Agape AIDS Control Programme updated its Projects page.

• • ORGANIZATIONAL MAIN PROGRAMS

  Agape Aids Control Programme has four main programs that contribute to its realization of the stated mission and vision statements, these main programs include the following;-

  1. Child and Youth Protection; this is one of the Agape core work focusing on ensuring that children and youth are protected and supported   to achieve their full developmental potential in their life. This componet involves creation of awareness on the community and child protection actors on child rights, Education support to most vulnerable children (MVC), capacity building to various actors of child protection like school teachers, and so far about 20 school and 80 teachers were capacitated to develop school based child protection policies in Shinyanga Rural and Kishapu Districts and already, each school has developed child protection policies through involving School boards/committees; The target groups under this component are children with an age range of 0-17 years and youth with an age of 15-25 years.

  2. Legal Aid Services provision; under this component Agape is working to ensure all vulnerable communities have access to legal aid services for sustainable community with balanced justice system in Tanzania and no human rights violation. The target groups under this component are abused/violated Children, GBV survivors (women, children and youth), widows/widowers and PLHAs. For effective and efficiency legal aid services, Agape has a Legal and Child protection Officer and a Social Worker.

  3. Prevention of Gender Based Violence, Child maariages and EarlyPregnancies; under this core work, Agape works to ensure there is zero GBV tolerance in the community and people have the capacity and motive to stop child marriages and pregnancies. Currently, the Organization is implementing a two years (2014-2015) strategic intervention on "Stop Child marriages" in Shinyanga Region covering two Districts namely; Shinyanga Rural and Kishapu Districts. The project is receiving funding from Dutch Government through Terre des Hommes Netherlands. The project so far has rescued more than 200 girls - victims of child marriages of which 60 have been supported to attend one year vocational training course at Buhangija Focal Development College in Shinyanga, 49 been receiving educational support and 135 received entreprenuership skills and are being supported on small business development. The programme is intending to reach 700 girl children who are victims or at risk of child marriages. According to UN-women and UFPA 2012, Shinyanga Region ranks first with Early maariages and pregnancies rating 59% followed by Tabora 58%, Mara 55% etc.

  4. HIV/AIDS Control and Prevention; this is also a main core program of our work of which Agape has bias on awareness creation on HIV/AIDS to the communities of Shinyanga. It should also be understood that Shinyanga is among of the top five Regions in Tanzania with high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate (7.4%) which is above the national average of 5.1%. In creating awareness, Agape is also sensitizing the community on proper use of condoms and in here, Agape collaborates with other organizations and relevant government departments like the Department of Health, Community development and youth department. It is under this Component, Agape has been forming change agent community based groups for awareness creation. In addition, this component cuts across to all other three main programs. For example the identified victims of child marriages and pregnancies are also sensitized and counseled to test HIV status, e.g. out of 30 victims of child marriages been supported at Buhangija College who volunteered to test their body status five were found HIV + and they have already linked to care and treatment (CTC). 

• APPROCHES USED TO IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS

  Each and every core work/program, Agape has different approaches and some of the approaches are integrated in all programs. Below are some of the main approaches we use in our programs;-

  1. Public video session (Cinema Van); we use community videos for activities related to awareness by presenting relevant films. E.g. Films explaining the causes, effects and measures on child pregnancies the film called "Usipo ziba ufa", HIV films like "Yolanda film", "Opportunistic infection diseases films", child rights films like ''mama wa kambo" etc. In all fimls been used, after presentation community members are called for an open dialogue or discussion over the respective presented films and during the dicussion recommendations and hot zones/issues are documented for advocacy and sensitization purposes.
  2. Use of Child protection teams;Agape employs the use of CPTs from village level to District Level. Currently, 20 VDCs, 10 WCPTs and 2 DCPTs have been formed from 20 villages of Shinyanga Rural and Kishapu Districts. This approach has proved to be of validity to our program of child and youth protection because it ensures ownership and sustainability of projects, promote resource mobilization and allocation from grass root to district level, easy reporting and follow up of child abuse cases, identification of most vulnerable children, setting of community based policies and rules for child protection.
  3. Community and victims change agent groups; The organization facilitate and sensitize communities to form community based change agent groups. For example in Shinyanga Municipal, the Organization in 2011 facilitated to the formation of three youth based CBOs made up by victims of early marriages and two groups were even able in 2012/13 to receive funding from WFT for them to carry out their activities of mobilizing their fellow youth-girls for SRH education and information, decision making capacity and building voice of saying no child marriages and pregnancies.
  4. Other approaches been used by Agape are;- School clubs, capacity building to child protection actors, Advocacy meetings, IEC educational materials, Network and linkages building for GBV, legal aid and Child protection as well as service access to PLHAs; public meeting; media engagement; family reconciliation and re-unificcation approach for keeping the children safe at their homes

