Newsletter for MS-Tanzania

Editor: Information worker Michael Bech
Editor-in-chief: Director Finn Petersen

Victory will prevail
Now it’s over. And Denmark ended up the overall winner.

The Nordic Sport Day 2003 was marred by a lot of problems defining rules for the events on grass, water, sand and concrete. But it all finished as a tough battle between Sweden and Denmark. Norway secured a third place while the Finnish finished fourth. The last event on the day – the ‘Fun Games’ – was the decisive struggle. Denmark surprisingly won that battle and became the overall winner.

Hopefully we’ll be able to forget and forgive all the harsh words and tough tackles next time we meet a fellow Nordic citizen. Nothing is as serious as a sports game.

News from the director
The final report of MS evaluation is still not published. The tentative date for the publishing should now be mid December. When published, we will forward it to you.

DW’s and CO met in the end of October to discuss issues of common concern to enhance smooth cooperation between the parties. It was a fruitful meeting where several issues were elaborated, clarified and decisions reached.

I will be out of office for most of November. Starting 5th to 8th November with Losinoni and Cords. At TCDC 9th to 13th November at the Trade & Development workshop. From 17th to 22nd November in Mugumu, Serengeti participating in Annual reviews for CBRP and TRC. Hereafter on Ukerewe from 23rd to 28th November participating in Annual reviews for TRC And CBRP.

The Head of MS International Department in Denmark, Lars Engberg Pedersen, is unfortunately leaving MS in January 2004. He has got a position as Danida Senior advisor on decentralization in Burkina Faso. He wrote his PHD on the democratization process in Burkina Faso, so he couldn't resist the opportunity to apply for it. Even though, the timing is terrible considering the restructuring process that MS is in, I will congratulate Lars with his new job (and Karibu the African continent) and wish him and his family all the best in the future.

Write about your democracy
Next issue of Habari za Tanzania is about ‘democracy in Tanzania’. Here’s a task for all of you! For that specific issue I need all of you MS-partners to write a few words about democracy in your own organization. I’ll give you two questions to elaborate on and I expect some lines in my mailbox from all of you latest 21st November.

Write 500 characters (with spaces) on each of the two questions. ‘Word count’ can be found in the ‘tools’ menu in any word-programme.

First question is: How does democracy show in your organization? And the second one is: What is the democratic challenge for your organization?

Roadshow in Dar es Salaam
A date has now been set for the Roadshow ‘Mwandishi wa Habari’ in Dar es Salaam. The workshop on basic writing skills, the press and approaching the media will take place 19th to 21st November at the MS country office. Two participants from each partner in Dar es Salaam can join the workshop.

Financial management
After a successful workshop in September MS is progressing in the development of improved financial management and administrative guidelines. Members of the project groups will visit Kenya and Zimbabwe in November to discuss experiences and the proposals carried forward as a result of the workshop.

The report and recommendations should be ready before the end of this year. The financial management is planned for implementation with the financial year 2004 i.e. as per 6th December 2003. The issue is considered very important and given high priority by all involved. Thus, there is obviously no need telling that the level of speed is very high and the demand towards manpower is considerable.

Members are disappearing
MS-DK is experiencing a serious drop in the number of members of MS. The total number is around 3700 right now and the number of new members the first nine months of the year is only half of the number in the same period last year.

Given the fact that MS-DK has to have 5500 members in 2004 to avoid further cuts in the Danida grants, the situation is very critical.

The atmosphere in the secretariat in Denmark is not very optimistic. But a feeling of mobilisation and will to confront the situation is growing. The government should not succeed in bringing MS to its knees !!

Out and around at CO
Finn Petersen, Director and Pia Norgaard, Administrator has both extended their contracts with one year to August 2005.

In the programme section, Finn Petersen and Joan Lohay will be visiting Mugumu and Ukerewe for the review workshops this month. In Mugumu they will cover TRC and CBRP programmes 17th to 22nd November. The following week – 24th to 28th November – will be doing the review for TRC and CBRP at Ukerewe. Preparations for the specific dates and facilitators are continuing.

A journalist and a photographer will be visiting Tanzania for MS this month. Mette Friis and Adam Amsinck will try to create some awareness in Danish media on the work of MS-Tanzania. The period for the visit is 5th to 16th November. You might also get a visit from the freelancers – we still haven’t finished preparing their programme and areas of focus.

News from PAB
The PAB-members got together for a meeting in Dar es Salaam 2nd and 3rd October. One of the main issues for discussion was the policy paper. But as the policy paper can not be approved by the desk officer in MS-Denmark, Peter Sigsgaard, the discussion is delayed once again. Peter Sigsgaard will now join a taskforce working on the issue in Tanzania in January next year.

The cut-backs in MS-DK was another important issue. More persons has received notice in the secretariat in Denmark.

The evaluation on MS is not official yet but already causes a lot of problems. The focus is on the criticism of the personnel programme. Several solutions are being discussed – amongst them South-South development workers and more short term advisors at the partnerships.

MS-Tanzania is part of a group of country offices who has sent a letter to the MS board recommending a clearer vision, a more focused daily orientation and a more visible southern perspective. The south should be the main focus of MS and a more vocal south is needed for that. MS wants to do too many things at the same time, so there are too many signals on different directions. Instead the south should be presented as the core activity in MS, the letter for the board suggests. The budget from Danida is for the south, so the south should also be the main issue on MS’ agenda.

The Global Action Theme is now moving. But members of PAB were complaining that no-one was aware of the selection of five partners to spearhead the Global Action.

The feedback from the zonal meetings was mixed. It was agreed that a better preparation is needed for the future – and for the meetings to be held in Kiswahili and translated into English in small pockets of participants.

Tragic death
With deep sorrow MS has received the information of the tragic death of our fellow worker, driver Abdalah Hassan Msangi from TCDC. Sunday 2nd November in the morning he was killed in a road accident near Moshi. Abdalah Hassan Msangi was driving a motorcycle meant to be loaded on a truck for transportation to Dar es Salaam. A lorry made a turn just in front of the motorcycle and the collision was unavoidable. Abdalah Hassan Msangi was killed in the accident and the lorry-driver is held by the police for further investigation.

Contact for the Newsletter: michael_bech@net.dialog.dk - mobile 0744 - 87 40 80