Increased Income Among Adolescent Mothers Through Vegetable Gardening n in Malinzanga Village, Mlowa ward, Iringa Region

A dissertation on Increased income among adolescent mothers through vegetable plantation in Malinzanga village, Mlowa ward, Iringa region is a result of the Community Needs Assessments (CNA) conducted in Malinzanga village in Iringa Rural district. Prior to project intervention, the CNA exercise was conducted which came up with the community needs and problems. The main problem unveiled with CNA exercise which faces majority of adolescent mothers and girls Malinzanga village was the prevalence of income poverty due to the lack of income generating activities (IGAs). Under this study there were three specific objectives which set to facilitate solving the problem, these are: To secure 2 acres of land for vegetable gardening by June 2017, to enhance knowledge and skills of 20 adolescent mothers in vegetable gardening, to increase income of 20 adolescent mothers through vegetable gardening by June 2017. The project beneficiaries (adolescent mothers) managed to start and establish their own vegetable plantations with support from the project as well as Local Government Authorities who provided part of the village lands to be used by adolescent mothers for growing vegetables. 100% of the adolescent mothers now earn some incomes and thus sharing their incomes and vegetables with their family members. This has now reduced the dependence level to their families and men who impregnated them. The project evaluation results indicate that, majority of adolescent mothers who participated and benefited from this project have developed stability to control their life and contribute to their households