IFAKARA YOUTH & CHILD CARE CENTRE PROPOSED 5 YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN

(2005-2010)

1.    Introduction

2.    Committee members

3.    Information about the project area

4.    Aims of the project

5.    Centre activities and facilities

6.    Justification for the project

7.    Budget (Estimation cost)

INTRODUCTION

The Ifakara Community Group (ICG) was established on 11^th January 2004.  This group will be officially registered with the Tanzania Registrar of Societies in Dar-es-Salaam. The ICG intends to create a Youth and Child Care Centre (IYCCC) to meet the needs of young people in Ifakara. Over a period of 5 years we hope to build a centre and a school that will provide educational and recreational activities for children aged 14 – 20 with a particular emphasis on providing support and assistance to street children and Aids orphans.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT AREA

Ifakara is an expanding town in the Kilombero Valley, part of the Morogoro Region, on the Tanzanian main land.  The town is south west of Udzungwa National Park and 360Km from Dar-es-Salaam.  Ifakara is 2000 feet above the sea level and has a temperature range of 40°C high and 20°C low.  The IYCCC will be located in Kapolo village, between Kibaoni and Kikwawila on the outskirts of Ifakara.  The area selected has electricity, water and it is near the main road to Dar-es-Salaam.  It is also close to St. Francis hospital, owned by the Roman Catholic religious denomination, and a Plan International dispensary. Other essential infrastructure includes the Ifakara Air Strip and Tazara Rail Way Station all potentially bringing in people from different places.

The total population of the district is 235,560 of which slightly less than 50% are female. The Kilombero District density stands at 22 people per sq km. Administratively the district is divided into 5 divisions, each containing 19 wards with 47 villages. 

The district has 44,0000 hectares of arable land and the indigenous people keep animals like cows, goats, sheep, hens and ducks for both cash and meat. Most of the buildings are made of burnt clay bricks and roofed with corrugated iron or forest grass.  

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The ICG intends to provide support and assistance to street children and aids orphans to increase their self-esteem and confidence and provide them with the skills necessary to improve their quality of life.  Through education, and emotional and medical support, it is hoped that vulnerable young people may be able to find ways to earn a living and play an active role in society as independent rather than dependent adults.  Over a period of 5 years the ICG hopes to create a purpose built centre offering educational and recreational activities as well as medical assistance and emotional support.  

CENTRE ACTIVITIES AND FACILTIES

The ICG hopes to acquire 10 acres of land to enable the centre to expand to include dormitories for young people attending the centre, staff accommodation, administration offices, a counselling room and it’s own dispensary.  During the initial phase of the project however only the meeting hall will be built and will be used by young people on a ‘drop-in’ basis.  The ICG intends to make links with the local schools, hospital and businesses and to invite people to run one-day workshops at the centre.  Artists will be invited to lead creative projects such as weaving or painting, nurses will be asked to discuss health issues etc.  Recreational activities like football and pool will be offered and some food provided to encourage children to attend the centre.  As the centre develops short courses will be provided, a reference library will be created and trained teachers employed.   

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PROJECT 

Aids is a problem that is continuing to grow and whilst it has been difficult to obtain accurate statistics it is estimated that 12% of the population in Ifakara died of Aids last year.  In one  ward alone, Aids claimed the lives of 60 women and 40 men.  As a result it is believed that there are many aids orphans living in the area but as there has been no census conducted the numbers are not known.

Ifakara currently has no community centre/municipal building so there is no safe place where children and young people can meet.  There are very limited recreational facilities in the town, areas of open land near schools are used for playing football and children can be found congregating around television sets at bars and restaurants in the town where they are often moved on for being a disturbance to paying customers.  Other recreational facilities such as pool tables, outdoor playgrounds etc are only available to those who can afford to pay for them.  After dark children are often found hanging around the streets or bars. 

In order to find out what people in Ifakara think about the ICG’s proposal to create a Youth and Child Care Centre various people in the community were interviewed and videoed.  These people included the children who the ICG’s centre intends to help, government officials, business people, health workers and other local people.  The overwhelming response was that Ifakara is in desperate need of somewhere for children, especially vulnerable children like orphans and street children, and young people to meet, to study, to get advice, to take part in activities, to learn new skills and to have fun! 

BUDGET

ESTIMATION COST FOR THE PROJECT CONSTRUCTION.