Based in Dar es Salamm, Tanzania is ADD International’s youngest programme and works with disabled people’s organisations in three of Tanzania’s 26 regions, as well as the national federation SHIVYAWATA in Dar es Salaam.
Since moving to Dar es Salaam from Mwanza at the end of 2006 ADD Tanzania has been focussing on supporting the national umberella organisation SHIVYAWATA to enable them contribute effectively towards the growth of disability movement in Tanzania and in 2008 ADD Tanzania supported SHIVYAWATA to develop and begin implementation of a new 5 year strategic plan.
2008 also saw an increase in the confidence of disabled women and during the year more women were elected into top leadership positions i.e. CHAWATA and the Tanzania Albino Society.
During the early part of 2008 ADD Tanzania facilitated the formation of three new regional committees, in Lindi, Mtwara and the Coast region. This support will continue until these new groups are established and able to run as effective, independent organisations, estimated to be by the end of this year.
There was also a strong cohesion among all actors within the disability movement who came together hands to condemn and advocate against the albino killings. As a result the government has started to take stern measures to end the killings and bring those responsible to trial.
ADD Tanzania supported a number of national disabled people's organisations to submit successful funding applications to donors, There is ongoing advocacy and lobbying activites calling for the enactment of the Disability Bill and ratification of UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Areas for future work are the issue of HIV/AIDS and attitudes towards disabled people which remain a challenge to the Disability Movement in Tanzania.
Updated August 2009.