• STOP CHILD MARRIAGES PROJECT

  AGAPE currently is securing fund for implementing a two years (2014-2015) intervention on “Stop Child Marriages Project in Kishapu and Shinyanga Rural Districts in Shinyanga Region” funded by Terre des Hommes Netherlands supported by Dutch Government which based in The Hague. The beneficiary of this project is a child/youth who is a victim of early marriage/pregnancies and those at risk of early marriages/pregnancies with an age of 12-17 years and in need of prevention and protection from early marriages/pregnancies through education support, adolescent support groups, SRHR services, vocational training, Reproductive training to adolescent girls and boys in and out of schools, temporary shelter and child protection system strengthening through child protection teams (Ward-District level), paralegals and school committees’ project support, community sensitization using various programs like cinema, dialogues, meetings, drama, roll playing and trainings.

• STRATEGIES USED TO ADDRESS CHILD MARRIAGES PROBLEM IN SHINYANGA AND KISHAPU DISTRICT

  To address for this Intervention, VEOs, influential people, teachers, paralegals, traditional and religious leaders are used as focal persons at village level and are the ones which assist project team in identification of victims, referrals, monitoring and organizing meetings with the public, parents and that of clan’s gathering, funeral and churches. As they are familiar and influence with their communities as they live together. At ward level the Ward Development Committees members are focal points for organizing meetings, referrals and trainings including supporting project team in mobilization of communities and receiving village development reports including that of the child protection committees at ward level before are collected by field officers. At district level the focal points are SWOs, CDOs, DEOs, health staff, Police (gender desk). At all levels the project team conduct weekly visits at village level and monthly at ward and district levels.

  However, the project adopt three major approaches;- Mobilization and Advocacy; which used to ensure entry point and access to the communities for awareness creation and influence change on the harmful established norms, bylaws and dangers of child marriages. Systems strengthening; which used to ensure systems responsible for child protection to reduce child marriages are strengthened. Establishing and training of CPTs, VDCs, teachers, paralegals, WDCs and district focal points who ensure victims are supported with SRHRs, Legal Aid, PSS and prosecution of perpetrators. Capacity Building and Support (CBS); builds confidence and understanding among actors of child protection and victim themselves to reduce incidence of CMs. It involves training and support of victims on PSS, SRHR, and education and economic for them to be self reliance and resilience in their communities. Poor families also capacitated with entrepreneurship skills for them to diversify their sources of income and leave depending on bride wealth of their daughters. Also, the Project intends to reduce incidences of child marriages in 10 wards of Shinyanga Rural and Kishapu Districts by addressing the driving factors.

  This include the prevalence of cultural values that view girls as source of income, family economic pressure, ignorance and poor enforcement of child protection instruments, early pregnancies, insufficient sensitization of the community on child protection and the inadequate awareness of the girls of the health, education, legal and economic implications of child marriages. The intervention also addresses this problem by advocating for and creating awareness to communities and actors of child protection to reduce child marriages, through public meetings/dialogues, Media, Sukuma local gatherings, IEC, cinema, peer education, school campaigns, local theatres, groups to fight child marriages, meetings with leaders (local, cultural, district); Again, strengthening child protection systems to effectively support victims of child marriages from perpetrators. Also, through forming child protection teams, children councils, training legal actors/paralegals/health/education, community committees, research on the intervention practices, support legal aid to victims and prosecution of worst perpetrators, empowering victims of child marriages and girls at risk by enhancing their access to SRHRs, Education, vocational/entrepreneurship/life skills, forming girls/women mutual support groups for savings/credit and IGAs to improve their economic autonomy.

