1.   Educationist joins the Mission.

Mr. Ambangile Samson Mwakilembe (Pictured below) joined the Mission in February 2014.

Mr. Mwakilembe (72) obtained a Master of Education Degree from the University of Dar-es Salaam in 1981. Prior to that he had a Bachelor of Education Degree from Canada University of Alberta (BED) and attended a course in Education and Management (EMK) UK Scotland Morey House.

Mr. Mwakilembe has worked as both a District and a Regional Education Officer in several regions, a secretary of Unified Teaching Services (UTS) a Chief Executive Secretary Teachers Services Commission and lastly worked as a Lecture at Teofilo Kisanji University before retiring from active service in July 2012.

Mr. Mwakilembe is seen by the Mission to be one of our important members in transforming our aged beneficiaries so that they can regain hope and join others in poverty reduction.

2. Fukayosi land development continues.

Following the commencement of rain seasons, an active land development programme has commenced at Fukayosi involving planting of about 250 trees The  land which is planned to accommodate a Centre for Geriatric Care Management has systematically been developed to ensure it gains its value on continuous basis. Below are some of the pictures indicating some areas of cleared land which were formally a jungle

3. TARAJA MDPTL staffat work

The first Mission’s dispensary has preceded offering services to the public and continues to identify disadvantaged persons within its neighbour-hood. Below

Below Clinical Officer Juliana S. Mushuga attends one of our beneficiaries. 

Others key staff in the dispensary are pictured below

CENTRE FOR GERIATRICS CARE MANAGEMENT BEING CONCEIVED

The Mission is considering proposals to establish a Centre for Geriatrics Care Management to be established on a four acres land in Fukayosi, Bagamoyo District. The land is within 28 kilometers from Bagamoyo Township along a tarmac road leading to Msata.

In a recent e-mail to the Members, the Managing Director, David Mushumbusi Kaijage seeks to have comments on a detailed proposal to establish a Nursing Training Centre, a Health Centre and a Home Care Centre. This process is taken simultaneously with a feasibility study for the project currently being undertaken by the Mission.

The buildings to be built on the site will include training rooms, home care rooms, residential houses, hostels, a recreational centre, shops and offices. The comments by the Members will be taken on board while instructing Architects to draw up a Land use Plan for the area.

Such an institution could be the first one in the country that will address all issues of Geriatrics and Gerontology. The training schemes will include the details of these new issues in the current training scheme of nursing and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will be consulted to offer additional training curriculum for nursing to address these issues at an opportune time. It is understood that at a higher level, the Centre will accommodate an expansion program to the train a few Medical Doctors and Social Welfare Officers to specialize in these fields.

The area in question which is currently been developed will be planted with trees in the coming rain season. Below is an established trees nursery to facilitate the exercise of planting trees at the area.

NEW MEMBERS

The Mission to Disadvantaged Persons Tanzania Limited has admitted four new members to the Mission with effect from 01.01.2014. The new members made applications to join the Mission in December 2013. The total membership to date is 32.

New members are admitted on the basis of their qualifications with due emphasis on the ability of the admitted members to serve the Mission by offering expertise advice in meetings or sub committees which they may be called upon to serve/ offer from time to time.

Those admitted are:-

1. Annet Theresphory Dideberi (23) who is a final year student of Medicine at Dr. Hubert Kairuki Memorial University. Annet is being considered to be one of the first Mission’s Geriatricians/ Gerontologists in few months to come.
2. Dinnah David (22) a first year student studying a Bachelors Degree in Accountancy at Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (pictured below) She is planning to be attending to the Mission’s activities during her holidays.
3. Grace Telesphore Nicholas (30) a holder of a Bachelor Degree in Social Work and Social Administration from Uganda Christian University. Grace has worked as a field social worker in Ilala Municipality and will be offering directly technical services at the Head Office of the Mission in all matters of project formulation and administration (pictured below).
4. Agnes Gabriel Bgoya (57) a holder of a Diploma in Social Work viewed to have deep training and experience in geriatric nursing, geriatric pain management and geriatric nutrition. She is a veteran Matron with intensive experience in hospital nursing activities and will be deeply involved in conducting nursing training for home care givers.

