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The lake
Victoria Area Programme recently launched a comprehensive
HIV/AIDS Project in Ngorongoro, Tanzania.
The
three-year phase 1 project is, among other things, aimed at
facilitating the strengthening of communication strategies for
the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in the community.
The project
is also expected to contribute to the building of institutional
competences for multi-sectoral response to HIV/AIDS in the
district and initiating systematic learning on the linkages
between pastoralism and HIV/AIDS.
The project
is also expected to contribute to the building of institutional
competences for multi-sectoral response to HIV/AIDS in the
district and initiating systematic learning on the linkages
between pastoralism and HIV/AIDS.
The launch
follows the completion of an inception phase carried out between
October 2004 to March 2005 during which baseline studies and
consultations with local and external stakeholders in the
district were conducted.
Despite their
vulnerability to HIV due to cultural practices and mobility,
pastoralist communities are marginalised from mainstream
interventions.
Development
organisations working with the Ngorongoro community, mainly on
livelihoods, land and health have expressed concern on the
urgent need for a comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS.
Development
organisations working with the Ngorongoro community, mainly on
livelihoods, land and health have expressed concern on the
urgent need for a comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS.
Speaking
during a meeting with ACORD support mission to the project in
Loliondo town, the Ngorongoro District Commissioner Captain
Msangi said the project would greatly meet the expectations of
the pastoralist communities as they have been marginalized for
along time.
"Working with
the pastoralist in this district reminds us that the world has
not done much need to reach beyond the reachable when
considering the rolling out of HIV/AIDS interventions," said
Msangi.
Learning from
this project is expected to contribute to scaling up of
interventions on HIV/AIDS in pastoralist communities in Tanzania
and beyond.
Regular
forums for community structures, leaders and pastoralist civil
society will be conducted to strengthen the sharing and the
learning on good practices and innovative strategies on
responding to HIV/AIDS in the district.
Ngorongoro
District is located in North Eastern Tanzania Region of Arusha,
lying on the territorial border with Kenya, with a human
population of 135,000 people in 40 traditional villages.
The major
tribe in Ngorongoro is Maasai (85%), who are predominantly
pastoralist, and the agro-pastoralist Sonjo(12%). Other ethnic
groups include the Tatoga and Hadzabe, who are agro-pastoralist
and hunter-gatherers respectively.
Hosting the
Ngorongoro Crater and abundant fauna and flora, Ngorongoro is an
important tourist destination. Besides nature tourism, there is
rapid growth of cultural tourism.
Available
data suggest an average HIV prevalence of 3% in the district,
although anecdotes from blood donor centres indicate high and
rising figures.
The Oxfam
Ireland and Ereto-Ngorongoro Pastoralist Project (Ereto-NPP)
funded initiative is sure to expands ACORDs horizon on its
work with pastoralists. Other projects are in Northern Uganda,
Ethiopia and Angola, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Northern Uganda.
For more
information about the initiative, contact: Donald Kasongi:acordtz@africaonline.co.tz;
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