Volunteering in a ‘Sport for Development and Peace’ Event: Shifting Perceptions of Sport Among Tanzanian Female University Students

This study investigates the impact of volunteering in a ‘Sport for Development and Peace’ (SDP) event—specifically, a women’s athletics event in Tanzania—on local female university students. Grounded in Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight Tanzanian female university students who volunteered at the event. Through qualitative analysis, the findings suggest that participants underwent a transformative shift in their understanding of SDP, developed greater confidence in women’s participation in sport, and reimagined their future aspirations to advocate for expanded opportunities for girls and women in Tanzania. The results underscore the importance of structured volunteer experiences in challenging gender norms and nurturing leadership capacities among young women. By integrating local volunteers into SDP initiatives, this study highlights the potential of grassroots engagement to enhance program sustainability. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution, as participants may have aligned their responses with perceived expectations of prominent institutions.