Gender Equality Tanzania, United Republic of Project #16843

Protect Girls from FGM in Tanzania

by Tanzania Development Trust

Project Report | Feb 28, 2020
Presenting our work on Feb 6th zero tolerance day

By Janet CHAPMAN | Project Leader

We were delighted to be invited to present our work at the Zero Tolerance event organised by UNFPA in Dar es Salaam on February 6^th. Rhobi was part of the panel and talked about our work. She was accompanied to Dar by Christina, a former cutter who Rhobi persuaded to destroy her tools and stop this practice.

Christina had never been to Dar before, and had never travelled by plane, so it was a very exciting experience for her. When she saw the air stewardesses in their smart uniforms she asked Rhobi whether any of them were Kuria like them. When Rhobi answered no, Christina started to cry. “We have so much still to learn” she said.

Listen to Rhobi and Christina's story from Mugumu here: https://youtu.be/IF5A8oVCCBI

Persuading cutters, or Ngaribas, to stop the practice is an important part of the fight against FGM.

Ngaribas are appointed by the village leaders. Families pay them approximately $15 to cut one girl, $5 dollars of this is given to the village leaders. These are large amounts of money to subsistence farmers in the villages of Mara.

One reason girls are cut is because cut girls fetch between 10 and 12 cows when they are married, but uncut girls fetch only 4 to 6 cows for their family. As each cow is worth around $100 this is significant for families living in extreme poverty.

Hope’s outreach work on the effects of FGM and through roadshows, traditional dance festivals, village community forums, and film screenings is beginning to pay off. We have managed to change many people’s attitudes and stop the tradition of Female Genital Mutilation in many families in the villages.

Particularly importantly we have managed to persuade 6 cutters to ceremonially destroy their tools and stop cutting girls. These cutters are now helping girls not to be cut in their communities by helping them reach the safe house and providing anti-FGM education to the community.

This is a brave step for these women, and not always supported by their family or husband, who miss the income and status their role brought. Hope has worked with them, educating them on how to start alternative small businesses selling cereals in the market, and provided them with capital of £220 to do this.

Christina was previously a Ngariba in the village of Kebanchabancha. She attended one of the anti-FGM road shows and as a result she decided to stop cutting and publicly destroyed her tools. Although this resulted in Christina losing her source of income, divorce from her husband, and having to move away from her village, she says she has no regrets about this important decision. Christina now supports the Hope team’s work of re-education of those involved in cutting.

We know of 40 cutters who are still operating, who we still need to persuade to drop their tools. But we salute the following women who have seen the light and stopped cutting.

We have also been busy updating our website. We hope you like it!

Please check it out here

https://hopeforgirlsandwomen.wordpress.com/

And thank you again for your generosity to help protect girls from FGM in Tanzania..

Rhobi Samwelly

Project Leader

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Dec 3, 2019
Getting ready for the cutting season in December

By Rhobi Samwelly | Project Leader

Learning cooking skills

Right now we have 95 girls in our care, but the cutting season is starting this week so we are expecting more soon.

We have total of 52 girls staying at Hope Mugumu Safe house, where 16 at VTC class, 7 at day primary school,15 at Secondary government school, where 4 are at boarding secondary school ,4 are at primary boarding ,3 children are not at school, because are waiting to give the testimony to the court. Two young women GBV Survivors received at Hope center and their reconciliation between their families is conducted by Police gender desk/ District social welfare. 2 Girls passed to join form one in 2020. Basic needs such as food and medication provided to girls.

We have the total number of 43 children at Safe Butiama among them 3 are still young kids who are still under special parental care, the remaining number is 40 among them 18 are doing their primary school education, 6 are doing their secondary school education and 13 are doing their vocational training on Tailoring, entrepreneurship skills and other self-reliance activities. Food and other basic needs for girls were provided. 3 girls experienced rape violence, were brought by Police gender desk from Butiama and Bunda District waiting for their cases at the court. 2 Girls passed to join form one in 2020.

Hope Mugumu Safe house has 16 students at VTC, where 5 girls will be graduating on 29^th of November 2019. 4 girls their reconciliation was successfully. The following topics were taught to girls such as Batik making, Women Handbag making, laptop bags, soap making for hand wash and toilet soap and cookery. Girls enjoyed cooking pan cake with a help from Shefa from Fourseasons.

Butiama Safe house has 13 students at vocational class. These girls will continue with their studies at vocational class. The following topics were taught-; Drees making, shirt making, batik and soap making. Cookery subject was taught on how to Frying ground nuts, frying chapels, Frying Irish potatoes and Cooking French fries.

