KIVIDEA was started in 1999 and officially registered in 2000 under the Societies Ordinance (Reg. NO.SO 10532) as a non profit and non governmental organization. The founders were a group of youth who had agreed to volunteer to mobilize other youths to change the status-quo in their community. Todate, Kividea is build on the model of adult-youth partnership.

KIVIDEA’s vision is to contribute to a society in which youth and children enjoy full opportunities for self development and live a dignified life.

Our mission is to empower vulnerable children and youths through rehabilitation and capacity building, and mobilizing and supporting them to achieve change through group processes.

KIVIDEA is managed by a Board of governance, elected in a General Assembly of Members. A new 5-member Board is in place since last February 2012 for a 3 year term. The Board gives direction to programs and ensures accountability and integrity in the organization. The Executive Director participates in the Board meetings as Secretary of Board. He appoints a Coordinator and program staffs, who constitute the executive team to implement the day-to-day activities of the organization.

The current executive structure of KIVIDEA comprises 3 Program Units headed by Program Officers, all of them coordinated by a Program Manager. The three program Units are: the Youth Unit, the Child Unit and the Production Unit. Youth activities are specifically implemented through Youth Centres, which are basic structures of service delivery. The main Youth Centre in Kigoma town constitutes a model centre and the headquarters of KIVIDEA’s work. The centre is managed by a youth committee, and there are youth peer educators who facilitate peer learning, guidance and counseling to about 50 youths daily. There are smaller youth centres in 11 other wards in Kigoma rural district supported by KIVIDEA.

KIVIDEA has gathered some good experience working with girl youths and adolescents in Kigoma for the last 12 years now. The most recent experience in youth work has developed from the pilot project we implemented since last year 2011 with the support of Terre des Hommes Schweiz. During this project, we got the opportunity to learn more about the problems of youth substance abuse, teenage pregnancies and early motherhood, the leading factors and the resulting vulnerabilities. We have also developed good knowledge base on the needs, methods and strategies of youth communication.