Our programmes

AfCiC Tanzania is working in the northern part of Tanzania in the town of Arusha. The town wants to "clean up its streets" to attract more tourists and does not want street children who may appear "untidy" and rundown. It is imperative that AfCiC help these children build a life for themselves away from the streets before they are forcibly removed.

Street Child Survey

According to a survey carried out by Action for Children in Conflict Tanzania in June 2005, a total of 170 children living in Arusha in the age bracket of 5-18 identify themselves as street children. A further 101 children can be found hawking in the streets and markets of Arusha at the expense of their education. According to the same report, over 36% of the children in Arusha cited poverty as the main reason driving them from their homes while 32.9% of the children interviewed in Arusha cited lack of responsible people to look after them. When those not in schools were asked whether they would attend school if given the opportunity, as high as 83.6% readily agreed that they would definitely go to school if they could.

Shalom Centre for Street Children

Through funding received from a German NGO, AfCiC Tanzania is supporting Shalom Centre for Street Children. Shalom aims to provide for the basic needs in the form of food, shelter, medical services and accommodation to street children in Arusha. The centre also offers formal and informal education as well as vocational training for children and youths and aims to reintegrate these children back into society as responsible citizens.

Shalom Centre carries out community awareness and advocacy on matters related to street children including topics such as the Rights of the Child. Shalom strives to network with other organizations and institutions for information sharing and to collaborate on interventions leading to improved performance. In order to achieve all of the above, Shalom works towards enhancing the institutional capacity of its staff for effective achievement of its mission.

Micro-lending Credit Scheme

Also funded through a German NGO, the Micro-Credit lending scheme aims to empower families of orphans and vulnerable children economically to start small income generating activities, with the aim that children can be supported within their family background.

AfCiC Tanzania aims to benefit a total of 600 children (150 families) with this scheme. As a pilot project, this project will run for a period of one and a half years after which it is expected that it will have laid a foundation and momentum for it to be replicated in other future similar projects that AfCiC intends to undertake.