HGWT Social welfare officer in collaboration with social worker, police gender desk and district social welfare conducted reconciliation between girls and their parents and succeed 5 girls will be taken back home after their VTC graduation ceremony on 29 of November 2019.

INCOME GENERATING PROJECT FROM VTC - HGWT.

Through established income generating project, VTC teachers with girls has managed to make women hand bags, eprons, table mats, toilet and washing soap, batik and embrodery materials.

GARDENING AND AGRICULTURE:

Gardening activities continuing in our garden, we have grown different vegetables, such as spinach, mchicha, onions, tomatoes and watermelon using organic farming. We have grown 2 acters of cassava, sweet potatoes, maize and millet in our new land.

A GIRL CHILD DAY AND OTHER COMMUNITY INTERVENTION:

Hope for Girls and Women in Tanzania through support from Canadian Embassy Tanzania organized and conducted a girl child day at Kiabakari secondary school, where more than 2800 students participated. Film screening in different villages and schools conducted to create awareness on the effects of FGM.

ENTERPRENEURSHIP TRAINING – WOMEN CONNECT

HGWT through Hope Mugumu Safe house has managed to train 37 members of women and children committee from 37 villages in Serengeti District. The training was officially opened by Serengeti District Executive Director. Hope staff also participated in this special training. Through support from Women Connect TZS 1,920,000 /= will support Microfinance establishment following Wabiya system. Follow up mapping training was conducted and on how to work with ODK forms to collect data.

We also gave special Mapping training to Masanga staff, Tarime social welfare, Tarime police gender desk and 3 staff from Butiama Safe house on how to use maps to help protect girls.

LAND SURVEY:

Survey work started at Matare village to develop town planning, survey and title at the location where we want to build a permanent Safe House to replace the rented building we are currently using in Mugumu. The plan is already designed and submitted to Serengeti council wait for approval from Council after their meeting plan to take place on 23 and 24^th of November 2019.

ESTABLISMENT OF KURYA CULTURAL CENTER:

Hope Mugumu Safe house has managed to establish kurya cultural center in order to promote kurya culture which promote women and girl’s rights and protect our community at larger. Through this kurya cultural center we aim at creating awareness to our community and visitors about the effects of traditions and customs which hindering girls and women rights such as FGM, Early child marriages, women battery etc. In the kurya cultural center we have Hope cultural dance group which help to create awareness to the community about the effects FGM and Gender Based violence to community at larger. Mama Muhabe Marwa is working to this cultural center to explain about kurya traditional tools. Mama Muhabe is one of among 6 cutters who dropped down their tools and stop cutting girls after being sensitized about the effects of FGM and health implications to women and girls. The traditional dance group is motivated well trained, available and ready to work any time to deliver ant FGM messages to community and visitors.

MANY VISITORS VISITED HGWT.

Hope for Girls and Women in Tanzania, through Hope Mugumu Safe house received visitors from Netherland – Nicola and Karin, Sospiter from TCDC, Anifa.M. Said from interland surveyor from Dodoma, Vaineme Marite, Chareen, Rebecca, Gleri from Australia, Millie, Ollie, Jason and Daniel from Fourseasons, Allan Cram and Dan from UK.

SUPPORT AND AIDS:

We have received food and sanitary items aid from Four seasons on 26^th October 2019, the items received includes: Rice 100 kg, Beans 100 kg, Maize Flour 100kg, Sugar 50kg, Cooking oil 20 liters, Bar Soap 2 cartons, Body cream 1 dozen, Tooth paste 2 dozen and Pads 5 pc.MrAlan Cram supported Hope Mugumu safe house with 20 buskets and 20 pairs of sandles to Butiama Safe house.

ABOUT FGM SITUATION:

Due to the information’s received from good people whom fight against FGM and gender based violence that have received the secret information’s from traditional leaders, that there will be a very secret cutting to Wairege and bamera. The information received from informers from Serengeti, Butiama and Tarime Districts. From November to December the cutting will start to these 2 kuryan clan when school holiday start. We are ready to receive girls whom will flee from FGM.

CHALLENGES:

The following challenges

Water problem

Butiama safe house is facing water problem, where girls have to walk long distance looking for water.

