief Liti of Singida, Queen Mother Ngolo (Ngole) from Sukuma land, Lucy Lameck, Bibi Titi Mohamed, and Julie Maning, among others. Their stories were presented in both physical and digital exhibitions, which were showcased from September 18th to 23rd, 2024, in Songea during the National Week of Culture celebration festival.

The exhibitions marked the launch of the preservation, documentation, and exhibition of these her-stories through the National Museum of Tanzania's digital platforms.