Kuvagalleria: Tansania

Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the challenges in reaching the UN Millennium Development Goals are extensive. However, during the past ten years the prerequisites of reducing poverty in Tanzania have greatly improved due to reforms in governance and economy. Results yielded by Tanzania's poverty reduction policy and the developing aid supporting it have already become visible in the recent years.

Education is one of the most important sectors in poverty reduction (MGG). Almost all Finnish disability projects in Tanzania are related to education.

Primary education reform took place in Tanzania 2001, and the school fees of primary schools were erased. This caused the increase of enrolments to school from 57 to 95 % also the amount of boys and girls are almost equal.

When looking at the previous reports and figures given on children in special and inclusive education in Tanzania, the situation is alarming. Only less than 2 % of children with disabilities do manage to enrol in primary schools, and 98 % of disabled children remain excluded from the education system.

Various Finnish NGOs have been and are implementing disability specific projects with their partners in Tanzania. The deaf of Tanzania have been a disability group of special attention.

Finnish Association of the Deaf has been collaborating with its sister organisation CHAVITA from the end of 1980ies. The ongoing co-operation project is the Credit Scheme and Poverty Alleviation Project for the Deaf Population in Tanzania-project phase II which started 2005 continuing from the phase I which started in the year 2001. CHAVITA is one of the strongest DPOs in Tanzanian disability movement. CHAVITA as an excellent advocacy NGO was given attention when CHAVITA was recognised as the Overall Best Grantee Winner 2007 by the Foundation for Civil Society in Tanzania. This good news appeared shortly after FIDIDA visit. It certifies the fame which CHAVITA has in Tanzania.

CHAVITA Office, Dickson Mveyange, Selina Nasoro and Lupi Mwaisaka Maswanya

 

The goal of the project is social and economic empowerment of the Deaf by linking Deaf people with training institutes, micro financing services and employers, and that Government authorities ensure that the needs of the deaf are mainstreamed into various policies and legislation. Project operates in five regions: Iringa, Mbeya, Dodoma, Mwanza and Mara       Meeting with CHAVITA Iringa branch

 

Deaf people are given training to start a business or improve their ongoing businesses.

Deaf kiosk keeper and shoe maker have participated the training in Iringa where they run their businesses.

Mission for the Deaf was the first Finnish NGO to start the disability project in Tanzania. It has been supporting deaf schools from beginning of 1980ies with their partner Evangelican Lutheran Church in Tanzania ELCT . In Njombe Primary School for the Deaf has 115 deaf students. The secondary school and vocational training center for the deaf project is on the planning phase although students have been studying already two years in the secondary school.

Njombe, Primary School for the Deaf students in front of administrative building	Njombe Secondary School for the Deaf, students receiving instructions

 

Njombe, Primary School for the deaf. First class students having mathematics lesson	Njombe School for the Deaf, Director Ms Daines Nyamoga

 

 

Mehayo Community Centre supporting mentally retarded youth received support from Hyvinkää Association (Hyvinkään kehitysmaakauppayhdistys) in the years 2001-2004.         Mehayo students on laundry day

Two Partnership organisations of MFA, FELM and FIDA complement and increase the Finnish funded disability projects pool.

	FIDA has an EU funded project Youth with Disabilities Community Project in Tanga, the baseline study and planning of the project has started on 2001 and actual project 2004.                 Fida, Tanga, accessibility at the school
FIDA Tanga, accessibility improvement	FIDA,Tanga, programme staff

 

Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission has supported the Tumaini University which has a new Sebastian Kolowa University College in Lusoto where a new special education faculty has started this year 2007. FELM is also supporting a community based rehabilitation programme Rainbow school Community programme from the beginning of 2007.

In the middle SEKUCO Provost Anneth Munga

SEKUCO, computer Class

 

	FELM is also supporting a community based rehabilitation programme Rainbow school Community programme from the beginning of 2007.                 Mother bringing child to Rainbow School
FIDIDA was offered an opportunity to give half-day training on DISABILITY RIGHTS, DEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY REDUCTION as part of KEPA training course to the Tanzanian partners of the Finnish NGOs. This took place 11 th November in Morogoro.   KEPA Training