Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: City of Peace

 

Welcome Yusuph A. Masanja and thirty of his colleagues who have created an International Cities of Peace organization in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Yusuph also serves as volunteer regional coordinator for the Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots program in his country.

Note: Introduction page with information primarily at the time of joining International Cities of Peace. For updates, please contact the liaison.

MISSION:
To foster a culture where individuals of different ethnic groups, religions, social economic level and backgrounds respect one another, develop connection with their environment, turn conflicts into constructive milestones through dialogues and to inspire each individual to cultivate inner peace.
VISION:
Dar es Salaam becoming the source that illuminates peace to other Cities in the world to become peaceful, sustainable and just Cities that can shift people’s lives by creating safer environment, prosperity and quality of life for all.


Current service projects in Dar es Salaam are community education, city clean-up campaigns, and youth programmes that seek to raise awareness about conservation, good governance, stigma, entrepreneurship and peace.

GOALS:
• Coaching young adults to make a difference in their communities through provision of trainings, learning materials and through service projects that aimed at impacting on people’s thinking so that we can create a community where young people can be heard, develop self-respect and become progressive leaders.
• To partner with like-minded organizations in promoting the course of peace through lectures, workshops, public events and awareness campaigns
• Acknowledge our peace-keeping history, practices and heritage that survived for generations and invite everyone to re-think, share and become that aspect of change we all want to see happening in today’s Dar es Salaam.
• Creating a knowledge society forum that offers free shared learning platform, and youth mentoring services that engage professionals and young enthusiastic leaders on every Saturday.
• To design a cultural exchange programme that will expose people in Dar es Salaam with those from different cities to enhance common understanding amongst them, cooperation, supportive relationships, and strengthening a global communication network trough volunteering and internship opportunities to students.
• To make use of media technology to spread the message to the community. This will involve recording of performing arts designed to educate community regarding peace, peace practices peace keeping methods, conservation and good governance etc.
• To design programmes that will support orphans, disabled kids, HIV + kids, and other disadvantage groups.

Letter of Intent

From Yusuph A. Masanja

“I am passionate about making the world’s environment cleaner, seeing people of different cultural background understand and respect eachother, connecting with individuals who have care and concern for the environment, animals and human communities and helping to develop compassionate leaders who make informed decisions that create a culture of peace.

“I am passionate about empowering young people to achieve their great ideas that focus on making the world a better place to live. My goal is to be able to reach as many young people as possible, to mentor, coach and challenge their present whilst shaping their future so they can gain the ability to turn their intentions into actions.

“I am passionate about seeing businesses sectors operate more responsibly, by incorporating corporate social responsibility as their first and foremost motive. I want to see people use the power of reason rather than weapons in resolving conflicts. I would like to see people coming together to reconcile and reach an acceptable compromises.

“Finally I am passionate about everyone having access to adequate treatment in the event of illness, want every child to receive a quality education, wish to see the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS dissolve and hope to see an increase in employment opportunities. “

Actions:

“I am the volunteer regional coordinator at Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, which is comprised of a global network of youth advocates for social change. June this year I graduated business management studies offered by the Association of Business Executives through its accredited college “FTC” in Dar es Salaam. Also, I am a graduate of the peace ambassador training held from March to June this year by the Shift Network.

 

Colleagues in Dar es Salaam who have joined together to build a culture of peace in the city and Tanzania beyond. From left is Fanuel Joseph, a first year student at University of Dodoma taking law studies; Yusuph Masanja, a national volunteer at the Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots Institute; Julius Mbungo, a first year student at Mzumbe University in business stuides; and Frasto Niavike, who also works at the Institute.

With roots & shoots I coordinate environmental, animal and humanitarian projects. I’m now running a psychosocial support program for HIV positive children and another for kids with mental disorders. I also coordinate over 50 roots & shoots clubs ranging from primary to university level, I empower youth to identify problems in their communities and come up with and execute viable projects that aim at bringing about positive change. Prior to becoming a volunteer regional coordinator at Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, I went Azania Secondary School, where I founded a student organization focused on environmental awareness and service to Tanzanians living with HIV/AIDS. I partnered my group with the Roots & Shoots program.

Following my secondary school graduation I volunteered with the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC-Africa). I helped with hosting workshops and promoting peace and good governance across the country in partnership with faith communities. During my free time, I act as a peer educator. I counsel struggling students in my community on matters related to relationships, HIV/AIDS, STDs, puberty, behaviour change, drug & substance abuse, self discovery, and life skills.

About Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (from Wikipedia):

Dar es Salaam (Arabic: دار السلام‎ Dār as-Salām), formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country’s richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: Kinondoni to the north, Ilala in the centre of the region, and Temeke to the south. The Dar es Salaam Region had a population of 2,497,940 as of the official 2002 census. Though Dar es Salaam lost its official status as capital city to Dodoma in 1974 (a move which was not complete until 1996), it remains the centre of the permanent central government bureaucracy and continues to serve as the capital for the surrounding Dar es Salaam Region.

Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s most important city for both business and government. The city contains unusually high concentrations of trade and other services and manufacturing compared to other parts of Tanzania, which has about 80 percent of its population in rural areas. For example, about one half of Tanzania’s manufacturing employment is located in the city despite the fact that Dar holds only ten percent of Tanzania’s population.

Political developments, including the formation and growth of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), led to Tanganyika attaining independence from colonial rule in December 1961. Dar es Salaam continued to serve as its capital, also when in 1964 Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form Tanzania. However, in 1973 provisions were made to relocate the capital to Dodoma, a more centrally located city in Tanzania’s interior. The relocation process has not yet been completed, and Dar es Salaam remains Tanzania’s primary city.

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