The
Chief of Party of the Sauti Project a Jhpiego’s lead program Dr. Albert
Komba elaborating a point to the USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian
Andy Karas when he visited projects interventions conducted to reduce
HIV/Aids prevalence to the vulnerable groups in Iringa. The program is
conducting Behavior Change Communication Sessions, Screening for Gender
Based Violence and cancelling on usage of Alcohol and Drugs to the
Vulnerable groups including young girls.
Scholina
Charles (22) a young girl from umoja groups in iringa giving her
testimony to the USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian Andy Karas and his
delegation on the risk she went through before joining the Sauti project
to fight HIV/ AIDS. Looking center is the Sauti Project Chief of Party
Dr. Albert Komba .
The
USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian Andy Karas, Deputy Mission
Director Helen Pataki (second right), Jhpiego Country Director (right)
and Sauti Project Chief of Party Dr. Albert Komba (left) following a
Behavior Change Communication Sessions conducted by Zera Mingo (23) to
the young adolescences girls as part of HIV/ AIDS intervention to reduce
HIV/Aids prevalence to the vulnerable groups in Iringa.
The
USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian Andy Karas and his Deputy Mission
Director Helen Pataki looks at the clothes made by Mwanahamisi Mketo
(23) during his field visit in Iringa to assess the implementation of
USAID funded Project activities. Mwanahamisi Mketo she is a member of
Behavior Change Communication group conducted by Jhpiego at kihesa ward
in Iringa who are also economically empowered.
The
United State Agency for International Development (USAID) funded
projects in iringa has demostrated how their bringing impacts to the
lives of the people in Iringa. This expression was made by USAID funded
NGO’s and local CSO’s to the newly USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian
Andy Karas who conducted a field visit in Iringa to assess the
implementation of USAID funded Project activities.
Andy
who was accompanied by his deputy Mission Director Helen Pataki and
other USAID staff expressed his appreciation to the regional
administration and local authorities for the support their giving to all
implementing partners funded by USAID in the region and thanks them for
their work their doing for the people of Iringa.
Explaining
on how they engage the local authorities and the entire community to
fight the spread of the HIV/AIDS in Iringa, the Chief of Party with
Sauti Project a Jhpiego’s lead program Dr. Albert Komba said despite the
fact that the project works in 14 region countrywide, in Iringa
Municipal they targets all Vulnerable groups including young girls by
linking them into services like Behavior Change Communication Sessions,
Economic Empowerment groups, Screening for Gender Based Violence and
cancelling on usage of Alcohol and Drugs.
“we
are working to ensure we reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS because the
groups we are targeting like these adolescence girls and female sex
workers are more vulnerable and engaging them in the fight against HIV
will lead to an HIV/AIDS free generation in Iringa” said Dr. Komba
As
part of their interventions to reduce HIV/Aids prevalence, the project
also has mobilized girls to form WORTH+ groups which is the voluntary
money saving groups for income generating activities, and train them on
economic empowerment, gender issues and how to protect themselves
against high risk behaviors of which most girls from these groups have
managed to change their lives by living a decent life.
Reaching
a testimonie delivered by Scholina Charles (22) a young girls from
umoja groups on the risk she went through before joining the sauti
project, she said the situation was devastating and because of her
economic status from her family she got engaged into sex business as
part of income generating.
“The
situation was bad, I remember men used to bribe me even for two hundred
shilling to have sex with them and I had no option. But now that I have
joined this group, I am empowered with self-awareness on the risk of
HIV/AIDS, gender violence, and through this group I have also managed to
raise money and now I am engaging into agricultural activities and
employ men in my maize farm”. Said Scholina.
Earlier
speaking with USAID delegation and other USAID funded implementing
partners, the Iringa Regional Administration Secretary Wamoja Ayubu
thanks the delegation for the support they are giving to the region
level by complimenting government effort in the health sector
agriculture sector and other sectors especially by emphasizing the
inclusion and empowerment of youth and woman.
“The
government has policy and laws which advocates for the inclusion of
gender especially youth and woman in all activities, I am happy that
USAID is also advocating that and we promise to collaborate with all
partners to empower them especially locals so that they bring up new
ideas for development and at the regional level. In our side we will
chip in to address all challenges that might be faced by our
implementing partners” she insisted.
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