Musoma Disabled Tree Nursery
In partnership with the Musoma Disabled Tree Nursery Group, Gorta is helping to tackle the problems faced by some of the most vulnerable members of society
The Development of a Tree Nursery and Fruit Farm
Challenge
Three out of four disabled people live in a developing country. In the developing countries where Gorta works, Gorta has witnessed the strong link between poverty and disability as poor access to clean water, food, education and employment opportunities leads to increasing incidence of both disability and further poverty. In Tanzania itself, disabilities are often caused by poor nutrition. Protein-energy malnutrition in young children causes retardation of cognitive development leading to learning difficulties and also has an impact on physical development.
In the area of Musoma the poor nutritional value of diets has led to a situation where there are a number of people living with such disabilities. Many families look upon disability as a curse and children born with disabilities are neglected. Gorta is supporting its local partner - the Musoma Disabled Tree Nursery Group - in order to ensure that others in the area avoid problems associated with poor nutrition as well as ensuring that they themselves have a viable economic activity to engage in. This project takes the form of a tree nursery and fruit farm for people with disabilities.
Action
Gorta and the Musoma Disabled Tree Nursery Group began working together only six months ago. In the long term the partnership has a number of aims that it is working towards. The partnership seeks to address some of the long term problems in the project area including:
- Deforestation
The main economic activities in the target area - peasantry farming, fishing and cattle rearing at subsistence level – are leading to severe environmental problems. These activities are causing rapid deforestation as wood is used for the construction of houses and for firewood. As a result of this deforestation, there are knock on effects such as poor soil fertility and decreasing crop production.
- Poor nutrition
With poor soil fertility and diminished crop production, nutrition related disabilities are common.
By forming the Musoma Disabled Tree Nursery Group, the beneficiary group is hoping to tackle these problems and in the long run they hope to ensure that others in the area avoid problems associated with poor nutrition. For the first six months of the project, the aim was to put in place some of the foundations in order to be able to start working towards these longer term goals. The first step was therefore to be the establishment of a tree nursery and fruit farm and to begin sensitization of the population as to the importance of trees in their lives.
Benefits
The success of the programme over the very short time-frame of six months is best seen in the change of attitude of the public in the Suba Division. They are already responding to the training and awareness raising that has been undertaken by the group. As soon as rainfall begins the group will start selling seedlings and they have already received many requests from individuals, village councils and primary and secondary schools who have prepared holes for transplanting seedlings.
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Last Update: 2008/01/02
