BACKGROUND

Tanzania is considered to be one of the poorest countries in the world. The situation is worse in Northern Tanzania due to high population, low productivity and lack of reliable sources of income. This area is characterized by many features such as lack of industry, lack of social services such as schools and health centers, lack of water, very low life expectancy, very high infant and maternal mortality rate, early marriages and high unemployment rates.

 

Due to a patriarchy system, ignorance, and traditions such as the Maasai in this area, the most affected groups are women and children. There is a very high number of vulnerable children who need immediate help. These children are vulnerable because of several reasons, such as living in an extremely poor family, disabilities, being an orphan or abandoned, living in child-headed families, HIV / AIDS, alcohol and drug addicted parents, child labor, chronic diseases, and domestic violence.

 

 

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

According to UNICEF, malnutrition in Tanzania is a contributing factor in an estimated 130 child deaths every day. They die because their immune systems are weakened through lack of essential nutrients, so they easily succumb to common childhood diseases that they would otherwise be able to fight. They also make children unable to reach their potential because they have been deprived of essential nutrients for healthy growth and brain development. According to the World Health Organization, children from communities that are iodine deficient can lose an average of 13.5 IQ points and iron deficiency makes them tired and slow. Undernourished children often miss and do less at school and are less productive making it hard for them to escape poverty. Apart from nutrition, these children and women also need education and health support.

 

Over 15% of adolescent girls and women are undernourished, and as a result they give birth to underweight infants who will be malnourished in childhood and later in life, thus transferring malnutrition from one generation to the next. Therefore, there is need to help these women and children get nutritious food, education, and help the same communities to have environmental conservation programs that will make them sustainable.

 

In Tanzania, primary school is free, but parents or caretakers have to provide mandatory uniforms and school supplies for their children. Most children cannot afford these items, and therefore don’t go to school. As a consequence of no uniforms or supplies, teachers may embarrass and punish students.

 

Secondary schools are not free. In addition to school supplies and uniforms, parents / caretakers have to pay school fees for their children. Secondary school is more difficult than primary school. Due to the patriarchy system, most parents don’t take girls to school, especially secondary school. Due to poverty in Arusha, some parents marry off their daughters to a person who can afford the stated bride price. This makes women cling to domestic activities and thus remain poor. Therefore, this project aims to provide nutritious food to malnourished women and children, to provide education support, and also to encourage environmental conservation.

 

PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

According to the Tanzania Ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children, Tanzania faces a crisis in its ability to provide needed services to HIV / AIDS orphans and vulnerable children. Therefore they are asking non-state actors like individuals, non-governmental, community, and faith-based organizations to help these children.

 

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

• Provide nutritious food to the verified neediest children under 5 years of age, abandoned disabled children and the discriminated and abandoned women with HIV / AIDS or other chronic diseases.

• Establish and support conservation clubs in both primary and secondary schools.

• Sponsor the most vulnerable children for their primary education.

• Sponsor high-potential girls who cannot afford secondary school education due to lack of funds.

• Help stakeholders in the verification of the most underserved women and children in northern Tanzania.

 

EXPECTATIONS

• Reduction of deaths.

• Women and children who are now weak due to lack of nutrients will improve in health.

• Increase of school attendance and performance of the most vulnerable children.

• Increase peace in the community as food crisis creates many instabilities.

• Reduction of girls who engage in illegal business such as drugs and prostitution.

• Help poor families to generate financial savings so they can use the money for income generating activities. Currently, any income is used to purchase food and other immediate needs.

• Decrease of street children.

 

 

TARGETS

Young mothers, undernourished women, people living with HIV/AIDS, undernourished children under 5, children with disabilities.

 

  

PROCEDURE

• Meet Stakeholders (government officials, religious leaders, influential people and teachers in the area). These will be meetings to inform them about the project, to tell them the background and objectives of the project, and the role of stakeholders in the identification, verification and in the distribution. Also, they will be told about the project targets and sustainability.

• The identified children will marked be in the government register. The project will verify the information of each beneficiary. The information will be written on a beneficiary registration form and be kept in the beneficiary individual file in the office. Verification will be carried door-to-door in which all the information and picture of the beneficiary will be taken.

• In the distribution, there will be a government official with an official stamp as an eyewitness who will put his signature and stamp to each beneficiary on a distribution form.

 

PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY

To make this project sustainable, the stakeholders will be involved so they can learn by participating in the project activities and try to find ways to raise funds so that they continue providing the services to the verified neediest people.