EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

RESTLESSDEVELOPMENT UDOM CLUB (Formerly  SPW)

THE PLAN FOR THE 1^ST SEMESTER 2012-2013

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Restless development UDOM club (formerly SPW) as the youth charity branch of Restless development Tanzania program. The club was established in November 2009 as a youth club dealing with basic goals which are Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH), Livelihoods and employment and civic participation to build capacity to youth and enhance development. Currently the organization has expanded to environmental affairs and other current issues that may positively or negatively affect youth under the urban program dealing with the university students.

                           ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED

The club with precisely cooperation among members, peer educators, mother organization-Restless development Tanzania, the University of Dodoma, and other development partners like  FHI, PSI, Barclays  Bank,  Mwangaza FM,  and Startimes Dodoma blanch has successfully conducted various activities pertaining youth development:

v                                        Radio presentation at Mwangaza FM

v                                          Peer education

v                                  Youth forum on youth and development policy

v                                   Career  development through career days

v                                      Health talks within the  university

v                         Being provided with the office to work precisely and ensure message delivery to youth within the          university

v                     Cinema shows concerning Sexual reproductive health (SRH) and Health

v                  Providing certificates of Volunteering to volunteers who have graduated.

                    PLANNED ACTIVITIES

(       A)   COLLEGE PROGRAMME ON HEALTH AND SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

With the rationale of providing peer education to university students basing on health and sexual reproductive health specifically on HIV/AIDS  and stress management  to new students and continuing students, it is intended to reduce  the rate of HIV/AIDS new infections within the university and enhance capabilities of adopting with the environment to new students for sustainable participation of youth in development affairs.

The programme shall involve the college of humanities, social science, informatics and the college of education with the college of medicine by providing seminars to each college.

                            Topics to be covered;

v  The meaning of sexual reproductive health (SRH) and health,

v  Sexual transmitted diseases specifically HIV/AIDS,

v  The HIV virus  life cycle,

v  HIV/AIDS transmission,

v  HIV/prevention,

v  Factors that influence HIV/AIDS new infections,

v  How to live with HIV virus when infected.

On health:

v  Stress management.

AVAILABLE RESOURCES

v  Peer educators.

The club has 6 trained peer educators, who are:

1.       Matrona Jeromin

2.       Victor William

3.       Isack Kachoma

4.       Skolastika Kabonge

5.       Ibrahim Mwera

6.       Renatus Danda

v  Some materials : postures, articles, case studies story on HIV/AIDS and stress management and sexual transmitted infections(STI’S).

NEEDED RESOURCES

v  Experts on health affairs

v  Stationeries: Not books pen, yellow cards, marker pen, flip charts, and projector.

v  Financial support on transport, announcements and publication.

(B)   PARTICIPATION IN UNIVERSITY LEAGUES

Participating in leagues within the university by providing peer education and peer advise  on:

v  Sexual reproductive Health-STD’S and STI’S

v  Money management

v  Stress management

v  Environmental protection within and out of the university basing on cross passing.

(C)   PROVIDING PEER ADVICE WITHIN THE OFFICE.

The club will be providing peer advice to youth on matters that may hinder nice stay and preparation for studies at the university as well as precisely participation in development affairs national wise and international development.

The club requests assistance and cooperation from the university and other development partners to facilitate successful operation of activities to build an empowered youth generation willing and able to apply their careers to effect development. 

CONTACTS:

Chair person: VICTOR WILLIAM

                Tel: +255 752 360 570, +255 718 982 380, +255 787 114 457.

                Mail: victor.william35@yahoo.com

Coordinator: MATRONA JEROMINI

                Tel:+255 756 615 075.

CLUB:

                Mail: spwudom@gmail.com

                Blog: www.restlessvolunteers.blogsport.com

Youth education and the future of Africa

10 Nov 2012

"Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify himself, to multiply the ways in which he exists, to make his life full, significant and interesting."

- Aldous Huxley

The 21^st century has shown that without education, a man is incomplete as education is the bedrock of every society.  Whether formal or informal education, the society thrives on learning and dissemination of information. Education is widely accepted as a leading instrument for fostering economic growth and development in a globalised world. For Africa, where growth is essential, and if the continent is to climb out of poverty, education is particularly important.

