Project News

The following two PR videos demonstrate the approach of "Improved O&OD."

Video ① "Positive Changes in the Target Villages" (external link)

＜Overview＞

A series of interviews of the community people of Mang'ula B Village, Kilombero District, Morogoro Region, and their Ward Facilitator (WF) demonstrate their own experience in which the relationship between the people and the WF gradually changed, and as a result, people embarked on their efforts in community initiatives.

＜Captions＞

1. We (Community) can do it!

Within our hamlets, if we decide to do something, it will be possible.

2. Relationship between government officers and us before.

Rather than wasting time at meeting, I would stay at home cleaning the cow scat.

Government officers (facilitators) are too senior to us…

Before we did not know what those experts (facilitators) are capable of, and we were scared of them anyway.

How on earth could we go to visit someone like her (Facilitator) to consult about our problems in the community?

3. Ward Facilitators' persistent efforts in community facilitation.

We did not give up. As a result, people started understanding what I kept saying.

4. Gap between the government officers and the people getting filled and becoming closer to each other

Nowadays, they (officers) are very close to us. Even ward facilitators, we go to their house and officer to talk about our felt-problems. For example, when we have livestock problems…

5. We came to be aware what we have and what we can do.

Even resources like trees, we can collect them for our use within community. We also have mud, but we could utilize them as brick to build good house for chicks.

They (government officers) are employed, so they think they are in a position tell us what to do. But nowadays we have resources to decide by ourselves. Now they should come to us to listen to our felt needs instead of instructing us.

6. Why not try ourselves?

Is there any reason why I cannot do this while other are successfully doing it? (No I can also do it…)

Fundraising started. People started contributing with what they had that time.

In order to have electricity we needed 2,600,000 Tsh. So we started visiting households and asked for contribution. People managed to contribute what they had even small amount like 500 Tsh. At the end of the day it reached 2,600,000 Tsh, TANESCO connected us to the electricity.

7. We got it and also praised by neighbours

We could not imagine how electricity could ever be reached to our community by just waiting for the government to bring it to us. One day government might get electricity for us for free, but when? We do not have electricity for more than 40 years now. Now why not try then? Thank god, we finally got it and people at neighbouring villages are also surprised how we managed to get it.

8. Our mind-set: WE PLAN rather than BEING PLANNED by others.

If you stay at home, you are PLANNED, but if you go to the meeting, you PLAN BY YOURSELF.

Do you remember what he used to say?

"People cannot be developed, they can only develop themselves."

Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere (The first president of Tanzania)

Video ② "Improved O&OD" (external link)

＜Overview＞

This video showcases the main actors of the Improved O&OD, such as District Task Force, Ward Facilitators and Community Facilitators. It attempts to convey a message to the leaders of the local governments of Tanzania that community initiative already exist, and it is possible to unleash the potential that the people have, through strengthening different actors of LGA. It seeks the leaders' commitment to "Improved O&OD," which is proposed as a possible solution to overcome the obstacles that the local governance sector faces and achieve effective service delivery.

* English captions are available