Teachers being introduced to the community.
Head of Field Unit giving a word of wisdom to teachers.
Guest of honor addressing the audience
Women footballers listening carefully advise from Team captain before
commencement of the match.
Group of Comedians from Mishamo primary school on stage
Ipwaga versus Mazwe in actual action
Children matching from UNHCR office to the football stadium
Anti SGBV committee displaying poster
The gathering watching a drama
Mishamo Village leaders and teachers
Busongola choir singing song on IWD theme
Anti SGBV group performing
Women representative delivering a speech.
Refreshment time
Refreshment time
Mishamo settlement community marked International Women’s Day (IWD) on
Saturday 10th March 2012. The event is always celebrated on 8th March of every year but women of Mishamo found it of importance to observe the day on 10th March so as not to interfere with school curricula because teachers, primary and
secondary school children were as well scheduled to participate. Women of
Mishamo joined hands to ensure that the event become successful.
Various activities aiming at ensuring that all people of Mishamo settlement are
aware of what is happening in the world of women and civilization were initiated. On 8th March 2012, women visited and donated some non food items to patients
admitted at the dispensary and clinics. In the evening, a football match between
women and secondary school girls was played. Secondary school girls won by 1-0
goal. Another match played on the same day was between men whereby that ended with a
2-2 draw.
On the culmination day i.e. 10th March 2012, a total of 15
groups of women activists, school children, traditional dances, gospel choirs,
poems etc performed. All messages were created around the theme of the year
“CONNECTING GIRLS, INSPIRING FUTURES” and promoted areas of their priority
specifically ‘education to children’.
and possible assistance. Due to budgetary constraints, the organizing committee
was counselled of the need for the community to fully take the lead and avoid
unnecessary expenses. It was put open that the day is devoted to women and
men, girls and boys of different background to reflect on their past, present and
look forward to ensure that both women and men have equal opportunities in the
society.
After a series of meetings and consultations, women became confident that they
can on their own make the event a success. Awareness raising campaign sessions
in all 16 villages of Mishamo were organized. Though the meetings were planned
to inform and involve all people on the importance of connecting girls and
inspiring their future, the forum was also used to introduce and familiarize new staff
who joined Mishamo Field Unit, Arsen Mbanzendole, Field Associate and
Candida Muhanika, Head of Field Unit.
It is through such meetings that parents highlighted their priorities and their desire
to take active role in ensuring that their children particularly girls are educated at
any cost. To quench their thirst, they created messages around the theme and
most significantly invited the District Education Officer, Mrs. Naomi Nnko as the
guest of honor on the climax day. Mrs. Nnko was accompanied by the District
Social Welfare Officer and local journalists both from Mpanda and Sumbawanga
Districts.
The village meetings inspired people and jointly decided to make own
contributions for refreshments where community members from 16 villages of
Mishamo contributed about 700,000/= for refreshment. UNHCR Field Office
Mishamo was also able to secure some funds (200,000Tshs) from programme unit
to support women’s initiatives. Based on the theme, women noted the contribution
of teachers in the sector of education thus decided to invite them freely as a
token and recognition to their work and dedication to educating their children
and also to show love to teachers. This was done strategically to retain teachers
considering that most teachers deployed to Mishamo abandon their post due to
the remoteness and living hardships in the area.
The speech delivered by women carried a strong message and highlighted areas
of their achievements and gaps since the establishment of the settlement. It was
Women are also involved in other communal and developmental activities such
as farming, petty business, environmental conservation, health, education etc
while playing another major role of caring for their families.
