Denmark grants TZS 1.6 bn in additional funding to FCS to support civil society programs across the country

The Danish Embassy in Tanzania has granted Foundation for Civil Society (FCS) DKK 4,280,720, equivalent to TZS 1.6bn additional funds to contribute towards sustainable development in Tanzania. The additional funds bring the total of the Danish Embassy’s financing to FCS to approximately TZS 4.4bn for the year 2021.

The Embassy signed an agreement to increase Danish support to FCS on 5th May 2021. The agreement was signed by Danish Ambassador to Tanzania, H.E. Ms. Mette Nørgaard Dissing-Spandet and FCS’ Executive Director, Mr. Francis Kiwanga.

Funds received will enable FCS to continue delivering grants and capacity building services to civil society in Tanzania. Because of the Danish funds, FCS will issue a total of TZS 7.0 Billion to 130 civil society organizations (CSOs) across the country that will implement projects across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. The grants will be aimed at making local government authorities (LGAs) more responsive and improve their delivery of education, health, water and agriculture-related services; combating gender-based violence and enhancing the inclusion of women, youth and people with disabilities; improving disabled people and young people’s access to funds and other resources to engage in economic activities; increasing women’s access to land rights; and supporting initiatives working towards peace building and conflict management.

The additional grant will further support the institutional development of CSO networks and umbrella organizations through trainings as well as learning and reflection sessions in the sector during the CSO Week to be held in October 2021. All these initiatives are essential to the strengthening of local CSOs’ capacity to deliver on their mandate.

The Ambassador, Ms. Mette Nørgaard Dissing-Spandet, said that the funding is part of Denmark’s commitment to promote good governance and human rights in Tanzania, values that are critical to enabling socio-economic transformation and improving lives.

“We are pleased to extend our partnership with FCS. FCS has been a long-standing champion for strengthening civil society organizations in Tanzania. The partnership with FCS will complement efforts to enable citizens to become key driving forces for positively influencing democratic governance in Tanzania and improving the quality of their own lives,’’ said Ambassador Dissing-Spandet.

Ambassador Mette Nørgaard Dissing-Spandet also said that the grant will support FCS in building a vibrant civil society as the sector is a key to achieving Tanzania’s development agenda, democracy and poverty reduction. “A vibrant civil society ensures that millions of poor people, including women, youth and people living with disabilities, get a voice and play a central role in furthering their political, social, and economic rights,” she added.

On his part, FCS’ Executive Director, Mr. Francis Kiwanga said, “Denmark has been supporting FCS in efforts to improve the quality of life of millions of Tanzanians, especially rural and marginalized groups. We are thankful for the continued commitment and support from Denmark. Mr. Kiwanga further added that in 2020, FCS interventions were implemented widely across the country. The projects reached more than 350,000 people. 50.4% of them were men and 49.6% women.”

Commenting on the additional funding received, Mr. Kiwanga noted that FCS expects to deepen the impact of its work. “We are now in a transitional period from our 2016 – 2020 strategic plan. In those years, we were able to reach more than 5 million people across the country in efforts to empower them towards democratic and inclusive governance. For instance, our social accountability projects have enabled citizens to monitor 945 public projects worth approximately TZS 312 billion. Our livelihoods programs have resulted into the release by municipals of TZS 406 million and TZS 6.34 billion as loans to support the livelihoods of people with disabilities (PWDs) and youth respectively. We have also enabled the reporting of about 8,887 cases of gender based violence (GBV) and thus facilitated the delivery of justice to thousands of women and girls in the country. Our land rights initiatives have also enabled more than 3,400 women across the country to obtain their customary certificates of ownership of more than 4,575 acres of land with an estimated combined value of about TZS 17 billion. The additional funds will ensure that we are sustaining this impact, widening our reach and effectiveness as we strive to make a greater contribution towards the Tanzania we want.”

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