The Talking Stick Issue 13 - Summer 2008
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the talking stick issue 13 - Summer 2008 What has African Initiatives achieved in the past 5 years? African Voices and Global Justice Breaking Barriers to Education 4 page # www.african-initiatives.org.uk page 1 The Cost of Conservation highlighting the different uses the land is put communities. African Initiatives’ principle that In a world that often professes utopian ideals to and can then be used to help communities the project should be ‘owned’ by the local of egalitarianism and environmentalism, it resist illegal land grabbing. LUPs have also led to community is justified as women are managing Article head is a sad irony that those communities which the improved management of 23 water sources their own affairs and local resources, especially come nearest to attaining that dream are in and rivers, forests and charcoal production in for education. African Initiatives works with PWC danger of being wiped out. Hunter-gatherer’s 13 villages, and the development of 10 health to strengthen women’s leadership, and in the and pastoralists have the least environmental dispensaries and 2 health insurance schemes. last 5 years, for the first time, probably in Maasai impact, the smallest ecological footprint, than history, women were represented at the regional any community on this planet. Yet they face Active Participation and national forums through the participation of extinction. If they were animals they would Participating in decision making and democracy the Pastoral Women’s Council. 400 women have be accorded endangered species status; is important for all marginalised groups. Over the attended public meetings on women’s rights and documentaries would be made; thousands of past five years, community awareness activities education and 600 women have participated in dollars raised. The tragic irony of this injustice is in Tanzania have increased understanding of community workshops on women’s rights, adult that the conservation lobby is one of their major democratic processes and responsibilities. literacy and girls’ education. Village councils and threats. African Initiatives and our partners have Natural Resource sub-committees now contain worked with fifty village councils, supporting 33% women and community organisations were “The parts of the world left with wildlife are communities with training in roles and able to throw a local MP out when faced with his responsibilities of councillors, education and corruption, which is an indicator of the increased peopled with pastoralists, the world should water committees. democracy and accountability at a regional level. come here to learn from the Maasai the way to conserve land. Come and see that there are CRT has initiated community led Land “Historically Maasai women were not allowed trees, there are cows and wildlife” Campaigns in 5 districts culminating in a to participate in meetings with men, hence regional forum and national gathering. Local Tanzania: “little by little, a they could not influence the decisions affecting government accountability has been improved Shinan Ole Moinga, Endulen and corruption reduced while an increase in their livelihood. Gradually women’s role democratic participation has been identified are changing; Maasai women have found little becomes a lot” It comes down to land. Development policies in 38 Villages. The real success of community themselves challenging the marginalisation attempt to force them to settle in one place and awareness activities and recognition of the give up a semi-nomadic existence, and their and oppression of their gender. Women are in (Tanzanian proverb) responsibilities held by MP’s was shown in the traditional lands are then lost to commercial the position to own properties generated from general election of 2005-6 when the incumbent interests, primarily agricultural. their own initiatives. Education is the key to MP for Ngoronogoro, a critical pastoralist area women’s liberation - a process that will only Five years on was thrown out. His replacement is already in contact with CRT and PWC and regularly seeks occur when women join efforts”. Together with our partners, African Initiatives has their advice and input. Similarly, attempts by based its work on the existing Tanzanian law & Tanzanian National Parks to expand Serengeti constitution which recognises the legitimacy of (Manyara, Chair of PWC) National Park boundaries were stopped by traditional land tenures. Traditional democratic community members armed with knowledge of structures such as the village council have been their rights. utilised to successfully resolve conflicts and Knowledge is Power Community centres are running classes in adult secure access to land and community natural Tanzanian Women Raise their Voices resources. Land Use Plans, aimed at increasing literacy for women, primary and secondary ‘Educate one woman and you educate a whole participation and strengthening land rights school preparation for children as well as community’ Swahili saying. awareness have been agreed and implemented nurseries. The education component also in forty two villages in twelve districts. They includes training in human and women’s rights Women’s groups are increasing as more women involve the geographical mapping of areas awareness; natural resource management; hear of the success and request support for their used by pastoralists and hunter gatherers by reproductive health and HIV/AIDS awareness. An How do we know how far we’ve come in the last 5 years? Val Bishop explores the achievements of African Initiatives’ programmes in Tanzania. It is estimated that the programmes African Initiatives runs in Tanzania directly benefit over 125,000 people and are spread across 34 villages in 8 Districts in 5 Regions; Arusha, Manyara, Mara, Kiteto and Tanga. 