School desks is still a challenge, where some students are sitting down at Kyabakari– Butiama District.
Funds to support construction of our permanent buildings.
One vehicle is a challenge to serve in two districts.
Market for our VTC and garden products

WAY FORWARD/FUTURE PLANS:

To fund raise for our permanent building construction
To fundraise for vehicle, need to different donors.
To develop staff training strategy
Support and protect girls fee from FGM
Conduct community intervention in Butiama and Serengeti
Conduct water survey to Matare land
Land survey continue work.
Support 4 girls to get scholarship to join private secondary school in 2020
Conduct graduation for girls completed their VTC skills in November 29.

SUGGESTIONS/RECOMMENDATION:

Requesting Fourseasons to support Hope to find market for VTC and gardening products.
Welcoming ideas for fundraising to support construction of permanent buildings and VTC from friends, companies, Donors etc.

We thank everyone for their generous support this year and wish you well for the holiday season.

Primary girls

Sewing class

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Sep 9, 2019
Another award for Rhobi and Hope

By Rhobi Samwelly | Director

Learning to sew

Thank you again for your generosity. Thanks to you we have been able to do the following:

Butiama Safe house: We have the total number of 43 children’s at Safe Butiama among them 3 are still young kids who are still under special parental care, the remaining number is 37 among them 15 are doing their primary school education, 6 are doing their secondary school education and 13 are doing their vocational training on Tailoring, entrepreneurship skills and other self-reliance activities. Food and other basic needs for girls were provided. 3 girls experienced rape violence, were brought by Police gender desk from Butiama and Bunda District waiting for their cases at the court.

Hope Mugumu Safe house: 53 We have the total number of 53 children’s at Safe among them 3 are still young kids who are still under special parental care, the remaining number is 50 among them 10 are doing their primary school education [ 4 are at English Media and 6 are at day Government school, 19 are doing their secondary school education[16 are at day school, 3at ward boarding school and 1 at A level at Geita region and 18 are doing their vocational training -Tailoring, entrepreneurship skills , 5 Hotel management and other self-reliance activities. Food and other basic needs for girls were provided. 2 girls namely Chausiku from Nyansurura village, Elizabeth from Majimoto village were taken back home after the successful reconciliation.

CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING:

Hope for Girls and Women in Tanzania participated on the road to Nairobi – committing to Ending FGM in Dar -es -salaam on 28^th of September 2019 at UNFPA venue. We had presentation from UNFPA and Government social welfare officer. After presentation group discussions were formed to outline the barriers to end FGM and What should be done to End FGM. 6 NGOs namely ; HGWT, ATFGM Masanga, NAFGEM, HIMD,KIPUNGUNI and ESTL working to End FGM in Tanzania participated.

BALOZI CHARLIE STUART OF EU FAREWELL AND AWARD :

On 28^th evening we were invited to an event organised by UNFPA, EU, Canadian Embassy, ICPD25. Participants from Government, Development partners and ambassadors from different embassies attended. It was as special day for saying goodbye to EU Balozi Mr Charlie Stuarts who worked very hard to coordinate to End FGM in Tanzania. Mr Charlie moved from Tanzania since 29^th evening to his Home. In the event the Award of Recognition for Excellence in Working towards Ending Female Genital Mutilation [FGM] was given to 6 NGOs and 3 WP from Gender desk were given the award from Serengeti – WP Sijali , others are from Moshi and Manyara.

THE SITUATION AT SERENGETI AND BUTIAMA:

ABOUT FGM SITUATION:

Due to the information’s received from good people whom fight against FGM and gender based violence that have received the secret information’s from traditional leaders, that there will be a very secret cutting to Wairege and few Wakenye to start anytime this September to December 2019. The information received from informers from Serengeti and Butiama Districts.

ABOUT FOOD:

Due to not enough rainfall , the food price is increasing every day. The price for 20 kg of maize was 10,000/= but now is 18,000/= to 20,000. As Hope we decided to buy maize and beans as the costs is increasing high to date. 6400 kg of maize was purchased for the price of 17,500 per 20kg and 1000 kg of beans for 2000 kg.

GARDENING AND AGRICULTURE:

Gardening activities continuing in our garden, we have grown different vegetables, such as spinach, mchicha, onions, tomatoes using organic farming. We have grown 2 acters of cassava and sweet potatoes in our new land.

CHALLENGES:

The following challenges

Water problem

Butiama safe house is facing water problem, where girls has to walk long distance looking for water.

School desks is still a challenge, where some students are sitting down at Kyabakari– Butiama District.
Funds to support construction of our permanent buildings.

GREAT THANKS TO YOU ALL!:

Our garden

Rhobi receiving award from EU Ambassador

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