Rehabilitation Programme

The focus of today is the community rehabilitation programme, also known als CRP. The community rehabilitation programme was introduced by the then Temeke Municipal Council and UNICEF to KCC in August 2012. It aims at preventing children from offending and reoffending. The programme is an alternative traditional measures and punishments in the justice system, such as the trial process, corporal punishment and custodial sentences. It focuses on addressing root causes of offending and preventing reoffending by working closely with the child and the child’s family.

The child is refered by government bodis such as the police, the magistrate, social welfare officers and public prosecutors. The minimum stay for a child is four to six months. The child has to be from 10 – 17 years and must have commited bailable offences. During the programme, the child remains at home with his/her family and in the community while attending the programme.

So far KCC has provided support to 109 children; and 87 have graduated (rehabilitated) and hey are back to their parents, schools and communities. 1100 children are currently attending different programmes at KCC, including 600 children who are attending the programme on violence against children.

UNICEF supported the programme technically and financially from 2012 – 2015. Afterwards, from 2016 to date, Temeke Council allocated own budget funds for transportation and other contributions. After the LGA split, Kigamboni Council is taking over in allocating funds to KCC to ensure children access the service at KCC. However, KCC is also raising its own funds from different donors such as EU, Pact Tanzania, US Foundation and Spider Funding from Stockholm University Sweden.

Major success to date are:

• Streghthened collaboration with Child Justice actors, including referral bodies – Police, Court, Public Prosecutors and SWO who understand the importance of CRP and have normalised KCC and CRP into their work routine. They keep refering children.
• Changed children. Many positive stories about children who have changed and are now back to school and to communties. Other have became role models and they take part in rehabilitating their fellow children.
• Buy in and ownership of the programme by national and local government – the Government has replicated this programme in Mbeya region, and is in the proces of scalling it up in the whole country.

For the future, KCC has managed to secure land for building a bigger place to ensure that more children have acces to different service we offer. KCC has worked with Kigamboni District Council to comply to necessary government processes and finding ways to make this a reality for children of Kigamboni.

However, despite successs, there are different challenges that face the CRP and KCC in general. Such challenges are like:

• Resource mobilisation. LGA is giving a small amount. More needs to be mobilised. Planning a fundraising event with Temeke and Kigamboni Councils.
• Lack of funds to provide children completing the programme with tools/equipment to facilitate their reintegration and to conduct regular home visit to monitor the progress of children attending the proramme.