Tanzania Communication and Development Center

Trainers and managers were introduced to the new “Journey of Success” kit last month. The kit will significantly broaden the scope of work for TCDC’s community volunteers.

Communities around Tanzania are about to get a boost in the fight against some of the country’s most significant health challenges, thanks to a new resource kit being developed by TCDC.

The “Journey of Success” kit is a series of lessons that will build on the existing scope of work for TCDC’s community volunteers, known as Community Change Agents (CCAs). The kit will give CCAs new and improved material for existing topics such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, family planning and safe motherhood, while also integrating innovative modules that focus on self-image and stigma – critical concepts in effective behavior change.

TCDC has been working with Peter Labouchere of Bridges of Hope Training to develop the “Journey of Success”. Mr. Labouchere, a pioneer in modern behavior change techniques, traveled to Dar es Salaam last month to introduce the kit and conduct a training for master trainers and regional managers.

The four-day training gave trainers and managers a chance to experience the new lessons as participants before later going out to practice facilitating at the community level during field exercises on the outskirts of Dar. The trainers and managers were able to provide feedback that helped shape the final draft of the kit, which is currently in production.

“They are an amazing group of people to work with,” Mr. Labouchere said of the TCDC staff. “It was very special for me having such a level of commitment, creativity and willingness to engage fully with the materials.”

The master trainers are expected to begin training ground-level CCAs in the use of the “Journey of Success” later this month, with the rollout to coincide with a planned expansion of the CCA program. The expansion, which is funded by USAID and the Global Fund, will double the number of community volunteers throughout Tanzania.

For more information, check out our interactive PDF(865k)!

Thousands attended 'Makambako Kanyaga Twende', which encouraged healthy behavior change and provided services relating to HIV/AIDS, malaria, family planning and safe motherhood.

Growing up, Happy Mpete had to wait days before getting the results of her malaria tests. But now, thanks to advances in medical technology, learning her malaria results only takes minutes.

“Today I could see the malaria test and received my results in fifteen minutes,” said Happy. “It is very easy to test for malaria nowadays!”

Happy is one of the more than five thousand people who attended ‘Makambako Kanyaga Twende’ in late February. The four-day event, whose name means "Makambako, step up! Let's go!" in Swahili, brought residents from all over the district together to learn and seek services relating to HIV/AIDS, malaria, family planning and safe motherhood.

TCDC worked with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare through Njombe’s regional health management team and Makambako Town Council’s management team, as well as with TACAIDS and U.S. government partners to put on the event. Service sites were set up in all nine wards of Makambako Town Council to provide HIV and malaria testing, condom demonstrations and distribution, cervical cancer screenings and voluntary circumcision for willing men.

“I was so impressed to learn that these different services were within our reach,” said one 63-year old man who attended. “I was able to test for malaria and was motivated to get circumcised after learning about its benefits.”

Mobile video units and road shows were sent around Makambako town to show videos and movies promoting the service sites and encouraging positive behavior change. Professional facilitators provided audience members an opportunity to address common concerns and misconceptions about HIV/AIDS, malaria, family planning and safe motherhood.

The event also included stage performances that brought some of Tanzania’s hottest pop stars together. These stars, including Kib Q, Linah and Rich Mavoko, used some of their most popular songs as a platform to advocate for adopting a healthier lifestyle. Concert-goers were also treated to performances by local dance and acrobat troupes. TCDC set up kiosks around the concert area to give residents the opportunity to engage with local health professionals and receive health services.

Over the four days of the event, 2200 residents were tested for HIV; over 1900 were tested for malaria; over 40,000 condoms were distributed, including 2000 female condoms; 151 women were screened for cervical cancer and 107 men volunteered for circumcision.

“The results in service provision demonstrate the dedication of our partners and the health professionals we worked with,” said Abu Msemo, TCDC’s media and events manager. “This event is a testament to the fact that, with proper education and motivation, people will go that extra mile to take charge of their health.”

For more information, check out our interactive PDF(755k)!

Over 82,000 LLINs and 48,000 leaflets distributed throughout Muleba district as part of a major research project to determine the efficacy of current vector control measures.

Residents in Muleba district are being empowered in the fight against malaria, thanks to a new malaria control initiative being implemented by TCDC and its partners. In early February, TCDC distributed 82,720 long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) to residents in 40 villages around Muleba district as part of a district-wide bed net distribution and education campaign.

The net distribution and education campaign is part of a malaria vector control research program organized by the Pan-African Malaria Vector Control Research Consortium (PAMVERC), which seeks to determine the effectiveness of current malaria prevention technologies, like LLINs and indoor-residual spraying (IRS). TCDC has been employed as an implementing partner for the project, responsible for coordinating LLIN distribution with the District Medical Office and, in consultation with the National Malaria Control Program, conducting behavior-change communication (BCC) programming to educate residents about proper mosquito net use and promote IRS.

TCDC facilitated a series of trainings in January for implementing partners and project stakeholders, including local government officials. The Muleba district commissioner, the Honorable Mr. Lembris Kipuyo, presided over an advocacy meeting attended by district officials and representatives from other local organizations. This was followed by trainings for ward and village executive officers and community change agents (CCAs), TCDC-trained community volunteers who specialize in BCC.

The campaign was officially launched in Mubunda village on February 6th by acting District Commissioner Anitha Kajungu, with LLIN distribution continuing through the weekend. TCDC’s ward and village CCAs worked in their communities during and following LLIN distribution to encourage proper LLIN hanging, use, care and repair, and to advocate for IRS. Educational posters were provided to local health organs for promotional purposes.

TCDC also worked with the Pijei Amusement Company, a local social behavior change advocacy group, to conduct educational road shows that emphasized the project’s malaria prevention theme. In total, 49 road shows took place around Muleba district, with more than 56,000 residents estimated to have attended. These performances emphasized proper mosquito net hanging, use, care and repair and promoted the use of IRS. Over 48,000 educational leaflets were distributed during the road shows, and some lucky participants even walked away with promotional t-shirts.

“The response to this campaign has been positive at all levels,” says TCDC’s Muleba project manager George Kabulika. “We expect this campaign will effectively achieve our project objectives and alleviate the malaria burden in Muleba district.”

TCDC will continue its behavior change programming in Muleba through March of this year, as PAMVERC continues to collect data on the efficacy of current vector controls.

For more information, check out our interactive PDF(786k)!

TCDC-affiliated CBOs in six regions recently took part in two-day trainings to become familiar with new accountability measures that will improve sustainability.

Accountability is one of the most important aspects of sustainability, playing a major role in responsible resource management and providing the feedback that drives effective program development.

As part of continuing efforts to improve community-based organization (CBO) partners' capacity and reporting efficiency, TCDC held trainings in December for 68 representatives of partner CBOs from six regions.

These trainings successfully introduced a new online reporting system that will ease partner CBO workload while improving reporting cohesion and accountability, and will serve as models for future trainings as TCDC expands operations into nine new regions in the second quarter of 2015 with funding from USAID and Global Fund.

For more information, check out our interactive PDF (681kb)!