 

In 2004, it was estimated that 38 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa had never been to school. As a result they have been deprived of experiences integral to full physical, social and emotional development (http://www.gaps.org.au/activities/36-education/71-education_2state).  According to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation facts and figures on African Youth (2012), Africa is the only continent with a significantly growing youth population. In less than three generations, 41% of the world’s youth will be African. By 2035, Africa’s labour force will be larger than China’s. On the continent, too many African young people are neither employed, nor studying, nor looking for a job. The report states that literacy is growing but Africa still lags behind the rest of the world. Current African educational levels are lower than China’s and India’s and Only 2/3 of students progress from primary to secondary education in Africa while the Youth unemployment increases with education levels in Africa

In Nigeria, Nearly 9 million primary school-age children are out of school in Nigeria (ibid.). The class strength in a typical public primary and secondary institution is over 60 with inadequate infrastructure to meet the needs of the students. In addition, stiffing government policies affect the growth of education. In Benin, Tanzania, Cameroon, and Madagascar, governments supervise many aspects of universities’ operations. In Benin and Tanzania, the government appoints senior university managers. In Cameroon, the Minister of Education retains supervisory authority over universities. The Ministry of Education in Madagascar appoints all faculty members, sets salaries, and determines working conditions, which results in close links between faculty members and the political system. 

Furthermore, the poor quality of education in most African country is generating poverty and inequality and undermining the opportunity we have to build as a continent. There is a wide gap between the rich who can afford quality education at a high cost to the poor children who have to struggle to attend and gain from the public educational institutions that are of questionable standard.  Education in most developing African nations still falls short of standard quality compared to that of developed nations. Tertiary educations in most African nations are for those who can afford them. Eventually if the student is able to graduate, s/he is faced with the problem of getting a job in an already congested labour market. Recently in Nigeria, over 200,000 youth completed the mandatory Nation Youth Service and are thrown into the labour market where there certificate holds no value.

To improve education in Africa, I believe that policy makers should embark on educational paradigm shift that will equip the youth with entrepreneurial skills and critical thinking to be self-reliant. More so, education policies that will favour the general mass should be created and implemented, and ensure that every child/youth has opportunity to get a formal education. Needed and suitable Infrastructures should be put in place and made available to students.

  

As various African leaders, intellectuals and youth gather at the 2012 Mo Ibrahim Forum in Dakar to discuss on African Youth - fulfilling the potential, I hope that our policy makers will take decisions that will be of great benefit to the youth and Africa as a nation.

 

In Conclusion, “The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live”.  ~Flora Whittemore

Post by Bukoye Oluwafunso, 23, from Nigeria

Youth Communicator at the Mo Ibrahim Forum

Tanzania: Youth Empowerment Gains Momentum in Mwanza

 Mwanza — OFFICIAL figures indicate that unemployment rate in Tanzania has for the last five years stood at 10 per cent. Such record remains substantially high and therefore there is a need for the government and other players to play a decisive role in addressing the matter.

Experts defined unemployment as the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force. Indeed seeking a job in Tanzania especially for youths is a great challenge. That is because most of the youth do not want to be employed by themselves doing other activities, but to be employed in office work.

They believe that employment is about working in an office. This is a big challenge facing the government. The Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are part and parcel of the mechanism to address such a matter through empowering the youth in various aspects of life.

One of these NGOs, based in Mwanza City, is known as Mwanza Policy Initiative (MPI). The organization is currently implementing a special Programme called Kazi Nje Nje Oparesheni Moto wa Nyika" to youths in Mwanza City for the support of International Labour Organization(ILO). Officials say the MPI is a network of not-for - profit Civil Society Organization established in July 2004 and registered in 2008.

It is geared to provide a forum for Mwanza Civil Society Organizations (CSO's) to come together sharing knowledge and experiences as well as undertake strategic which ventures to influence policies and practices on good government in poverty reduction in Mwanza Region, while linking with national level frameworks and processes.

In a nutshell, the network of CSOs seeks, among other responsibilities, to accomplish the following strategic, improving democracy, governance and accountability among people in the region. Accomplishing public engagement in constitution making and other policy processes and also promoting issues of human rights of marginalized groups just to mention a few.

It also coordinates policy intervention activities of Mwanza based CSO's building their capacities and it also monitoring budgets allocations, expenditures and assessing its impact in the rural communities. According to the KNN/ Business Development Service Apprentice for Kazi Nje Nje/Operesheni Moto wa Nyika Musa Mashishanga, the MPI was established in September, this year, and has already engaged the local youths in twelve (12) districts across the Mainland Tanzania and Isles of Zanzibar

Tanzania: Women Call for Review of 'Unfair' Laws

SEVERAL women, who turned out at meetings where the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) collected people's views on the new constitution, called for review of laws on inheritance, divorce and protection of widows, saying the current ones were weak, obsolete and gender biased.

