Projects Implemented
The Pamoja
Tuwalee program is a five-year project funded by USAID/PEPFAR that improves the lives of
Tanzania’s most vulnerable children by working in close collaboration with
local NGOs and District and Municipal Councils to provide critical support
health, nutrition, psychosocial support, protection, education, and economic
strengthening.
Strategic objectives of Pamoja Tuwalee:
Strategic objectives of Pamoja Tuwalee:
- Work through local partners to provide comprehensive services
- Build capacity of local community structures MVCC, CBOs Para-social workers to meet the needs of MVC trough households (home visits) and schools.
- Work with LGAs and partners to strengthening implementation NCPA I and II for most vulnerable children and local ownership and respond to MVC needs.
CWCD implement this project at Arusha city and Karatu district were they were able to identify most vulnerable children at 5 wards by collaborate with MVCCs and LGAs and update them in national register. Also they were able to link them with other service providers which are in their areas and link their parent in LIMCA groups were they will generate income and help their children.
MWANZOBORA NUTRITION PROGRAM
According
to 2010 District Health Survey (DHS) in Babati district result to 52% of
children under five years suffer due to anemia and 27% women aged from 15-49
are suffering from maternal anemia. 40.1% children under five years suffer due
to lack of four micronutrient deficiencies with vitamin A, iron, zinc and iodine.
42% of maternal and lactating mother suffer due to lack of four micronutrients
vitamin A, iron, zinc and iodine.
Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies and has an impact on cognitive development of children. This stunting and associated micronutrient deficiencies cause permanent loss of growth in children and most of them never regain the appropriate weight, leading to long term deficits in mental capacity, low birth weight babies are prone to become stunted especially if the mother herself is stunted and has poor nutritional status. As the result of this survey in Babati town council 8 wards found to be high marginalized malnutrition severe lance childhood stunting and maternal anemia.
Due to highly magnitude of childhood stunting and maternal anemia lead CWCD to implement Mwanzo Bora Nutrition Program in Babati town council so as to reduce the magnitude of the problem and lead to children grow healthier. CWCD implement the program at 8 wards which are Bonga, Bagara, Nangara ziwani, Babati, Sigino, Kiongozi, Mutuka and Singe.
Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies and has an impact on cognitive development of children. This stunting and associated micronutrient deficiencies cause permanent loss of growth in children and most of them never regain the appropriate weight, leading to long term deficits in mental capacity, low birth weight babies are prone to become stunted especially if the mother herself is stunted and has poor nutritional status. As the result of this survey in Babati town council 8 wards found to be high marginalized malnutrition severe lance childhood stunting and maternal anemia.
Due to highly magnitude of childhood stunting and maternal anemia lead CWCD to implement Mwanzo Bora Nutrition Program in Babati town council so as to reduce the magnitude of the problem and lead to children grow healthier. CWCD implement the program at 8 wards which are Bonga, Bagara, Nangara ziwani, Babati, Sigino, Kiongozi, Mutuka and Singe.
RENARD
Women
entrepreneurship facilitation
This is among the first project to be implemented by CWCD, which intended to facilitate women to form income generating groups. The outcome of this intervention was the formation of 68 women group with 35 to 42 members each. The groups were engaged in handicraft, catering, and decoration service in ceremonies. Other was involved in the sale of used garments and running of day –care centers by the elder women. Farming was also practiced, including cultivation of potatoes, vegetables, maize and beans, poultry and cattle keeping.
CWCD facilitated these groups through establishment of the community-based microfinance scheme by using VICOBA (Village Community Bank) model. The members of these groups bought shares, which was Tshs. 2000 each. The money was deposited in the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) Arusha Branch was loaned to members of the groups who were in need of the capital. The main challenge was lack of markets due to poor infrastructure and lack of entrepreneurial skill among the beginning women entrepreneurs.
Foresting Micro enterprise Scheme for Maasai Women.
CWCD run this project through the funding of Renady Foundation of Scotland. The aim of this project is to improve the livelihoods of Maasai women in remote Maasai village. CWCD has formed 68 women in all districts in Arusha region, thus this fund goes directly to these groups to provide seed capacity for microfinance schemes within the groups. A limited fund is also given to the particular group for the purchase of raw materials for income generating activity, such as beads, hybrid goats or chickens as well as purchase of capital goods such as milling machines.
