Social Problems and Social Work in Tanzania: Community Based Social Work Approach

1. Social Problems and Social Work in Tanzania: Community Based Social Work Approach Dr. Thadeus Mkamwa St. Augustine University of Tanzania April , 2014 SUDET Workshop-University of Tampere

2. Introduction: Hyena Square (2007) Identify major community services issues which have to be looked at in order to resolve social problems as shown in the video clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UODCeqpVEEE

3. Social Work in Practice • Young offenders • People with mental health conditions • School non-attenders (truants) • Drug and alcohol abusers • People with learning and physical disabilities • The homeless • The elderly • Orphanages • Child headed houses • Early pregnancies

4. The Disease Burden • The life expectancy-below 51 years average • Decline in infant and under five mortality, BUT overall Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and prevalence of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis still high • Intervention-Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), Counselling and Testing, distribution of Insecticide Treated Nets, health care to orphans, the elderly etc. • Challenge: Increased social worker workload

5. Fertility and Mortality

6. Age Dependency and Life Expectancy

7. MoHSW Challenges • Uncontrolled population growth • Socio-cultural changes, HIV/AIDS pandemic and poor socio- economic trends • The situation: welfare services are in great demand due to these increasing social problems, which are exacerbated by poverty, and the effects of HIV/AIDS

8. Population in 1950-2100

9. Specific Social Problems • Specific problems which need social welfare services interventions including: • Child labour, early pregnancies, child abuse, child neglect and family rejection • Alcohol and drug abuse, increasing levels of destitution, commercial sex (prostitution), cases of sexual assault

10. Specific Social Problems • Households headed by children and /or elderly people • Family disintegration, marriage breakages, number of street children, number of orphans, vulnerable children • Widows/widowers, elderly (aging), human trafficking especially children

11. Human Development Index (1=most developed)

12. Rationale for Community Based Social Work • The shortage on the social welfare staff • Decentralization Policy: Social Welfare services to be rolled out to the lower levels (Previously Social Welfare services were rendered at Central and Zonal level only) • The government policy of 2002 which does not allow standard seven leavers to be employed as social workers

13. Rationale cont. • Scheme of services does not allow employment of lower level Social Welfare cadres including the certificate and diploma level • These cadres are trained at the Institute of Social Work Dar es Salaam but in most cases are employed by the private sector employed in the government facilities

14. HSWS: Organization and Institutional Framework • The Government operates decentralized health system, i.e., three functional levels: • District (Level I), • Regional (Level II) and • Referral hospitals (Level III) • Community Based Social Work is practical: • It is offered from the village level • Reduces bureaucracy in implementation • Principle of subsidiarity-decentralization

15. Quality Livelihood Promotion • Lack of sources of financial services (esp. rural areas) • High information barriers, infrastructure, women being neglected • Poor linkages with the formal sectors • Bureaucracy in reaching out to the poor • Poor accessing the national services in the economy

16. Way Forward • CB Social work - inclusion of the youth (and low- income earners) • Make available and accessible financial services and opportunities to the youth • CB-SW makes the services cost effective, fair and transparent • Mainstream the youth, women, low income earners in the national welfare services agenda

17. Community Based SW: Goals • Enhancement of quality of life and wellbeing of vulnerable individual, groups and families • Early childhood care and development • Transformation of social welfare services: Accessible, Available, Affordable, Approachable • Enhances: subsidiarity and collegiality

18. Example: SAUT – Partners Projects • SAUT & Western Ontario University: local women’s groups on a sustainable nutrition focused social-enterprise based on probiotic yoghurt • These micro-enterprises have economically empowered women • A means for women to facilitate health within their communities • Enhanced the local economy- the probiotic yoghurt is helpful for people living with HIV/AIDS and nutritionally compromised

19. SAUT-Partners Project • Under the leadership of Kivulini, NIMR, SAUT, BMC and CUHAS -establishment of: • Micro-enterprises which have grown from three to ten community (probiotic yoghurt) kitchens in Mwanza • Since 2012, approximately 4000 people have been purchasing the probiotic yoghurt or receiving it free of charge as beneficiaries living with HIV/AIDS

20. Intervention at Community Level • Probiotic bacteria has been shown to build immune response, and reduce diarrheal diseases that occur because of prolonged use of antibiotics, ARV’s and HIV/AIDS itself • As a nutritious food supplement, the probiotic yoghurt would be an ideal addition to the management of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania •  Increase food security • Secure the future of children and youth • Stimulate sustainable economic growth

21. TISW & Partners in Training SW • Tanzania Institute of Social Work (ISW) • Strengthen the Tanzania’s social welfare workforce and to strengthen the social work profession in Tanzania • Goal 1: Organizational development, advocacy, recruitment and retention and establishing a regulatory framework • Goal 2: Establishment of national Social Work Council to regulate the social work profession • Goal 3: Enhance continuing education for SWs

22. Tanzania Association of Social Workers (TASWO) • The national professional association for social workers in Tanzania • TASWO is non-profit and nongovernmental and was established and registered in May 1982 with a registration no. SO 629 • TASWO: professional liaison body which incorporates National, Regional and International associations • Furthering the development of social work professional values, ethics and interests

23. The Social Work Council of Tanzania • Registration and regulation of social workers • Ensure actors are informed of the needs and objectives the Social Work profession • Recognition of the profession of social work • Preventing the use of unqualified staff • Provide public protection-get services from qualified social work staff • Recognition of a statutory accreditation authority of institutions which offer SW training

24. Training Trends in Social Work • The AIHA (American International Health Alliance (AIHA) • Social Work Program expanded in 2010 Involves strengthening of social work education by standardizing and harmonizing BSW and MSW programs in potentially twelve institutions in Tanzania • Tanzania Emerging Schools of Social Work Education Program (TESWEP) • Partnership with JACSW/MATEC of the University of Illinois in Chicago

25. References • Hyena Square - Published on Mar 14, 2014 on Youtube • Hyena Square (2007): Hyena Square in Dar Es Salaam is a hang out for Tanzania's young prostitutesFor downloads and more information visit http://journeyman.tv/57777/short-film...

26. References • Open Data for Africa: http://tanzania.opendataforafrica.org/rckvryg/tanzania-country-outlook-economic-business-environment-and-health-sector • Vinisha Venugopal (2014). African Development Bank Group • World Development Indicators and Global Development Finance (September, 2011) • World Population Prospects. The 2010 Revision. (Updated June, 2011)