The Mtoto Kwanza Project
Tanzania Early Childhood Development Network (TECDEN) is a National umbrella network of Early Childhood Development (ECD) National Civil Society Organizations working to promote Early Childhood Development in Tanzania by influencing change in policies, programs, and practices. Our work aims to impact children’s holistic development, inspired by a vision of a society where all children are developmentally on track to reach their full potential. TECDEN has been in operation since 2000 and is a leading platform for ECD dialogue coordination among civil society organizations and other ECD stakeholders.
TECDEN in partnership with Children in Crossfire (CiC) secured funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to deliver a three years project from 2022 to 2024 to catalyze the implementation of the launched National Multisectoral ECD Programme (NM-ECDP) 2021/22-2025/26 across national and sub-national levels.
This is a three years project from 2021/2022 to 2023/2024 funded by Conrad Hilton Foundation which will be implemented in Tanzania mainland to catalyze the implementation of the National Multisectoral Early Childhood Development Program (NM-ECDP) 2021/2022-2025/2026 which was launched in December 2021. Its launch has opened up opportunities for various ECD stakeholders to support its implementation in various areas of the program objectives.
The Mtoto Kwanza Project is implemented in partnership between Government of Tanzania, TECDEN, CiC, and the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC) across all 26 regions of Dodoma, Dar Es Salaam, Lindi, Mbeya, Tabora, Manyara, Kagera, Arusha, Morogoro, Rukwa, Singida, Shinyanga, Mwanza, Geita, Mara, Katavi, Simiyu, Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Pwani, Mtwara, Ruvuma, Njombe, Iringa, Kigoma, and Songwe.
Therefore, TECDEN in collaboration with Children in Crossfire (CiC) and the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC) through the Mtoto Kwanza Project is positioned to contribute to the implementation of NMECDP at National and sub-national levels while keeping its core mandate to coordinate non-state actors to support implementation and monitoring of NMECDP at all levels. The success of this project lies in seeing NMECDP delivered in practice. Effective Civil Society Organizations’ participation and Media and Community voices are critical aspects in the implementation of NMECDP. It is expected civil society organizations work collaboratively with the regional government to expand access and engage the general public to stimulate demand and accountability on the implementation of NMECDP. The project aims to enhance the government, partners, and stakeholders’ capacity to integrate NMECDP priorities into their plans and budget beyond.
Overall Mtoto Kwanza Project Objectives:
1. (Macro-level) Strengthen the capacity of TECDEN to effectively coordinate civil society organizations to participate, in the implementation and monitoring of NMECDP
2. (Meso-level) Build the capacity of local civil society organizations to support regional-level advocacy and coordination of Multi-Sectoral ECD efforts across regional and local government
3. (Micro-level) Local media amplifying local voices for demand-driven and context-specific delivery of ECD services at national and sub-national levels.
Project coverage
The Mtoto Kwanza Project will be implemented at national level with collaboration and engagement of key ECD Ministries- Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups (MOCDGWSGs), President Office- Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MOEST), Ministry of Finance (MOF)., engagement of National and International ECD stakeholders and to regional level across 26 Regions of Tanzania’s Mainland by engaging Civil Society Organizations.
The projects intend to;
1. To support coordination of the NMECDP implementation at the sub-national level including reporting progress, and supporting convening local implementing partners ECD coordination meetings;
2. To participate in the regional NMECDP implementation review meetings to be convened by regional and local government;
3. To create wider community awareness and public demand on ECD services delivery;
4. To advocate for resource allocation to invest in early childhood development services.
Tanzania ECD Network in catalyzing the implementation of the Programme at Regional Administration and Local Government partnered with one Civil Society Organization at region level to coordinate and work with the government and non state actors to support the implementation of the National Early Childhood Development Programme 202½2-2025/26 as indicated bellow;