Caritas Kigoma is one of the 9 departments under development office. Her main function is to offer humanitarian and social services to the most vulnerable through empowerment. In fulfilling these functions Caritas undertakes the following functions through programmes or projects namely, Food security, HIV/AIDS control, Orphanage Sanganigwa “A” & “B”, Water project, Women in Development/Gender and Development (WID /GAD) projects

Is headed by The Executive Secretary who works in collaboration and under supervision of the Board of Caritas. The main goal of Caritas Kigoma is to eradicate poverty and Social inequalities. Caritas is committed to combat dehumanizing poverty which robes people of their dignity and humanity. Caritas Kigoma has many faces but one heart. She provides assistance to the most vulnerable regardless of race, tribe or religion. Caritas Kigoma seeks to make the poor not objects of pity but subjects of their own development and agents of change, best placed to develop their own solution in the society. Caritas Kigoma’s Mission is “Moved by the love of God, Caritas wants to see a just and peaceful society where by all the people live in dignity, solidarity, justice and prosperity While as a mission, Caritas Kigoma exists to increase awareness of the human rights of vulnerable, marginalized people and victims of social and political unrest. Caritas has been serving in providing food, medication and social support to refugees from Burundi and Congo during political civil wars in the camps of Mutabila, Kanembwa and Nyarugusu. Caritas also carries out programs like food security, Women and Gender issues (WID/GAD), and management of Street children centres Like Sanganigwa A & B. Caritas also provides water services, agricultural and environmental training as well as seminars on capacity bulding. A good example is that Caritas has been able to supply water to the villages of Musambara in Kasulu and Kasuga in Kibondo

What is cartas Kigoma

The eradication of poverty and social inequality lie at the very core of what we do. Caritas Kigoma is committed to combat dehumanising poverty, which robs people of their dignity and humanity Caritas has many faces to one heart. Caritas provides assistance to the most vulnerable regardless of race, religion and seeks to make the poor not objects of pity but subjects of their own development and agents of change, best placed to develop their own solutions in the society

Mission

Caritas Kigoma exists to increase awareness of the human rights of vulnarable, marginalized people and victims of social and political unrest e.g. refugees and to improve their livelihood.

Vision

Moved by the love of God Caritas Kigoma wants to see a just and peaceful society whereby all the people live in dignity, solidarity, justice and prosperity

PROGRAMS

Food Security Program

HIV/AIDS

Orphanage Sanganigwa “B”

Street Children’s Centre Sanganigwa “B”

Water Project

Women in Development/Gender and Development (WID/GAD) Project

Food security program

to improve the food security, the economic livelihood and social status of 2,000 households in 20 villages in Kigoma rural and Kibondo districts. The project targets 100 households small scale farmers in each of the twenty selected villages, 10 villages in each district. The Project is supported by Concern World Wide-Tanzania

Goals

The goal of the Program is to contribute in the fulfillment of right of food for poor communities in the two districts. One of the key indicators is a reduction 15% of malnutrition incidences among children under five years in the program areas by the end of the program. Another key indicator is an increase by 30% of the households with a recommended amount of food stocks in the targeted villages throughout the year.

purpose

The purpose of the Program is to increase awareness on land rights (equity, equality and HIV/AIDS) and to improve agricultural practices t reduce food insecurity in the twenty villages of Kigoma rural and Kibondo Districts. The Program is being carried with the expected outcomes: the increase by 30% of the agriculture production in the earmarked villages by the end of the program and at least 60% if the earmarked villages to complete village land registration process

In order to realize the purpose and later the goal, the planned activities were based on the following ouputs:

Increased agricultural and livestock production for 2,000 small scale farmers in the selected 20 villages

Pre and post harvest losses reduced by 2,000 farmers of Kibondo and Kigoma rural by 2010.

Enhanced communities’ capacity in addressing the impact of HIC/AIDS and equality issues on food security

Increased awareness on land rights and enhanced access to land ownership by small scale farmers and community as a whole.

Activities

Land preparation, techniques.

Cultivation and planting.

Distribution of bicycles for farmer facilitators

improving seeds distribution

Compost making and manure application

Timely weeding

Timely harvest to reduce pre-harvest losses

Distribution of chicken to new groups

Vaccination for chickens and de-worming for goats

Training on individual group action plan for livestock and HIV/AIDS

Farmer Field Schools(FFS)

Through the Program interventions informed female and male farmers will continuously and sustainably improve the probability of agricultural production. Farmers will strengthen their efficiency and effectiveness through grouping in Farmers Field Schools and through participatory training methods in sustainable agricultural production techniques. The process will be supported by active community based on extension services, which will engage farmers in a learning process and enable them to improve productivity, soil fertility, crop storage and labor efficiency.

Visit caritas site www.caritaskigomadiocese.org