Scope & Projects
Mandate & Scope of Work
The clarification of CHAVITA’s mandate is stipulated in its constitution. The hedge of its operational parameters is also provided by the relevant laws of the United Republic of Tanzania, with a cautious attention to the social-cultural context of the country. In its third decade of existence, CHAVITA strong base is its constitution as heralded by three organs led by Deaf people themselves named the Annual General Meeting, the National Executive Board and the Secretariat Meeting. The Annual General Meeting is the highest decision making organ. The National Executive Board is the supervising organ in day to day activities, while the Secretariat under its chief supervisor the Executive Director is responsible for operationalising and implementing CHAVITA programmes and activities. Currently, CHAVITA’s activities are carried out under the following programatic areas:
Programatic Areas
CHAVITA strives to promote awareness and respect for the legal and human rights of Deaf people. This is achieved by sensitising and empowering Deaf people themselves, sensitising communities and the wider public, institutions and the Government. CHAVITA’s advocacy efforts are often directed towards ensuring that enacted legislations and developed policies, together with their implementation, are favourable for Deaf people.
CHAVITA promotes economic empowerment by linking Deaf people with sources of capital, trainings, and income generation activities provided by CHAVITA, as well as with those provided by other stakeholders.
This programme aims to increase awareness and usage of Tanzanian Sign Language (TSL) amongst Deaf and hearing people. This is achieved through provision of sign language training, co-ordination of an interpretation service, undertaking TSL research and production of the TSL Dictionary and other related materials.
The role of this department is to prioritise and integrate gender issues into all aspects of CHAVITA’s programmes and at the same time to empower and build skills of Deaf women, sensitise deaf women regarding their rights and self-worth; capacity building to deaf women through training and provision of guidance for value addition in their services and products; linking deaf women to sources of capital and promotion of innovative income generation projects.
The responsible department works to develop an effective membership base through the mobilisation of Deaf people, ensuring their active participation in developing strategies for solving their problems and advocating for their rights. National and international public relations and CHAVITA publicity materials are also co-ordinated by this department.
The social and economic inclusion of deaf people is supported by this department, through such activities as job placement and guidance, counselling, providing a link between Deaf people and audiological services and ensuring that Deaf children are enrolled in schools.
Projects Summary
Deaf people are part of human diversity facing challenges with achieving human rights. In Tanzania, Deaf people live in deplorable conditions due to social, economic, prejudice and legal barriers which prevent their integration into all life aspects of society, as well as enjoyment and exercising basic human rights and freedoms as other members of the society. Currently, the rights of Deaf people are stipulated in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Tanzania Disabilities Policy 2004, Tanzania Disability Act 2010 and the Tanzania Education Policy 2014. This project directly addresses the need for local governments to embark on formulation of inclusive and affirmative plans/actions that aim at ensuring Deaf people attain equal rights and opportunities to participate effectively in public accountability and local government matters. All policies, laws, programs and services also need to be made accessible to Deaf people as a matter of right and not charitable as it is now. The project will concentrate in the Arusha Urban area of North Tanzania close to the Kilimanjaro Region where Deaf people of Masai ethnicity live.
The project strategy will focus on delivering quality training and awareness raising of advocacy skills and the implementation of local and international disability legislation. The project will work with municipals and wards officials in Arusha Urban training them on topics relating to the equal rights of Deaf people that can be attained with inclusive and affirmative plans/actions. This will allow Deaf people to participate effectively in public accountability and local governance process with access to policies, laws, programs and services. At least 25 Deaf people in Arusha Urban, including Deaf Masai, will be sensitized/trained on their constitutional rights, disability specific legislation both from the local to international level, the contents of public accountability and governance processes and advocacy strategies. At the end of the project, the trained participants will become trainers, teaching about the processes and strategies to other Deaf people in the region.
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Poverty Reduction ProjectThe objective of this project is to enhance self reliance of the Tanzanian Deaf, especially women and youths in the 7 project regions of Kagera, Kigoma, Singida, Mtwara, Lindi, Kilimanjaro and Arusha.
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Sign Language Training & Advocacy Project in TanzaniaThe objective of this project is to strengthen sign language development in Tanzania at district levels through training sign language to trainers, deaf people, parents of deaf and service providers.
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Sexual Reproductive Health Rights to Youths ProjectThis project aims at sensitizing deaf youths girls to boys aged 10 to 24 years on sexual health rights and equipping them with life skills for combating HIV/AIDS and poverty.
CHAVITA’S PRIORITIES AND NEEDS FOR NEXT FIVE YEAR 2017-2020
| PRIORITIES / THEMATIC AREAS OF WORK | EXISTING BRANCH AT GRASS ROOT LEVEL | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Training & development of CHAVITA leaders & staffs |
1. CHAVITA - Morogoro Region Branch 2. CHAVITA -Tanga Region Branch 3. CHAVITA - Mwanza Region Branch 4. CHAVITA - Ruvuma Region Branch 5. CHAVITA - Arusha Region Branch 6. CHAVITA - Shinyanga Region Branch 7. CHAVITA - Dodoma Region Branch 8. CHAVITA - Dar es salaam Region Branch 9. CHAVITA - Coast Region Branch 10. CHAVITA- Mtwara Region Branch 11. CHAVITA - Tabora Region Branch 12. CHAVITA- Mara Region Branch 13. CHAVITA- Kagera Region Branch 14. CHAVITA- Iringa Region Branch 15. CHAVITA Mbeya Region Branch 16. CHAVITA- Kigoma Region Branch 17. CHAVITA- Kilimanjaro Branch |
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| 2 | Capacity Development on Resource Mobilization at Headquarters and branches level . | ||
| 3 | Raising awareness and sensitizing various stakeholders on the rights and potential of Deaf people and the key issues affecting them | ||
| 4 | Developing Tanzanian Sign Language. | ||
| 5 | Economic Empowerment of Deaf People at regions branches level | ||
| 6 | Raising awareness and sensitizing various stakeholders on the rights and potential of Deaf people and the key issues affecting them | ||
| 7 | Lobbying for implementation of UNCRPD, SDG and the protocols to Africa Charter on Human Right on the Right of Right of persons with Disabilities with specific attention to Deaf people and Sign Language. | ||
| 8 | Improving accessibility in Deaf Education through bilingual education | ||
| 9 | Empowering Deaf people to participate in community development through removal of social stigma | ||
- The Tanzania Association of the Deaf (CHAVITA) its headquarter premises is located at Plot 14/2 Mtoni areas Dar es salaam City
- Phone: +255 22 2856829
- Fax: +255 22 2856829
- E-Mail: info@chavita.or.tz
- Language: English | Swahili