Tanzania

Four WORTH programs are currently underway in Tanzania. WORTH continues to support The Salvation Army in its implementation of WORTH within a President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) framework, while WORTH has been integrated into activities of Pact’s PEPFAR-funded programs, Jali Watoto and Global Fund, to increase the protection and care of vulnerable children through economic empowerment of their caregivers. The Oak Foundation is funding program in Tanzania and Ethiopia that will emphasize the protection of vulnerable children from abuse in WORTH groups.

Name: Sustainable Community Support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Uganda and Tanzania
Duration: April 2005 - April 2010
Donor(s): The Salvation World Service Organization, PEPFAR (USAID)

With funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Pact has joined with Salvation Army World Service Office (SAWSO), in an integrated program of community counseling, psycho-social support and income generation and empowerment for female caregivers of orphans and other vulnerable children through WORTH. The project goal is to increase the income and entrepreneurial skills of 12,500 women caring for orphans or vulnerable children in Tanzania and Uganda.

Emerging Results:

• Over 6,680 caregivers are involved in 260 WORTH groups in the Mwanza and Kagera regions in Tanzania.
• Overall, these groups have collectively saved over 35 million Tanzanian Shillings (over $30,053)
• have organized large community awareness raising events, coordination of food distribution for OVCs and their families, and fundraising activities to provide further support for OVCs.

Name: Filling critical gaps for Mainland Tanzania in the national response to HIV/AIDS in impact mitigation for Orphans & Vulnerable Children Project
Duration: Phase 1: July 2005 - August 2007; Phase 2: September/October 2007 - October 2010
Donor: Global Fund

WORTH has been integrated into activities of Pact’s USAID President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-funded program for Most Vulnerable Children (MVC), Jali Watoto and the Global Fund Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program with the aim of increasing protection and care of vulnerable children through economic empowerment of their caregivers in selected regions of Tanzania.

Results:

• Jali Watoto OVC program is implementing WORTH program in Mara and Kagera regions
  • In Mara 3600 caregivers are being mobilized into forming 180 groups
  • In Kagera we are mobilizing 1500 caregivers into 75 groups
• WORTH activities are being integrated into current Jali Watoto OVC activities in the Kagera, Mara, Tabora, Mtwara and Mbeya regions
  • Pact hopes to all the groups in the regions will be in place by the end of April, 2009
  • Pact Tanzania will implement WORTH program on a small scale in Mtwara region 500 caregivers (20 groups), Mbeya region – 500 caregivers (20 groups) and in Tabora region 600 caregivers (30 groups)
• Under the Global Fund, WORTH has been introduced to the local authorities and two partners who will be involved in the implementation of the program. In the two districts 3,000 caregivers will be direct benefactors. Two Assistant Coordinators have been recruited, and 11 Empowerment Workers have been selected.

The project seeks to increase the protection and care of vulnerable children from abuse in general, and sexual abuse in particular, through the provision of information and training on child protection for women participating in WORTH groups and other community members.

• In Ethiopia, the goal is to promote knowledge, awareness and practice of protecting children from abuse and exploitation among targeted women and their families in 11 Woredas, reaching 9000 women and 14,000 children in Oromiya, Amhara, and SNNP.
• In Tanzania, the project will amplify child protection in 2 Mara districts and 1 Kagera district by establishing 120 WORTH groups (3,000 women) to improve the economic status of families with vulnerable children and the care, protection and services of such children.