Ace Africa and local communities work together to solve complex problems. When we are no longer needed, we leave.

Our work in Moshi District, just miles from the tourist mecca of Mount Kilimanjaro, has now ended.  It is an example of Ace fulfilling its mission – ‘enabling children and their communities to participate in and take responsibility for their own health, well-being and development’.

A community in crisis

Research in rural areas of Moshi showed HIV/AIDS rates rocketing, more than a third of households living below the poverty line, high rates of malnutrition and 27 per cent of girls experiencing sexual violence before the age of 18.

Helping to solve complex problems

We provided training and resources, and worked with the community to tackle interlinked problems of food security, health and income.

• Installing a maize milling machine that makes nutritious soya flour, training in its use and business skills increased families income and put food on their tables.
• A drive to improve agriculture and nutrition led by Yusuf Juma, Chairman of Moshi’s Community Group and a local farmer. Yusuf trained others; he created a demonstration garden to educate school children in agriculture. And as well as selling produce outside the area, Yusuf donates vegetables and fruit to people living with HIV/AIDs and malnourished children.
• Training in business management skills helped farmers expand their businesses – exporting to Arusha and Dar es Salaam. And they don’t just support their families but also help the most vulnerable in their community.
• A dairy goat rearing initiative gave families access to have nutritious milk, to sell and share. Goat droppings are used as fertilizers.
• Establishing a village community banking scheme was key. Micro-finance provides credit to those on low incomes, helping people start and grow their own businesses.
• We have good relations with communities and local government.  The gap between the two can be huge. We helped families and individuals access government services and support, across health, education, livelihoods.

Moving on to build resilience in new communities

We still visit our partners in Moshi, but now we use resources to help new communities build their resilience to deal with challenges like COVID, the war in Ukraine and now in the Middle East.

Our approach will be the same. Teaching new skills, linking communities to government support and giving people control of their future.