PAST AND CURRENT PROJECTS

1. Community Mobilization for Income Generating Activities (IGAs)

ACCODEO has been mobilizing the community to establish Groups and initiate income generating activities in the four districts of Mara region – Musoma urban, Musoma rural, Serengeti and Tarime. More than 68 Groups were networked to the “Mara Groups Network” and provided with seminars. In 2003, their activities were evaluated by ACCODEO in collaboration with two Volunteers from ASA Program – Germany.

2.   School Health Education for Prevention of HIV/AIDS/STIs and Life Skills.

 In July 200, ACCODEO acquired a permit from the Regional Education Officer to implement HIV/AIDS interventions in Primary Schools of Mara Region. We also acquired all the implementation Guidelines and training manuals from the Ministry of Education. In October we received funds from Forum Syd (a Swedish NGO based in Dar es Salaam by then) for the purpose of conducting trainings for Peer Health Educators on HIV/AIDS prevention and life skills in 108 Primary schools in Musoma urban and Musoma rural. More than 1,080 pupils; 216 Primary School Teachers and 26 Ward Education Coordinators benefited with the trainings.

3.    Prevention of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

ACCODEO has been implementing anti-female genital mutilation through Radio Program. The intervention was also implemented in Primary schools of Musoma urban while other interventions were implemented in Kiagata, Musoma rural district. In Kiagata area, we targeted "NG'ARIBAs" (FGM practitioners) by providing them with loans to initiated small businesses as an alternative income in order to stop FGM surgery. This program was funded by Global Resources Alliance (GRA) an NGO based in California - USA

4.   Bukima Ward Schools Compounds Improvement Project:

This was an environmental conservation project located in Bukima Ward in Musoma Rural District. Its purpose was to strengthen the capacities of two Primary schools along the Lake to overcome environmental threats with negative impact to the Lake Victoria through addressing effects of deforestation and use of industrial agro-chemicals.

The project enhanced environmental education and community health education to the two schools and school committees, support schools to establish tree woodlots at their respective compounds to minimize soil erosion and act as windbreakers and to promote organic farming activities in schools to minimize the non point source pollution entering the Lake from excessive use of industrial agro-chemicals. This was a two – year project that commenced in October 2006 and was funded by UNDP through Nile Trans-boundary Environmental Action Project (NTEAP) and supervised by Nile Basin Initiatives (NBI). The project was phased out.

       Major activities conducted:

• ·  Conduction of Baseline study
• ·  Facilitate conduction of project introduction meetings to school committees
• ·  Procure/prepare IEC materials for the pupils and the surrounding community
• ·  Facilitate conduction of training to school committees on relevant topics on       environmental conservation and community health education.
• ·  Facilitate establishment of two tree nurseries at each school
• ·  Procure and deliver nursery materials, equipment and establish a minimum of one acre of school woodlots at each school
• ·  Mobilize community members to plant trees in their areas and woodlots
• ·  To equip two schools with rain water harvesting tanks
• ·  Facilitate establishment of school organic gardens where children can learn organic farming techniques and conduct training to teachers, pupils and school committee members on how to prepare and use organic fertilizers and pesticides.
• ·  Conduction of quarterly Monitoring & Evaluation

5.   Capacity Development Program:

This was an internal capacity building program for ACCODEO staffs that was funded by Forum Syd, a Swedish NGO based in Tanzania with support from SIDA. The major Organizational Objective of this program was to empower eight (8) ACCODEO staffs with knowledge and skills that will strengthen and increase our internal organizational efficiency, accountability and sustainability. Topics covered by this program are:-

v  Addressing HIV/AIDS challenges

v  Financial management

v  Human rights

v  Lobbying and advocacy

v  Organizational sustainability

v  Work-team building

On this programme, ACCODEO was awarded a letter of Recommendation on Excellent Achievements and Cooperation within the Forum Syd Capacity Development Project 2005-2008.

