Support locally-led development in rural Tanzania

Development Support Initiative (DSI) is a grassroots Tanzanian NGO that works in the north-western Kagera region of Tanzania. DSI conducts training on financial capacity-building and sustainable agriculture and has made substantial strides in community mobilisation and empowerment in the Nyakahama area. So, as my summer internship with DSI comes to a close, I hope to raise £1000 to support their upcoming projects.

DSI’s work is committed to rural community development and is deeply embedded in a drive toward sustainable, localised action. Following a detailed, community-led needs assessment conducted in 2021, the organisation prioritises Nyakahama's most vulnerable populations, including widowed women, older people and those affected by HIV/AIDS. In addition, DSI’s capacity-building initiatives respond to regional socioeconomic and environmental challenges such as crop diseases, drought and consequent famine, malnutrition and poverty - all compounded by climate change.

Over the past three months, I have worked closely with DSI's Managing Director, Shimba Lusela, a development practitioner with extensive education and experience in environmental consulting and finance. Shimba's values are rooted in integrity and strong compassion for his community - underpinned by a dedication to ecological and economic resilience. The gap in regional aid and government support led to him establishing DSI in 2021. Since then, the participants of their training initiatives have seen a significant improvement in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, agricultural sustainability and household income.

DSI has partnered with the UK-based international development consultancy agency Equal & Opposite (E&O). E&O's Director, William Harnden, visited Tanzania last year to learn about DSI's operations on the ground. Therefore, E&O's partnership with DSI is based on a strong belief in the impact of their work which, in addition to my extensive conversations with Shimba, has amplified my drive to support the NGO.

Currently, many of DSI's projects are funded and run by local community outreach officers on a voluntary basis. Any small contribution would therefore allow DSI’s core team to continue their vital work and will significantly impact the early stages of their development. If you are interested in knowing more about DSI’s work, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

We appreciate the time you have taken to read our campaign and any support you might be able to give; watch this space to see the impact of your donations!