This year marked 77 years since inception of United Nations on October 24, 1945 and 61 years since United Republic of Tanzania became a member to the United Nations.

This year’s theme for the commemoration was “Inclusive Communities, Leaving no one behind”, the celebration was honored by Dr Damasi Ndumbaro (Minister of constitution and Legal Affairs) at JNICC and other guests from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation, UN agencies , United Nations Association of Tanzania, ambassadors, Diplomats, Tanzania Peoples Defence Force, youth, and students.

UNA Tanzania’s Executive Director Mr. Reynald Maeda had a chance to offer his remarks during the commemoration. The remarks focused on three issues that are key to ensuring that no one is left behind and there is inclusive communities;

• Financial inclusion and Economic empowerment to vulnerable communities (Youth, women and People with Disabilities). In the past year UNA Tanzania was able to make groups of youth access 1 billion from 10% LGAs loans now is working with PO-RALG and looking forward to collaborate with UN Women in finalizing the financial guideline for the 10% local government loans that will help to reach more women, youth and people with disabilities and improve their livelihoods.
• Inclusive representation and meaningful participation in decision making platforms where UNA Tanzania is working with other partners to establish UN Youth Delegate program as part of increasing Global South youth participation at the UN level.
• Voluntary National Review process which provides a unique opportunity to ensure that voices of marginalized groups are included in the reporting. UNA Tanzania just like in 2019, is coordinating Civil Society’s participation in the exercise to contribute to the National report as well as the Civil Society Report. Young people, women, children and communities that a hard to reach will participate through leave no one behind hearings dialogues and consultations.

He commented that, “the true meaning of an inclusive community is where everyone has a voice!”

UNA Tanzania welcomes new members to The SDGs Journalists & Storytelling Club. The club is a group of Sustainable Development Goals interested journalists, editors and story tellers established by UNA Tanzania in 2018 with the main objective of advancing awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals through connecting it to journalism and storytelling. Since the club’s inception, UNA Tanzania has been conducting a series of training programs to the club equipping them with SDGs knowledge and how to report while reflecting Sustainable Development Goals.

Other objectives include;

• To enhance knowledge and skills in reporting SDGs
• To amplify the voices of those who are likely to be left behind in SDGs implementation
• To equip journalists and editors with a platform to have an open dialogue, explore opportunities on SDGs, raising awareness and encouraging collaborative actions needed to achieve the goals by 2030
• To incorporate SDGs in writing and journal stories
• To explore national and international opportunities on Agenda 2030
• To inspire news and entertainment organizations to leverage their resources and talent to amplify and accelerate progress towards achieving the Goals.

SIGN UP TO BECOME A MEMBER ON: https://bit.ly/SDGs-JOURNALISTS-CLUB-REGISTRATION

As the world jointly celebrates the Girl Child on every 11th October, this year on Tuesday October 11th the United Nations Association of Tanzania celebrated this day with the girls at Mikocheni B Primary School while acknowledging our theme for the day “Our Time is Now- Our Rights, Our Future”.

The session was attended by 70 energetic & powerful the girls of from class 3, 4, 5 and 6 together with their teachers. The aim of commemorating this day was to educate young girls on their rights such as rights to education and issues around health living as a key to unleash their potential. Moreover we wanted to hear directly from the girls on what challenges they face and provide a platform for them to offer their call to society to uphold girl’s rights.

The discussions included;

• The history of the day, rationale and its importance.
• The rights they are entitled to as children regardless of their sex, such as right to education, right to health, right to play & recreation, right to be heard and right to lead.
• How they can engage themselves in leadership at school and home through clubs and leadership posts at schools and its importance in building confidence and skills to become great leaders.
• Lastly hearing from the girls as they issued a call to adults and the community at large. They expressed their desire of being nurtured to become great leaders giving example of the president of Tanzania. Apart from that they issued a call to be provided with ample time to study, to be protected from harm and abuse so that they can live to fulfill their dreams.

Young girls believe they are key agents of change and are important in creating the future they want if their aspirations are nurtured and their rights to education, health and engagement in leadership are protected.

The Kesho Yetu (Our tomorrow) Climate Hack is a part of UNA Tanzania Mazingira Yetu, Kesho Yetu (Our Environment, Our Future) program designed to inspire youth to take action towards climate resilience by taking care of their environment, through positive changing of mindsets, awareness on social and mass media, planting trees, beach clean-up, recycling and supporting youth led innovation towards climate resilience. The hackathon is a two rounds challenge created for young climate innovators aged between 18-25 years to create innovative climate smart solutions for climate resilience. The main objective of the hackathon is to increase youth agency in climate resilience through taking action and supporting youth led climate innovation.