50% of the beneficiaries are women. Together with the Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC), the Ujamaa Community Resource trust (CRT) and CASEC, African Initiatives seeks to secure access to land and improve education and representation, especially for women. (gudi&cris, Flikr, copyright) 4 page # 4 page # page 2 www.african-initiatives.org.uk www.african-initiatives.org.uk page 3 Article head indicator of the passion Maasai women have for Livestock is the key to economic empowerment another source of income in Soit Sambu village, beneficial to my family, my community, my information and resource centre that will provide education is that they are holding harambee’s for Pastoralist women. Initially men would not where, with PWC and the support of a private community. African Initiatives is helping to skills based training and education in areas (local fund-raising events) to build and run allow them land for grazing or access to water company, participants have established an eco- increase the amount of girls going to school and nation. I am self confident and self controlled. such as micro-business and entrepreneurship, community education centres. It is through sources and women had no market to sell tourism project. in local employment. PWC is supporting over 100 We have to kick away our inferiority girls from primary school to university and into tourism, computers, HIV and AIDS, a “back knowledge that women and their communities or exchange goods. Now, after 3-4 years of complexes that we are less important than to school” programme and music and drama. will be empowered and enabled to change their work women are now involved in small scale Girls’ Education employment. Over 1,300 children are attending men. We are equal.” Young People will be encouraged to raise funds lives and fight for their rights. gardening and livestock. The Women’s Solidarity Barriers to girls’ education are primarily nursery and pre-primary classes, 50% of them to contribute to the activities that they are Economic Empowerment Boma (or homestead) has allowed women to economic and social/cultural. Poverty remains are girls. The difference that African Initiatives and their participating in. build up a herd of 248 cows, goats and donkeys. the single major deterrent to education, and partners can make in communities such as The boma is based on the whole concept of lack of education is a major cause of poverty. “One girl approached PWC when her father Lilian Nandoyie’s is one of access. With access Similar to the Sustainable Livelihoods women empowerment and allows these women Uneducated girls become illiterate parents had wanted her to marry an old man. The girl to knowledge, the means that will empower and Programme underway in Ghana it is hoped that an opportunity to manage their own project, to unable to support their children, and the cycle knew her rights through PWC and refused. enable change, individuals and communities African Initiatives and CASEC will be able to work generate income and to use this asset to fund continues. When families face poverty girls Through PWC she was able to get 50% of her can work together. The voices in Tanzania were with farmers in the central area of Tanzania girls in education. But most importantly it has are the first to be taken out of school and put school fees paid.” already there, African Initiatives has just shown who are struggling to sustain their environment established the right of women to own livestock, into very poor paying work in often dangerous them the way to the megaphone. and income from agriculture. Farmers are not the primary economic and social status in conditions. Some cultures, like the Maasai, see It’s not only girls who are breaking down organized or educated in the issues that they Maasai culture. no value in ‘investing’ in their girl’s education barriers: Over 700 people now participate in What next? are facing, including the dangerous misuse of because of planned early marriages when she adult education classes of which almost 75% African Initiatives, together with CASEC, is hoping agrochemicals and post harvest security; nor For African Initiatives, empowerment is a process will leave for another family and bring money into are women. Communities are working together to introduce some exciting new programmes in are they aware of any alternative sustainable not a destination and importantly, the Women’s that one instead of her own.