English version is below.
Wanamtandao wapendwa
Utolewaji wa Ruzuku kwa wanamtandao kutoka Foundation
Kama mnavyojua kutokana na emaili yangu ya mapema mwezi huu, ruzuku za mtandao zilicheleweshwa kutokana na vitendo vibaya alivyofanyiwa Violet Yimbo ambaye alikubali kufanya kazi kama kaimu mratibu na pia kutokana na tatizo la kupata kitabu cha hundi kutoka benki kwa mujibu wa viongozi. Tumeambiwa na viongozi kwamba, karibu ruzuku 10 hivi zimeshatoka na tunatarajia kwamba ruzuku karibu zote zitakuwa tayari zimesambazwa ifikapo wiki ijayo. Hivyo, kabla hujaondoka kwenye mkutano huu leo hakikisha umekubaliana muda wa kukutana kwa ajili ya kupokea ruzuku kutoka kwa mratibu au naibu wake.
Ruzuku za vitu
Kwa vikundi vitatu (Moms, Twafaha na Woyona) tumepata ugumu wa kuhakikisha kwamba walitumia ruzuku yao ya 2007 vizuri. Ili kuwapa nafasi wapate kuonyesha uwajibikaji katika utendaji tumeamua kuwapa ruzuku kwa njia ya vitu (ambapo wanapaswa kupewa vitu badala ya fedha) tukitumaini kwamba hili litatusaidia kuthibitisha kwamba fedha yote ilitumika kwa kuwanufaisha watoto. Vikundi hivyo vitatu havikufurahishwa na maamuzi hayo, jambo ambalo linaeleweka wazi. Tunakaribisha ushauri kutoka kwenu juu ya hilo. Kwa sababu hakutakuwa na muda wa kutosha kujadili hilo kwenye mkutano, tafadhali mmpe maoni yenu Donatian au Violet au kiongozi yeyote wakati wa mapumziko au mnitumie email moja kwa moja.
Ruzuku kwa robo robo
Kwa vikundi
vingine, tumezingatia kuhusu suala la uongozi na tunategemea kwamba
vikundi vitaweza kuimarisha uongozi. Vikundi hivi vitapata ruzuku kamili
lakini ikiwa imegawanyika katika sehemu nne za malipo mpaka watakapoweza
kufanya mabdiliko haraka. Kwa mantiki hiyo basi vikundi hivi visitegemee
kupanga kulipia watoto gharam za shule kwa mwaka huu. Kwa kipindi kirefu
kijacho tunategemea kwamba uongozi imara ndani ya vikundi utakuwa msaada
mkubwa kwa watoto. Tumeviomba vikundi hivi kujadiliana na Donatian ili
vipate kuandaa mpango wa maendeleo na tunasubiri kusikia matokeo yake.
Ruzuku zilizosimamishwa:
Vikundi vitatu bado havijapokea ruzuku kutoka kwetu:
- Kwa Preventive Health Care Frontiers, mwezi Desemba tuliona kuna uthibitisho hafifu sana kwamba ruzuku yetu ilitumika kuwasaidia watoto, na badala yake tuliona dalili za kwamba fedha zilitumika vibaya.
- Kwa CISO, tulipokea taarifa kutoka kwa mfadhili mwingine kwamba walikuwa na utata katika matumizi ya shilingi Milioni 10. kwa hali hiyo basi tumeamua kusitisha ruzuku yao mpaka watakapotatua tatizo hilo. Kwa sasa inaonekana hakuna matumaini ya kuendelea na ruzuku hizo.
- Kwa Chiyowonet, tumaearifiwa kwamba kuna mfadhili mwingine ameona utata na jambo hili bado liko kwenye majadiliano wakati tukisubiri maoni kutoka kwa mfadhili huyo. Lakini tunamatumaini makubwa kwamba mpango wa ruzuku utaendelea.