THE BIRTH OF THE MISSION’S “FIRST BABY”                  

The Private Hospitals Advisory Board in its meeting held between 16^th and 20^th December 2013 approved the registration of the first Mission’s dispensary. The name of the registered dispensary which has now opened its doors in Sitakishari, Ukonga, in Dar-es Salaam is “Taraja MDPTL Dispensary”. The Kiswahili word “Taraja” means “hope” and the inner meaning of the whole name is that the dispensary belongs to The Mission to Disadvantaged Persons Tanzania Limited and gives hope to its beneficiaries and other members of the community who will be getting its services.

The dispensary opened its doors immediately after receiving a letter from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare giving the appropriate approval. Members of staff who had waited for the approval were immediately available to start attending the beneficiaries who were patiently waiting. It was the best moment such as we had never seen.

The dispensary operates with a total of 11 employees in a building that has sufficiently been renovated. The building has all necessary rooms such as a reception and records room, consultation rooms, laboratory rooms, dressing room, dispensing room, observations rooms, drugs store, RCH rooms, toilet facilities, washing slabs and a modern incinerator.

The photos below show some of the areas within the dispensary.

1.Lab room

2.Observation room

3.Receiption4.Pharmacy

5.Incinerator

PRIVATE HOSPITALS ADVISORY BOARD SAYS ‘YES’ TO THE COMPANY.

The Private Hospitals Advisory Board in its meeting in Dodoma from 13^th to 17^th May 2013 approved the Company’s application to offer medical services to the Tanzania Community.

Announcing this in Dar-es Salaam to the members of the Company, David Mushumbusi Kaijage the Managing Director of the Company said he was happy to announce the fact that the Company has received a formal letter from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare allowing the Company to conduct medical services in the country.

”The effect of this approval is that as a Company, we can now open as many
dispensaries , health centers, hospitals etc as the Company we may wish after passing through the formal procedures involving the inspection of the premises concerned by the appropriate District Medical Officers” said the Managing Director.

The Company's General meeting in its previous meeting approved the Company’s first
dispensary to be opened at the Company’s offices at Sitakishari and was proposed to be known as Taraja Dispensary.

The Managing Director called upon all those who had not paid up their subscription fees and monthly contributions to do so to facilitate the opening of the first dispensary. Any person or organization desirous to support the opening of this dispensary may do so by sending the contributions/donations through Tigo Pesa 0717-189-188 or M-Pesa 0754-478-600 Mrs Melania Kaijage who is currently our acting Treasurer.

It is anticipated that the renovation of the building will be completed before the end of July 2013 and that formal operations will start upon completion of key statutory issues involving the registration of the premises.

All key staff has been identified and necessary equipment and supplies acquired.

MANAGING DIRECTOR.

A SRANDED STRANGER GIVES BIRTH AT THE MISSION’S PROPOSED DISPENSARY.

Esther Amiri (21) left Lushoto in Tanzania to look for employment in Dar-es Salaam. She explains that she was immediately employed as a domestic servant by an Indian family and stayed with that family in one of the flats at Kariakoo area.

After working for one week she was allowed to go around. She then got lost and could not immediately remember what flat she was staying in. She says every effort to trace her employer failed.

In yet a final effort to trace her employer, she met one man in the name of Justine Mwita who proposed to have relations with her. She agreed and Mwita took her in the rented house in Kivule where they were happily married. That was in May 2012.

Sometime in August 2012, Mwita with his friends left Kivule saying they were going in Bagamoyo to process the burning of wood in order to get charcoal for sale. He never returned. At that time she was pregnant.

She explains that she stayed without any support from her husband whose whereabouts remains unknown. She depended on the help of her neighbors until she was evicted by the landlord who had not been paid for the rents that were outstanding for several months.

Upon eviction from the house she approached a village local chairperson (Mwenyekiti wa Mtaa) at Kivule who gave her Tz. 1,000/= and told her to report to any Church for help. On Sunday 6^th January 2013 she reported at TAG Gospel Champaign Church at Sitakishari and participated in a Sunday mass. She explains that she then approached some church elders at the Church who declined her request for any help. She then remained stranded on the verandas of the nearby shops adjacent to the Mission to Disadvantaged Persons Tanzania Limited ’s proposed Taraja dispensary.