Mr. Mohamed Mwabumba, A Meteorologist expert from The Tanzania Meteorological Authority ( TMA) mentoring one of the team during the first round of the Kesho yetu Climate Hack at UNA Tanzania Offices

UNA Tanzania and UNA Finland organized the first round of the Kesho Yetu Climate Hack. The hackathon was done parallel ( hybrid format) with youth in Finland and in Tanzania at UNA Tanzania Offices on September 23^rd -25^th, 2022. In Tanzania 56 Teams making a total of 168 people registered for the hackathon. Out of 56, 6 teams making a total of 19 people (12 female and 7 male) from Tanzania and 3 teams making a total of 9 people from Finland who had innovative solutions were selected for the hackathon. For 3 days, young people in Tanzania and Finland were given the opportunity to be key players in addressing and developing innovative climate smart solutions that mitigate disaster risk and reinforce climate resilience in Tanzania on three areas; early warning system, food security, and youth mobilization in Tanzania.

Ms. Diana Mbogo, The Executive Director of Millenium Engineers mentoring one of the team during the first round of Kesho Yetu Climate Hack at UNA Tanzania Offices in Dar es salaam

The hackathon brought together young climate innovators, mentors, and an expert from Tanzania Meteorological Authority for deep consultations. The teams from both countries engaged in mentoring sessions as well as peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing in order to co-create real life innovative solutions to enhance climate resilience. On the final day, the teams presented their final ideas to a panel of experts who selected one best team from Tanzania and one from Finland. In Finland, the best team adopted an ambitious agroforestry approach to tackle several climate issues with one multifaceted solution. The team obtained an opportunity to visit The Finnish Meteorological Institute to discuss their operations and potential trainee programs. The best team from Tanzania, alongside other two teams obtained an opportunity to proceed in the second round of The Kesho Yetu Climate Hack.

The second round will be conducted in November 2022. It will engage top 3 best teams from Tanzania which will enter a boot camp and get a chance to be mentored by experts in human centered design thinking, innovation, pitching, climate entrepreneurship as well as a deepened understanding of climate change and finesse their innovative ideas into practical solutions.

Meet the interventions of the best three teams from Tanzania;

CSE. ST. Joseph

Created a prototype that will help to predict information on climate hazards and inform people to take precautions. The system works as part of providing solution for challenges in early warning sysytem

Team members from left; Francis Ephraim Mwasyoka, Baraka Solomon Kimaro and Abraham William Mbuli

She Winners

Created a method that will connect experts and marginalized communities to extend their expertise and experience on climate change and agriculture in ensuring food security.

Team members from left; Happy Malunde, Careen Mbati, Julieth Sewava and Sarah Robert Mrosso

The Rehabs

Created an efficient and cost effective Early Warning Device ( EWD) that will help disseminate early warning information to vulnerable communities.

Team members from left; Doreen Machumu, Ebenezer Mathew and Theresina P. Tety

On Friday 2^nd and Saturday 3^rd of September The United Nations Association of Tanzania and Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation organized the Youth Expo 2022 at the National Museum, Posta Dar-es-salaam. The Expo was attended by about 150 youths from the business sector and CSOs sector.  The main aim of the Expo was to create a platform for youth to acquire understanding of the requisite skills-set necessary to establish and enhance the sustainability of youth-led businesses or youth-led organizations.  Furthermore expose and link youth to opportunities and resources that will result in the promotion of better youth engagement and access to decent work.

The facilitators of the event were Miss Prudence Zoe Glorious Chief Purpose Officer PZG Impact  Communication Firm, Vicencia Fuko  legal Officer BRELA, Siraji Nalikame NEEC (UWEZESHAJI),Suzan Msaki – KPMG, Madam Donatha Narcis Human-centered Design Specialist, Mr.Said B.Kambi from the Insitiute of Directors Tanzania (IoDT), Victor Makere  a Senior Manager of Acquiring Business at CRDB Bank and Ndibalema Rwezaura s a Business Planning Manager  and a Country Strategy & Conduct Lead at Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania.

The topics discussed for the first and second day were;

• Strategic Impact Communications for Business and Youth Led Non-profit organizations
• Business formulization – Intellectual property rights
• 10% Financing opportunities available at the council level (Changes in the requirements) – Public procurement priority for youth opportunities at the Government level (Qualifications to meet the criteria of PPRA) – Financing opportunities available at PMO’s office – Fund baskets available for youth at NEEC
• Fundraising and Resource Mobilization – different approaches to grow and sustain your NGO
• -Re-evaluating our work and our model- Model canvas (Group exercise)
• Introduction to basics of corporate governance, – what does your business or organization need to have – Conflict management – Building and maintain a team – Contracts and labor laws and regulations
• Growing your business – Re-inventing your profits – Building a culture for business sustainability – Investment options in Tanzania
• Business narratives development – Keywords – Purpose statement for NGOs and value proposition for your Business. – Negotiation skills simulation: -Play talking to clients video. Followed by a negotiation simulation as per the work booklet. – Tip sharing: dialog between the young people on stakeholder management, networking, and visibility

One of the participants Lusekelo Richard Mwaikenda commented on the following;

• “Youth Expo has taught him a lot of things especially to young people who have dreams of becoming an entrepreneur  and businessmen have been able to find many things that will develop knowledge and skills to become prominent figures in business and Entrepreneurship”.