Telling the ECSA Story

The Prime Minister’s Office National Economic Empowerment Council (NEEC) hosted the inaugural VICOBA day meeting. VICOBA (Village Community Banks) are off shot of the VSLA model and it is estimated that in Tanzania there are approximately 100,000 savings groups with TZS 1.2 Trillion (USD 533,688,000) in circulation. The event was an opportunity to discuss how we can do better and the challenges that savings groups face. Scholastica (Director for Gender Equity and Women’s Empowerment) participated in a panel debate where she discussed the guidelines for VSLA groups and shared information and data on how we can further improve the operation of the groups. D uring the event CARE International Tanzania was awarded a certificate of appreciation in recognition of our contributions in the Formation and Development of Financial Groups in Tanzania - and our overall contribution to the Tanzanian economy. When CARE Tanzania was awarded the certificate, the Minister of Finance highlighted C...

Panelist address a Press Conference prior to the event starting.   The main objective of this event was to raise awareness on Gender Based Violence while focusing on Teenagers' and children rights . The event was also intended to promote the action of NGO and influential individuals working on Gender Equality including CARE International in Tanzania, Zanzibar 1 st Lady, Hope for Girls and Women, TAI Tanzania, Save the Children, LHRC, DKT, Doris Mollel Foundation etc.   CARE Tanzania participation and contribution :   The organization is represented by three (3) staff including the Country Director to the series of Panelist to the Protection of Victims & Access to justice Discussion   planned events from 2 nd -3 rd December 2022 in Zanzibar: Specifically:   I.            CARE has provided financial support to the organizers (TAI Tanzania) hence secure visibility on the sponsors Wall Banner. II. ...

Women organic tea pluckers seated for an event. CARE International In the hills of Bungu, where tea plantations stretch as far as the eye can see, sits the SAKARE Specialty Tea Factory—the first-ever speciality tea demo factory in Tanzania. This milestone marked the beginning of a remarkable journey aiming to bridge not just the gap of gender roles but also the technological and market divides that have long dominated the landscape for smallholder tea farmers in Bungu. SAKARE Specialty Tea Factory emerges as a beacon of change, and against the odds, it boasts a workforce where women play a predominant role.   At the production level, women like Hobokeza Moyo stand as exemplars of dedication and transformation. They turn their tea farm plots into organic havens, anticipating a remarkable 23% increase in income compared to conventional green leaf prices. Hobokeza’s optimism is infectious as she shares, “Even though we are yet to sell to Sakare Specialty Tea Company, we expect to sell...

Simanjiro district is one of the very dry areas in Manyara region with unreliable source of water and long-term dry seasons because of climate change effects. As the changes continue, it is critical for stakeholders to improve their management of climate variability, change and uncertainties to be able to develop approaches for resilient livelihoods adaptation. Stakeholders need to access climate information and gain the knowledge for informed decisions while in planning processes.  CARE International in Tanzania is implementing Our Land Program II, which aims at addressing climate change issues with a focus on building local community’s capacity and systems to support resilience and adaptation in Olchoronyori, Korongo and Magadini villages. This is done through Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP), a mechanism for collective sharing and interpretation of seasonal modern climate forecasts provided by Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA). PSP brings together meteorologists, Gov...

Simanjiro district is one of the very dry areas in Manyara region with unreliable source of water and long-term dry seasons because of climate change effects.   As the changes continue, it is critical for stakeholders to improve their management of climate variability, change and uncertainties to be able to develop approaches for resilient livelihoods adaptation. Stakeholders need to access climate information and gain the knowledge for informed decisions while in planning processes.   CARE International in Tanzania is implementing Our Land Program II, which aims at addressing climate change issues with a focus on building local community’s capacity and systems to support resilience and adaptation in Olchoronyori, Korongo and Magadini villages. This is done through Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP), a mechanism for collective sharing and interpretation of seasonal modern climate forecasts provided by Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA). PSP brings together meteorolo...

In Northern Tanzania, close to the boarder of Kenya, Halima Daodi lives with her husband and two children. She is one of many Tanzanians who have bought solar panels, which is placed on the roof of her small house. The solar panel system does not only give her great light in the night, she can also charge her phone and radio from the solar battery. Halima Daodi and her husband, Hashim Hemed, rent a small house in Mandaka Mnone in the Kilimanjaro Region of Northern Tanzania. In their small house they keep the few belongings they have and sleep in a bed with their two children. The landlord grows rice and Halima and Hashim work on the rice fields every day. Halima and Hashim are members of a VSLA group established by CARE. Hashim has been a member for two years and Halima one year. The group meets once a week, they save together and whoever needs it the most, can take a loan. Recently it was Halima and Hashim who took a loan from their VSLA group, as they wanted to buy a...

“Mata Masu Dubara [VSLA] members take their social responsibility very seriously towards their community. Let this crisis be a moment that can bind us in solidarity with each other.” –  Mariama Gambo, Niger “We have faced so many challenges that we have overcome. We’re convinced that our collective determination will beat COVID too.”   -Hawa Guindo, Mali Any time I start to feel overwhelmed by COVID 19 and all of its challenges, I take a minute to find out what women in VSLAs are doing to fight back. In true VSLA tradition, they are finding ways to take the smallest investments and use them to change the world. As they have done for  dozens of crises before COVID , women VSLA members are providing solutions that keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe. Supporting these women is an enormous privilege for CARE, and an activity that helps us reach more than 10.3 million VSLA members. VSLAs in  9 countries have already adapted  what they’re do...

Agatha showcasing her soya nutrition flour "Sote Lishe"     Agatha Mkayula,49, a mother of 6 children, resides in Ibumila village in Iringa DC, Tanzania. In 2017, she engaged in the Growing is Learning project. She has received multiple trainings in Soya farming practices, Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), home gardening, Participatory Scenario Planning, post-harvest management, recordkeeping & data quality, food types, Gender-Based Violence and entrepreneurship. Agatha had an opportunity of participating in the soybean processing training in 2018 and commenced her small scale business. She processed soybean drinks and nutritional flour for children/adults in the same year. "I was engaged in a project as a mere farmer with an increased responsibility of being a lead farmer," Agatha says. Conversely, it was an eye-opener for her. However, Agatha used soft plastic bags to pack soybeans products which limited my markets opportunities due to the use of poor pa...

I n the month of April, CARE International began to accelerate the progress of drafting commitments under Action Coalition 2, by putting a roadmap of activities that need to be carried out in order to have the government and other relevant stakeholders make commitments to advance Economic Justice and Rights in Malawi. The month of May saw several interface meetings and field visits to get contributions from VSLAs, and possible collaborations to popularize  the Generation Equality Forum. Collaborations under GEF: CARE and UN Women held several meetings throughout the month to collaboratively organize the commitment-making process. UN Women’s approach to the GEF is focused on women’s leadership particularly women at the grassroots, Members of Parliament, and community leaders. Their team has so far worked with For Equality, the Ministry of Gender and Her Liberty. All organizations are determined to draft commitments under the sixth action coalition, Feminist Movements and Leaders...