NGOs leaders trained to take Ownership of local projects

DODOMA: SEVERAL leaders serving in local organisations from across the country have received training on mobilising community support to address local challenges.

The focus of the training was to empower the organisations to help communities recognise their ability to tackle issues and take ownership of local projects.

The five-day training, held in Dodoma and attended by 25 participants, was organised by the Foundation for Civil Society (FCS) with support from the Change the Game Academy (CtGA).

The goal was to equip participants with skills to mobilise resources locally.

FCS Programme Support Officer, Neil Nagala, said that the training aimed to provide local organisations with new strategies for garnering support.

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He emphasised that participants learnt various approaches to facilitate peer learning and experience sharing among different organisations.

Fredrick Alex, a trainer in mobilising support, stressed the importance of understanding advocacy in project areas to secure backing from local communities.

He added that the training aimed to reduce reliance on external donors by enabling organisations to seek support within their communities.

“The aim is to empower participants to mobilise support from the government, individuals, decision-makers and other stakeholders to address local problems,” he said.

Participants were trained in problem analysis, solution identification, stakeholder mapping and advocacy techniques.

The trainer also noted that a key expectation from the training was a shift in participants’ perspectives on tackling community challenges and enhancing collaboration with government and other stakeholders.

One participant, Peter Masoi from the Arusha-based Agro-Support Organisation said that the training was invaluable.

“We have learned how to improve engagement with stakeholders in our project areas and beyond,” he said, emphasising the importance of fostering a sense of ownership among community members.

Ms Happy Augustine from the Tanzania Health and Social Services (THSS) noted that she identified gaps in her organisation’s support mobilisation efforts.

“Local NGOs need more capacity-building training to operate effectively and help communities understand how they can address their challenges,” she stated.

She also highlighted the importance of project sustainability, advocating for a shift from donor dependency to seeking local funding through various means.