• OVERVIEW OF STOP CHILD MARRIAGES PROJECT RESULTS SINCE JANUARY 2014-DECEMBER 2014

  1. A total number of 328 victims/at risk of child marriages are supported.

  Results: Vulnerable girl’s children are now withdrawn from child marriages in 20 villages and reintegrated in formal and informal education and other in starting their own Income Generating Activities on which 135 victims/at risk of child marriages are trained on entrepreneurship, saving and credit schemes and management to start their own Income Generating Activities, 88 girl’s at risk of child marriages supported with educational support, 45 victims of child marriages are enrolled at Agape Knowledge and Training Centre to perusing secondary school education, 60 victims/at risk of child marriages are supported with vocational studies and are enrolled at Buhangija Focal Development College to pursuing Tailoring and Entrepreneurship Course. Also, this supported victims of child marriages and those at risk reported to change their life compared before their not supported. They are now able to make decision on their own for their future life.Importantly, the enrolled beneficiaries in the programme have proved that now they are aware with SRHE and access health information. This is because since their enrollment there are no new reported cases to them to go for another marriage or get impregnated.

  2. A total number of 12 Radio talk shows have been conducted by Program Director/Program Coordinator and community representatives like the members of CPTs, Police Gender and Children Desk, CDOs, SWOs, NGOs (PACESHI, Save the Children) etc. Radio talk shows help to sensitize community in the area where SCM Project is implemented and in the Region at large on the impact of CM and how Agape handle cases of child marriages and how community members can report incidences’ of child marriages to different relevant Authorities like Police (Gender and Children Desk), Social Welfare Officers, and other Members of CPTs.

  Results: Community members are aware of the rights of children and have started reporting cases of child marriages in relevant organs and at Agape offices, as a result of Radio talk shows a total number of 41 cases of CM has been reported.In addition, about 96 community members participated on giving appropriate local strategies to prevent child marriages through direct phone calls/response during Radio sessions.Further, those who participate through phone calls they asked for programme expansion to their areas e.g. Nzega, Kahama, Msalala and Ushetu.

  3. A total number of 4846 (2561 Boy’s and 2315 girl’s) students/pupils from 20 schools (10 secondary schools, and 10 primary schools in Kishapu and Shinyanga DC) were capacitated on the causes, and negative effects of child marriages, legal provision to the victims of child marriages and early pregnancies and the reporting system when issues of CM arises where do they suppose to go and report.       Facilitator used Child Act 2009, Tanzania Education Policy of 1974/2004, and other instruments from Ministry of health and social welfare. Students show positive attention during the meeting saying “We thank AACP for educating us in knowing our basic rights as children”. It is expected that students/pupils will “say no child marriages” and hence study hard to achieve positive results in their examination.

  Result’s: School meeting awareness have sensitize students/pupils on reporting incidences of CM and early pregnancies happening in their communities and up to currently a total of 34 cases reported by pupils and students in schools, on which one case was a pregnancy case where the head master was the perpetuator, this case is at Police and under investigation. In addition, he has been asked by the District Education Officer – Secondary to report to him on Tuesday of every week as a discipline action.

  4. A total number of 20 village meetings were conducted (10 in Shinyanga DC and 10 in Kishapu DC). During village meetings awareness (15,284 peoples) has been reached where by Children’s below 18 Years where (4747 Boys, and 3618 girl’s), Men’s above 20 Years where 3772, and Female above 20 Years where 3147. AACP Field Officer use Child Act of 2009, Tanzania Constitution of 1977, Educational Act of 1978 and Health Policy to create awareness to community members on the harmful norms and dangers of child marriages and made them aware on the importance of education and child protection at large. The meeting was conducted on a participatory manner were by community members allowed to give out their views and one of community members saying “Skilful parenting is highly needed to ensure parents are aware on the importance of education especially to young girls”.

  Result’s: Community members are aware of the rights of children and have started reporting cases of child abuse in relevant organs and at Agape offices. Community members have even using our phone contacts to report abuse and up to currently 45 cases (13 cases on early pregnancies and 29 cases on child marriages) were received from the community members.

  5. A total number of 1000 T-shirts has been produced with the message “Stop Child Marriages For Sustainable Community Development”, Brochures (1250), posters (750), leaflets (500) with the content on the reasons to come up with the intervention and the activities done by Agape under Tdh.NL funds to reduce CM. This t-shirt, leaflets and brochures sensitize the community and enhancing their full engagement on fighting against child marriages in their community.

  Results: T-shirts, Brochures, postures and leaflets raising community awareness on the impact of CM and this is observed due to number of messages/calls received from community members in a day on the cases of CM, and others congrats Agape on its intervention of fighting against child marriages.

