Biography

Dominic Balama is a lawyer and social worker who has spent much of his professional career fighting for the rights of vulnerable youth in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. After working for many NGOs focusing on youth issues, in 2005 he founded Tuseme Children’s Empowerment Trust (TUCET). Tuseme means, “let’s speak” in Kiswahili, and the organization was created to give a voice to vulnerable youth, initially street boys and later all young children. TUCET was one of GO Campaign’s first partners. 

Today, Dominic is leading another new organization that he has founded: the Foundation for Vulnerable Children and Marginalized Women Empowerment Trust (FVCMWET). With FVCMWET, Dominic strives to provide for the most basic needs of the orphaned children in his community, and provide them with a proper livelihood through income-generating projects. He also empowers the youth to be self-aware of their rights and to be advocates for themselves and others like them.