- Ingawa tumetoa ruzuku kwa Iyana, malalamiko yameletwa kwetu kuhusu matumizi ya fedha za ruzuku. Viongozi wa Iyana wametuambia kwamba malalamiko hayo yalifanywa na mwanachama wao mmoja wa zamani ambaye alifukuzwa kazi kutokana na tuhuma za ubadhirifu. Lakini hata hivyo tunadhani ni vizuri kufanya uchunguzi juu ya namna walivotumia ruzuku ya 2007 na uchunguzi huo unaendelea kufanyika hivi sasa. Tutawajulisheni tutakapopata matokeao ya uchunguzi huo.
Ushirikiano na wafadhili wengine
Wafadhili wengi wanajifunza kwamba wanaweza kuwasaidia watoto walio katika mazingira magumu na kuchangia katika maendeleo ya Afrika kwa kushirikishana ujuzi ili rasilimali na fedha ziweze kulenga kwa mashirika ambayo yanafanya vizuri katika matumizi ya fedha. Tumejidhamini katika ushirikiano huu na kwa mwaka huu tumefanikiwa kuunda mawsiliano mapya na wafadhili wengine wa Dar es Salaam. Yaani tunabadilishana taarifa kuhusu ruzuku zetu na wafadhili kama PACT, CARE, USAID, Foundation for Civil Society, Rapid Funding Envelope na wengineo. Vikundi vitakavyojitokeza na mipango mipya na kuonekan kwamba vinafanya vizuri, tutahakikisha kwamba tunavithibitisha na kutoa nukuru kwa wafadhili wengine. Kinyume chake, kama tutakuwa na mashaka kwamba fedha hazikutumika vizuri, basi tutahakikisha tunawatahadharisha wafadhili wengine.
Mkutano kwa ajili ya Ruzuku na mkataba wa African Communities.
Jinsi ruzuku zinavyosambazwa na matumizi ya mkataba mwaka huu ni mambo mapya kufanyika ndani ya mtandao weut. Baadhi ya vikundi havikufurahia hali hii: Eliada Maneno wa Tawosu ndio hasa ana hasira. Sisi huku Londoni tunadhani kwamba matatizo ya kifedha hujitokeza katika vikundi pale ambapo kiongozi mmoja au wawili wanapoamua kukumbatia taarifa za shirika na kuwasahau viongozi wengine. Ndiyo maana tumelenga katika kuhakisha kwamba kila mwanakikundi anapata taarifa zinazohitajika kuhakikisha kwamba fedha zinatumika kwa watoto vizuri na kuwa na nguvu ya kufanya mabadiliko ikitokea kuna tofauti ya malengo hayo. Tumegundua kwamba wazo la kufanya mikutano ya kukabidhi hundi na mkataba vimekuwa na utata na hivyo tunatarajia kusikia maoni yenu. Na hapa tena naomba mtoe maoni yenu kwa Jaka, Shabani, Steven, Donatian au Violet wakati wa mapumziko kwenye mkutano wa March 1 na muwaombe wanitumie kwa email au ukiweza unitumie email moja kwa moja.
Mradi wa maktaba
Shirika letu la Londoni limekubali kutoa ruzuku ya $3,000 kwa ajili ya mradi wa maktaba ndogo kama ilivyopendekezwa na Mtandao mwaka jana. Tumehamasika sana na mradi huu na tunajitahidi kupata mipango madhubuti kutoka kwa Steven Milambo ili kuuwezesha uende haraka. Steven ana nakala ya maswali kwa ajili ya wanavikundi ambayo yatasaidia kuainisha vitabu vinavyohitajika kwa watoto mnaowasaidia – tafadhali hakisha unapata nakala na rudisha majibu kwake.
Habari Njema juu ya mahesabu ya fedha
Shabani madega amefanya bidii kubwa sana katika kuanza kufanya kazi za mtandao kama Mtunza hazina mpya, na tayari ameshatutumia nakala ya maelezo ya benki ya mwezi Januari. Hili ni tukio la pekee kwa mtandao wetu na taarifa za mara kwa mara zitwasaidieni kujua namna fedha ya mtandao inavyotumika na inaenda wapi.. tumeshachapisha hayo maelezo ya benki na pia mahesabu ya Shabani kwenye tovuti yetu. Kila mmoja anakaribishwa kuyaona (angalia kwenye tovuti ifuatayo:
www.africancommunities.org) na mnakaribishwa kuuliza maswali au kutoa maoni yeyote yale.