  6. A total number of 20 public video sessions were conducted, (10 in Shinyanga DC and 10 in Kishapu DC). During public video sessions (15,284 peoples) has been reached where by Children’s below 18 Years where (4747 Boys, and 3618 girl’s), Men’s above 20 Years where 3772, and Female above 20 Years where 3147. The facilitators use a film namely “Usipo ziba Ufa” with a theme of impact on early pregnancies and child marriages and the training kit (DVD) which was produced by Agape with a lot of explanations on health effects of CM, Legal support and reporting system to victims of CM. At the end of a film participants have given a chance to say something with respect to film and saying “In Sukuma tribe girls are considering as an assets exchanging for cattle’s thus push many parents to do not send their daughters in school because they know that they will not benefit early if that girl went to school” also another one saying “I knew that marriage is a right of every girl/boy and claim that many girls are marriage at lower age and there is no reaction taken by the government through village government but i thank Agape for this video show and it’s my hope that many parents will change their behavior and send their daughters to school instead of considering them as an asset”.

  Results: Community members are aware of the rights of children and have started reporting cases of child abuse in relevant organs and at Agape offices. Community members have even using our phone contacts to report abuse e.g. one person from Lyabukande reported child pregnancy abuse done by a young brother of one teacher from Lyabukande secondary school. Thus, video sessions also sensitize the community on reporting cases of child marriages and early pregnancies occurring in their communities.

  7. A total number of 60 VDCs has been conducted in 20 villages, on which 480 persons (336 Male, 144 Female) have been reached. AACP Field Officer used Child Act NO 21 of 2009 to strengthening VDCs capacity to broader understanding of child rights, and child protection at large, after the meeting VDCs members prepare action plan of which they will be implemented and report progress of it to Agape at the end of every quarter. VDC’S meeting were based on participatory manner and participants were actively contributing, Example, Ms Consolata Kapela from Samuye ward at the end of the meeting said that “A problem of child marriage prior was not seen as a problem to our community, but through education we receive this is a biggest problem facing our community we will fight together in order to eliminate and stop child marriages”. Also Mr. Thomas Mnyala from Lyabukande ward said“Punishment should be provided to perpetrator who violates child rights and Education should continue being given to school children’s so as to create awareness among children on the negative implications of child marriages and early pregnancies”.

  Results: Village Development Committees currently are advocating education/health issues for adolescent girls. For examples some of the VDCs during their training on child protection agreed to integrate child marriages as an agenda on their community public meetings and common planning meetings

  8. A total number of 30 WDC’s meetings have been conducted in 10 wards in which 138 members (117 Males, 21 Female) have been reached. AACP Field Staff used Child Act NO 21 of 2009 to strengthening WDCs capacity to broader understanding of child rights, and child protection at large, after the meeting WDCs members prepare action plan of which they will be implemented and report progress of it to Agape at the end of every quarterly. Participants where saying that “if happen a child get marriage and we have full evidence we have to go to court and be witness for further step to be taken and other who marry children they will learn a lesson and stop marring children”. Also Hemed Shaaban Miki from Songwa ward said that “community is suppose to be confident in mention out those parents who likely to marry their child” and Maige Kulwa from Talaga ward said that “society is suppose to have by laws where by every member with in community must adhere and follow. By laws can be implemented in village level and every village must have its own by laws but must be known to ward level”.

  Results: Ward Development Committees are advocating education/health issues for adolescent girls. For examples some of the WDCs during their training on child protection promised integrate child marriages/early pregnancies as a cross cutting issue on their community public meetings and common planning meetings

  9. A total number of 60 quarterly meetings with traditional healers, religious leaders, traditional birth attendants and traditional leaders (Sungusungu, wazee wa wazee/clan leaders, Nsumba Ntale, Kamanda/Ntemi from 20 villages have been conducted, on which 87 (33 Females, 54 Males) were reached. The Goal of traditional leaders meeting was to strengthening child protection systems from local government to district level to ensure enforcement of relevant child protection legislation to reduce incidence of child marriages and specific objectives were (1) To address the causes and effects of child marriages among the community, (2)Awareness creation among traditional leaders and make them knowledgeable on how to report incidences of child marriages and (3) Way forward to address child marriages in the community. During the meeting one among traditional leaders Mr.       Mahona Charles Mahona said that “traditions, customs and illiterate are among core causes of child marriages and early pregnancy in the community” also Ms Sana Kalonga mentioned “bad parenting as one among the causes led to child marriage and early pregnancy”.

