Communities in Kigoma benefit from the UN

Kigoma – Last year the United Nations launched the Kigoma Joint Programme (KJP) to link the UN’s current response to refugees and migrants with an increased focus on developing the host communities. It was launched in partnership with the government of the United Republic of Tanzania, members of the Development Partners Group, the media, Civil Society Organizations, refugees and migrants host populations in Kigoma. The KJP consists of 16 UN agencies working together across six themes. Led by UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez, today the UN Communications Group (UNCG), officers from 15 UN agencies in Tanzania, local government authorities and the media visited youth and women who benefitted from a previous UN joint programme in Kigoma Town.

The KJP also builds on previous UN interventions such as a UN joint project supported by ILO, UNIDO, UNWOMEN and FAO on youth. The joint programme was conducted in collaboration with local NGO Nyakitonto Youth For Development Tanzania and the Kigoma Municipality. Over 110 youth were trained in business development services. The youth who were trained are currently running businesses in areas such as agriculture, horticulture and soap processing.

The field visit took place at the production site of one of the youth who were trained at Nyakitonto’s youth centre. The youth who were trained as part of the programme demonstrated some of their entrepreneurial activities such as soap processing. Speaking during the field visit, UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez noted that “The impact that the previous joint programme done by UN agencies in collaboration with Nyakitonto shows the positive impact we can make when working closely with the host communities in the region.”He added that, “As we continue implementation of the Kigoma Joint Programme, we aim to build on this impact and eventually expand the KJP to reach the whole region. In partnership with Norway, KOICA and Sweden, the UN is here to support the government to ensure that humanitarian interventions do not prevent development.”

Mr. Rodriguez also commended the media working in the region and committed to continuing to partner with the media to advocate for development issues being addressed by the UN through the KJP and other initiatives in the region.

Note to the Editors:

Implementation of the KJP began in July 2017. The programme consists of 16 UN agencies working together across six themes which are sustainable energy and environment; youth and women’s economic empowerment; violence against women and children; education; agriculture; and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene). The programme operates in the three districts in Kigoma that are hosting over 300,000 refugees, namely, Kasulu, Kibondo and Kakonko.

As demonstrated by the youth who benefitted from the UN joint programme in Kigoma town, the UN in Tanzania has been supporting the host population in Kigoma since before the start of the KJP. Also, while in Kigoma the UN Resident Coordinator met with Kigoma Regional Commissioner, Retired Brigadier General Emmanuel Maganga to discuss development priorities in the region.