Mipango ya ukaguzi wa mahesabu ya fedha
Mwaka jana
Viongozi wa mtandao na wengine walishauri kwamba tunapaswa kufanya zaidi
ili kuhakikisha namna vikundi vinavyotumia fedha zao. Baada ya kufikiri
sana kuhusu jambo hili tumeanza kutafuta wakaguzi wa mahesabu wa kujitegemea
ambao watatusaidia kufanya ukaguzi mdogo wa mahesabu kwa vikundi wanachama
wa mtandao ili kuona namna fedha inavyotumika. Ukaguzi huu unatarajiwa
kufanyika katika nusu ya pili ya mwaka 2008, na vikundi ambavyo vitafanyiwa
ukaguzi vitachaguliwa bila kuzingatia mtiririko. Kwa hiyo tafadhali
naomba mjitahidi kutunza kukmbukumbu nzuri kama itatokea mnafanyiwa
ukaguzi – na pia kumbuka kuwa kama mnamatatizo katika masuala ya mahesabu
basi mnakaribishwa kuomba msaada au kupatiwa mafunzo.
Habari njema kwa Red house 2000
Mfadhili asiyejulikana
ametujia na kutueleza juu ya nia yake ya kutoa zawadi ya $500 kwa Red
house 2000. Hii ni habari njema sana, na pia ni ishara ya kuwa na imani
na Theobald Mtema ambaye amefanya kazi nzuri sana katika shirika lake.
Tunatumaini kwamba kila mmoja wenu atampongeza Tehobald na kwamba vikundi
vingine vingi vitahamasika na kwenda kutembelea Red house kutaka kuona
ni nini kinachowavutia wageni wengine wanaotembelea kikundi hicho.
Matarajio ya Mwaka 2008
Mwanzoni mwa
mwaka 2008 kumekuwa na magumu katika mtandao wetu, yaani kutokana na
mabadiliko ya viongozi, sheria mpya za ruzuku na manung'uniko ndani
ya mtandao. Tunatarajia kwamba mambo yanaweza kwenda vizuri kadri tunavyosonga
mbele, na tunategemea kufanya kazi nanyi kwa ajili ya manufaa ya watoto
mnaowasaidia na kujifunza namna ya kuendesha mtandao vizuri zaidi. Kama
kawaida yetu, tunakaribisha maswali, malalamiko, ushauri na maoni. Tafadhali
mwombe kiongozi au mratibu yeyote atutumie kwa njia ya email au tuma
moja kwa moja kwa email yetu huku London.
Kila kla kheri
Imeandaliwa na:
Tim Jackson
Na kutafasiriwa na:
Donatian Marusu
1 Machi 2008
1 March 2008
Dear network members
Delivery Grants from Foundation to Member Groups
As you know from my emails earlier this month, grants to the network were delayed by some bad treatment of Violet Yimbo, who agreed to act as the network’s deputy coordinator, and by problems in obtaining cheques from the bank reported by the officers. We have been told by the officers that about 10 grants have been given out and we expect most of the rest of the grants to be distributed in the coming week. You should make sure before you leave the meeting today that you have agreed an appointment time for you to hold your grant meeting and receive a visit from the coordinator or deputy.
Grants in Kind
With three groups in the network (Moms, Twafaha, Woyona) we have had problems verifying that they used their 2007 grants properly. In order to give them a chance in 2008 to show responsible management, we have offered them grants ‘in kind’ (where they are given goods instead of money) in the hope that this will allow us to be sure that all the money was used for the benefit of children. The three groups are not happy about this, which is understandable. We would welcome advice from other members about this. Since there will not be time to discuss this in the monthly meeting, please give your opinions to Donatian or Violet or an officer in the breaks, or please send me an email.
Quarterly Grants
With some other groups, we are concerned about some governance issues and hoping that the groups will be able to strengthen their governance. These groups will get a full grant, but spread over four payments unless they are able to make changes quickly. We realize that this means it is not possible for the groups to use funding to send children to school for the year. Over the long term, we believe that stronger governance in groups will be helpful to children. We have asked the groups to talk to Donatian to come up with a development plan and we are waiting to hear the results of this.
