Mapambazuka

Mapambazuka Training Centre (MMM Ngaramtoni) was established in 1983 by The Medical Missionaries of Mary in Arusha. It is situated 12km from Arusha town on the main Namanga road opposite the police station.

The Centre's Objective:
Our objective is to build up the skills and capacity of grassroots development workers particularly health workers, in order that they utilize their own indigenous knowledge and natural resources in a sustainable and cost effective manner through good planning as well as implementing and evaluating their work.

 

 

 

 

Community Support

MMM Naragmtoni provide support to the poorest and most vulnerable in the local communities and villages. This ranges from helping the communities deal with the HIV/AIDS disease, to supporting those with disabilities (mental & physical), to helping the old, sick & poor in society.

MMM's HIV/AIDS Community Programs
MMM support the local community in dealing with HIV/AIDS in a number of ways:

  • They run regular volunteers HIV/AIDs education programs. These courses trains & retrains local volunteers to have the necessary skills to educate & support the community to know about HIV/AIDS and so be able to avail of voluntary counseling and testing services in order to know their health status.
  • They oversee and manage the HIV/AID Counseling and testing which is provided in ten cell communities to make sure every member in the community receives the service three times (once every three months according to HIV/AIDS testing regulations).
  • Those who test positive, they receive more counseling in order to join together to form support group. Here they support each other, they also receive various training programs in the following areas:
    • Secondary diseases related HIV/AIDS e.g. (TB, sexual transmitted diseases.
    • The importance of good nutrition in dealing with HIV/AIDs.
    • Human rights, Income generating programs & gardening / nutrition.
    • How to adjust their life styles to deal with HIV/AIDs.
  • They are given food supply for one year and after that they should be well established on their income generating programs. They are left to continue under the supervision of a nurse from the government hospital.
  • The group is registered with the Government and they are recognized by the Government from the village level to the district level.
  • MMM also manage and administer government funds for HIV/AIDs patients, volunteers, widows and orphans.
  • They identification and provide training/support for widows and orphans based on Human rights criteria.
  • They organizing meetings for widows/widowers and orphans to come together & get to know each other and form support group where they will be able to learn different things, carry out some income generating programs and so on.
  • HBC (Home Based Care) services are provided for the sick people in the communities. This is done by the program staff in the beginning. After selection and training of volunteers from every ten cell communities, that becomes their (volunteers) responsibilities. Educating, caring and reporting are their main task.

MMM run events related to HIV/AID programs in the community:
VILLAGE CELLEBRATIONS / EVENTS:
AIDS DAY 2007:  MMM Mapambazuko HIV/AIDS program have a strategy of helping the people to know the effect of HIV/AIDS. This is done in one village for 1 to 2 years and then move to another Village. This system has yield much fruits in two villages which have received the service. It brought unity, among the ten Cell community’s members, village leaders etc. In Losikito village, the villagers in Collaboration with Volunteers from every ten cell communities They organized Aids Day which was celebrated in the village with songs, drummers and chop (eating and drinking).  
GRADUATION FOR 45 VOLUNTEERS 2008: The 44 Volunteers from 22 cell communities did their graduation after learning and practicing by teaching people in their ten cell communities and doing home based care for 2 years

MMM’s Community Out Reach Program (CBHC: Community Based Health Care).
There are some villages which are far away from the main road, health facilities and even markets, shops etc.
MMM Mapambazuko, with the help of small donations have been able to provide CBHC in 8 Villages in which some of the children have never received the essential Immunizations and the mothers are not able to attend antenatal clinics. The clinics are conducted in their areas in the days which are of their choices.

MMMs General Community Support:
MMM also support those with disabilities, the old, sick & poor in the community on a case by case basis. This support can take various forms from:

    • Providing funds to elderly people whose families cannot or will not support.
    • Organizing or funding the necessary treatment or operation for the disabled and sick.
    • Re-housing, providing clothes/food or school fees to the very poor in the community.