Tanzania Episcopal Conference

Caritas

Caritas Tanzania is a Development and Relief Organization of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference with the mandate of facilitating the development and relief activities of 34 dioceses in Tanzania.

It was established in 1972 and registered to the government. It is a member of Caritas Internationalis.

 

 

 

 

VISION AND MISSION

The vision and mission of serving people was makes Caritas Tanzania different from other actors

 

Vision

Caritas Tanzania, based on Social Teaching of the Catholic Church envisages a society with peace, love, justice and sustainable integral human development

 

Mission

Caritas Tanzania is committed to the promotion of sustainable integral human development through providing services, advocacy and networking

Caritas Tanzania has its motto that keeps everybody equal and that sees everybody as either a brother or sister regardless of social, cultural parameters like age, race, sex, creed etc.

Motto

“Everybody is my brother/sister”

The objectives of Caritas Tanzania:

a) To enhance capacity diocesan development offices and Caritas Tanzania in managing community development, disaster management and social welfare projects/ programmes

b) To promote gender equality and equity in managing community development, disasters and socio welfare programmes at diocesan and national level.

c) To enhance advocacy actions in development, disaster management and social welfare issues at diocesan, national and international levels.

d) To promote and strengthen networking among Diocesan Caritas/Development offices, Caritas Tanzania and with other stakeholders at diocesan, national and international levels.

 

The Roles of Caritas Tanzania:

In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, Caritas Tanzania plays three (3) major roles, these are:

a) Facilitation:

Caritas Tanzania facilitates the dialogue and exchange of experiences and ideas on matters related to development, disaster management and social welfare activities among the dioceses. It also assists the dioceses in mobilizing resources for development, disaster management and social welfare programmes. Furthermore, Caritas Tanzania links the dioceses with partners/stakeholders within and outside Tanzania.

b) Offering Consultancy Services:

CT assists dioceses in developing and reviews projects/programme proposals, undertakes evaluation and monitoring, and provides capacity building services to the dioceses. Furthermore, Caritas Tanzania also advises dioceses in managing projects/programmes and recruitment of staff.

c) Advocacy:

CT carries out advocacy actions at national and international levels. It also supports the dioceses in advocacy in their areas of jurisdiction.

In additional to these roles, Caritas Tanzania also coordinates emergency/disaster activities. All the dioceses development and relief offices of Tanzania are the members of Caritas Tanzania

Core values of Caritas Tanzania

a) Dignity of the person

The dignity of the human person is our foundation of moral value; Caritas Tanzania regards the poor not as object of pity but subjects of their own developments and agents of change.

b) Option of the poor

Caritas Tanzania commits itself to analyze the underlying causes of poverty, combats social economic inequalities which deprive people to decent and sustainable livelihood.

c) Solidarity and Mutuality:

Caritas Tanzania adherence to Christian charity and the catholic Social Teaching principles of solidarity involves not only in finance, but the accompaniment of the church and Caritas, Dialogue, Advocacy, Peace-building and

d) Reconciliation:

Caritas Tanzania is committed to acknowledge cultural pluralism and keep an open dialogue with all people of goodwill.

e) Partnership and stewardship:

Caritas Tanzania relationship at national and level especially on transfer of resources, based on mutual respect, trust and goodwill. Partnership implies a long-term commitment to agreed objectives, based on shared values, strategies and information. It further characterized by feedback and joint planning, display of transparency and accountability on both sides and genuine openness and sensitivity to the others needs, feeling, expertise, experience and wisdom.

The management of Caritas Tanzania

The Plenary Assembly of the Bishops is the sole body which makes policies of Caritas Tanzania. The management of Caritas Tanzania is under the Board. The Board is responsible in supervising the implementation of the policies and decisions made by the Plenary Assembly of the Bishops.

The day to day management of Caritas Tanzania is under the Executive Secretary of Caritas Tanzania who reports to the Secretary General of Tanzania Episcopal Conference in all matters of management of Caritas Tanzania. The Secretary General is the Chief Executive officer of the Catholic Secretariat in which Caritas Tanzania is part. Executive Secretary of Caritas Tanzania is responsible to coordinate the programme officers and ensure that the programmes developed and implemented in accordance with policies of the Bishops.

