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| DIOCESE OF MAHENGE |
CARITAS office, Diocese of Mahenge is located in the South western part of the central Tanzania. It is in Morogoro region operating its services in the two districts of Kilombero and Ulanga. It is situated at 312km south west of Morogoro town.
Caritas is a development organisation registered legally under the Catholic Diocese of Mahenge. It deals with activities related to the community development. The population of Mahenge Diocese is 515,820 people according to 2002 National census.
VISION
Caritas Mahenge, basing on the Social Teaching of Catholic church envisages a society with peace, love, justice and sustainable intergral development.
MISSION
Caritas Mahenge is committed to the promotion of sustainable integral development through Capacity building, provision of social services, lobbying, advocacy and networking. It is also a Development and Relief Organization of the Diocese of Mahenge.
THE OBJECTIVES OF CARITAS –DIOCESE OF MAHENGE
- To enhance advocacy actions in development, disaster management and social welfare issues.
- To promote gender equality and equity in managing community development, disasters and socio welfare programmes within the Diocese
- To promote and strengthen networking among Diocesan departments, Caritas Mahenge, and other government and none government organisation.
THE ROLES OF CARITAS DIOCESE OF MAHENGE
In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, Caritas plays three (3) major roles, these are:
- Facilitation
Caritas facilitates the dialogue and exchange of experiences and ideas on matters related to development, disaster management and social welfare activities among the dioceses. It also assists the dioceses in mobilizing resources for development, disaster management and social welfare programmes.
- Offering Consultancy Services
Caritas as a department of the Diocese assists the diocese in developing and reviews projects/programme proposals, undertakes evaluation and monitoring, and provides capacity building services in the diocese.
- Advocacy
Caritas carries out advocacy actions in collaboration with Caritas Tanzania at the diocesan level national. In additional to these roles, Caritas also coordinates emergency/disaster activities. We are also members of Caritas Tanzania.
CORE VALUES OF CARITAS -DIOCESE OF MAHENGE
- Dignity of the person
The dignity of the human person is our foundation of moral value; Caritas regards the poor not as object of pity but subjects of their own developments and agents of change.
- Option of the poor
Caritas commits itself to analyze the underlying causes of poverty, combats social economic inequalities which deprive people to decent and sustainable livelihood.
- Solidarity and Support
Caritas adherence to Christian charity and the catholic Social Teaching principles of solidarity involves not only in finance, but the accompaniment of the church and Caritas, Dialogue, Advocacy and Peace-building
- Reconciliation
Caritas is committed to acknowledge cultural pluralism and keep an open dialogue with all people of goodwill.
- Partnership and stewardship
Caritas relationship at national and level especially on transfer of resources, based on mutual respect, trust and goodwill. Partnership implies a long-term commitment to agreed objectives, based on shared values, strategies and information. It further characterized by feedback and joint planning, display of transparency and accountability on both sides and genuine openness and sensitivity to the other’s needs, feeling, expertise, experience and wisdom.
PROGRAMS IMPLIMENTED BY CARITAS MAHENGE
Caritas have been working to support the community in development project since 1998. The following programs are implemented by the organisation.
- RURAL DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTION PROGRAM
The program was of three years started from 2005 phasing out in 2008. The main objective of the program was to empower farmers on agriculture activities in order to improve their living standard. It was implemented in 8 villages, 4 in Ulanga and 4 in Kilombero district. The community farmers were facilitated on how to improve their day to day activities especially agriculture related activities so that they can improve their living standard. The program phasing out but the community are still going on with their activities while Caritas remain as advisor.
- PROMOTION OF WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The program was of 3 years from 2005 to 2008. The main objective of the program was to empower women. It covered 8 villages in Ulanga and Kilombero district. Women were empowered on different areas such as food processing, animal husbandry, Saving and credit, leadership and gender skills, Marketing etc. The program have been phased out but women have been improved their situation and continuing with their activities while Caritas is supervising them.
- WATER AND SANITATION PROGRAM
The program was for 3 years implemented in two villages of Njiwa and Minazini. The program aim at promoting good personal and environmental hygiene in order to protect health as stated by the sphere project .
- INTERGRATED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTPROGRAM
The program is of three years covering the three villages of Kilombero districts. This program has three components i.e agriculture, environment and water and sanitation component. The main objection is to improve the living standard of the community. The farmers/farmers are facilitated to integrate their agriculture activities with other activities so as to get return
- INTERGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
It is three years program aiming at improving living standard of the smallholder farmers. The main activities of the program are Training community on the areas of Sustainable agriculture, Saving and internal lending, leadership and group management, Food processing , Gender and HIV/AIDS are mainstreamed in all program activities.
- ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE SUPPORT PROGRAM
Program aiming at rescue life of vulnerable children by supporting them on the areas of education, health and psychology. The programs empower the vulnerable families by providing training and supporting on tangible inputs like animals, garden inputs and revolving funds.
- SMALL HOLDERS FARMERS EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM
The program aiming to facilitate the targeted community so that they can overcome the challenges they face. The main activities of the program are: Training in marketing skills, Training on local chicken rearing, Training on saving and internal lending and home gardening.
- ENHANCING SMALLHOLDERS’ ACCESS TO ORGANIC MARKET
- The main goal of the project is to improve market- oriented production and market systems for smallholder farmers for the purpose of achieving increased household income and improving food security and livelihoods. To enhance capacity in collaboration with development offices and Caritas Tanzania in managing community development, disaster management and social welfare projects/ programmes.
