Psychosocial support program under SATF, from the support of FCS, again has put a mark in Karagwe district after conducting a one day sensitization meeting with its officials. The aim of the meeting was to sensitize district officials to mainstream PSS in their programs/budget and Plans. It was noted during the meeting that many support which is provided to children fall under physical supports and ignore the psychosocial support that is also important to growth of wellbeing of a child. It was pointed It is the role of government and other stakeholders to support children in whole. The meeting ended by setting resolutions for the implementation of the program.   

Executive secretary Ms. Melania Bitakwate from KARADEA facilitating during advocacy meeting with district officials from Karagwe.

The meeting was followed by five days training to 20 caregivers from Karagwe district Council who were coming from different areas such as Nyakahanga, Ruicho, Begene, Chelima, Ihanda, Nyamahanga and Chonyonyo. The training  aimed at capacitating caregivers to develop their skills and knowledge on PSS so as to support children with psychosocial problems. Different topics were covered such as Tree of life, Introduction to PSS Definitions and Model, The roles and functions of PSS, PSS mainstreaming, Building resilience, Stress and Coping, Loss, Grief and Mourning, Use of Play, Walking with families and Community and Monitoring and Evaluation. The facilitators of this training were Ms. Melania Bitakwate and Rev. Alphonce Mshenyera from KARADEA who were trained from TOT that was conducted in Dar es salaam and facilitated with REPSSI. The training was participatory in nature, each participant sharing experiences and ideas from different background and through vivid examples.  After the end of the training each participant was required to identify 5MVC for provision of PSS. Meaning at the end of the project 100 children with psychosocial problems will benefit from the program.

Philimina Marco who is a primary school teacher at Ihanda sharing with participants her tree of life during PSS training.

Rev. Alphonce Mshenyera conducting session during PSS training

The month of June observed another painstaking initiative taken by SATF via SATF’s Implementing Partner located at Kahama (MUVUMA NGO) to roll out Psychosocial Support building in Shinyanga region with the support from Foundation for Civil Society. This was evidenced by a one day sensitization meeting conducted at Kahama District Council, which involved 10 District officials’ representatives from across District Councils’ departments. The meeting resulted in District officials resolving to incorporate PSS element in their plans, programs and budget after observing the existing gaps in their programs with regards to  supporting marginalized children.

‘’We have to invest to our children because they are tomorrow’s generation , for any successful country /state depends on the wellbeing of its people hence it is a high time to mainstream PSS issues in our plans, programs and budget’’ Elikana D. Zabron Planning Officer.

Ms, Flora Kalamata from MUVUMA facilitating during advocacy meeting on PSS with officials from Kahama District council.

Advocacy meeting was  followed   by a five days training on PSS conducted to 20 caregivers from Kahama which aimed at capacitating their skills in psychosocial support with the aim of supporting children who have psychosocial problems. It is expected 100 Most Vulnerable children in Kahama will benefit as a result of that training because each caregiver will be obliged to support 5 children.
‘’For a long time we had been supporting our children blindly knowing that food, shelter and clothes are the only need to a child but we had realized more support is needed to a child as mentioned in a wheel model i.e Spiritual support, social support, emotional support, and intellectual support all of these needs are equal and should be supported to a child for its welfare’’ Josephat Juma (caregiver)

PSS participants in a group photo after the end of five days workshop training in Kahama.

DISTRIBUTION OF TOOLKITS TO BENEFICIARIES UNDER SATF MVC EDUCATION PROGRAM IN MOSHI-KILIMANJARO

MKUKI VTC beneficiaries in a pose with Moshi rural DED Eng. Anna Mwahelenda (1st left) and MKUKI’s Director Ms. Linna Mlay (2nd left) after distribution of start-up toolkits June 2011.

District Executive Director (DED) for Moshi rural Eng. Anna Mwahelenda giving start-up kits to one of SATF beneficiaries during distribution ceremony. The ceremony took place at MKUKI area on 8th June 2011 and witnessed by Sumbuko Zakaria (not on picture) from SATF.

SATF’s implementing partner in Mwanza (AIDS Outreach) has supported 7 MVC with start-up toolkits, following their completion of tailoring course at Mwanza Women Development Association (MWDA). SATF attended distribution ceremony which was conducted at AIDS Outreach Offices in Nyakato-Mwanza on 10th June 2011.

