FCS, CtGA equip local organisations to tackle challenges in communities
DODOMA: SEVERAL local organisations from across the country have been given training on approaches of mobilising support for their areas in order to help solve community challenges and get support from people in communities.
The focus was to remind the organisations to ensure that local communities realise that they have the power in their hands to solve local challenges and have a sense of ownership on projects on the ground.
The five days training held in Dodoma and involved 25 participants was organised by the Foundation for Civil Society (FCS), with the support of the Change the Game Academy (CtGA) with the aim to empower them to mobilise resources locally.
Speaking on the sidelines of the capacity building training, Neil Nagala, FCS Progamme Support Officer, said the aim was to provide local organisations with ways and skills on new perceptions on mobilising support.
According to him, through the training, local organisations are able to gain a variety of options that can help to stimulate peer learning and experience sharing among members of various organisations.
A trainer on mobilising support, Mr. Fredrick Alex, noted that it is important for organisations to gain knowledge on how to do advocacy at the project areas and get support from the local communities. He added that the training was also set to help the organisations not to continue depending on external donors or development partners while they can gain support locally and solve problems facing people.
“The aim of the training is to enable participants to mobilise support from the government, individuals, decision makers and other stakeholders who can participate in helping solve problems” he said.
He said they were empowered on problem analysis, solution analysis and stakeholders’ analysis and techniques for advocacy.
Furthermore, the trainer noted, the expectations include change of perception from the participants on how to tackle facing the community, collaboration with the government and other stakeholders in effort to see how to solve community problems together.
One of the participants, Peter Masoi, from Arusha-based Agro-Support Organisation, commenting on the training noted that capacity building on mobilising support was very handy.
“We have realised how to improve engagement with other stakeholders in our project areas and beyond” he said, adding that it is important to let people on the ground develop a sense of ownership in the projects too.
Ms. Happy Augustine from the Tanzania Health and Social Services (THSS) also noted that she managed to realise the gaps in mobilising support within her organisation.
“Local NGOs need more of such capacity building training to enable them operate effectively and let people understand what they can do to solve problems in the communities” she noted.
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She also argued that sustainability of projects is very important and that organisations should shift from donor dependency and seek funding locally through different ways.