  Results: Traditional leaders provide education on child protection to community trough public meetings. Also, they set by laws in corporation with (Sungusungu) which guide them to provide punishment to those who those violate rights of the children’s

  10. A total number of 900 (457 boys and 443 girl’s) students/pupils from 20 schools (10 primary schools and 10 secondary schools) who made 60 school clubs to fight against child marriages were capacitated on campaigns against child marriages.

  Results: Many of them start to report some incidences as saying by “Neema Balonzizubusa 17 years of age, That, I am in form four this year 2014 at Lyabukande Secondary school, to be honest, teachers , some of them seduce us, if we refuse they punish us heavily. On behalf of my fellow student, I thank AACP for coming with this intervention because teachers and other elderly people now are afraid of being in sexual relationship with students and marrying school children.” It is highly expected that Girls are now prevented from child marriages and safe from further risk in 20 villages covering by SCM Project and students/pupils will say continue fighting against child marriages and opt to study hard.

  11. A total of 288 (168 men’s and 120 women’s) school committee members were trained on preventing of child brides and increasing sensitivity on girls’ needs in schools like SRHRs, refining school rules that deny girls victims to access education, and how to develop school child protection policy which will protect school girls from child marriages and early pregnancies, and as a result all 20 schools covered by Stop Child Marriages Project have developed School Child Protection Policy. Trainer used Ministry of Health and Social welfare manuals and other manuals on SRHRs. The training used adult learning methodologies and was participatory. Also, during the training it was requested more training on the same should be conducted because previous they used to chased out the students found with the pregnancies/marriage as one of committee member said “Before he retired back 2006 at Mwabenda Primary school located at Mwang’holongo village, Samuye ward there was a case of one pupil girl happened to get pregnancy from someone who he was unable to remember his name, but soon after they suspects that girl is pregnant they took her to Samuye health centre for pregnancy test and she was found to be pregnant. They call a school committee meeting including the pupil and her parents and then the pupil was able to name the person who impregnated her. The school committee suspended the pupil but they made follow up including take case to police and finally to the court and the person was sentenced for 3 years”.

  Results: The reached school committee members have started to take positive efforts for child protection like integrating project of SCM in the programming and reporting child abuse cases e.g. School Committee members of Idukilo report a child abuse case for the impregnated school girl. Also 20 schools have developed school based child protection policy and stamped at school notes board as public information on child protection.

  12. A total of 76 (40 men’s and 36 women’s) teachers from 20 schools were trained on extra-curricular life skills courses, like child rights, safety and protection, health awareness, career guidance and cultural sensitivity. It was a two days training per each district. The training Curriculum used for this training manuals extracted from The Law of the Child Act 2009, The Law of the Education Act 1978, Child Social Welfare Development Policy of 2008 second edition, a guide line for development of and child protection teams from district level to village level. Topics covered included Child Rights to Education, Rights to be valued, Rights to be heard , Rights to Social Welfare, how to report child rights violation, and Development of an action plan for child protection at the school level. The training used adult learning methodologies and was participatory. During the training participants give out their experiences on child marriages issues For example one female participant Madame Suzan Mwangi said “In our village nearby the secondary school, there is one old man, a traditional doctor who tends to frighten whoever speaks the reality about the illegal practices that he uses to do to young girls that he will bewitch them to death” this sometimes provoke for child marriages       and another participant gave out a story through experience in his village, he said “ I evidenced on very young girl of about 14 to 16 years of age getting married to an old man of between 55 to 65 years of age in wedlock with other three wives after giving out 36 cows as bride price or dowry two years back.       Mh! I was unaware, he added”.

  Results: Teachers trained are now competent enough on extra-curricular life skills especially on child protection and as a result of such training school teachers are now corporate with Agape to fight against child marriages and early pregnancies through providing information on child abuse cases happens in their respective schools

  13. A total of 12 Child protection teams with 156 members (35 Females and 121 Males) were established and trained on child protection systems. During the training, role play, group discussions, questions and answers and recaps were used to impart knowledge on the topics of Child rights, Child Protection Systems, Roles and Responsibilities of Child Protection Teams from District, Ward to Village Level. The topics were understood as all participants participated fully. Facilitator used manuals from The Law of the Child Act 2009, The Law of the Education Act 1978/2004, Child Welfare Development Policy of 2008 and the National Guide line for the formation of the Child Protection Teams were used. This material conjecture enabled all participants to grasp the important knowledge and relevant information in dealing with child related matters. After training participants participated fully in the training period and they actively participated in sharing different issues related to Child Rights Violation for example the Right to Education which was revealed by Ms Monica V. Kapumbe the female traditional leader from Songwa village said “ there are two families whose parents deny their girl’s children the Right to Education for example the family for Mzee Edward Kisena       there are children at the age of schooling just heavily engage in house and farm chores” after that information, the CPT members all agreed to work on it and assigned the WEO of Songwa Ward to make follow up on the matter.