He is responsible to promote efficiency and effectiveness among the programme offices and supporting staff. Under the Executive Secretary there are four sections, these are Development section, GAD section, Emergency section and financial administration.

In each section there are program officers who coordinate the programmes. Currently there are 4 program officers. In total Caritas Tanzania has 10 staff, some of staff are at the office and other are at Msimbazi Training centre.

STRUCTURE OF CARITAS TANZANIA

Caritas Tanzania has been changing over years. Since 1972 different organizational structures have been adopted by Caritas Tanzania. This is to suit the role assigned to Caritas Tanzania at particular time. The current Caritas Organization structure is shown herein.

 

THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES OF CARITAS TANZANIA

1. Integrated Community Development Programmes

2. Promotion of gender equality for sustainable development

3. Emergence response and recovery program

4. Peace Building programme

5. Financial management

 

Development section

Development section facilitates management of diocesan programmes, through Capacity building of diocesan and Caritas Tanzania staff. The aim is to increase the knowledge and skills of program officers so that the community development projects could be properly managed and have a sustainable projects/management.

The Integrated community development program (ICD 2007/2010) is also managed by the section where Caritas Tanzania mobilizes funds for the dioceses which would implement the community based projects, water supply and sanitation projects. The project also enhance capacity of programme officers through short course training in project cycle management.

Currently the benefiting communities are dioceses of Mahenge, Njombe, Kigoma and Mbulu

The section also works together with the dioceses in promoting the participation of the communities and church leaders in formulation of poverty reduction strategies and policy. The section facilitate all dioceses to monitors all activities related to poverty reduction strategies adopted by government at different levels, and promotion of peace by involving religious leaders of different sect at national and district level. Development support also enhance capacity of diocesan actors to document best practices,

The section is also responsible for organizing forum for learning, by organizing Caritas Annual General meeting which is a platform for Diocesan Caritas coordinators use to share experiences, sector programme officers (water, food security).

 

1. Integrated Community Development Programme

The Integrated Community Development Programme (ICD) is three years 2007/2010, involving different components of activities to address different needs of the communities. The ICD Programmes are being implemented in the dioceses of Kigoma of the programmes are being implemented in the dioceses of Kigoma, Mahenge, Mbulu and Njombe. The components of the programmes are water supply, sanitation, food security, gender, HIV/AIDS, environment and income generating as well as capacity building.

The beneficiaries of the project are 44,000 people of whom 51% are women and 49%men. Among the beneficiaries 41% are children. The programmes managed to improve accessibility and reliability of water to the households within 400 metres. Hence reducing the workload for women and children. It also reduced the cases reported to Health facilities. It is estimated that the communities benefiting from the water programmes the disease cases have been reduced by 65% in the year 2009.The programme also promote food security where by in diocese of Mahenge Kilombero district 90 household are engaged in cultivation of Banana and animal husbandry. In diocese of Njombe 20 beneficiaries are engaged in animal husbandry, 4 group in fish ponds establishment, 30 household in kitchen garden, Kigoma in kibondo district the 5groups of women poultry. In all four dioceses the major aim has been to increase food availability throughout the year. The ICD programme in all four dioceses emphasizes environmental protection where the beneficiary is empowered with skills to reduce land degradation i.e. contouring in diocese of Mbulu, establishment of nursery for tree of different variety in diocese of Njombe and support 30 house hold to plant trees. ..

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PHOTOS OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO GET WATER&PHOTO OF PEOPLE GETTING WATER FROMK WATER SCHEME IN MATENGA IN NJOMBE DIOCESE.

PICTURE OF TOILET CONSTRUCTED IN ONE OF THE SCHOOL TO IMRPOVE HYGINE AND SANITATION

The programmes improving farming and livestock keeping of the households in the targeted communities. The household are harvesting more and earning more money to meet their daily basic needs. They also keep cattle and get milk for their families and selling. The manure is used for fertilizing the plantations.

