Family Strengthening Program Dar es Salaam

Family Strengthening Program Dar es Salaam was established in 2008 an outreach and short term program that supports children are at much greater risk of losing parental care and being abandoned. Oftentimes these children are from a single parent households, sibling headed, parents have been affected by HIV/AIDS, or face serious financial disadvantages.  It started its implementation Temeke in 2008 and exited in 2012  

Currently we are based at Ilala municipal at Chanika ward we are supporting 200 children from 53 families. Chanika ward is an area with highest number of MVC in the municipal. The latest municipal statistics indicate that over 600 children are vulnerable and at risk of losing the care of their biological family. This is attributed by the existence of high level of divorce, abandonment, HIV/AIDS, illiterate and poverty hence child labour, school dropout, early pregnancies and marriages.

The best way to care for abandoned or orphaned children is to help them and their families before they become abandoned or orphaned. In responding to this phenomena Family Strengthening Program Dar es Salaam provides short term supports to families in need especially economic support to send children to school, and access  medical services . For families that have been trapped in vicious cycles of poverty and desperation, longer term options are available, wherein entrepreneurship opportunities, parenting skills, vocational classes, and counseling are provided to caretakers. 

The one year of our existence at Chanika ward the program conducted school assessment and facilitated the readmission of school dropout children. On top of that the program supported hundreds of children with scholastic materials, school contributions/fees, health and counselling services. Caretakers have undergone several training in childcare, resource mobilization, job finding skills, and financial management. We work direct with schools where we have introduced school clubs to educated students over gender issues, how to overcome adolescence challenges and campaign against drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, early marriage and school dropouts. The program has facilitated the establishment of 3 Village Saving and Lending Associations where caregivers are saving and accessing petty capitals for income generating activities.  These long term programs give families the tools they need to be successful, and enable parents to provide basic needs for their families on their own. 

Family Strengthening Dar es Salaam works directly with families and communities. We do this by collaborating with key implementing partners in strengthening their existing child protection systems to the effectively protect and care of children. This is greatly achieved in cooperation with local authorities and collaboration with CBOs and institutions in the ground. The primary goal of Family Strengthening activities are targeted to reach self-reliance to families unable to provide basic needs children under their care.  The main risk and challenge is that the program is doing intervention in the community where market opportunities are limited due to low purchasing power and subsistence production. On other hand the program continue to do advocacy to overcome rituals, traditions and cultural practices that triggers gender based violence especially early marriage, women abandonments, child abuse and polygamy systems.