  Results: The involved and trained Child Protection Team’s on child protection including prevention of child marriages accepted the project and have started integrating the same programme on their common programming. It is expected that this CPT will work to ensure children’s rights are not violated and reduce child marriages

  14. A total of 60 (29 Females and 31 Males) paralegal from Kishapu DC and Shinyanga DC were trained on child rights, child protection and legal service to victims of child marriages and early pregnancies. The training was conducted for 3 days per each district. Trainers used Paralegal training manuals provided by Tanganyika Law Society. The training used adult learning methodologies and was participatory. During the training it was discussed that more training on the same should be conducted.

  Results:Victims of Child abuse cases are now provided with legal aid and action taken against perpetrators. E.g. about five perpetrators were arrested by the police officers but now they are out for investigation; also one teacher from Lyabukande secondary school was arrested by police because of hosting a perpetrator who impregnated a school girl at his school

  15. A total of 170 (82 men’s and 88 were women’s) community members were trained on child protection. The training was conducted for 1 day in every ward. Facilitator used the Ministry of Education Manual, and Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Manuals. The training used adult learning methodologies and was participatory. During the training it was discussed that more training on the same should be conducted.       Community members also during discussion state that “School girls should be given much care so as to protect them from child marriages and early pregnancies”.

  Results: Now community members are willing to report incidences of child marriages happening in their communities and are able to contribute for victims of child marriages who decided to run away from their marriages to access vocational training and educational support. Also, community-based child protection groups develop (action plans) to protect children’s in their communities/localities.

  16. A total of 13 (10 males and 3 females) were trained in programme set up and monitoring system for Stop Child Marriages Project. Trainer used Project Monitoring Tools developed by AACP. During the training it was discussed that more training on the same topic should be conducted. Participants also gave positive feedback on the training saying “It will be useful for us (Project Staff) to be trained in every quarter so as to strengthening our capacities in documentation and reporting skills”.

  Results: Project staff members apply the skills they receive to document cases of child abuse without conflicting with AACP Child Protection Policy and Terre des Hommes Netherland Child Protection Policy.

• NETWORKING ACTIVITIES, COOPERATION WITH GOVERNMENT, OTHER DONORS/NGOs

  AGAPE collaborate with KIVULINI WOMEN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, HAKI ZA WANAWAKE, UNFPA, CHILD DIGNITY FORUM, POLICE GENDER DESK, UNICEF, and SAVE THE CHILDREN in fighting against child marriages during 16 days of activism in Shinyanga Region. This corporation is adding value to our intervention towards ending child marriages. Also, AGAPE collaborate with T-MARC who implement family matters Project in Shinyanga DC to Teenage Parents to impact knowledge of positive parenting to victims of child marriages who regarded as teenage parents. AACP corporate with relevant government departments on conducting trainings (in most time trainers used are government officials), awareness campaign against child marriages. Other organizations cooperated with so far are OPE where one of the project field officer is an attaché from the organization, PACESHI been cooperating on training and monitoring trained paralegals, Schools in the project coverage sites, Investing on Child and their Societies (ICS Africa) – have trained three Agape staff on Skilful parenting so as to ensure that Agape team are able to transfer the same skills (Skilful parenting skills) to the teenage parents we are serving/supporting in the community, Lillian Foundation – trained one Agape staff on Child protection and child policy development in Morogoro. Save the Children International has provided 7 days training to 60 AACP community volunteers on Essential Package Course for OVC services provision. Also, in November 2014 AGAPE became a member of Tanzania Network for Fighting against Child Marriages. AACP has also collaborated with WANAWAKE LIVE SHOW facilitated by Joyce Kiria through East Africa TV to document and publicise issues pertaining Violence against Children especially on the area of child marriages, and Violence against Women, the session is shown every Sunday start from 7:00 pm up to 08:00 pm and through this session AACP receive many calls and messages from different people all over the country (some asking for help and others support victims of child marriages who pursue secondary studies at Agape Knowledge and Training Centre).  

