KISWAHILI HAS NO WORD FOR 'BUSY'
One of the first things I stumbled across in Tanzania is that Kiswahili has no word for ‘busy’! Fortunately, I also learned that you can say ‘kazi sana’ (a lot of work). Because people in MS Tanzania have been busy and there has been a lot of work finishing off 2007 and preparing for 2008, which I believe rightfully is reflected in this last newsletter of 2007.

Our magazine Habari za Tanzania has been printed and will soon be distributed to partners and others, but we have also taken the articles from the magazine and published them on our website, too. In this newsletter you will find a series of links to these.

A lot of things are taking place among the different stakeholders of MS Tanzania, and we want to secure that the good work and our experience is both reflected and documented more profoundly on our website and in other publication. I can assure that in 2008 much more focus will be put on boosting our information and communication.I appreciate the comments which came back after the November Newsletter, after all it does seem as if people are reading along!

Looking forward to seeing you next year!

Pernille Baerendtsen, Information Officer

CALENDAR

MS Tanzania Annual Meeting, TCDC is held on February 18 - 20, 2008

Partner and DW meetings are held on February 18 and the Annual Meeting itself on February 19 and 20.

CONTACT

MS Tanzania
463 Charambe Street, Upanga
P.O.Box 2519, Dar es Salaam
Tanzania.

Tel: +255-22-2117945/8
Fax: +255-22-2115913

mstan@mstan.or.tz
www.ms.dk/tanzania

MS TANZANIA

MS Tanzania is part of the Danish Association for International Co-operation (MS).

Our vision is a world in peace where co-operation between people promotes global equity and ensures improved conditions for poor and marginalized people.

MS Tanzania has been present in Tanzania since 1963, and since 1993 we have partnered with local civil society organisations (CSOs).

The main theme of MS Tanzania’s programme strategy is Building Local Democracy with two sub-themes on Land Rights and Youth.

MS Tanzania aims at defending and enhancing popular participation under the assumption that strengthening democracy at local level will help fight poverty.

CONTRIBUTIONS/
COMMENTS

For contributions to the newsletter or further information, please contact Pernille Baerendtsen at info@mstan.or.tz

You can subscribe to the newsletter here: www.ms.dk/tanzania. If you receive this newsletter by mistake or if you no longer want to receive it, you can unsubscribe here, too.

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
This being the last Newsletter of 2007 I wish to start by thanking all MS Tanzania partner organisations and supporters for your contributions to what we achieved in 2007. A major mile stone was the preparation of the new Country Programme Strategy (CPS) focusing on Building Local Democracy with the two sub-themes on Land Rights and Youth for Development. With the CPS in place we are now set for our new work programmes and plans for 2008.

Busy planning week
During the first week of December we had our big planning workshop for preparing the 2008 working strategies and work plans. The week opened with a workshop on Land Rights. And on December 4 – 5 the Topic Teams met, first in their respective Topic Teams, and then on the 5th in a Joint Topic Team Meeting where 2007 was evaluated. On December 6 – 7 the development workers met for a thematic day on Information and Communication, and internal DW issues.

All three teams have come a long way in the learning process of formulating strategies and support programmes and there was a clear consensus to continue along the working modalities already in place. The major conclusion from this workshop was to continue our Topic Team Model (TTM) with a strengthened co-ordination between the three teams. This will include a stronger focus on planning, multiple partner programmes, fundraising and communication (in particular a new set-up is to be constructed on the MS Intranet adapted to the TTM, where profiles of TT members, emails and documents will be available). Moreover, a Financial Management Team which will overlap Topic Team 1 and the Administration Section, will be established.

Ad-hoc working groups and conferences
In order to formulate support strategies for the sub-themes of Land Rights and Youth for Development two ad-hoc working groups will be tasked with developing the framework – after which the support activities will be implemented through the Topic Teams. Additionally, a working group on Gender will be established, and when necessary for supporting the CPS other working groups can be established.

