Don't forget the little guys

Since last week...

The new YCI volunteers arrived in Zanzibar last Thursday and we had a meet and greet in the office on the 16th. They will be working with ZANGOC Executive Committee and member organizations on the following topics: 

• Environmental improvement campaign in the Chumbuni District
• Health outreach around The International Day Against Drug Abuse - JUNE 26th
• Youth career development program (involving youth from ZANGOC member organizations)
• Small enterprise development workshops
• Establishing a one-stop youth information and resource centre at the YCI office in Mwanakwerekwe
• 10 workshops in Professional Communications for ZANGOC members
• Establishment of a Gender Equality Team within ZANGOC

My role with the volunteers will be minimal but I did meet with them again yesterday to share my ideas on professional communications and youth development. Since I already have a good insight into what the member organizations do and what they want in terms of capacity building, I was happy to share my information to help make their workshops tailored to the actual needs of their participants. 

Another aspect I will be assisting with is in the establishment of the Gender Equality Team. I feel it is important for me to be involved in this team as I am currently writing ZANGOC's strategic plan and gender should be a cross cutting theme throughout all areas of intervention.

Currently, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Youth and Women’s Development is in the final stages of preparing a policy on mainstreaming gender issues in their programs.  In order to prepare for compliance with this policy, ZANGOC and its member organizations want to begin promoting awareness of gender issues within their organizations and in the communities with whom they work. The purpose of the gender equality team will be to strengthen the capacity of local partners to integrate gender equality into their programs including: promoting leadership amongst women and girls and promoting active participation amongst women, girls and youth in decision making processes and public governance. 

To follow the work of the current volunteers in Zanzibar check out the YCI blog

In other news...

I was informed via email last Friday that there would be a meeting at the ZAC office in regards to writing the concept paper for the USAID funded project in Zanzibar (remember my blog "USAID - From the American People"?). As a good Canadian I showed up on time...early in fact, only to find out that the meeting was canceled. I had a feeling this was going to happen based on the tone of Friday's email, however, with English being a second, and sometimes third language, it was hard for me to decipher the language used in the email! So, to play it safe I showed up anyways! Madame Nuru, the Executive Director of ZAC told me upon arrival that there was not enough support from all the identified partner NGOs, as only ZANGOC and ZAPHA+ replied to the email to confirm their attendance at the meeting. She informed me that I should go ahead and submit my ideas for the concept paper to Stephen at VSO (who would compile the concept paper) and wait to see if UMATI and WAMATA (2 NGOs operating at the national level) would also submit their concept paper ideas. 

Unfortunately, this morning I received an email back from Stephen at VSO saying that he has his reservations about this concept paper as UMATI and WAMATA still have yet to submit, therefore we are lacking the regional coverage, strength and partnerships necessary to proceed. Without these components we will be unable to apply for this funding opportunity, as full coverage of Tanzania is a criteria stipulated by USAID for this project. So, it is a shame that without strength in regional partnerships from larger NGOs, Zanzibar has lost this opportunity.  It's too bad that the larger, more established NGOs hold the decision making power and leave the little guys to continue chasing after donor dollars to even keep their organizations a float. With that being said, I am not turning to cynicism just yet :)

Just write a letter

Before I get into my letter frustrations I want to remind you all of the potential USAID funded project that I blogged about a few weeks ago (Refer to link for a reminder!). I am happy to announce that we got the "go ahead" to write the concept paper which is due on June 23rd. I told ZANGOC that I wanted to be fully involved in writing this paper and they agreed so I emailed the coordinator from VSO and told him that I would be the ZANGOC representative in drafting the paper! So now I am in the loop on this great opportunity for Zanzibar and I am really excited that I will writing to USAID, definitely something that is resume worthy!

