SPW programmes offered KNA- Kijana ni Afya (Health Education Programme)
Length of placement 8 months

Tanzania has one of the highest national HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world. As the largest country in East Africa, it bears a large share of the global epidemic. The estimated HIV prevalence rate is 8.1% among adults aged 15-49. 60% of new infections occur among youth aged 15-24 years.

Since 1999 SPW Tanzania has implementing two volunteer-led programmes, the SHEP and the CRP. The two programmes were very similar in terms of principles, objectives, and methodology. As such, SPW Tanzania has combined the best components of each programme into a new unified volunteer-led programme, ‘Kijana ni Afya’ (Swahili for Youth and Health). Lessons learned from an external evaluation of SHEP commissioned by the Swedish International Development Agency will help build and expand the new programme and help inform other programmes on the best ways to educate youth on HIV and AIDS.

Programme Facts:
School Health Education ProgrammeWorking where?

  • volunteers placed in pairs (one Tanzanian, one international)
  • based in secondary schools in rural communities in Iringa Region
  • schools vary in size (from 80 to over 1000 students), and may be very basic
  • standard of spoken English in schools varies, though all post-primary students study in English
  • volunteers allocated periods in school timetable to teach specially designed Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) modules
  • placements all have basic facilities, including a health centre or dispensary, a few shops and public transport to town
  • placements close to at least one other school, (the closest being only 15 minutes walk apart) but vary in their proximity to office and nearby towns
  • communities vary a great deal in terms of geography and socio-economic development levels

You and your partner will live and work in the community.
The activities of volunteers on the SHEP include:

  • teaching non-formal timetabled health and social education modules
  • developing life-skills the students will need out of school
  • empowering young people, particularly girls
  • facilitating a range of extra-curricular activities after school hours (e.g sports, music, drama, art, newspaper and debate clubs)
  • raising awareness of relevant health and social youth issues in schools and in wider community
  • teaching in nearby Primary Schools
  • organising health-awareness raising activities for in and out-of-school youth (e.g. high-profile festivals with performing arts competitions on health-related themes, inter-school events, community sports leagues and seminars, training for teachers, or educational trips to hospitals and local HIV testing centres
  • establishing a resource centre in the school to providing youth-friendly publications and offering confidential advice and informal counselling
  • working with women, school-leavers and out-of-school youth to establish small-scale income generation projects giving group members increased financial independence
  • establishing a small resource centre for the school and community in conjunction with the Community Action Group (CAG), stocking it with educational health, environmental and rural development resources

Case Study – Makambako Community Football League

Makambako is a rapidly growing ‘truck-stop' community, located on the junction of two major roads. Consequently it also has rapidly increasing HIV and STI infection rates. With this in mind, the volunteers co-ordinated an STI Awareness Campaign, with a special emphasis on ‘Youth and HIV/AIDS' to run alongside a 3 week Football League for 8 different youth and community teams in and around Makambako town.

The Makambako League involved seminars and talks about HIV/AIDS from health workers and experts before and at half time at each match. With at least 800 people attending each match, the campaign was able to reach a phenomenal amount of Makambako residents. Using football as a medium to attract people proved very successful. At the final of the football league, a staggering 3000 people attended the match.  
SHEP Volunteer

Programme Structure of KNA

Initial 4-week training period covering:
  • teambuilding skills
  • cross-cultural awareness
  • basic development theory
  • adolescent health issues (e.g. puberty, HIV/AIDS, gender issues)
  • NFE (Non-formal Education) Techniques
  • language training
  • Mid-placement training
  • top-up training workshops throughout placement period

Staff Support

  • main office in Iringa, additional offices in Mbeya, Njombe and Dar
  • volunteers receive two scheduled visits from SPW staff at appropriate times during the course of the programme
  • extra visits are made as necessary, e.g. to resolve problems or to give help and advice to volunteers
  • communication varies greatly between placements
  • placements have reliable public transport
  • messages can be sent either by public transport or in emergency situations, on motorbikes
  • volunteers can meet with SPW Programme Staff in country offices if necessary

Community Support

  • provide basic accommodation with a reliable water source (piped, or from a spring or well)
  • electricity and running water are rare

Country Information

Background: Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa, with borders on 8 countries, 3 lakes and the Indian Ocean. It includes Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, the Great Rift Valley, the exotic island of Zanzibar, the arid plains of Dodoma and the lush hills of the Southern Highlands. Tanzania is home to more than 100 indigenous tribes, mainly of Bantu origin.
Language: Swahili and English are official languages though many indigenous languages are spoken
Religion: about 40% of the population is Christian, 35% is Muslim, and the remainder follow indigenous beliefs
Food:
  • Staple - maize meal porridge, known as ugali, and rice
  • Meat - bananas are used in meat stews as well as with fish and poultry
  • Vegetarianism - accepted easily, feast on soups, eggs and vegetarian curry dishes, usually involving coconut milk and/or banana
  • Other - local liquor is a lethal white-rum-style concoction called konyagi.

“Truly, I've never known an NGO like this, who have the approach of going straight to the villagers, and living with them in this difficult environment. I would like to say ‘SPW, we need money,' but this is not a solution. SPW, do your best to give us knowledge like this, which will endure.”

Ibrahim Chang'a, Villager, Kiwere

 
 
   
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