To ensure maximum partner involvement in further developing our support strategies for all three themes, thematic workshops will be conducted at least annually. During these workshops we will take stock of achievements and address challenges.

Funding is a challenge
One of the challenges faced in 2007 across the entire programme was funding. Most of our partner organisations are struggling to raise the necessary funding for carrying out their programmes and in particular funding of core expenditures is very difficult. Increasingly development resources are being channelled through baskets and budget support. Although most sector baskets have a provision for civil society participation the reality is that most baskets once in the hands of public sector are not accessible to CSOs, except for specific service delivery contract.

This funding situation further holds the risk of seeing an increase in what has been labelled GoNGOs – ‘Government NGOs’ meaning CSOs closely aligned to public sector institutions or individuals, and designed to work closely with public institutions. There is certainly nothing wrong in CSOs working together with public institutions – MS Tanzania is strongly supporting such collaboration – but when CSOs are merely being used for service delivery on conditions of loyal alignment to government policies, the dynamic interaction between government and civil society is being compromised – thereby compromising the democratic development of Tanzania.

The issue of project formulation, CSO integrity and funding will be given a higher priority by MS Tanzania in 2008. We will seek solutions together with like-minded stakeholders and will strengthen our own support to partner organizations on this issue.

Once again thanks to all of you for a job well done in 2007 and for the commitment to do even better in 2008. With greetings of the season and best wishes for the New Year soon to be with us.

Flemming Winther Olsen
Country Director

THREE TOPIC TEAMS - CHANGES AND CHALLENGES
In late 2005 MS Tanzania introduced a new work structure based on a Topic Team Model (TTM) which has now run for little more than a year. The three people heading the topic teams were asked to look into the changes this has produced and the challenges they see for the future.

Read more here: http://www.ms.dk/sw88488.asp

KNOWLEDGE, ACTION AND CHANGE
Hakikazi Catalyst in Arusha, Tanzania, has over the past few years been a strong actor in building local democracy. In some villages the results of Hakikazi’s efforts to build local democracy is already visible. More villagers feel comfortable to speak during meetings and even women speak up and bring forward concerns or new ideas.

Read more here: http://www.ms.dk/sw88501.asp

DEMOCRACY IN PRACTICE
Partnerships between civil society organisations (CSOs) and local authorities are the way forward for rural development. The policies – and partly the money – are in place. But Tanzanians, not at least people in rural areas, are poorly equipped to utilize their opportunities when it comes to decisions on development in their local communities.

Read more here: http://www.ms.dk/sw88494.asp

GENDER AS SMART ECONOMICS
To support the Country Programme Strategy (CPS) MS Tanzania is now preparing a gender strategy. On October 8, representatives from partner organisations met in Dar es Salaam to review MS’ Policy on Gender Equality, which recently was presented, to share experiences and discuss the way forward.

Read more here: http://www.ms.dk/sw88646.asp

DO YOU WANT TO ERADICATE POVERTY IN YOUR LIFETIME?
MS Tanzania has taken part in establishing the Private Sector Civil Society Agricultural Working Group (PSCSAWG) aiming at promoting best practices in agriculture. Frederick Kwame, Country Programme Manager of Oxfam GB, kick-started the ‘Forum for Learning and Experience Sharing’, organised on November 19-22, 2007 in Tanga, by asking a very central question.

Read more here: http://www.ms.dk/sw87909.asp

JOOMLA KABISA
During 2007 IT Adviser Jesper Mogensen launched a programme assisting MS Tanzania’s partner organisations to either build or improve their websites. Jesper is sharing his experience from the project so far.

