Narrative:
FORMULATION OF OBJECTIVES AND STRATERGIES
The global goal of MRHP is to contribute to the improvement of living conditions and quality of life of all people in the rural areas of Mwanza Region and beyond, through improvement of human settlements and general housing conditions which include physical house, housing services (i.e. water catchments, energy serving stoves and tree planting ), organization of housing actors and housing finance (i.e. income generating activities through savings and credit scheme and promotion of grain legume crops that use low input, drought resistant and are market catching). Hence the specific objectives of MRHP are the following; to assist resource poor people both men and women to improve their housing using appropriate and low Cost techniques and materials locally available, to promote participatory and gender sensitive housing technologies...
To develop a sustainable and environmentally sound housing improvement approach.
ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIORITIES
Training is Priority number one; MRHP training is participatory and over years it has concentrated on, training on LOW Cost Housing (LHC), in production of affordable building materials (roofing tiles, burnt bricks, Rice Husk Ash Cement Production, cinvaram blocks), in appropriate technologies (floor hardening, plasters, energy saving stoves, kilns, firing bricks by use of agro waste, peoples empowerment through training in group leadership, group strengthening/dynamics, group management and organization of target population., in business management, in records keeping and reporting, and in PRA – Principles
MRHP gives technical Support to Building Actors such as building strategies for problem analysis, planning, monitoring and evaluation through participatory methods (OOPP, PRA, PPEM...), organization of building actors (HVACs, DLCs, WEGCC, FCC), dissemination of technologies through animation and diffusion, Loan disbursement and management to economic groups, contact with target population and fund raising with donor agencies, training and empowerment of project field staff, training animators.
Training on Production of Building MaterialsPrimarily, MRHP uses training and Extension to disseminate appropriate approaches and methodologies in:
House Construction
Building materials.
Foundations-of stones in mud mortar with an anti termite cover/control.
Walls of various materials from which building actors can make a choice
Roof with well thatched grass, tiles, iron sheet
Floors hardened using local materials or cement.
Plasters to protect earth walls
Housing Services
Water storage: jars, and gutters both made from cement; as well as traditional clay pots; biological filters.
Energy:
Tree planting around the compounds
Energy efficient stoves using fire wood and/or charcoal.
Solar power installations
Kilns using agro-waste to fire bricks
Housing Finance
Farming for Housing, income generating projects to raise finances for future housing.
Revolving funds maintained by the organization of the building actors; based on the traditional ifogong’ho practice of savings and credit.
The strategies used by MRHP to solve the problem MRHP started researches (PRE) for better building materials utilizing knowledge and local materials available in the Mwanza rural environment. The Participatory research extension carried out by MRHP in the last 15 year covered the following;
Making of soil cement blocks (CINVARAM BLOCKS)
Making burnt bricks by use of agro waste
Plastering mud houses using stabilized soils mixed with cow-dung
Making concrete tiles using cement, sand and aggregate
Production of cement by using Rice husk Ashes
All the above technologies were exposed to the communities to test, select and adopt Among the above mentioned technologies only two have been adopted by the rural communities of Mwanza and i.e. production of burnt bricks using agro- waste and plastering mud houses using clay and cow-dung MRHP brick technology is now the best practice in the organization. This product has given MRHP international recognition and has changed housing sector in Mwanza and beyond.
MOBILISATION OF RESOURCES
MRHP has a General Assembly which meets once a year and is attended by active group members of the organization. Under the GA there is the Board, which is comprised of 6 trustees and 4 members representing the target population. The Board meets twice a year. The Board is democratically elected after every 3 years. Under the Board there is the Management Team comprising of the head of sections. The MT meets every week to monitor and evaluate weekly organizational activities. MRHP has 17 staff, 13 are directly employed 6 professional and 5 supporting staff) and four are seconded staff from the District councils of Missungwi (3) and Ilemela. (1). Village animators work as volunteers to support MRHP at the grass root level. Originally, their main task was related to housing activities but now they also support the activities of micro-finance and agriculture. More recently, in the last two years agricultural animators were selected among progressive farmers. MRHP in general works with more than 40 animators in its entire working area.
