MACSNET WINS TO JUSTIFY MBNP IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY
MACS-NET in collaboration with Africare Tanzania is implementing the Mwanzo Bora Nutrition Program in Hanang District Council and Babati Town Ccouncil in Manyara region. The program aims at reducing Maternal anemia and Child stunting by 20% in 2018. The program use Behavior Change Communication approach because we believes that behavior is the reason for almost all existing community health problems hence once changed the community shall be less susceptible to major health problems including maternal anemia and child stunting.
BASIC LIFE SKILLS TRAINING TO YOUTH 28/9 - 1/10/2017
MACSNET in collaboration with SNV is facilitating the Opportunity for Youth Employment (OYE) project in Mbulu TC and Mbulu DC. Opportunities for Youth Employment is a project which is implemented in collaboration between SNV Tanzania and MACSNET which provides out-of-school rural youth (18 – 30 years) with vital employment skills through training including basic life skills, technical training, business development and financial literacy. The programme facilitates internships, on-the-job-training opportunities, and placements in private and public enterprises in the renewable energy and agribusiness and Wash sectors. It promotes the establishment of new youth led enterprises by connecting youth to financial institutions and ensuring that young entrepreneurs benefit from continued business coaching and peer-to-peer learning. The anticipated impact of the project is ambitious, with a projected 370 disadvantaged young from Mbulu District set to improve their livelihoods by means of (self-) employment and the establishment of new youth led enterprises in water and sanitation(WASH), Renewable Energy (RE) and Agro business sectors.
Hence, from 28 September to 01 October 2017, a total of 237 youth from Mbulu District were trained in basic life skills during which 237(M 145 F 92) got skills in entrepreneurship, self-awareness, saving, goal setting, marketing, leadership especially in groups and work plan just to mention a few. The training is a second cohort where by the first was conducted in March 2017, which aimed at raising youth self-awareness and prepare them to engage strategically in entrepreneurship. By skills gained through BLS training, youth can understand their position and responsibilities from family to national level where by they can effectively participate in production and socio political activities confidently.
What is the headline? Africare Tanzania being the Donor and primary stakeholder for MBNP has in its plan quarterly and annual review meetings where all implementing CSOs (country wide) get invited and merge together for learning and sharing purposes from the project implementation. The review meetings intends to draw critical program results generated from the implementation By CSOs across districts. Therefore during the Annual Review meeting held in August 2017in Morogoro, for the same purposes MACSNET shared a Video portraying a success story that managed to draw participant’s attention in the meeting which at last scored the first winner in the success story competition. The presented Success story, according to Africare views :was well documented and presented all behavioral change elements advocated for by the program” The video therefore; Portrayed Male engagement and involvement in child caring, diet diversification i.e presence and consumption of both vegetables and small livestock products (rabbits &pigeon) as well as best practices in home garden preparation. In addtion the baby was very energetic and healthy. (Backgroup photo is the group photo: MACSNET staffs, Manyara Region Nutrition Officer, Planning Officer, and Africare Deputy Chief of party collectively handling a winning certificate).
PARALEGAL FORUM PAVE A WAY TO INCREASED COLLABORATION AND NETWORKING AMONG STAKEHOLDERS IN MANYARA REGION.
On 14th and 15th December 2017, MACSNET organized and hold a Paralegal Forum which brought together about 96 representatives from District paralegal units and other stakeholders from all districts in Manyara region, Tanzania. The forum which was also hosted by Manyara Region Civil Society Network (MACSNET) brought together paralegals from 6 paralegal units, Government representatives, and other Civil Society organizations working on human rights, representatives from police gender desk in 5 districts as well as traditional and religious leaders.
The forum was officiated by the Regional Commissioner who was represented by District Commissioner Hon. Eng. Raymond Mushi. In his opening speech, the District Commissioner thanked MACSNET for the mentorship that has been extended to Paralegal Units and argued that the community is in extreme need of legal Aid services, but most of the citizens cannot afford due to the fact that the services are very expensive for normal person to afford.
But through this project, legal Aid services will be provided free of charge at local level which will benefit most of the marginalized people. He further insisted the need of paralegals to support the needy people without charging them anything as the paralegal act provides, but it is also a sense of humanity.
The guest of honor also wanted paralegal units to work hard to improve the capacity of their organizations which will contribute to increased service delivery to community and the government in general. Together with this speech, the DC launched MACSNET’s News Letter, Website and Resource Mobilization.
During the forum, there was also presentations and discussions from both MACSNET and Paralegal Units on the implementation status of the project. In presenting status of the project, Paralegal Units aired out some imperative achievements as well as obstacles encountered in the entire period of the implementation.
In response to the challenges encountered, stakeholders suggested some ways to improve the situation for great impact of the project as follows.
- The government stakeholders promised and committed themselves to give any support to paralegals and collaborate in any way as will be demanded by paralegals in course of implementing the project.
- MACSNET to coordinate and support training of new paralegals in some district where there is significant drop out in order to maximize the availability of service through eliminating the shortage of paralegals in the areas of operation and increase efficiency of work.
- The government stakeholders requested paralegals to share their reports which are sent to MACSNET so that they can be conversant of the activities carried out and identify challenges which be resolved jointly.
- MACSNET to strengthen the capacity of the units in proposals development as a way of creating sustainability to the units.