The speech also mentioned with great concern the trend of the primary school
final examination results and number of children selected to join secondary
education that do not reflect the reality on ground. Taking an example of the
secondary school, there are only four (04) qualified and government employed
teachers while the community on their own initiatives give some kind of incentives
Women reaffirmed their commitments to joined hands with the rest of the
community to provide labor and contribute their income in ensuring that
necessary resources such as volunteer teachers, desks etc are available. This year
On the same occasion women organized “Harambee” in other words “voluntary
contribution” of which the community and invited guests contributed or pledged
In delivering her speech, the guest of honor congratulated women for their
motivation and their role in the family and society as whole and noted their vital
She further thanked teachers for their contributions in educating children and
encouraged them to stay in their duty stations, work hard to make sure that most
consider Mishamo in allocating teachers both for primary and secondary school
Before attending the celebration, the guest of honor visited Mishamo secondary
school as part of her monitoring visits and noted some gaps that correlated with
In concluding the event, Mrs. Candida Muhanika, the Head of Field Unit
commended the work of the women in Mishamo and encouraged them to
continue with the same spirit and momentum. She advised women to assess and
of their achievements and gaps since the establishment of the settlement. It was
mentioned in the speech that initially women supported men in construction of
temporally school shelters before UNHCR and TCRS built permanent schools.
Women are also involved in other communal and developmental activities such
as farming, petty business, environmental conservation, health, education etc
while playing another major role of caring for their families.
The speech also mentioned with great concern the trend of the primary school
final examination results and number of children selected to join secondary
education that do not reflect the reality on ground. Taking an example of the
secondary school, there are only four (04) qualified and government employed
teachers while the community on their own initiatives give some kind of incentives
to five (05) volunteer teachers. The actual requirement of qualified teachers is
eighteen (18). Women therefore requested the guest of honor to deploy other
four qualified teachers while the community committed itself to support other two
volunteer teachers.
Women reaffirmed their commitments to joined hands with the rest of the
community to provide labor and contribute their income in ensuring that
necessary resources such as volunteer teachers, desks etc are available. This year
the community was able to donate 80 desks which can accommodate 160 pupils
to the school thus women requested the guest of honor to allow enrollment of
other 80 pupils among those who missed an opportunity to join secondary school
while they qualified as per 2011 national examination results.
On the same occasion women organized “Harambee” in other words “voluntary
contribution” of which the community and invited guests contributed or pledged
in cash or in-kind. Amount collected will be used to pay incentives to two (02) new
volunteer teachers who will be identified to teach at the secondary school while
20% of the total contribution collected will be directed to support five (05) needy
girls at the school. A total in cash (Tshs. 291,700/=) and pledges (Tshs. 990,000/=)
amounted to Tshs. 1,281,700/= which is enough to pay incentives to two
teachers for a period of about six (06) months. Also the guest of honor promised to
sponsor one most vulnerable child girl, so she requested the headmaster of
Mishamo secondary school to identify and communicate her needs.
In delivering her speech, the guest of honor congratulated women for their
motivation and their role in the family and society as whole and noted their vital
contribution in caring for their families, conserving environment, participation in
development activities and called for an end to discrimination and violence
against women and girls. She urged both women and men to observe
contributions on community health fund; pregnant women to attend clinic and
delivery at the health centre, she also argued parents to join hands in raising
children and shaping their behaviors and encourage children to attend schooling.
She further thanked teachers for their contributions in educating children and
encouraged them to stay in their duty stations, work hard to make sure that most
of standard seven pupils succeed to join secondary school and promised to
consider Mishamo in allocating teachers both for primary and secondary school
each year. She again promised to work together with women, teachers and the
whole community in achieving the mentioned priority areas which as stated in
women’s speech is to increase number of children enrolled in secondary school
this year from 160 to 240 students and added that she will work with other higher
officials to make sure that the registration of Mishamo secondary school is
changed from four to six streams for each class in the near future.
Before attending the celebration, the guest of honor visited Mishamo secondary
school as part of her monitoring visits and noted some gaps that correlated with
what women mentioned in their speech.
In concluding the event, Mrs. Candida Muhanika, the Head of Field Unit
commended the work of the women in Mishamo and encouraged them to
continue with the same spirit and momentum. She advised women to assess and
evaluate their achievements of IWD during the celebration of African Day of the
Child and World Refugee Day that will be observed in June 2012 and also do the
same at the end of the year to allow planning and make new commitments for
the year 2013.
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