Read more here: http://www.ms.dk/sw88657.asp

TOPIC TEAM UP-DATE

Topic Team 02
TT2 has not set a date for next meeting. However, the TT2 has up-dated their section in the Resource Centre with the following:

Land Acts:
Land Act No. 4 1967, Land Acquisition Act 1967, Land Disputes Settlements Act 2002, Rural Farmlands Act 2002, Land Registration Act 2002, Land Use Planning Act 2007

Overlapping Acts:
Wildlife Conservation Act 1974, Forest Act 2002, Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authorities Act 2006, Investment Act 1997, Mining Act 1998

Governance Acts:
Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance Act 2001, Prevention and combating of Corruption Act 2007

Acts on CBOs:
NGO Act 2002, Co-operative Societies Act, 2003

We expect soon to have policies on forest, water, land, agriculture plus the local government reform programme included, too.

Topic Team 3
TT3 is still working on a tool box on how to conduct simple research and baseline surveys. The tool box is planned to be ready in the beginning of 2008 and thereafter training on this topic will take place. So far five MS partner organisations have applied for training and all will be included in the training in 2008. The applicants are: Tanzania Youth Coalition (TYC), TAPHGO; Mapambano, TAWLAE and TAYODEA.

The following are the volunteers and their respective placements:

1. Mikkel Porsing and Asger Engsager Laigaard, Mtongani Primary School, DSM.
2. Annemette Sondergaard and Tine Jepsen Nielsen: TAYODEA, Tanga.
3. Jo Carlsen and Julie Mai Laursen: Transcend School, DSM.
4. Lena Tyngholt Tynell: Vision Academy, DSM.
5. Jonas Tofte: MYODA, Kibaha.
6. Tina Lapirist Jensen: Good Samaritan Center, DSM.

In 2008 the MTV programme will concentrate on hosting volunteers in community-based organisations in order to make the volunteers feel more responsible for the community where they live with local host families. Also more placements outside the bigger cities will be considered.

THE MS TANZANIA GUESTHOUSE
Please note new changes at the MS Tanzania Guesthouse

The MS Guesthouse is for people with a connection to MS only. There are no priorities and everybody has to book the rooms at the MS Office. You can book the room by e-mail or telephone (only during Country Office working hours and before 14.00) at e-mail: neema@mstan.or.tz or mstan@mstan.or.tz or telephone: 0222117945/8.

As soon as a room is booked, nobody else can use it. If you are not using the room you have booked, you will have to either cancel or pay for it. The room will normally be available from 15:00 on the day of arrival. You must leave the room no later than 10:00 on the day of departure.

Prices are:

Ground floor: 8000 TSH per night per adult

1st floor: 6000 TSH per night per adult

Children (6 – 12 years): Half price

Laundry: 5000 TSH per wash

The new guidelines will be available on the notice board in the Guesthouse and on the Intranet.

Anne Marie Kjaerulff (Administrator): 0783 023 863 from December 22, 2007 to January 2, 2008.

Peter Msechu: 0784 337 131 from December 22, 2007 to January 2, 2008.

Moses Akim: 0713 616 222 from December 24, 2007 to January 2, 2008.

Andrew Samweli: 0784 646 460 from December 26, 2007 to January 2, 2008.

CONTRIBUTIONS/COMMENTS
For contributions to the newsletter or further information, please contact Pernille Baerendtsen at info@mstan.or.tz

You can subscribe to the newsletter here: www.ms.dk/tanzania. If you receive this newsletter by mistake or if you no longer want to receive it, you can unsubscribe here, too.

CONTACT

MS Tanzania
463 Charambe Street, Upanga
P.O.Box 2519, Dar es Salaam
Tanzania.

Tel: +255-22-2117945/8
Fax: +255-22-2115913

mstan@mstan.or.tz

www.ms.dk/tanzania

MS TANZANIA
MS Tanzania is part of the Danish Association for International Co-operation (MS).

Our vision is a world in peace where co-operation between people promotes global equity and ensures improved conditions for poor and marginalized people. MS Tanzania has been present in Tanzania since 1963, and since 1993 we have partnered with local civil society organisations (CSOs).

The main theme of MS Tanzania’s programme strategy is Building Local Democracy with two sub-themes on Land Rights and Youth. MS Tanzania aims at defending and enhancing popular participation under the assumption that strengthening democracy at local level will help fight poverty.