At around 8.00 PM the Mission’s clinical officer Mr. Mshana who happened to be passing there saw her in labour pains and after intensive questioning he decided to accommodate her into a building proposed to be a Taraja dispensary. The building had four beds and mattresses donated to the Mission by Mrs. Suzan Chuwa three days before.

Mr Mshana examined her and found that she was in the second stage of labour pains. He decided to support delivery and at around 2.30 AM she gave birth to a baby girl.. She has named her baby girl Taraja. Efforts to get her relatives to come and take her continue.

Several people and members of the Mission supported her with various types of clothes and meals. In offering support, one member quoted Hebrews 13: 2 saying “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”

Below are some photographs taken on day one of the incident with some members of the Mission visiting the first baby to be born at the proposed dispensary.  

MISSION TO DISADVANTAGED PERSONS TANZANIA LIMITED GETS THE HOUSE TO ACCOMMODATE ITS FIRST DISPENSARY.

A house which had been targeted to accommodate the first Mission’s dispensary has been handed over to the Mission.

The house which was formally rented to Memba’s Nurraifo Dispensary was handed over to the Mission by the General Manager of Muko Company Limited Mrs. Melania Kaijage on behalf of the private Company that manages the estate on behalf of its Landlords    Mr. Emmanuel Bernard Mushana, a Board member, received the keys of the house on behalf of the Mission.

“We are happy and grateful to Muko Company Limited which has promised to ensure that the building is improved to the required standard timely” said the Managing Director of the Mission at the occasion of handing over.

Muko Company Limited intends to provide another house to the Mission in order to facilitate the Mission’s expansion program at the commencement of the dispensary operations. All houses will be rented to the Mission at the rent to be agreed upon by the Mission’s Board and Muko Company Limited at an opportune time with due regard to affordability.

Below Mr. Mshana receiving the keys of the house.

HON. DR MILTON MAKONGORO MAHANGA MAKES A SURPRISE VISIT TO THE MISSION.

The Deputy Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Milton Makongoro Mahanga who is also a Member of Parliament for Segerea constituency made a surprise visit to the Mission on 8th December 2012. The Mission operates in his area of constituency.

At the Mission’s offices Dr. Mahanga was received by Managing Director of the Mission Mr. David Mushumbusi Kaijage and other few members of the Mission who had happened to be there at the time.

It is understood that Dr. Mahanga decided to visit the Mission after one of the members had informally explained to him the Mission’s Mission and Vision which attracted him to know more information from its founders. Mr. Kaijage gave an overview of the Mission’s history, what is currently being done, future plans and current needs to move ahead.

Speaking to a team of few members who received him, Dr. Mahanga accepted an invitation to be an associate member of the Mission. He promised to pay an official visit to the Mission at an opportune time.

Below are some of the photographs which were taken at the occasion.

MISSION INITIATES STEPS TO GET APPROVALS TO RUN DISPENSARIES IN TANZANIA.

The Mission has formally requested the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to sanction the Company to run medical services to its beneficiaries and all other persons. In a letter to the Ministry, the Mission has recommended that all such dispensaries to be opened in the country and managed by the Mission be known as Taraja Dispensaries.

Upon getting the approval of the Ministry, the Mission which has all along been working closely with the local and district authorities will specifically commence the getting of approvals for the opening of the first Mission’s dispensary at Sitakishari. This will facilitate the commencement of proper identification of beneficiaries and preparation of their individual medical care plan as required by the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

The Mission has already acquired a number of hospital equipment through donations from some members and other friends.

NEWS 08.10.2012

A special annual general meeting of the Mission to Disadvantaged Persons Tanzania Limited held in Dar on Sunday 30^th September 2012 formed an Ad-hoc committee to spearhead the establishment of the Company’s dispensary.

 The Committee which is headed by Dr. Daniel Hurbert is charged with the duty of ensuring that the Company acquires all necessary dispensary equipment. A building which will house the dispensary will be handed over to the Company on 22^nd October 2012.

Other members of the Committee are Emanuel Mshana and Jackson Memba all Clinical Officers with TAIFO Memba Dispensary and Josiah Atafile Mujungu who is a retired Captain of the Tanzania Peoples Defense Forces where he was working as a Clinical Officer.

 The general meeting also decided to put on hold the registration of beneficiaries until the coming into operation of the planed dispensary. This will ensure that immediate results of the purpose of their registration are evident in terms of offering free primary health care to them.