Ms Zena Zuberi, a resident of Kilwa Kivinje, told members of the commission that the law should protect widows from losing property earned during marriage. "In many parts of Tanzania including Kilwa, it is common for widows to be kicked out of their matrimonial homes and leave behind children, houses and all other property earned during marriage. This is unfair," she said. Ms Zuberi called for establishment of funds to support, develop and promote the welfare of widows.

Ms Zainab Hassan, a resident of Nyangao village in Lindi Rural District, faulted the law that allows polygamy, saying the system belittles women and is counterproductive. She further said laws on upkeep after divorce were unfair. "The laws that are currently being applied are obsolete and moribund. There are provisions that require a father to pay 2,000/- only a month as upkeep allowance?" she wondered.

Other women listed several laws that favour men at workplaces and opportunities in accessing academic institutions and jobs. Ms Mwajuma Rajab at Nanjilinji in Kilwa District said the number of women in parliament, judiciary and other important decision making bodies was still very low. "We have very few women who are ministers, regional commissioners and members of parliament representing constituencies," she explained.

She further called for extensive public education to "brainwash" people against patriachial attitudes and culture. Ms Somoe Mchopa, a resident of Nyengedi in Lindi rural District, said apart from bad laws women in many parts of Tanzania are subjected to archaic and barbaric cultures including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and domestic violence.

FGM, also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons."

FGM is typically carried out on girls from a few days old to puberty. It may take place in a hospital, but is usually performed, without anaesthesia, by a traditional circumciser using a knife, razor or scissors. It is practised in 28 countries in western, eastern and north-eastern Africa, in parts of the Middle East and within some immigrant communities in Europe, North America and Australasia.

Peer Education Training on the move!!

Volunteers in Dodoma are informed of a Training that will take place in Dodoma at the end of November 2012,This is substantial  to increase the capacity of the Club members who undertake several activities inline with Restless Development Objectives.

Opportunities for peer educators are available and when it's the right time,the forms will be made available on the Official  restless Tanzania blog: www.restlessdevelopmenttz.wordpress.com and information on the availability of the forms will be posted on this site.

Stay alert,Keep visit this site to find out more.Your comments and questions will highly be appreciated.

Restless Development Tanzania places young people at the forefront of change and development,Take your time to work with us and gain experiences for Community based works.

AFRICAN YOUTHS(TANZANIAN INCLUSIVE) ARE TALKING

IBRAHIM FORUM 2012

On Sunday 11th November, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation will be hosting the 2012 Ibrahim Forum with the topic focusing on Youth in Africa. Restless Development is going to be taking a group of young people to actively participate in the Forum, ensuring that their realities feed into this high-level discussion forum.

MEET THE DELEGATION

YOUTH DELEGATES         

Very active student who is working on livelihoods issues in Tanzania. Adam has lots of great ideas about the role that entrepreneurship has to play in addressing youth unemployment in his country, and the need for more vocational training at an early age. AIESEC volunteer, and has set up a small tshirts company to fund his education.

Adam Abraham

21, Tanzania

Working with the livelihoods team in East Africa to develop an online platform which will connect unemployed youth with potential future employers and job openings aimed at young people. Lots of grassroots experience and plenty of stories to tell!

Angel Mwaipopo

24, Tanzania

Disability rights campaigner from Tunisia who has experienced strong discrimination in the workplace for being deaf. Fedi has since been building relationships between Ministry for Employment, unemployed youth with disabilities and potential future employers. He will be accompanied by his interpreter - Houssem Aloui.

Fedi Bahri

27, Tunisia  

Energetic Marketing student from Morocco engaged in multiple youth-development initiatives in Morocco. Focus areas include HIV/AIDS, climate change, sustainable agriculture and entrepreneurship for young people. Hopes to set up an organic farm to hire unemployed youth and re-strengthen agricultural sector in her country.

     Imane Benjelloun

20, Morocco

Strong disability rights campaigner from South Sudan who believes passionately in the role young people can play in governance, having been so inspired by the role of youth during the revolution in Sudan to create an independent state of South Sudan. Also discrimated for his mobility impairment. 

