1:Micro-credit Project (VICOBA)

EMD has been supporting people with Micro-credit scheme based on VICOBA model,

VICOBA is one of the most powerful tools that can be used to address poverty in Tanzania. It builds self-esteem in the individual and self-sufficiency in those receiving financial services. VICOBA works closely alongside other development interventions, such as health, nutrition,HIV/AIDS and education, and offers support and encouragement to the poor and marginalized households. 

VICOBA provides various types of loan to its members depending on their needs. These loans help people to start and build on small businesses/Project which increases their income. VICOBA enable to lend money to poor people without financial security. The loans vary in size of installments and duration according to the needs of the clients.

EMD’s VICOBA project has shown that poor people can make a real difference to their own lives and their community with just a small loan,though these financial services usually involve small amount of money-small loans,small savings through purchasing shares but it helps to improve household economic resources.

EMD VICOBA Impact and Outcomes

• VICOBA helps very poor households meet basic needs and protect against risks
• The use of financial services by low-income households is associated with improvements in household economic welfare and enterprise stability or growth
• By supporting women’s economic participation,VICOBA helps to empower women,thus promoting gender equality and improving household well-being.
• Every loan made have children impacted and jobs created to youth.
• EMD is implementing VICOBA as a response developed to meet needs of Orphans and Vulnerable Children living in family-like settings.
• Impacted on maintaning food security and nutrition focused vulnerable group like people living with HIV/AIDS,to obtaining food to improve adherence to ART,food to improve treatment efficacy and food to manage drug side effects.
• For prevention of HIV,VICOBA impacted to obtaining food as an income transfer and asset protection,food to prevent or reduce high risk behaviours or reliance on negative coping stratetegies.

However the impacts are in four category as,

1. Social capital(The VICOBA project has generating social capital,like paying for health care and food security .
2. Human capital,members facilitated to attend training that enabled to enhance capacity building,members have been able to gain various skills in Batik making,leadership skills,poultry rearing.
3. Financial capital,Fianancial earnings to membera which created self employment,members of the group have built savings habits which have made them to increase sustainably their financial capacity.
4. Physical capital Assets:Some members managed to purchase some assets which are used for Incoming generating Activities,eg Hair dressing equipments,Capentry and trycycles.

2:HIV/AIDS

Enhance Mass Development is currently providing HIV/AIDS impact mitigation services in the community within the project operation area.The target is to  provide support to vulnerable groups like Orphans,Vulnerable households,people inffected with HIV(PLHA support groups) and care givers.

Many orphans and vulnerable children live in great poverty,in many cases,this poverty has been worsened by HIV or HIV related illnesses and death,that negatively affect economic coping capacity of the children.In many administrative wards of Temeke district,many communities do not have enough resources to provide economic support to the number of orphaned and affected households,These poor households are struggling without adequate support to meet their children's basic needs of food,clothing,education,housing and medical care.

When children's need are not met,their opportunities diminish,and the vicious cycle of poverty sets in.

EMD is protecting orphans and vulnerable children from economic affects of HIV by ensuring that their nutrition,living conditions and life chances are improved,Strengthen the economic coping capacity of the families and communities that care for them.Improving household income by undertaking micro-credit scheme based on VICOBA model,promoting income generating activities,help with product marketing,promote organic farming,Improve access to credit and savings scheme,