Group members make bracelets, necklaces, and outfits decorated with beads, which they sell and use the money to pay their children school fees, uniform ect. Market access is still a problem and CWCD has tried to help by opening small Maasai curio shop in its premises which is located in the heart of Arusha City. Group members bring in their products, which CWCD sell to tourists and other clients. The main challenge is higher interests imposed by the microfinance institutions, including SACCOS.
Binging school dropouts back to school
Statistics show that the major problem facing primary education sub-sector was the dropout of children due to child labor, including sex trade among the school girls. CWCD implemented a project which helped sex workers with school going age to go back to school. Girls who were reluctant to go back to school were enrolled to entrepreneurship classes which were run by CWCD. At the end of the project, about 18 girls completed courses in hairdressing and decoration. The main challenge was extreme vulnerability of girl’s children in local communities, which force them into prostitution at the tender age.
Awareness creation on women and children rights
CWCD has also been involved in protection and promotion of the rights of women and children since its inception in 1995. Through this project, CWCD has helped abused women and girls who have little recourse to access justice. The main challenge was the strongly held customary practices within the local communities, which have made the realization of women and children right difficult. In addition, the police force has put in place a children desk in each police station but most of them are headed by officers whose knowledge of children rights and how to treat them is wanting.
Early Childhood Development
CWCD run day-care center in Arusha city. In addition, the organization is mobilization the Maasai communities to establishment and run ECD centers along their bomas. This project is essentially funded by volunteers and well-wishers. So far CWCD has established eleven (11) model ECD center in Meru and Arusha rural districts. The aim is to develop children mentally while boosting their livelihoods. Insufficient funding for the running of this project is a cause of concern.
This is among the first project to be implemented by CWCD, which intended to facilitate women to form income generating groups. The outcome of this intervention was the formation of 68 women group with 35 to 42 members each. The groups were engaged in handicraft, catering, and decoration service in ceremonies. Other was involved in the sale of used garments and running of day –care centers by the elder women. Farming was also practiced, including cultivation of potatoes, vegetables, maize and beans, poultry and cattle keeping.
CWCD facilitated these groups through establishment of the community-based microfinance scheme by using VICOBA (Village Community Bank) model. The members of these groups bought shares, which was Tshs. 2000 each. The money was deposited in the National Microfinance Bank (NMB) Arusha Branch was loaned to members of the groups who were in need of the capital. The main challenge was lack of markets due to poor infrastructure and lack of entrepreneurial skill among the beginning women entrepreneurs.
Foresting Micro enterprise Scheme for Maasai Women.
CWCD run this project through the funding of Renady Foundation of Scotland. The aim of this project is to improve the livelihoods of Maasai women in remote Maasai village. CWCD has formed 68 women in all districts in Arusha region, thus this fund goes directly to these groups to provide seed capacity for microfinance schemes within the groups. A limited fund is also given to the particular group for the purchase of raw materials for income generating activity, such as beads, hybrid goats or chickens as well as purchase of capital goods such as milling machines.
Group members make bracelets, necklaces, and outfits decorated with beads, which they sell and use the money to pay their children school fees, uniform ect. Market access is still a problem and CWCD has tried to help by opening small Maasai curio shop in its premises which is located in the heart of Arusha City. Group members bring in their products, which CWCD sell to tourists and other clients. The main challenge is higher interests imposed by the microfinance institutions, including SACCOS.
Binging school dropouts back to school
Statistics show that the major problem facing primary education sub-sector was the dropout of children due to child labor, including sex trade among the school girls. CWCD implemented a project which helped sex workers with school going age to go back to school. Girls who were reluctant to go back to school were enrolled to entrepreneurship classes which were run by CWCD. At the end of the project, about 18 girls completed courses in hairdressing and decoration. The main challenge was extreme vulnerability of girl’s children in local communities, which force them into prostitution at the tender age.
