Tanzania Youth Gender Empowerment Organization (TYGEO) is a community-led organization based in Tanzania dedicated to advancing human rights, health, dignity, and social justice for transgender women, sex workers, and the broader LGBTQI community, including people living with HIV.
Founded to respond to the urgent needs of marginalized and criminalized communities, TYGEO addresses violence, stigma, discrimination, and systemic exclusion. We provide safety and security support, emergency assistance for sex workers and human rights defenders at risk, and referrals for legal, medical, and psychosocial services. We also promote HIV prevention, treatment literacy, and linkage to care to improve health outcomes among key populations.
Due to the restrictive environment in our country, we prioritize the safety of our organization and community members. On our social media platforms, we often use terms such as “KVP” (Key and Vulnerable Populations), “girls,” and “women” to protect our identity and operations. While this approach helps ensure our security, it also creates challenges—particularly in accessing funding through online platforms where full transparency is often required. Despite these barriers, we continue to engage stakeholders strategically. When partners witness our work directly and see our community impact on the ground, they gain trust and appreciation for the transformative work we do.
Through community mobilization, capacity building, and advocacy, TYGEO remains committed to strengthening grassroots leadership, amplifying marginalized voices, and building a safer and more inclusive society in Tanzania.