Guest of Honor Mr. Barthazal Bisansaba, Mwanza Diocese Archbishop’s representative handing over a butterfly Sewing Machine to Wanzela Msuguli during the graduation ceremony which took place at AIDS Outreach June 2011.

SATF beneficiaries displaying their products during graduation ceremony: - from left are Elizabeth Samwel, Wanzela Msuguli, Sarah Robert, Sarah William, Pendo Benjamini and Nyasiga Makaranga

CARE GIVERS URGED TO STRIVE FOR SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH MVC

MVC care givers in  Mtwara region, has been alerted  that if they want to impact positive discipline  in the lives of children they have to spend quality time with them to understand , encourage, guide and mostly share the fun.

The challenge was thrown by the SATF Program Coordinator Jerome Sam-De Mwaya during PSS final evaluation visit conducted in Mtwara from 6th to 10th February 2011.

In the struggle for social and economic achievements, parents have found themselves too much occupied with trying to earn daily bread to the extent that they no longer find quality time to spend with their children and talk with them about things that have impact in their lives. This has left children to wander on their own which have resulted to developing poor role model and misbehavior

A misbehaving child is a discouraged child, he said and further pointed out parents are discouraging children by calling them bad names, judging, ridicule, scorning them and prophesying terrible future for them when they see they are not behaving the way they expect them to be.

The truth is that their way of thinking, leads to their way of acting. Maybe it does not lead to apparent or outright  anti social acts, but filling their minds with bad impressions brings confusion and an incongruity between what we desire for them and what they become which is hopefully success, achievements, recognition , dignity and peace to mention but a few. If children allow their minds and spirits to be weak they tend to take their cues from the people around them, and act out what adults think of them.

Amidst all the struggles, it is important to find the balance. It is important to teach our children to be well mannered and inspire positive and appropriate thinking. It is important that parents and care takers work hard to stay organized and practice being responsible and supportive to our children. If we're spending quality time with MVC during our hours and days at home, it will "show" when we're being helpful, and it won't be a "show" either, it will be real.

Capacity building support on Introduction to PSS mainstreaming has been provided to 18 SATF implementing partners from 9 organizations and 1 member SATF staff transforming them from participants to trainers during a five days Training of Trainer’s course that took place from 21st to 25th March 2011, at the Grand Villa Hotel in Dar-es-salaam.

PSS TOT training participants in a group photo with SATF staff in March 2011 at Grand Villa Hotel in Dar es salaa.

The Training of Trainers Workshop on Introduction to PSS developed a pool of SATF implementing partners with PSS knowledge and skills. 18 staff from different organizations working with children in Kilimanjaro, Kagera, Shinyanga, Morogoro, Lindi and Dar-es-salaam acquired skills and knowledge enough to train caregivers and mainstream PSS in their areas of work. PSS Programs Information Action Tools were introduced and adapted by partners. PSS mainstreaming action plans for each organization was drawn. After the training, participants made a week long study tour to HUMULIZA to learn Vijana Simama Imara model of Psychosocial Support tested by HUMULIZA Organization in Muleba-Kagera in order to enable them to replicate the model in their areas.

PSS participants Halima Omary (standing) and Rehema Nangameta drawing their trees of life during TOT course in Dar es salaam.

Being equiped with PSS knowledge and skills, The SATF IPs have become ambassadors  to PSS mainstreaming as they will eventually engage in conducting  advocacy meetings  to local government leaders to sensitize them on the importance of PSS mainstreaming in their programming. The IPs from each organization will advocate for PSS intervention by identifying at least 20 caregivers in their communities and train them on PSS thus 180 givers are anticipated to be provided with practical instrument on PSS provision. Each of these care givers will in turn provide psychosocial support to at least 5 MVC in their community. In this phase two of the project implementation, the project targets at least 900 MVC who will be provided with psychosocial support.

Parents today are frustrated because children are not behaving the way it is expected as compared to the “good old days”. They are asking what has happened? Why is the majority of community today oblivious of children’s problems? PSS training in Moshi confronted this challenging question and engaged to uncover the mystery  during a five days Psychosocial support  training of care givers organized by SATF and conducted by KIWAKKUKI organization, one of the beneficiaries of PSS TOT course conducted in Dar-es-salaam through  the funding from The Foundation for Civil Society.

