The whole week YPM had visitors from Haugland, Valdress and YPP and those visitors had oppotunity to sit together and discuss a few of the important things that lead to progress. Valders got a chance to visit some places like IRENTE CHILDREN S HOME, and towards the village of KWEDEGHE for purpose of learning to see the life they live Tanzanians especially those who live in rural ares and had the opportunity to participate in their daily activities. Haugland also got a chance to visit those areas.
Between 14th – 16th of September, representatives from YPM head office visited activities in Handeni branch. Training and follow up were done on VICOBA and PETS, and wheelchairs donated to the local hospital. We are also in the process of setting up a computer center for youths.
VICOBA IN BRIEF
VICOBA is a Village Community Banking. It is a group that is formed by 20 – 30 people who are willing and accept the responsibility of forming, attending, respecting and abiding to the rules to be set. These groups are formed for the sake of empowering economic freedom at local and grass roots level. They are platforms for grass roots informal education and efforts to inculcate the spirit of saving from the little that they have. The amount, the regulations to guide the group and the leadership is chosen among the group members. The facilitation does not require them to pay fees, but rather support the early stages and allow them to grow.
Secure box for keeping of cash in the VICOBA group. All three keyholders must be present to open the box.
There are many benefits from participation in VICOBA groups. It fosters cooperation on economic development by providing fast access to loans for investment in businesses. It gives chance to build a strong relationship in the given community and members of the group. It provide chances for unified voice in matters related to development in the specified community; it challenges and encourages the spirit of saving and thus loan to businesses. It encourages members to be industrious and courageous to take steps in starting small businesses as a way to stop/fight poverty. In a unified manner it equips members to raise together while holding hands of one another through insisted weekly savings. And there is profit.
Visit to VICOBA group
At the moment there are three VICOBA groups in Handeni, and we were lucky to meet with one of them. The group was 8 months old and consisted of 30 members, which together have contributed with 2,977,000 Tanzanian shillings in the bank. This has made it possible to lend out 6,370,000 million shillings, which has been used to start small businesses like small hotels and shops.
In this visit in Handeni- Kwakonje community, the group reported that since start-up, there are people who has taken loans and returned already. Altogether 2,884,000 shillings have been returned to the group. But time to return loans is however also mentioned as one of the challenges facing the group, and some were concerned about what to do about people traveling away without paying back. YPM advised the groups to have a clear charter of rules on how to handle delayed payments, not to lend out money to unreliable persons, and to report any form of theft to the police. Travel is not an excuse for delayed payment as modern technology, like money sent through mobile account, makes transactions possible across distance.
Another issue stressed by the YPM delegation was whether the group would keep the circle into the next year or not. VICOBA groups are mainly organized in two different ways: some are distributing back all the shares and profit once a year, and start over again (breaking the circle), while others keep the shares and distribute profits only (keeping the circle/closing the year). YPM advised all their groups to keep the circle/close the year, as this is the only way to build a strong bank which can let people lend higher amounts of money. Access to more financial resources gives greater investment opportunities to the individual, but will also benefit everyone in the VICOBA group by bringing in more profit. If a group want loans on a million shillings or more they should close the circle. The VICOBA group in Handeni has a maximum loan of 500 000 shillings today, but decided they would attempt to close the circle to increase their capacity.
YPM Director, Mr. Godfrey Walalaze, speaks to the Handeni VICOBA group about the benefits of closing the circle.
Follow up training on PETS
On Thursday 15th of September YPM held a training on Public Expenditure Tracking System (PETS) for young people from villages around Handeni. The participants presented what they had done in their local communities as follow up projects since last training. The last training held August 2015 set the group of Trainer of Trainers (ToTs) who were to go into their communities and awaken the spirit of follow up for inspiring accountability. One example of a project was done on a local health center, tracking the income from fees put on users. Every visitor to the center had to contribute with 300 shillings to pay the security guard, in addition to 1000 shillings to see a doctor, and 200 for child clinic. This fees were justified as necessary to run the center, but an account on how the money was spent, and what happened to the surplus, could not be shown.
Tracking public money, asking questions and hold leading figures accountable is all of what PETS is about. If a health center receives 1300 shillings from twenty people every day, then that makes 26000 a day, 182 000 a week, and 780 000 a month! People have the right to ask how this money is spent. Unfortunately the ambassadors of PETS still meet a lot of challenges in their work. On the training, people reported problems with cooperation with leaders and local community, lack of education among people on their right to ask, and leaders who ignored them, did not turn up on appointments, or received them with a skeptical attitude (typically who are you, and why do you ask about this).
Challenges and how to solve them were discussed, and YPM came with some advice for the future. The participants should be conscious not to do PETS alone, but teach their villages and by that creating whole communities working together as catalysts for change. Alone we are weak, but together we are unbreakable. Priorities for follow up should be decided collectively in the community, and ambassadors of PETS should make sure they report back to the village to inform them on their progress, build trust and get community power. In that way we are doing advocacy with the community, not for them.