Awareness creation on women and children rights
CWCD has also been involved in protection and promotion of the rights of women and children since its inception in 1995. Through this project, CWCD has helped abused women and girls who have little recourse to access justice. The main challenge was the strongly held customary practices within the local communities, which have made the realization of women and children right difficult. In addition, the police force has put in place a children desk in each police station but most of them are headed by officers whose knowledge of children rights and how to treat them is wanting.
Early Childhood Development
CWCD run day-care center in Arusha city. In addition, the organization is mobilization the Maasai communities to establishment and run ECD centers along their bomas. This project is essentially funded by volunteers and well-wishers. So far CWCD has established eleven (11) model ECD center in Meru and Arusha rural districts. The aim is to develop children mentally while boosting their livelihoods. Insufficient funding for the running of this project is a cause of concern.
Good future for vulnerable children
Children are the future and children’s rights are human rights. Therefore, as human beings, children’s rights should also be respected and safeguarded. Every child regards less of his/her physical, social, economic or whether kind of situation, should be treated like any other human being. Understanding the fact that children are the future adult, the social should make that it established different mechanisms and systems for improving the welfare MVC to build their future. In order for that situation to happen, the community at its largest context must be well informed about the children rights but also individual must be committed and must have resources.
During undertaking of its activities, especially during implementation of the project supported by the foundation for civil society in 2010, CWCD learnt that there is abuse of children and violation of their rights under health and education sector in many village/ wards around Arusha and karatu. Such situation like forced marriage at tender age, child labour, hiding inside and segregation of children with disabilities those living with HIV/AIDS MVCs and non-environment of the children into schools were some of the serious problems notes.
The situation resulted from less understanding about children’s (mvcs) rights, laws and policies regarding children. MVCs with disabilities and MVCs living with HIV/AIDS are discriminated and their right of education, health and the right to associate with other children.
Failure to enroll children living in difficult situation like orphans, children with disabilities MVCs in to schools, hospital does not only deny their basic human rights but also jeopardize their future life. Education and health is the only way liberating those children; its enable them to build foundations of their future.
CWCD as well, noted that some children from extremely poor families drop out from school and opt go in town for the sake of life but again end up living jobless on the street s. Arusha now is the one of town with many street children. It should also be taking into account that children are the future and hence we should prepare be good adults in future.
CWCD undertook awareness creation and sensitization on children’s rights to some villages/ wards in Arusha and Meru district under the project funded by the Foundation for Civil Society. The project resulted into a high positive response from villagers. Among others, the villagers decided to establish community day care ECD Centres also establish MVCC committees for the children living in difficulty situation, including orphans and children with disabilities. Villagers have been informed about children’s rights and have instituted different mechanisms to safeguard them. Children’s rights are provided without discrimination and stigma. But, their initiatives are hindered by their limited economic, knowledge, capacity for instance; it is now difficulty to handle the ever increasing children’s enrolment at the community- based day care centres (ECD) in terms of housing and other basic needs like food and water, also lack of enough knowledge of MVCCs on handling the matters of MVCs.
Therefore, the organization saw its very important to extend the project to other village/wards in order to educate and mobilize villagers to identify much more children living in difficult situation and set clear attending intervention and mechanisms to support them to build their future thus CWCD decided to implement this project and involve different groups to reduce the problem.
Villagers, LGAs and different government department especially education and health sector need to be educated and made aware about conventions, policies and laws that cater for the rights and welfare of children (MVCs) so that they are also use the knowledge to handle their children (MVCCs).
During undertaking of its activities, especially during implementation of the project supported by the foundation for civil society in 2010, CWCD learnt that there is abuse of children and violation of their rights under health and education sector in many village/ wards around Arusha and karatu. Such situation like forced marriage at tender age, child labour, hiding inside and segregation of children with disabilities those living with HIV/AIDS MVCs and non-environment of the children into schools were some of the serious problems notes.
The situation resulted from less understanding about children’s (mvcs) rights, laws and policies regarding children. MVCs with disabilities and MVCs living with HIV/AIDS are discriminated and their right of education, health and the right to associate with other children.
Failure to enroll children living in difficult situation like orphans, children with disabilities MVCs in to schools, hospital does not only deny their basic human rights but also jeopardize their future life. Education and health is the only way liberating those children; its enable them to build foundations of their future.