In the targeted areas participation of men and women in decision making has improved. Women are in the decision making organs of the programme. Some have gained confidence as result they have contested for village political leadership positions and some were elected.

HIV/AIDS is an issue being addressed by the programmes. In targeted areas awareness creation has been created to prevent spread and stigma. The orphans and affected are being supported to some extent by committee and others have been linked to institutions who are able to support. Some of the beneficiaries are HIV/AIDS positive. They receive dairy cattle and banana plantation.

Challenges encountered

• Inadequate capacity to manage the programmes both at coordinating offices and community level. There is inadequate management skills

• Increase of the demand from communities especially on getting dairy cattle

2. Peace Building programme

The programme aimed to contribute to the sustenance of peace and security in Tanzania. It is implemented at National, Regional and District levels targeting Dar es Salaam and Tanga regions.

The implementation of the programme is done through organizing religious dialogue meetings at National and Regional level and also advocating for pro peace policies and strategies that disseminate peace messages to the Public through religious bodies and Media.

3. Financial management

The program aimed to improve the Financial Management of Development Programmes in Tanzania. The implementation of programme is done at national level for the bishops and Diocese of Iringa, Mahenge, Same and Dodoma, Moshi, Kigoma, Sumbawanga and Rulenge.

The implementation of programme is done through organizing financial management workshops for the Bishops and support dioceses to develop financial management systems

 

Gender and Development section

 

Gender and Development section is among the sections of Caritas Tanzania entrusted to carry out programs aiming at creating gender equity, address HIV/AIDS issues and other women specific needs in a holistic manner towards achieving integral and sustainable development.

Since its inception, the section has built itself into effective social and economic programs that build capacity of the dioceses to enable them to address cross cutting issues i.e. gender and HIV/AIDS in development programs. The section is responsible to design and operationalize various strategies that are geared towards strengthening both conceptual and analytical capacity of the diocesan Gender and Development Coordinators in addressing gender issues also as a central player for promoting gender and other development issues at both national and diocesan levels.

The section is also engaging in interventions and efforts for campaigning against harmful traditional practices that affects women and children in the society, such as Female Genital Mutilation and other forms of gender based violence.

Further, the section also focuses to strengthen information sharing and networking for horizontal learning among development actors at diocesan and National level.

The section runs the following programs:

4. National Gender Development programme

The National gender program focused on building capacity of the 31 diocesan gender coordinators to enable them to address cross cutting issues i.e. gender and HIV/AIDS mainstreaming in development programs as well as solving other women specific issues through information sharing and strengthening networking. The program implementation based on the areas of

• Capacity building

• Networking and information sharing

A number of trainings relating to gender and development are conducted to Diocesan Gender and Development Coordinators aimed at improving their capacity for effective interventions of cross cutting issues i.e. Gender and HIV/AIDS in development programs.

Gender and HIV/AIDS mainstreaming is among the training targeting the diocesan and National development actors to strengthening their capacity for being able to incorporating gender and HIV/AIDS in management of community development programs. The trainings intended to capacitate the Diocesan Gender Coordinators in being able to integrate gender and HIV/AIDS issues in development programmes they are implementing also widening their horizon by injecting new ideas. The skills from trainings are utilized in implementing development projects in the communities in addressing gender gaps and women specific issues in the targeted communities.

The programme contributed to some changes to the diocesan gender coordinators and community at grass root level. The capacity of diocesan gender coordinators in program management and gender issues has increased; they improved their skills in managing programs, writing proposals and reports. Their application of the skills brought some changes at grass root levels in areas of women empowerment in different areas such as improved self confidence, sharing of roles at household level, leadership capacities, decision making, access to cash income, access to control over resources which contribute to the improved standard of living.

The change in the division of labour is also an indicator of a fundamental change regarding mindset toward gender issues in the society. Since the intervention of gender in community programs started, there is more participation and cooperation at family level. Women’s work is recognised and valued by the community. There is also improvement in self confidence to women, women are now able to stand up and express their concerns.

They also participate in decision making at home and in public in planning committees at district level. They also compete for local government leadership position and some become village leaders.