Financial Management MRHP has different projects funded by different donors. Once the project has been designed MRHP management signs project financial agreement with the partner (see matrix of partners). The projects are implemented according to the TOR in the agreement. Sometimes separate accounts for the projects are opened for easy and efficient financial management.All MRHP cash money is kept in the bank accounts. Most payments and receipts are done through the bank. A petty cash system is maintained for day- to day cash expenditure. (300,000/=). Proper books of accounts are also maintained by qualified accountants assisted by a cashier cum storekeeper. In addition financial regulations are in place including internal control systems whereby the program coordinator authorizes payments. As far as bank payment is concerned, there are four signatories whereby two signatories sign a check at any bank transactions.
The signatories are two in two categories, category A for Coordinator and one senior staff and category B for two other senior staff. The two signatories in category A can sign a check at any one time but the normal procedure is for the check to be signed by one staff in category A and another staff in category B. No two staff in category B can sign a check for Bank transactions, at any one time. There is a foreign account into which all money coming in from abroad is deposited. MRHP has also 3 other local accounts, 1 in Mwanza CRDB and others in Missungwi micro-finance Bank where MRHP’s offices are located. Another important financial aspect concerns financial reporting. Financial reports are produced quarterly accompanied by other project development reports.. The annual report is the final report for that particular physical year. All the reports are presented in the Board of Directors meeting for approval. The approved final financial report is eventually submitted for external audit. The annual external auditor report is later presented in a Board meeting for scrutiny and approval. MRHP statements of accounts are audited on time every year.
RESULTS ACHIEVED
MRHP working area has continuously expanded. In 1991 started with 3 villages in Missungwi District, 1992 it worked with 6 villages, 1993 worked with 6 more villages in Missungwi Division. To date, MRHP is working with 5 Districts of Mwanza, Kwimba, Missungwi, Magu, Ilemela and Nyamagana with more than 70 project villages. MRHP in the mid-90s worked also with groups from Tarime, Arusha and Iringa. This was a special request from church organizations.
Other than expansion another achievement is technology transfer through training
As a result of this; there is a group of 5 trained artisans in every village (70 MRHP villages), they are trained in LCH, plasters and floor hardening. There are more than 40 animators (almost half of them being women) who are trained in different technologies (Low Cost Housing, burnt brick technology, organization, energy saving stoves, water harvesting from roof tops, credit schemes).House improvements in the villages have been gradually increasing from 18 houses 1991 to total number of constructed permanent houses in the rural areas of Mwanza Region to more than 200,000 by 2007). Economic /Income generating groups have increased from 2 in 1994 with a total loan disbursement of 1, 000,000 to over 400 by end of 2007 to a total loan disbursed of over 141 million Tanzanian shillings. There are over 50 Production Units spread all over 70 MRHP working villages; working to provide house builders with permanent building materials (Fired/burnt bricks). The bricks are been used to assist the construction of village primary school classrooms, Community Secondary schools (this is Tz govt Debt relief fund), Health centers and clinics, individual homes, and many other public/social houses such as 3,000 Provident Pensioners Fund (PPF) houses under construction in Mwanza City council. The activity has become an excellent source of youth employment. Youths are producing bricks for business.
The production of Bricks is environmentally friendly. By promoting firing of bricks using agricultural residuals, we have preserved trees/cubic meters of fuel wood that would have been used to fire bricks. First draft of MRHP experience in a form of manuals is completed and is being translated into Swahili. The manual is organized in a schematic diagram as shown below.
LESSONS LEARNED
In other words the government has accepted the MRHP technology is being used in public building-This is very resent achievement.-The community has realized that burnt bricks are better than cement blocks and that they can save money. This was proved in year 2000/1 when Mwanza had heavy rains and floods –whereby houses build with burn bricks had no cracks while the cement block houses were in very bad shape. Bricks fired by agro waste are being produced all over Tanzania where rice is grown. In this way environment is been saved because fuel wood is not used fire bricks.
The effect of MRHP Impact is that;
Small town have grown into big trading centers due to high rate of housing construction but the effect is that, the centers miss essential basic needs such as clean water and proper sanitation (everybody uses pit latrines.) Schools and dispensaries source of water is deep wells or shallow wells. Sometimes schools have big cement tanks to harvest rain -but this is not enough. There is acute shortage of water during dry spell.