On another note, I have figured out why it takes so long for things to be accomplished within ZANGOC...because for every idea you have you have to "write a letter" and submit it to the Executive Committee for approval. For example, during the ZACP workshop I met a lady name Frida who works for ICAP in Zanzibar and since they fund ZANGOC I thought perhaps it's a good idea for me to have a chat with them and show them the workings of the strategic plan. Since I have Frida's contact information I sent her an email yesterday and we set up a meeting for Tuesday of next week. However, I also had a meeting with my supervisor yesterday and told him about this meeting and by the expression on his face I thought he was going to tell me I couldn't go, until finally he told me..."well you have to write a formal letter on ZANGOC letter head and submit it to the Executive Committee for approval." I just think this process is a waste of paper (and time) considering they are going to approve the meeting anyway.

I hope you remember ZIFYA - Zanzibar Initiative for Youth? I have blogged about them a few times, the first time was in ZANGOC Member Orgs and the second time was after I facilitated a workshop for ZIFYA on Monitoring and Evaluation and effective group and team work. I am visiting with ZIFYA again this evening to discuss collaboration with them, ZANGOC and YCI in the formulation of youth groups within the area. The idea for these youth groups will be to work with YCI volunteers, similar to the mentorship program with the YMCA in Ghana, as well as to get youth discussing issues that affect their lives and how we can move forward in addressing these issues at the community level. I told my supervisor about this idea and he thought it would be beneficial but again, I was told to "write a letter." I do intend to write this letter, however I didn't tell them that I was meeting with ZIFYA this evening to hear their inputs and ideas about these youth groups. Oh well, at least I will have the ball rolling on this by the time the letter gets "approved"!

One more thing...ZIFYA has constructed a website which is pretty cool, I am hoping maybe they can teach me a few things about website design! Check them out here: Zanzibar Initiative for Youth

USAID – “From the American People”

On Friday May 20^th I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend a very high profile meeting in Stone Town at the ZAC (Zanzibar AIDS Commission) office with representatives from USAID, VSO, ZAC, ZANGOC and ZAPHA+. This meeting was in regards to a call for proposals that was recently sent out by USAID/Tanzania for a 5 year funded program for comprehensive and sustainable clinical and community based HIV services throughout Tanzania. Amongst those eligible to apply for this funding opportunity are Tanzanian, international or US NGOs who are able to form a consortium or partnership with other like minded NGOs to develop and submit applications to USAID for a wide ranging clinical and community based HIV services both at facility and community levels.

Outside the ZAC office in Shangani, Stone Town

 

Zanzibar is eligible to form a consortium and apply for this funding under “Core 2” which will cover community‐based HIV/AIDS care and support programs in Iringa, Dodoma, Morogoro, Singida, Mwanza, Kilimanjaro, Tabora and Zanzibar.

The purpose of the meeting on Friday was to get the ball rolling and to decide how many NGOs in Zanzibar this funding will be directed to and to identify which NGOs these will be. The decision came down to the following NGOs: ZAC, ZANGOC, ZAPHA+, WAMATA and UMATI. It is inevitable that other NGOs in Zanzibar will be involved in the roll out of this program as ZAC is a coordinating NGO and ZANGOC, as we know, is an umbrella organization and will hence distribute funds to its member organizations that have the capacity to take on such a large program.

The next steps for the Zanzibar Consortium:

The representative from VSO is to meet with USAID in Dar es Salaam on Monday May 23rd to see if the first round of concept papers due in February had been obliged. If not then the aforementioned NGOs will form a group and write a concept paper to USAID that will be due on June 24th (something I hope to be involved in, one way or another!)

It is possible that the second round of applications will be canceled if funding has been fully obligated. It is also possible that no Concept Papers for “Core 2” will be accepted in the Second Round if an award for “Core 2” has been made as a result of the First Round.

So, hopefully by Tuesday we will find out if we are able to move forward in writing a concept paper for this amazing opportunity.