It was observed that, the triple crisis of increasing poverty, conflict and HIV/AIDS are contributing factors that have weakened the traditional safety nets. As a result parents have become so occupied trying to earn a living and children have been forgotten in care and support. In the midst of social economic confusion fueled by changes in technology such as concentrations on too much television, children have been left behind without proper care and support, or subjected to poor role models and misconceptions about life.

The training advocated for community to retreat to strengthening the safety nets while mainstreaming PSS in all their dealings with children. Community members should build  interest in the wellbeing of children, ensure their participation in matters related to their wellbeing, encourage responsibilities, giving them opportunity to learn life skills while providing psychosocial care and support, It was observed that ,the effects  of not focusing on children wellbeing is  devastating and the cost of intervening at a  later stage  is very  high.. Realizing the significance of focusing on children and the impact of parents and community negligence on children wellbeing prompted one care giver during the training to remark “Our people perish for lack of knowledge” .

KIWAKKUKI staff(Lui Mfangavo) showing a picture of a child to introduce the concept of PSS during PSS training in Moshi.

In Mvomero District Council, 19 MVC caregivers from Doma, Melela and Maharaka wards were trained and equipped with Psychosocial Support Skills for five days from 17th to 21st May 2011 under Neema Resource Foundation (NEREFO) who was among the NGOs which benefited from PSS TOT training conducted in Dar es Salaam. This followed a five days TOT training on psychosocial support conducted in Dar es salaam with the support from Foundation for Civil Society.

The five days training of caregivers in Mvomero District Council aimed at capacitating participants to develop their skills and knowledge on PSS so as to disseminate that knowledge direct to children with psychosocial problems. Additionally, the training focused on capacitating the caregivers in mainstreaming PSS skills into their day to day activities, to build capacity of MVC caregivers on how to monitor and evaluate PSS needs through M&E tool.. After the training, each MVC caregiver are required to provide psychosocial support services to  5 MVC . Thus at the end of the project 95 MVC will be reached as a result of the training.

A cross section of PSS participants in a group discussion during the training sessions.

Abdalah R. Mbilili from Maharaka presenting a group work during training proceedings.

A group photo taken to mark the end of five days training on PSS conducted in Mvomero - Morogoro.

PSS CAREGIVERS IN MKURANGA STRETCH OVER THEIR EFFORTS TO SUPPORT MVC

SATF is implementing a three years program of rolling out PSS support capacity building project to 13 regions in Tanzania through funding from the Foundation for Civil Society. This involved training of care givers at grass root levels so that they can adequately assist MVC to cope with their psychosocial problems for improved wellbeing.
Year one final evaluation visit conducted at Mkuranga district to measure the impact of the project at community level, family and individual levels witnessed a notable impact on the roles played by 20 PSS caregivers of Mkuranga who were trained on PSS skills in 2009.
During SATF’s evaluation visit, one care giver Eva Yesse confessed not to have knowledge of PSS before the training. After the PSS training she identified 5 MVC who were living under difficulty situation with their guardians without being enrolled at school.  MVC attended by Eva are Elizabeth Dismass, Teresia Pashaa, Prisca Bathlomayo, Jacline John and Victoria Noel. She raised awareness of its importance and secured birth certificates for Elizabeth Dismass and Jacline John. She had also been providing counseling to her MVC and influenced emotional tranquility especially to Teresia Pashaa who had a lot of stress. Knowing the functions and use of play in children’s development and wellbeing she persuaded them to participate in different sports like, foot ball, and running. She said all MVC under her case load have shown great improvement in their studies. She further pointed  out she has discovered that, the best way to explore information from stressed children is to engage empathetically in understanding and dealing with their problems, provide enough time to listen to their problems and provide them room to express themselves.

PSS beneficiaries with SATF staff. From left back are Elizabeth Dismass, Teresia Pashaa, and front from left are Prisca Batholomayo and Victoria Noel.

MVC beneficiaries identified by Eva Yesse in a play session.

PSS care giver in Shinyanga in a pose with her voluntary kindergarten school children.

VSI member in Shinyanga Mashaka (2nd left) in a photo with his deaf grandfather (3 left) his sick brother. Besides being at school Mashaka has been giving immense economic support for the family.

SATF Program Coordinator (right) in a picture with PSS care giver in Mwanza (left) who has been painstakingly providing PSS support to this boy who has health problems.