Education: There is still a problem of girls’ absenteeism. Community Day Secondary schools are still too far to be reached by girls, sometimes they rent houses near the schools but it doesn’t work out very well. One solution is to build hostels alongside with classrooms. I know a community secondary school where, 40 girls were enrolled and only 4 graduated.
Villages working to provide house builders with permanent building materials (Fired/burnt bricks). The bricks are been used to assist the construction of village primary school classrooms, Community Secondary schools (this is Tz govt Debt relief fund), Health centers and clinics, individual homes, and many other public/social houses such as 3,000 PPF houses under construction in Mwanza City council. The activity has become an excellent source of youth employment Youths are producing bricks for business. The production of Bricks is environmentally friendly. By promoting firing of bricks using special kilns and agricultural residuals, we have preserved trees/cubic meters of fuel wood that would have been used to fire bricks. Documenting MRHP experience in a form of manuals for replication is completed and is being translated into Swahili. The manual is organized in a schematic diagram as shown below.
SUSTAINABILITY
MRHP has radically improved the quality of housing for the people of Mwanza and at the same time contributed to the fight against climatic change. MRHP has achieved this by devising an innovative way to fire bricks for housing building that uses rice husks, cotton waste saw dust and coffee husks instead of wood. This has led to production of 5.1 million bricks and more between years 2000-2007 saving about 1,000 metric tones of fuel-wood. MRHP efficient fuel-wood reduce fuel-wood consumption by 30%-
A forestation activities by communities in year 2007 realized 25,000 seedlings planted, with 82% survival-the activity is sustained-groups have tree nurseries as income generating activity and every year trees are planted with little or no effort from MRHP.
Better houses with MRHP bricks are noticed every where in Mwanza and beyond and saving people money by replacing expensive cement block house. Brick making has become profitable businesses for youth.Empowering women to produce and sell stoves, and has reduced fuel wood collection time and hence women can use their time in other family chores.Communities with green bricks have better school classrooms, health centers, pensioner houses. MRHP is saving forests from destruction (and planting more through community a forestation.) see document presented UN_HABITAT during scroll on honor Award October 2007.
TRANSFERS
Empowerment of the target population especially women, the sense of self help, ownership and sustainability cultivated in (over years) through participatory approaches. Sensitization on environmental issues. Protection and improvement of environment; knowing that traditional improved houses use readily available traditional building materials such as poles, grass and fired bricks. Firing bricks by use of rice husks or agro waste with special open kilns. This is a great innovation it is simple and common people can adopt easily. Use of sustainable energy. Dissemination and extension methodology, use of village animators- eg MRHP works with 40 animators working at village level diffusing the technologies voluntarily. In other words, the most replicable MRHP technology in Tanzania and beyond is; Firing bricks by use of agro-waste such as rice husks, cotton waste, coffee husks with simple open clamp kiln.(see photos sent as attachment) Participatory training of artisans on the technology The provision of small loans to the community to promote and commercialize alternative energy products.
MRHP advertises her work through networks. MRHP is a member of many National and international networks. MRHP activities external Evaluations is carried out by National and International Academic institutions. For example documentation of MRHP Best practice and preparation of Manuals therein has been carried out by Katholic University of Leaven in collaboration with MRHP, Vereiseilanden/COOPIBO and Dar-Es-Salaam University college of Lands, Survey and Architect. The manuals have been translated into Swahili- The manuals are based on the schematic diagram shown in this report above. An example of the manual will be sent as attachment-builders and artisans have started using the manual- Manuals can be shared by many African countries- one manual leaflet is sold at 500/=Tshs. MRHP in order to share as much as possible is participating in many AWARDS and through this way a lot of information is documented and shared. Fortunately MRHP has worn very high awards-The 1st African ASHDEN Award on sustainable Energy (2006) and UN-HABITAT SCROLL OF HONOUR AWARD (2007). I think UN-HABITAT has more than enough information to defend us in this honorary Dubai prize.
