Dar es Salaam is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa as well in the world, with an estimated population of 5M. The high rate of rural to urban migration results in unemployment, which leads many young girls and young women to engage in risky sex work to meet their financial needs.

World Renew works in partnership with the community-based organization ACHAMA in three communities on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam. ACHAMA is the acronym for Asasi Ya Chagua Maisha, which means “Organization for Choose Life.”

ACHAMA seeks to move girls and young women from sex work to exclusive engagement in legitimate and safe income-generating activities. They do this by teaching technical, business, and entrepreneurship skills, along with life skills such as self-awareness, self-esteem, and ethics. The girls and young women learn how to generate business ideas and business plans, and where to find advice for their businesses.

I visited one of the girls’ groups called Nguvumpya (“New Power”).

After receiving entrepreneurship skills training, the group’s 15 members registered Nguvumpya with the local government, wrote a proposal to the municipality, and received funding equivalent to US$1,163 to start a chicken-raising project. They now have 150 chickens and have saved $372!

In the future they plan to start other businesses, including motorcycle taxis and a restaurant.

The group advises other girls who are still in sex work to leave the trade behind. They warn them of the risk of HIV transmission and how much more successful they could be with legitimate enterprises.

Prayer request

  • We pray that these girls will sustain this behavior change and will commit their lives to God.

Pray for Tanzania

  • Pray that our transition will go well as we phase out of our country office in Dar es Salaam between March and the end of June, and as the Mwanza branch office now becomes the new Tanzania country office.
  • Some employees based in Dar es Salaam will be leaving, and we pray that they will soon find other employment. Others have moved or are moving to Mwanza, and we pray that they will have a good transition. Pray that we will be able to find the right person to fill the key position of accountant in the new country office.
  • East Africa has been experiencing a severe drought, and some of the areas served by our Tanzanian partner organizations have been especially hard hit. The rainy season has now begun, with a lot of planting going on. Pray that the rains will continue to fall in due time and in sufficient quantity so that farmers will see good harvests this season. Give thanks that many farmers have seen better results in spite of drought conditions through use of the Conservation Agriculture techniques we are teaching—minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and crop rotation/intercropping.

Blessings,

Zakayo Mwakipesile

Field Officer
World Renew Tanzania

edited by Jim Zylstra and World Renew Communications