YPM is aware that PETS is demanding work and will take time, but are grateful for all achievements reach this far.
Participants are discussing challenges they meet with PETS in their communities, and how to solve them.
Wheelchairs to Handeni hospital
Friday morning on the 16th of September, YPM donated four wheelchairs to Handeni hospital to be used by sick and disabled people living/visiting the hospital.
Construction of computer center
YPM is planning to put up a computer center for youths in Handeni, and have donated four computers for this purpose. The center is expected to open next month. Further information will be posted.
The Youth Peace Makers Tanzania (YPM) has today donated four wheel chairs in Lushoto district hospital. The other six will be handled to Handeni Council Hospital as well as some of identified youths who are in dire need of wheel chairs to enable their movement. That is part of the contribution received from Sandefjord Bicycle Club in Sandefjord Norway.The event opened the eyes of YPM that this service is of so much importance for there are more people that are in need more that what it was thought before.
This is the continuation of the charity work done by Sandefjord Bicycle Club in Sandefjord Norway, Yglobal as the funding partner and Valdres Folkhoghskole who are the supporters of the work in YPM. In the speech before handing over the chairs to the District Executive Director (DED) of Lushoto, the District Medical Doctor and other Hospital and District Health Management Teams, the YPM director congratulated the good work done by the government and the hospital. He also stressed on the efforts of the government to keep order in the country through collection of tax and fighting corruption. The director of YPM requested the DED as representative of the government to consider supporting YPM in tax exemption to the goods that are received from different partners as a way to encourage the contribution to local development.
In addition he emphasized the importance of good relationship and support to the government in the work that will be the way to empower communities through PETS, Subject to Citizen (S2C) program, Environment and Climate as well as sports that are carried by YPM.
In his response, the DED thanked the YPM for the good work that has been done in the District and other places in the region. He congratulated the efforts done through them to attract and support the communities in Economic Empowerment, Sports throughout the years. He commended the Sports program as it helps the Youths to stay out of the evil plans such as drug abuse and loitering. He also commended the work that has been through YPM in tree planting in the area and coordination in some schools in the district. “Stay focused for your service to the people marks the importance of your presence not only to us but to the people who will be enjoying the service”
He promised support in Tax related as they will be ready to show and acknowledge the contribution that YPM has been doing from since they started their operations in the region. The event was later followed by group pictures and exchange of views on what is to be done in relation to the good work for the development of Lushoto and her people.
Thanks to Sandefjord, Yglobal and Valdres who in one way they have made this event and service to our people a possibility.
On September 27th, Linda Martinsen from Y Global Norway visited YPM to inspect several projects
undertaken by our organization. Y Global is an organization lying under the Norwegian YMCA-YWCA (KFUK-KFUM). They are one of YPM’s partner organizations, and have supported us with funds. As a representaive for Y Global, Linda had the chance to visit the villages of Mshangai and Kwedeghe, to see VICOBA groups and their progress.
SUCCESS STORIES
Many young people have failed to make business due to the lack of capital, but VICOBA has shown how
it facilitates easy access to capital and possibility to establish successful business. Many members have
started a business from loans that were found in their groups, and many of them have invested in
agriculture, poultry as well as small businesses.
In the villages Mshaghai and Kwedeghe, we met with three groups: Tumaini, Upendo, and Songa Mbele.
Members of these groups had taken loans, and most of them had set up businesses. Through these
businesses they can now run their families, as well as restoring the credit which were taken.
Inspection of different VICOBA projects
One member, Mr. Isack Baraza, had invested heavily in a major project of tomato farming. He took a loan of six
hundred thousand shillings, which made it possible for him to both start the project and construct his
own house. The tomato project has been very successful. Every week Baraza harvests twenty buckets of
tomatoes, and each of them sells for ten thousand shillings. That gives an income of 200 000 each week,
and at least 800 000 a month! With the tomato season lasting for four months, this is sure to bring good
income.
Mr. Isack Baraza’s tomato fields
Linda learned a lot and saw how VICOBA can eliminate poverty. We hope she will take the new
experience with her when she travels home to Norway on the 29th of September.
CONTINUE TO VISIT OUR NETWORK FOR SOCIAL EVENTS AND ISSUES CONCERNING YOUNG PEOPLE
le who has taken loans and returned already. Altogether 2,884,000 shillings have been returned to the group. But time to return loans is however also mentioned as one of the challenges facing the group, and some were concerned about what to do about people traveling away without paying back. YPM advised the groups to have a clear charter of rules on how to handle delayed payments, not to lend out money to unreliable persons, and to report any form of theft to the police. Travel is not an excuse for delayed payment as modern technology, like money sent through mobile account, makes transactions possible across distance.
e we are weak, but together we are unbreakable. Priorities for follow up should be decided collectively in the community, and ambassadors of PETS should make sure they report back to the village to inform them on their progress, build trust and get community power. In that way we are doing advocacy with the community, not for them.
