TANZANIA: US dishes out 16bn/- to fight child labour

BY BEATRICE PHILEMON

Over 12,200 children and families living in poverty in Tanga and Kigoma regions will benefit from a grant worth USD 10 million donated by American people to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to combat child labour in Tanzania.

 This was revealed yesterday by US Ambassador Alfonso Lenhardt before handing over a cheque worth 16.3bn/- to the IRC.

He said the American people have decided to support children because they want to protect victims of child labour from hazardous work environment they are often subjected to and enable them go to school and the money will also help their families establish sustainable business so as the children won’t have to work to cater for their families.

 Currently, the majority of children from poor families are engaged in hazardous working environment like in mines and exploitative agriculture estates something that affects their health, growth and keep them from school. 

“As American people and the US government, we have decided to support these children and combat exploitative child labour practices in Tanzania because we want to build a brighter future for the country… some of these children could someday become scientists, lawyers, doctors or leaders of this country,” he said.

According to Lenhardt the grant was donated to IRC by American people through the United States Department of Labour. 

The project targets six districts in Kigoma and Tanga regions, the regions that have high rate of child labour. 

“The IRC project will address both the victims of child labour and the government’s capacity to address it,” he noted.

The Ambassador said IRC will get children into schools, train youths in business and entrepreneurship skills, and help raise household income and link families to existing village community banks and social protection services.

He said IRC will also work with local and central government to build their capacity in implementing policies to eliminate child labour.

Meanwhile, Yvonne Prempeh Ferguso, Director for IRC expressed gratitude to the United States government for providing funds for the project. 

“On behalf of the children that we serve, the IRC and its partners; World Vision, Tanga Youth Development Association, Kiota Women’s Health and Development, the University of Dar es Salaam, and the Foundation for Civil Society, we express our gratitude to the US government because today they have reached out these children and have made their dreams possible,” she said. 

She added that, “These funds will be used to implement this project and deliver outcomes at the highest quality.”

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN (02/03/2013): http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=51821