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HIV/AIDS in Tanzania

Mainland Tanzania is grappling with a mature, generalized HIV and AIDS epidemic. According to the

2007‐08 Tanzania HIV/AIDS and Malaria Indicator Survey (THMIS), adult HIV prevalence in the country is estimated at 5.8% and an estimated 1.4 million Tanzanians are living with HIV and AIDS, of which approximately 10% are children HIV positive. Prevalence has declined slightly from an estimated 7% in 2004. Despite this documented decline in prevalence, an estimated 217,704 people contracted HIV in Tanzania in 2008, according to national surveillance data (National Prevention Strategy Review, 2009). Over 80% of HIV transmission in Tanzania occurs through heterosexual contact, approximately 18% through mother‐to‐child transmission, and 1.8% through medical transmission or traditional practices. Women in Tanzania make up 56% of the HIV‐infected population. With more than 1.8 million births and 6.8% HIV prevalence at antenatal clinics (ANC), approximately 100,000 HIV‐positive women deliver HIV‐exposed infants annually.

In 2010, the USG and United Republic of Tanzania (URT) signed a Partnership Framework (PF) outlining the two nations' joint commitment (2009‐2013) to a durable and effective response to the HIV and AIDS crisis in Tanzania. The Partnership Framework in Tanzania is representative of the core principles of PEPFAR II and focuses on building capacity for a greater country‐led response, increasing Tanzanian ownership of the HIV/AIDS response, scaling up effective prevention interventions, and laying the foundation for more sustainable country programs. The Partnership Framework is consistent with Tanzania’s National Multi‐Sectoral Framework on HIV/AIDS (NMSF 2008‐2012), and the Health Sector Strategic Plan III (HSSP 2009‐2015), and is intended to align the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) with United Republic of Tanzania (URT) national priorities.

Under the National Multi‐Sectoral HIV/AIDS Framework 2008‐2012 and the Health Sector HIV/AIDS

Strategic Plan III 2009‐2015, the Government of Tanzania (GOT) has laid out an ambitious plan to implement several key HIV/AIDS interventions. This document outlines key clinical HIV/AIDS services program such as Prevention of Mother‐to‐ Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT), Counseling and

Testing (CT), TB/HIV, Facility and community based HIV/AIDS care and support programs for PLHIV such as Home‐based care and nutritional support services. Other supporting documents include the

National Care and Treatment Plan which aims to provide treatment services to over 440,000 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), the Pediatric HIV/PMTCT Scale up Plan, the TB and TB/HIV

Collaborative Policy and Implementation Plan and the National Guidelines for Home‐ based Care Services.

The 2010 PEPFAR/Tanzania Annual Progress Report (APR), indicates the USG currently provides care and support services to over 900,000 PLHIV of which over 250,000 HIV positive clients are on treatment (ART) and 150,000 clients receive community based care and support services. Over

1,300,000 pregnant women received HIV testing and over 60,000 HIV‐positive pregnant women received antiretroviral prophylaxis.

Most of the USG‐supported HIV/AIDS services are implemented through grants to international partners who in turn support the URT/ Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) in both the mainland and Zanzibar, as well as local partners to roll‐out interventions at regional, district and community levels.

CHALLENGES

Despite successes in enrolling Tanzanians into care and treatment programs and saving lives, the national HIV/AIDS program faces formidable challenges. Long‐term financing and sustainability are especially problematic as the current program is almost completely donor‐funded. Under PEPFAR Phase One, national HIV/AIDS services and programs were launched as an emergency response, implemented primarily through NGOs and international technical assistance partners with foreign donor funds. Tanzania’s endemic health delivery system weaknesses ‐‐the absence of viable health systems and health information systems; a severe lack of human resources; absence of basic infrastructure, shortages of drugs, and commodities; and inadequate financing – have been temporarily patched through PEPFAR and Global Funds inputs but the health delivery system as a whole remains fragile and overly dependent on donor support. Despite enormous inflows of donor funding and international technical assistance, the national HIV/AIDS program continues to suffer from a lack of patient follow up outside the clinical setting, and inability to enroll target populations into care and treatment programs and a significant loss of retention of HIV positive patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART).