U. S. Embassy Grants 773.4 Million Shillings to Community Projects

Today-November 18, 2020, Ambassador Donald Wright signed funding agreements for six Self-Help Program projects as well as grants from the Africa Regional Development Fund, Julia Taft Fund and Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund.

The Ambassador’s Special Self-Help fund has been helping Tanzanians to develop their communities since 1965. Small grants provided under the program support community-led income generation and sustainable development projects in every region of Tanzania.

“I believe that real, lasting change comes when people join together at the grassroots level to make positive changes in their communities,” said Ambassador Wright at the ceremony to award the grants, held at his residence in Dar es Salaam.

In addition to the six Self-Help Fund grants that were awarded, the Ambassador also awarded three additional grants for projects that will promote transparency, good governance and youth engagement in government oversight; provide support to and empower women and girls in refugee communities; and improve the capacity of lawyers who work for the public interest.

Complete List of Beneficiaries

Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Grants

Organization: Agricultural and Livestock Production Development Association (ALPDA)

Amount: $8,794.94

Location: Dodoma

Improve the livelihood of women and youth—particularly out of school girls and young women who are smallholder peanut farmers in Veyula, Miyuji and Makutupora villages in Dodoma by purchasing three peanut butter processing machines and training 40 women and girls from each village on the use of the machines.

Organization: Thubutu Africa Initiatives (TAI)

Amount: $7,395.13

Location: Shinyanga

Promote healthy habits and improve school attendance for girls by building eight additional latrines, including a disability friendly latrine and a handwashing station for both girls and boys. 

Organization: Kayaga for Social Economic Group (KASEG)

Amount: $6,500

Location: Mwanza

Improve the livelihood of 105 small dagaa vendors by purchasing a fish drying machine and modern packaging materials to allow the beneficiaries will be able to dry, clean, package, and label their product more quickly, efficiently, and professionally – even during rainy season. 

Organization: PVL (Plantation, Vendors and Livestock) Group

Amount: $9,864

Location: Njombe

Promote education, and combat illiteracy by building an education center and conducting field

work from village to village, motivating parents, youth, and elders to encourage education, and collecting data on individuals in need. 

Organization: Shirika La Maendeleo Ya Kilimo Na Ufugaji Musoma

Amount: $9,955.42

Location: Mara

Improve smallholder farmers’ livelihood by strengthening sunflower production, pressing, and processing in the rural area of Musoma by will purchasing a combined oil mill with air pressure oil filter, processing, packaging and labeling supplies, and training farmers to use the equipment.

Organization: Maji Safi kwa Afya Bora Ifakara (MSABI)

Amount: $5,022.75

Location: Morogoro

Increase access to clean water and improve financial operations and sustainability of the water points by using the Pump for Life maintenance system, which provides repair services for a monthly fee.

Fiscal Transparency Innovation Fund

Organization: WAJiBU Institute of Public Accountability

$125,000

Aims to promote fiscal transparency and accountability in Tanzania by increasing youth inclusion in the budgetary process. The project’s objectives include providing accessible information on public accountability tailored for youth in order to increase their understanding of how the government is spending resources, as well as highlight Tanzania’s Controller and Auditors General (CAG) recommendations.

2020 Africa Regional Democracy Fund (ARDF)

Organization: Centre for Strategic Litigation

$136,000

The Program aims to improve the capacity of young lawyers from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda for public interest litigation to uphold democratic norms and human rights by providing fellows supplemental training on litigating fundamental freedoms. 

Julia Taft Fund

Organization: Women’s Legal Aid Centre 

$25,000.00

Increase awareness on human trafficking, the laws behind it and the rights of trafficked victims. The project will involve building capacity of law enforcers at camp level as well as the refugee community toward understanding causes and identifying possible solutions to address the problems.