A Strategic Planning Management Workshop

by Christine Mwanukuzi-Kwayu

This picture was taken at a Strategic Planning Management workshop Pact held in December. The two people in the photo, Juma S. Seif and Penina Kisipan have interesting stories.

Juma S. Seif (R) is a member of the Executive Committee of Intermediate Gender Network - Kisarawe (IGN-K) a NGO in Kisarawe district in Coast region. Juma has a primary school education, which is the basic educational level attainment in Tanzania. He can neither read nor understand English. All the materials for the strategic planning management training were prepared in English though the majority of the seminar was conducted in Kiswahili. During the initial presentations he expressed a fear of not being able to follow the training due to language and the difficult concepts. This concern was noted by the instructors as well as the participants and on the last day he said in Kiswahili, "I am pleased that I could go back to my organisation with confidence. Like my fellow participants who understand English better I can disseminate the knowledge I got and guide my colleagues at IGN-K towards our strategic planning process. Thanks to Pact and the facilitators for helping me understand."

Penina Kisipan (L), a young Maasai woman, works with the Maasai Women's Development Organisation (MWDO) as a project officer. Though Penina only has a secondary school education, she is very knowledgeable and conversant in issues of development especially relating to women. She has worked with other organisations advocating for pastoralists in the Arusha region (north Tanzania). As a project officer she has worked with Inyuate Maa and Ilaramatak organisations working for the Maasai community. MWDO is one of the only NGOs in Tanzania that is focused on improving the economic. political and social status of Maasai women and empowering women within their cultural tradition. Program activities include HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, girls education and women enterpreneurship.