Suspended Grants
Three groups in the network have not yet received a grant offer from us.
- At Preventive Healthcare Frontiers in December, we saw little evidence that our grant had been used to help children, but instead saw signs that money had been misused.
- At CISO, we were informed by another donor that they had serious concerns about the use of over 10 million shillings in grant money. In both cases, we suspended the grant and invited the group to try to resolve the issues. These grants are now not likely to go ahead.
- At Chiyowonet, we have been notified that another donor has some concerns, and the matter is still open while we wait to hear from the other donor, but we are very much hoping that the grant will go ahead.
- Although we offered a grant to Iyana, a complaint has been made to us about Iyana’s use of funds. Iyana’s officers have told us that the complaint was made by a former staff member fired for dishonesty. Nevertheless, we feel it’s important to carry out some checks on how they used their 2007 grant, and these checks are taking place now. We will update you when we know the result.
Cooperation with Other Donors
Many donors
are learning that they can help vulnerable children and help contribute
to the development of Africa by sharing knowledge with each other so
that resources and money can be focused on organizations that are making
the best of use of them. We are committed to this cooperation, and this
year we have forged new links with other funders in Dar es Salaam. This
means that we are exchanging information on our grantees with Pact,
CARE, USAID, Foundation for Civil Society, Rapid Funding Envelope and
others. When groups are coming up with new programs and seem to be working
well, we are making sure we recommend them and provide references to
other funders. Conversely, if we are worried that funds are not being
properly used, then we make sure to warn other grant makers.
Grant Meetings and AfricanCommunities Charter
The way that
grants are being distributed this year, and the use of the charter,
are both new. Some groups are not happy with this; Eliada Maneno of
Tawosu is especially angry. Our feeling in London is that financial
problems can come up in groups if one or two officers can withhold information
from the other group leaders; that is why our focus is on trying to
make sure that individual members of each group have the information
they need to make sure money is being well used to help children, and
the power to change things if not. We realize that the idea of holding
grant meetings and the charter are controversial, and we’d like to
hear your opinions. Once again, please give your opinions in the breaks
at the March 1st meeting to Jacka, Shabani, Steven, Donatian or Violet,
and ask them to email me – or if you prefer, email me directl yourself.
Library Project
Our foundation in London has agreed to give a grant of $3,000 towards the micro-library project proposed by the network last year. We are excited about this project, and we are looking forward to getting a detailed set of plans from Steven Millambo so it can go ahead quickly. Steven has a questionnaire for member groups which will help to identify books that would be useful for the children you serve – please make sure you get a copy of this and return it to him.
Good News on Accounts
Shabani Madega has made a great start as the network’s new treasurer, and he has sent us a copy of the network’s bank statement for January. This is a first for the network, and prompt information about the finances will help you as members to know how the money is being spent and where it is going. We have published the bank statement and also Shabani’s accounts on the web site. Anyone is welcome to look (see www.africancommunities.org) and ask any questions or make any comments.
Audit plans
Network officers and others suggested last year that we should do more to verify how member groups are spending their grants. After thinking hard about this, we have started identifying independent auditors who can carry out short audits on member groups to see how money was used. These audits are likely to take place in the second half of 2008, and the groups in the network that receive an audit may be chosen at random. Please make sure you keep good records in case you receive an audit visit – and please remember that if you have problems with accounts, you are welcome to ask for help and training.
Good News for Red House
An anonymous donor has approached us and announced a plan to give a gift of $500 to Red House 2000. This is wonderful news, and is a vote of confidence in Theobald Mtema, who has done such excellent work at Red House. We hope everyone will congratulate Theobald and that many other groups will be inspired to go and visit Red House to find out what impresses other visitors.
Looking forward in 2008
The beginning
of 2008 has been difficult for the network, with a change of officers,
new grantmaking policies, and some internal arguments. We hope that
things can go more smoothly as the year progresses, and we’re looking
forward to working with you for the benefit of the children you serve
and learning how to help the network operate better. As always, we welcome
your questions, concerns, advice and opinions. Please ask an officer
or a coordinator to pass them on to us, or email me directly in London.
Best wishes
Tim
Lt
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