 

The programs also contribute to more awareness of HIV/AIDS as the discussions about HIV/AIDS led to reduction of stigma. There is more awareness on voluntary counselling and testing. People living with HIV/AIDS received care and support from their fellows and also linked to other people for further help.

a) Networking

The strengthening of networking for information sharing is also the focus of the National gender program. The networking process is taking place both at diocesan, National and international level. The networking process takes place by conducting exposure visits, meetings, participation in gender forums, Zonal meetings and consultative meetings. The visits and meetings provide opportunities for gender coordinators and other development actors in sharing experiences and learning new ideas and approaches from one another.

 

Challenges encountered

• Inadequate fund which lead to failure in widening intervention and in organizing National gender forums for sharing.

• Unclear identification of gender gaps hence gender and HIV/AIDS mainstreaming process become facing some difficulties in achieving the intended results

Emergency section

The Emergency section of Caritas Tanzania has three units, namely Emergency, Refugees and Social welfare. The Emergency unit involves itself in Disaster Management activities with a vision statement “have improved livelihood with minimum vulnerability to disaster”. The vision statement is derived from the involvement of Caritas Tanzania during disasters such as drought, floods, earthquakes, landslides, fire incidents, wind/storm, influx of refugees etc.

The emergency and disaster section has broad goal which aims at enhancing the adequate capacity of Caritas Tanzania and that of partners in disaster preparedness, response, response, recovery / mitigation.

In doing so CT envisage strengthening the capacity of national office and diocesan emergency staff in dealing with disaster management activities.

Mainstream disaster management issues into diocesan development plans/programmes in order to reduce vulnerability to human population

 

Emergency section aims at promoting awareness and full participation of dioceses and community in disaster management, also to increase funding to disaster and social welfare programmes to diocesan and Caritas Tanzania. Therefore the section is implementing the following programme:

5. Emergence response and recovery program

The programme intends to reduce sufferings of the drought/floods/fire-affected population through provision of emergency food relief support to the most affected population through provision of emergency food relief support to the most affected population at household level.

The programme targeting Arch/dioceses of Arusha, Dodoma, Mwanza, Mbulu, Mahenge, Mbeya Shinyanga and Same. The implementation of program is conducted through orientation of programme activities to the dioceses, village government leaders and communities followed by delivery of maize and funds to the targeted areas.

The program also aimed at restoring human dignity by preventing further killing of Albino along the lake region zone (Archdiocese of Mwanza). The implementation has been done through conducting a survey in six districts of Mwanza region for identification of Albinos, followed by registration of all albinos within the areas to providing humanitarian support to them in centers to meet their basic needs. Moreover the seminars and workshop fro awareness on the rights of living has been conducted among local government and church leaders at regional, district and village levels to enhance development of a joint effort security system for protecting Albinos.

Good Samaritan program

The program maintains an open door policy to social cases and refugees. It supports clients with information on various issues affecting them and provides very limited support to displaced persons and refugees in terms of medicine, food and fare to return home, upcountry. In every diocese there is Good Samaritan fund for the same purpose. Every year the program prepares Good Samaritan message to be read in all Catholic Churches on Good Samaritan Sunday. Sometime the message is accompanied by Good Samaritan poster. The aim of the program is bring little but positive changes to individual suffering silently among the local communities. That is bringing the suffering Christ to the hearts of the living. Above are three photos to show the impact of Good Samaritan Fund to one child.

Achievements

1. Coordination of relief supplies to needy vulnerable groups in the dioceses

2. Provision of humanitarian support to albinos in Mwanza region

3. Provision of psychosocial counseling and humanitarian support to up country social cases in Dar es Salaam and refugees through Good Samaritan Fund.

4. Assorted support to individual orphans and people with physical disability

5. Coordinated support from dioceses to victims of election violence in Kenya

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Challenges encountered

• Inadequate funds to meet the demands

• Inadequate data at grass root level in some dioceses

• Still there are some cases of brutal killing of albino though not as high as in 2008

• The gap between the rich and the poor increasing to alarming rates.