Tusonge Community Development Organisation

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TUSONGE is a Tanzanian NGO that works with marginalized groups in the grassroots communities of Kilimanjaro region.  The organisation started its work in 2011 in Moshi Municipality and the Majengo ward in six hamlets. TUSONGE’s mission is to enable disadvantaged women, men, youth and people with disabilities (PWDs) “to create prosperity, health, freedom and contribute to a vibrant and sustainable economy”.  TUSONGE’s projects focus on three key areas; Women’s Economic Empowerment, Human rights Education and Child protection.  Tusonge believes that there is ability in disability and facilitation and leadership support is needed to enable PWD to transform from a condition of poverty to a dignified standard of living.  TUSONGE’s five-year strategic plan (2014-2018) sets the target that under the Economic Empowerment, 5% of beneficiaries reached are PWDs. They currently support one group of 40 PWDs (5 men, 35 women) with a focus on commercial agriculture and livestock keeping. TUSONGE is a Swahili word meaning that “let’s advance or let’s move forward together”.

TUSONGE believed that the only means to overcome social injustice, which has haunted women, youth, children and marginalized groups in the communities for so long, is through a participatory and holistic empowerment process that will respect the Right based approach. They expected that as a result of TUSONGE’s efforts the following would happen:

  1. Participants of the programme would increase the market access of their products
  2. Participants of the programme would increase their income from their business, and enhance profitability
  3. Participants of the programme would increase their self-esteem and confidence towards addressing socio-economic challenges
  4. The enabling environment for these entrepreneurs to work more effectively and efficiently would be enhanced towards respecting their rights and human values
  5. Participants of the programme would increase  their access to production factors that could facilitate their day to day business life
  6. The wider community would adopt the basic principles of gender equity and rights through gender-conscious policies and planning frameworks.  Since 2011 TUSONGE has supported 750 entrepreneurs including women 75%, Youth 15% and men 10%and their dependents. Their activities were positively evaluated in 2013 and reflected positive outcomes as well and increasing demand for the service in communities especially those in rural setups.

OUR VISION

TUSONGE envisions a society where people enjoy equal right to sustainable livelihood, well-being, and play developmental roles as committed citizens.

OUR MISSION

To enable disadvantaged women and youth entrepreneurs to create prosperity, health, freedom and contribute to a vibrant and sustainable economy.

OUR VALUES

  1. Respect for life in all its diversity. TUSONGE values the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity. TUSONGE recognizes that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to individual human beings.
  2. Integrity, honesty and respect. TUSONGE believes that love is the overriding value that should guide us all. It therefore insists that its members and partners act with honesty and integrity. It promotes to be humble and forgiving, help each other to learn from mistakes, mend fences and move on after disagreements.
  3. Justice and respect for human rights. TUSONGE values democratic societies where communities at all levels i) guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms; ii) provide every person an opportunity to realize his or her full potential and iii) enable all to achieve a secure, meaningful and sustainable livelihood.

ORGANIZATIONAL NORMS AND PRINCIPLES

  1. Business minded. TUSONGE behaves in a professional and support her stakeholders to focus towards profit gaining.
  2. Commitment- TUSONGE considers it paramount to be focused and true to the organisational values, vision and mission.
  3. Frugality- using the scarce resources for their intended purpose, efficiently, modestly, aiming   to produce the promised results.
  4. Learning- It encourages at all levels in the organisation and amongst its stakeholders to continuously reflect on performance, draw new insights that generate new knowledge, skills  for improved action towards greater impact.
  5. Partnerships. TUSONGE seeks for effective collaboration with other development partners to enhance efficiency, and promote exchange of ideas and learning.
  6. Punctuality. TUSONGE cherished doing the right thing in the right place at the right time. Hence it is conscious that time is a resource not to be wasted
  7. Transparency and accountability. TUSONGE holds itself fully accountable for its words, actions and resources entrusted to them.
  8. Unity, solidarity and Inclusiveness: TUSONGE engages with all stakeholders without prejudice to influence, improve and innovate. It promotes collaboration at the household, business, community and other stakeholder levels.
  9. Voluntarism. TUSONGE strives towards practised self-motivation of staff board members, and stakeholders to work primarily towards organisation’s values and objectives, and not by individual monetary gains.

MANDATE AND SCOPE

Legally registered Certificate of Incorporation No. 73437.
In 2013, TUSONGE received a certificate of compliance with Tanzania NGO Act N0:00001517

TARGET GROUP:
Primary Target: Women entrepreneurs as primary group other include marginalized groups dealing with small business initiatives
Secondary Target: Marginalized Individuals who are deprived their social rights due to entrenched poverty Local Government