Tanga launches five-year project to save orphans, vulnerable children

TANGA Region has launched a five-year project with a goal to improve the health, well-being, and protection of vulnerable children, including orphans under- 17 years of age.

Tanga City Mayor Abdulrahman Shillow launched the project known as ‘Kizazi Hodari’ with a call to intensify efforts to end acts of violence against children, emphasising that it is crucial to protect children, who are the future of that nation.

The project is being funded by USAID under the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). It will be implemented by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) across seven regions, which are Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Manyara, Arusha, Dodoma and Singida.

‘It is now 39 years since the discovery of HIV in Tanzania, implying that a significant number of individuals must have been infected at birth and were still infected. This must have led to the presence of a generation of orphans and children living in dangerous conditions,” Shillow said.

He added: “We must be wise to ensure that kids with HIV and all vulnerable kids are taken care of by recognising their rights.”

Acting Tanga Regional Medical Officer (RMO), Dr Clement Marcelli underscored the significance of the project, stating that orphans and vulnerable children faced a number of challenges that led to their involvement in criminal groups such as ‘Panya Road’ or Devil’s Children.

According to the project’s chief, Godson Zakaria, the project implementation which started in April this year is expected to end on March 2027. The major focus is placed on vulnerable children and their families.

The project, which covers 26 local government councils in the seven regions, is expected to benefit 65,362 individuals in total, according to a project brief presented by Wilfred Kasambala, Senior Case Management & Child Protection officer with the project.

Tanga Region leads in the number of beneficiaries with 12, 734 vulnerable children in the project to be implemented in Tanga City, Muheza, Korogwe Town Council, Korogwe District Council, and Lushoto District Council, followed by Dodoma with 10,074 expected beneficiaries,” Kasambala noted.

He said that the project would be implemented through partners, in Panga the project would be implemented by PASADIT, a church-based organization.