15 June 2015

15 June 2015Update: Working with the Egmont Trust

Since 2013 and with the support of the Egmont Trust, Ace Africa continues to make excellent progress in communities across our sites in Mateves, Kimnyaki and Ilkidinga as well as new project areas in Olkokola, Musa and Arusha. The backing we receive from the Egmont Trust is helping us make progress towards achieving our project goals.

Our first objective was to increase community knowledge on and strengthen child protection systems in Ace Africa’s current and new areas in line with the government of Tanzania Children‘s Act.

Children with Ace Officer at CtC club meeting

Children with Ace Officer at CtC club meeting

Between November 2014 and April 2015 we have:

  • Trained 20 teachers on child rights and life skills to help children in the community overcome psychosocial issues.
  • Followed up 40 schools in our successful CtC clubs and as a result, 2749 club members have increased their knowledge and awareness on topics such as general hygiene, early marriage and FGM. In turn this has improved relationships between teachers and children.
  • Strengthened our drama performance initiatives, which foster better knowledge on child rights and HIV/AID. So far 2,204 pupils and 705 community members attended drama performances.
  • Resolved 385 cases within out child rights committees. In one particular case of rape, the perpetrator was sentenced to 30 years.
  • Trained 20 community leaders on child rights awareness.
  • Trained 20 community members on paralegal issues and in turn they educated 51 more community members.
  • Decreased child truancy through a child-mentoring scheme. Mentors followed 244 children and 109 children were counselled due to truancy. 87 children who were not attending school are now able to.

Our second objective was to increase community access to psychosocial support, life skills and VCT.

Pre-testing Councilling

Pre-testing Counselling

  • 423 PLWA and OVC were counselled and given psychological support as well as helping to reduce stigma through sharing their status with 102 beneficiaries such as family members.
  • 712 community members attended VCT and drama services. From this number 483 were tested and among them, 29 tested HIV positive and were referred to district and region hospital for further check-ups and for treatment of other illness like TB. 235 started taking ARV drugs.
  • 255 children from 6 schools attended in school guidance and counselling to know to better deal with issues and where to report them.
During Testing

During Testing

There is still work to be done in several areas such as counselling PWLA’s whose meetings have been affected by seasonal rainfall and community work in agriculture. However, much of the progress is extremely positive and we will continue aim for the objectives we set out alongside and with the help of the Egmont Trust.