James Ochan Amos

29, South Sudan 

Very passionate about addressing poverty and injustice amongst the youth in Uganda. Has been hugely active in employment and livelihoods work at a local community level, having volunteered as a peer educator with Restless and started his own NGO called Implementers Uganda.

Joel Bamwise

21, Uganda 

Young development worker from The Gambia who is keen to learn new lessons from across the region to help address issues relating to Education and Employment for youth at home.

Kaddijatou Manneh

21, The Gambia

A very talented ghanian youth advocate and reporter with strong knowledge on the current situation at home for young people. Has struggled to make the voice of youth heard in the media in Ghana and is passionate about strengthening youth inclusion in society, particularly those with disabilities.

Lilly Mensah

23, Ghana

Passionate about uniting a strong, skilled and knowledgeable network of young people in Africa to address developmental issues that affect them the most. Has carried out lots of livelihoods training with youth in Zimbabwe and has lots of ideas to share.

Mthulisi Moyo

26, Zimbabwe 

   

Highly creative youth worker who has started his own ice cream company to find work for young people who are victims of conflict in the DRC. V passionate on issues of sustainable development and youth representation in decision-making.

Prince Wilondja

24, DRC

Experienced young advocate and youth worker from Ethiopia who is working hard to raise the under-represented voice of ethiopian youth. V knowledgeable on the socio-economic picture, and already has lots of advocacy work under her belt!

Yeabsira Bogale

23, Ethiopia 

Young senegalese youth 'Activista' who is passionately working on youth sexual health issues. Very excited to see that the Forum will be taking place in his country, as he feels strongly that Senegalese Youth have a lot to give.

Yves Ghislain

24, Senegal 

Very passionate advocate and youth campaigner working to raise the profile of youth-led development in Cameroon. A skilled communicator and very knowledgeable on the socio-economic picture in her country right now.

Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo

27, Cameroon 

They will also be accompanied by their communicators and facilitators of the whole forum.

These kind of youths interactions which combine youths from every part of Africa build good relationship among members of African states and prevent future clashes.

Youths are engines of development and peace and if are not well impacted with necessary knowledge to understand how valuable they are in their society, they will not play huge roles that requires out of them.

THANK YOU MO IBRAHIM and RESTLESS DEVELOPMENT for making this a reality.

Vijana, nguvukazi inayotumika visivyo(Young people Mis-used)

Na Joyce Mmasi-Mwananchi
VIJANA ni taifa la kesho. Huu ni msemo  wa zamani uliozoeleka na hutumiwa zaidi na wanasiasa, wakiwa na lengo la kuwaweka vijana nyuma wakisubiri kesho isiyofika.

Idadi kubwa ya vijana ndio inayoonekana kuleta hamasa katika siasa nchini. Vijana ndio wanaoviwezesha vyama mbalimbali kuonekana kuwa na nguvu na vyenye hamasa.

Lakini vijana hao hao ambao wamekuwa wakionekana kuvisaidia vyama vya siasa, wanakabiliwa na matatizo mbalimbali yakiwamo ukosefu wa ajira, matumizi ya dawa za kulevya, na ushiriki hafifu katika masuala ya kijamii yatakayowaletea maendeleo.

Viongozi wa kisiasa kwa ujumla wao kwa nyakati tofauti huonyesha umahiri katika kuyaeleza matatizo ya vijana lakini hakuna mwanasiasa wala chama ambacho kimeweza au kuonyesha njia ya kuyatatua.

Hisia iliyojengeka miongoni mwa baadhi ya vijana wenyewe, ni kuwa matatizo yao yamekuwa yakiachwa yaendelee kuwapo, na si kweli kwamba hayatatuliki, kwa kuwa wenye mamlaka wa hofu, kuwa vijana wakiwa na shughuli ya kufanya na uwezo kiuchumi, ni vigumu kuendelea kuwatumia na huenda wataikosa nguvu ya katika shughuli za kisiasa.

Hii inatokana na dhana kuwa vijana wengi wanaojitokeza kushiriki maandamano, na mikutano ya hadhara ya kisiasa hufanya hivyo kutokana na kukosa kazi za kufanya.

Idadi kubwa ya vijana tangu wale waliomaliza ngazi mbalimbali za elimu, kama ile ya shahada, stashahada, vyeti na hata wale ambao hawajapata elimu yoyote, wanakabiliwa na ukosefu wa ajira na kujikuta wakijiingiza katika makundi yasiyofaa.