6.   Improving Social & Economic wellbeing of HIV/AIDS Orphans

ACCODEO has been implementing programs that support Orphans and Vulnerable children. The goal of this program is to improve social and economic wellbeing of HIV/AIDS Orphans/vulnerable children and their Caregivers. This project was  funded by McKnight Foundation of California in America. It was discovered that the number of orphans particularly orphaned by HIV/AIDS and vulnerable children is increasing day after day. Providing only material support for children is not a sustainable support because it will develop a dependency syndrome.

These children are supported through their Caregivers. The identification of Orphans and Vulnerable Children was done by the Musoma Municipal. ACCODEO conducted the Need Assessment of the children. Caregivers of these children were organized in groups of five (5) individuals. They are provided with small business skills Training before they are given loans. They are later given seed money in the form of revolving loans. The profit gained from the business enables Caregivers to provide potential services to their dependant children. We also provide psychosocial support education to caregivers and children through workshops and Radio Programs. Until June 2008 we have provided loans to 126 Caregivers and the amount in the revolving scheme is Tsh.38,000,000=. The number of orphans and vulnerable children who benefited from this program is 514. This project strives to improve social and economic wellbeing of HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children through empowering caregivers and the community by: -

(a)  Raising awareness in the community through conduction of workshops with local leaders and through Radio program on community responsibility towards care and support for orphans and most vulnerable children

(b)  Conduction of workshops with Caregivers of orphans on responsible parenthood towards care and support for orphans and vulnerable children.

(c)  Conducting a business skills training and provision of soft loans to Caregivers of orphans.

7.   Kenyamonta Community Facilitation and Empowerment Project.

This is initial project of the long term program that is “Rural Development Program on Improved Irrigation Farming in Serengeti District”. This project is being funded by GORTA - The Freedom from Hunger Council of Ireland. The program was funded in phases of two (2) years. According to the long-term plan, the activities of this program are:-

•  Pre-production marketing survey
•  Community Mobilization on improved farming
•  Improved farming training to the six groups
•  Procurement of farming gears/tools
•  Demonstration farming of new introduced varieties of crops.
•  Provision of farming gears
•  Monitoring and Evaluation

All these activities have been done successfully.

Future programs are:-

• ·  Dams survey
• ·  Construction of 2 dams
• ·  Trainings
• ·  Mass production and food security
• ·  Food processing and marketing
• ·  Infrastructure improvement and transportation
• ·  Monitoring & Evaluation

Therefore, “Kenyamonta Community Facilitation & Empowerment” is a two – year project that commenced in November 2007 and it covers three (3) villages of Kenyamonta Ward in Serengeti District.

The project is being implemented by six (6) groups that are engaged in farming activities while ACCODEO is facilitating and empowering the groups. Beneficiary groups are:- Muungano Group (8 members), Maarifa Group (7 members), Nyagasense Group (9 members), Mkuyuni Group (15 members), Songambele Group (13 members), Ibiso/Mesaga Group (40 members).

So far the groups have been facilitated with farming gears (24 oxen, ploughs and accessories, seeds, sprayers, fertilizers, 6 Tri-motorcycles, 6 weeders, and 6 planters. Demonstration farms have been established and new varieties of crops cultivated. For the purpose of supervision and monitoring, ACCODEO acquired a Motor Vehicle for the purpose. 

The project donor has been withdrawn from continuing to support this project since 2010 due to global Economic Crisis. We are still securing for orher donors who can continue to support the project.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

(i)         CHILDREN’S RIGHTS

ACCODEO as a member of the National Network of Organizations working for and with Children (NNOC) has been involved in the Children’s Rights issues as follows:-

• Consultation with Children on the Draft of Childre's Act
• Formation of Junior Councils where children can channel their voices of their concern. Mara Region has two children representatives to the Junior Council of the United Republic of Tanzania.
• Regional representatives to the National Council presented children's issues to the National Parliament in Dodoma.
• ACCODEO implemented "The Voice of Children" in 2005 Election Project funded by Unicef - Dar es Salaam.