What we do

We collaborate with local communities to alleviate extreme poverty !

We empowering women and youth, Improving crop production and livestock systems, promoting renewable energy, protecting and distributing village water supplies, supporting environmental conservation

Agriculture

To work and achieve its success in the targeted communities, FIDE emphasizes focusing on groups as the easiest way of controlling, monitoring, and evaluating the progress of its activities.

FIDE provides technical guidance and expertise to farmers, helping them improve agricultural practices, increase productivity, and adopt sustainable farming methods. This may include training programs, workshops, and agricultural extension services to disseminate best practices and innovations.

Currently, FIDE is focusing on increasing the value chain in pigeon peas, and sunflowers and increasing maize production.

In this activity, we targeted farmers in Babati district, Babati town council, Gairo District, Kondoa district, and Karatu District.

The activity involves;

Capacity building for farmers on sustainable agriculture practices.
Establishment of demonstration plots (Maize, Pigeon peas, and sunflower).
Support farmers with maize seeds to establish and strengthen their Maize revolving seeds fund.
Linkages farmers with input suppliers (fertilizer, seed producers, mechanization) and markets/buyers

The Activity was supported/funded by ;

RIKOLTO- Pigeon Peas

FARM AFRICA-Sunflower

HDT-Maize production and capacity building for farmers’ best practices.

HORIZONT 3000- Capacity building to farmers of farming best practices.

Livestock Development

FIDE is supporting low-income families with dairy cows to promote intensive dairy cattle keeping and increase the production of milk.

FIDE is supporting in terms of the construction of stables and equips farmers with skills on how to manage cows (including, establishing farms for growing pastures) and good husbandry practices. The community has now benefited from selling milk and improving their health through milk taking.

The communities that benefitted from dairy cow husbandry are Endagwe, Yarotonik,Hewasi,Endaberg, and Galapo villages but currently (2023-2024), we have supported farmers from Managha, and Gesbert villages, and more than 35 farmers expected to get dairy cows (Heifers) from FIDE.

Promotion of Biogas Technology

Biogas technology in Tanzania has been increasingly adopted as a sustainable energy solution, particularly in rural areas where access to traditional energy sources may be limited. Biogas is produced through the anaerobic digestion of organic materials such as animal dung, agricultural residues, and food waste.

FIDE has played a crucial role in promoting the technology through support from various partners (SNV/TDBP-CARMATEC), WORLD VISION, and HDT. Whereby; more than 2500 biogas plants were installed.

Currently, FIDE is supporting farmers in Gesbert and Managha villages with biogas plant technology for 10 households.

The purpose was to mitigate deforestation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by capturing methane, a potent greenhouse gas, produced during the decomposition of organic matter. To provide a renewable source of energy for cooking in rural households, reducing dependence on firewood and charcoal.

Water supply support

FIDE has supported water supply projects in areas where water is an acute problem especially in institutions(schools). It often hinders the development of other key development interventions in the community. The support includes; the construction of reservoir tanks, drilling of water well(s), and installation of the solar pump. Also, in the distribution of water to the nearby villages.

The schools that currently benefited from the water project are; Ayatsea Secondary, Yarotonik Primary School, Endagwe Secondary,Utwari Secondary, Ayaqanja Primary, and Gesbert Primary School.

The management body within the village was trained by RUWASA on how to manage water infrastructures and collect community contributions, the purpose was to ensure sustainability.

In the installation of solar pumps and solar power, FIDE consulted the Gadgetronix and Davis&Shirtlif who have experience and expertise in this field.

Also, FIDE has restored the water sources by encouraging the village government to prohibit any human activities near the water sources.

Women Empowernment

Income generating activities can assist women to be less reliant on their husbands and create their own income and increase their self-esteem. FIDE staff has encouraged women to engage in specific cheap and easy-to-manage economic activities, such as poultry keeping, horticulture, agro-processing, and small businesses.

This project is continuously and is funded by HORIZONT3000 and HDT

Poultry keeping
FIDE introduced a poultry management project to enhance rural households/families’ quality of life and economic stability.

Also, FIDE has offered training and knowledge in poultry management, which can lead to improved farming practices and increased productivity.

FIDE in the current years, is supporting farmers with chicks and inputs to empower women economically by improving health status.

Through HDT and the HORIZONT3000 Project, we have supported 80 farmers with a total of 3600 chicks. The villages that benefited are Ayasanda, Endanachan, Hoshan, Yarotonik, Nangara, Hewasi, Endaberg, Gesbert, Duru, and Getara villages in Babati district and Babati town council.

Ester from hoshan villages receive chicks

Women in Endaberg village is received chicks

Village Savings and Loan (VSLA):

Rehabilitation of Lake catchment

With the support of WWF-Tanzania, FIDE implemented an environmental conservation project from 2001-2003. The aim was to rehabilitate the catchment area
of Lake Babati. FIDE worked with 4 villages around the Lake (Nangara, Singe, Managhat and Nakwa) with the aim of rectifying the environmental damage caused by deforestation unsustainable tree felling, overgrazing and wrong farm practices. Activities carried out in the four villages included training on agroforestry natural
vegatation regeneration tree nuseries.

Other areas included in the training are digging of contour banks, problems associated with livestock tracks leading to the lake, and non enforcement of by-laws.In order to effect the above measures, FIDE
facilitated the formation and or revival of environment committees in the villages.

Education

In line with national policy that accords education a principal role in development, FIDE puts due emphasis on the sector.

A quick survey conducted recently shows that there is a dearth of structures in schools, teaching materials and equipments as well as poor school attendance of orphans and children living in difficult conditions. Most kindergaten teachers were found to be lacking in basic pedagogical skills.

In order to help solve these problems, FIDE has supported the construction of 11 classrooms , 3 preschool classrooms, a dining hall, kitchen and teachers’ houses in various schools. In view of high rate of youth unemployment due to lack of skills FIDE has supported the establishment of a vocational training centre at which youths are trained in basic masonry, carpentry toiloring and
embroidory. After graduation, the youths are loaned basic working tools. In the same vein about 100 youths and teachers have received basic computer course since 2002 todate.

One preschool teacher has been provided with two -year teaching course, 10 more teachers will get such course within the next two years.

In 2001 FIDE started supporting the first batch of 26 orphans with school fees, uniforms, stationary and text
books (one of these students is now at the university level pursuing a BSc degree in Engineering). From 2007 FIDE started supprting another group of 75 such orphan students. This time FIDE widened its net
of support to include bicycles, mattresses, uniforms to the few in more difficult conditions.

In Singe village FIDE supports a vocational training centre that caters for primary school leavers and offer opportunities to learn a profession that will sustain them in the future.