CWCD as well, noted that some children from extremely poor families drop out from school and opt go in town for the sake of life but again end up living jobless on the street s. Arusha now is the one of town with many street children. It should also be taking into account that children are the future and hence we should prepare be good adults in future.
CWCD undertook awareness creation and sensitization on children’s rights to some villages/ wards in Arusha and Meru district under the project funded by the Foundation for Civil Society. The project resulted into a high positive response from villagers. Among others, the villagers decided to establish community day care ECD Centres also establish MVCC committees for the children living in difficulty situation, including orphans and children with disabilities. Villagers have been informed about children’s rights and have instituted different mechanisms to safeguard them. Children’s rights are provided without discrimination and stigma. But, their initiatives are hindered by their limited economic, knowledge, capacity for instance; it is now difficulty to handle the ever increasing children’s enrolment at the community- based day care centres (ECD) in terms of housing and other basic needs like food and water, also lack of enough knowledge of MVCCs on handling the matters of MVCs.
Therefore, the organization saw its very important to extend the project to other village/wards in order to educate and mobilize villagers to identify much more children living in difficult situation and set clear attending intervention and mechanisms to support them to build their future thus CWCD decided to implement this project and involve different groups to reduce the problem.
Villagers, LGAs and different government department especially education and health sector need to be educated and made aware about conventions, policies and laws that cater for the rights and welfare of children (MVCs) so that they are also use the knowledge to handle their children (MVCCs).
Public Expenditure Survey
Public expenditure tracking survey refers to a system of presenting financial information in a way that allows different actors to discuss where money is coming from and where it is being spent. It also allows the user to reconcile incoming fund with expenditures. It enables officials and ordinary citizen to understand their budgetary entitlements better as well as aiding them to work out whether public funds are being used for the intended purposes. Also it aims to improve education service delivery to the vulnerable and marginalized especially children and maternal health groups.
PETS under education sector cover Monduli district, Meru disrict under health, Babati district under health and Arusha council (formaly known as Arumeru) under health. The project was implemented at school level, community level and at health centers to assess the amount of money sent by central government, LGA or community members are used as planned. To access the flow of resources( money, drugs, buildings and equipments)allocated and disbursed for delivery of child and maternal health services and establish if there any leakages in health sector at health facilities levels at Meru, Arusha , and Babati district to access the quality of service if is relevant with the resource used and to promote good governance and accountability in the local governments by increasing transparent in budgeting and expenditure of public resources in education and health sectors.
Achievements:
PETS under education sector cover Monduli district, Meru disrict under health, Babati district under health and Arusha council (formaly known as Arumeru) under health. The project was implemented at school level, community level and at health centers to assess the amount of money sent by central government, LGA or community members are used as planned. To access the flow of resources( money, drugs, buildings and equipments)allocated and disbursed for delivery of child and maternal health services and establish if there any leakages in health sector at health facilities levels at Meru, Arusha , and Babati district to access the quality of service if is relevant with the resource used and to promote good governance and accountability in the local governments by increasing transparent in budgeting and expenditure of public resources in education and health sectors.
Achievements:
- Formation of PETS committee for the purpose of tracking funds from central government, LGA or community members.
- Placement of notice board in village levels for the purpose of maintains transparency and accountability of leader on budget expenditure and other announcement.
- Through pets under health we were able to link with Mzeituni Foundation in develop primary healthcare advocacy strategy 2012-2013.
- Good collaboration with LGA, WEI/Bantwana and other MVC stakeholders(shalom, falcos, mwema, Rift valley)
- Cases were identified through CRC and been solved by schools, MVCC, Gender and children police desk,.
- Children eat vegetable during their afternoon meal at schools.
- Communities are aware on MVC support through community resource mobilization.
- MVC gets support through saving groups.
- MVC service directory developed
Challenges:
- Poor infrastructure.
- Heavy rainfall which consume a lot of time to reach the centers.
- Lack of education to community on children’s rights.
- Long distance and shortage of centers which provide different services (dispensary, police stations) which consume time to attend different services.
- Excessive alcoholism to the community.
- Highly demand for MVC support.