• 	PARTICIPATION OF THE TARGET GROUP IN DECISION MAKING Beneficiaries of SCM Project are involved in deciding on what kind of support they need from AACP and decide on the rules/guidelines which used to govern their IGA groups. Generally their well participated on matters regarding their lives; for empowerment purpose of the target groups we are working with, Agape has been forming school clubs in schools and adolescents groups out of school to enable children air out their views and decision making at all levels of their living. For example one of the school club at Lyabukande Secondary school after providing information of one of their fellow who was impregnated at school, one of the agape staff met them asked on whether they know the perpetrator and if yes what should be done, The club members were able to mention the perpetrator and suggest on best way of hunting and arrest him by saying to agape staff that “if you come with police come at late evening as he usually stay and drink beer at the village local centre”. This is one of the ways that shows participation of the children in the project. Other target groups have been even involved in planning like development of their own action plans for the project on what specifically they will be doing in their cadre to improve the programme e.g. trained CPTs, teachers, paralegals, traditional leaders and the children clubs groups

• AACP in 2012 were implementing a number of projects in our working Areas in Shinyanga Region, These Projects includes but not limited to;-Prevention of Early pregnancies and forced marriages, this project is being implemented in Shinyanga Municipal, Shinyanga Region with two areas of focus which are Chibe and Lubaga Wards. The project is funded by Terre des hommes Schweiz (tdh ch), of based swirtzerland.However, the Project is associated with a various Sub-programs in its implementation these are facilitation of innovative talents to Youth both in and out of Schools in the operation area, OVC support, Self-initiative clubs formation, Capacity building to the Parents and Guardians of the mentioned victims as well as Community awareness creation on HIV/AIDS and Child  Protection through conducting public Video sessions, school training programmes on Reproductive health,HIV/AIDS, Child rights and responsibilities, student debates/dialogues, drama and Roll plays.

• ''Agape Programme Coordinator shaking hand of congrats to victims of early pregnancies and forced marriages leaders who have successful formed and officially registered their three groups as community based organizations with 15 members each group, the CBOs formed are Young women Leaders-Shinyanga Chapter, Safina Young Women Development Organization and Ndala Youth Group for young women empowerment"

• Another Programme is Prevention of Child Domestic Workers (CDWs), this programme is supported by Kivulini Women's Rights Organization at Agape Aids Control Programme

• "Some of the empowered Victims of Domestic workers doing tailoring classes at Agape Hall"

• Provision of Legal Aid services especially to Women, Children, Young women/adolescent Girls/boys (youth) and other marginalized groups like the PLWHAs, people living with disabilities (PLWDs) i.e albinos, deaf, blind etc. However, agape aids control programme at current is implementing a project of Enhancing rights and justices access in Kishapu Distrcict to end GBV, the project is funded by Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF). While WiLDAF supporting us in Kishapu District, Kivulini Women's Rights Organization is doing the same support to us in Shinyanga Municipal to end Gender Based Violence (GBV) in three wards lubaga, Kambarage and Chamaguha under the Project of "We can Campaign".

"Hadija Saidi from Lyabukande Village, Shinyanga Rural at Agape offices Department of Legal Aid reporting the violation made to her of being beaten by the local security troops 'Sungusungu' that resulted into distortion of her four month pregnancy and caused continous blood breeding for consecutive three months with no any help from the community or to her husband"

• OVC Support, Agape has taken its dedicated role of supporting Opharns and Vulnerable children in some of its areas of operations that is Shinyanga Municipal, Shinyanga Rural, Kishapu, so far AACP up to August, 2013 has supported 52 OVC of which 42 from Chibe and Lubaga Wards in Shinyanga Municipal under financial support from tdh ch, 6 supported by our own contributions and 4 OVC supported by resources mobilized from community members contributions like Teacher Paul Maganya from Usule Secondary School, Teacher Kulwa Chagula from Kizumbi Primary School and Fortunata Mpara (Banker-CRDB Shinyanga Branch) and Board Member of Agape Aids Control Programme.

"some of our sponsored children at Mwasele and Town Secondary schools in a group picture at Agape Office after verifying their school fees payments"

•  Entreprenuership training to Parents/Guardians of OVC, Youth, Victims of early pregnancies, forced marriages and Domestic workers ''Below is a picture shown young women who are victims of early pregnancies and forced marriages supported with entreprenuership training by Agape using certified entreprenuership trainers from Buhangija Focal Development College, two men from the left"