Mbali na kukosa ajira, wapo vijana wanawake kwa wanaume ambao wamejikuta wakijiingiza katika vitendo visivyofaa kama matumizi ya dawa za kulevya, ukahaba, ushoga, usagaji na makundi mengine yasiyofaa na kusababisha kero na wakati mwingine kutengwa na jamii.

Siasa imeoneka kuwa suluhisho kwa vijana wengi kudhani kuwa watetezi wao ni wanasiasa wanaowataja katika mikutano yao.

Kila kijana asiye na ajira, na wakati mwingine aliyeathirika na vitendo visivyofaa hukimbilia kujiunga mkono vyama vya siasa na kuvishabikia ,huku wakibaki kusubiri sera zao nzuri za kuwakomboa na kuwapatia ajira.

Lakini miaka inapita na hakuna suluhisho lililopatikana kwa vijana. Wengi wameendelea kukua na wengine kuvuka umri wa ujana wakiendelea kuwa maskini na wasio na maendeleo zaidi ya kuzama katika dimbwi la umaskini.  

Kutokana na tatizo hili kuonekana kuwa kubwa na sugu, baadhi ya vijana wanafunzi kutoka vyuo vikuu nchiniwameungana na kuunda umoja wao wenye lengo la kusaidia kutafuta ufumbuzi wa matatizo yanayowakabili vijana nchini.

Tamwa yataja chanzo cha mimba za utotoni

CHAMA Cha Waandishi wa Habari Wanawake Tanzania (TAMWA) kimewataja wabunge na madiwani kuwa chanzo cha wanafunzi wa kike kupata mimba shuleni.

Hayo yalielezwa na mkurugenzi mtendaji wa Tamwa, Ananilea Nkya alipokuwa anaoa ripoti ya utafiti kuhusu mimba mashuleni kwenye mikoa 17 nchini.

Alisema wawakilishi hao ni sababu za kukithiri mimba mashuleni kwa kuwa hawazitembelei shule hizo na kujua matatizo yake, kisha kujenga hoja kwa mamlaka husika ili wazifanyie maboresho.

Nkya alisema viongozi hao wangeweza kujenga hoja katika vyombo vyenye mamlaka za kutenga fedha ambavyo ni Halmashauri na bunge ili hatua sahihi ziweze kuchukuliwa.

“Utafiti uliobaini baadhi ya watoto wa kike wa shule waliopata ujauzito na kukatisha masomo walidanganyika kwa kupewa chakula kutokana na kushinda njaa kuanzia asubuhi hadi jioni wakiwa shuleni,” alisema Nnkya.
 
Nkya alisema wengine waliopata ujauzito walidanganyika kwa kupewa msaada wa usafiri kutokana na shule kuwa mbali na makazi ya watu hivyo tulibaini kuwa wanafunzi wengi wanatembea umbali mrefu hadi kilometa 20 kwenda shule.

“Tatizo la shule kuwa mbali lingeweza kuepusha mimba iwapo shule zingekuwa na mabweni kwa ajili ya wanafunzi wanaoishi mbali na shule,”alisema.

Alisema mfumo wa elimu ubadilike gharama ya elimu itoke katika mfuko wa serikali zisitumike fedha za wazazi hivyo kila mtoto wa kike na kiume wanatakiwa wapate elimu bure.

“Mtoto amefaulu anatakiwa aende shule mkoani inatokea mzazi wakuwa hawana fedha ya kumsafirisha na kumlipia ada anaona bora amuache motto wa kike matokeo yake anashika mimba ya utotoni au anaolewa akiwa mdogo,”alisema Nkya.

Kwa mujibu wa taarifa za Wizara ya Elimu na Mafunzo ya Ufundi katika kipindi cha mwaka 2004 hadi 2008, jumla ya wanafunzi 28,590 wakiwepo 11,599 wa sekondari na 16,991 wa shule za msingi walikatishwa masomo kwa kupata  mimba.

Nkya alisema taarifa zinaonyesha kuwa katika shule za sekondari mimba shuleni  matukio ya mimba yalikuwa 772 mwaka 2004 lakini yaliongezeka na kufikia 4,965 kwa mwaka 2008.

Mikoa iliyofanyiwa utafiti ni Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya, Dodoma, Kigoma, Mwanza, Mara, Shinyanga, Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Tabora, Lindi, Ruvuma, Manyara Kaskazini Pemba na Kusini.

Source Mwananchi -posted  Sunday, October 3  2010 at  00:00