Summary
Zanzibar Youth Forum runs a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in the vecinity of Stone Town, the historical trade town in Zanzibar.
Rehabilitation takes time. The victims of drug abuse may sometimes stay for more than six months. During that time the affected youth need shelter, food, clothing, medication and utilities such as water and electricity. ZYF needs money for the running costs of the centre.
Often the youth get into drug abuse because of idleness and lack of job. For that reason the centre also needs resources to train them to engage in small income generation activities such as farming and animal keeping to support them to live a productive life after recovery.
Zanzibar Youth Forum has been mobilising local support to sustain and run this centre which is one of only 8 in Zanzibar.
Tips and lessons learned
1. A Change the Game Academy Local Fundraising classroom training really helps to develop your personal and organisational fundraising skills. ZYF Programme Manager Mr. Almas Mohamedi who attended this training in July 2018 notes: ‘‘During the training sessions I learned how to organise the team for resource mobilisation activities, how to identify donors, the purpose of resource mobilisation, how to prepare resource mobilisation activities, and how to engage potential supporters."
2. 'Charity begins at home' has proved to be an effective fundraising instrument. Staff and members now contribute to the organisation, which has attracted the attention of other potential donors, such as a bank and the government.
Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation
The organisation recognises that for local resource mobilisation to be effective you should start with commitment from within — as they say: charity starts at home. So they introduced a procedure where staff contributes 5% of their salary to the organisation project fund. Also, they set up plans for members to contribute 5% of their per diems earned when they attend meetings, seminars and training. Further, about 120 members have committed to support this initiative with their contributions. As a result in the past financial year ZYF mobilised TZS 11,056,284 to support their activities including the centre.
The ability to raise funds locally attracted the attention (and support) of the People's Bank of Zanzibar and the government. Moreover several agencies promised free technical support mostly in the agricultural sector.
An excellent result. Zanzibar Youth Forum can look at the future with confidence.
Details
Short description of the organisation the funds were raised for
Zanzibar Youth Forum (ZYF) is a civil society youth organisation independent of the government, political party, religious inclination or any association or individual. It is solely registered and dedicated for the empowerment, advancement and capacity building of the young people of Zanzibar.
ZYF was established in 2001 and serves as a platform to advocate for the rights, social, economic and political empowerment of youth. In the light of this, ZYF strives for true democracy, human rights, and awareness on HIV/AIDS, fights against drug abuse, is active in lobbying and advocacy, information sharing through workshops, symposia, seminars, and cooperates with national and international youth organisations.
ZYF is composed of a committed team of volunteers joined together to foster and empower youth development in Zanzibar.
Short description of the project or programme the funds were raised for
According to the Zanzabar Drug Control Unit there are about 7000-12000 addicts in Zanzibar in a country of 1.3 milion inhabitants.
One of the activities of Zanzibar Youth Forum is the rehabilitation of drug addicts. In 2009 they opened a centre in Fujoni area, near Stone Town, the famous historical trade town in Zanzibar.
Hundreds of victims have been helped through rehabilitative programmes to address their addiction and prevent them from relapse. Zanzibar Youth Forum needs funds for the running costs of this centre and the farm where the clients of the centre learn to make an income through farming and animal keeping.
Objectives
1. To raise funds for the running costs of the rehabilitation centre and the farm, by involving staff and members in the funding of the project.
2. To draw the attention of others, especially institutional donors and government, to the success of these local fundraising activities and gain their (financial) support.
3. To attract free services and volunteers.
Targeted donors
Staff and members of Zanzibar Youth Forum
Institutional donors
Government
Results
| Cost/benefit |
National currency (TSH |
Euro |
| Total amount raised |
11,056,284 |
0 |
| (-) Total amount invested |
0 |
0 |
| Net amount raised |
11,056,284 |
0 |
Result comments
The ability to raise funds has lured interests of financial institutions in Zanzibar such as People’s Bank of Zanzibar to work with ZYF. The organisation got a non-interest loan amounting to TZS 15,000,000 which they have used to buy about 4 acres of land in Hanyegwa Mchana area in Southern Unguja Township. The land is used as a farm to teach the recovered victims agricultural methods for farming tomatoes, green pepper and other vegetables. They also learn how to make organic manure and keep animals and birds such as rabbits and pigeons. Also, as a result of positive engagement the government through the Second Vice President's office has been giving the organisation TZS 1,500,000 for paying the rent of the rehabilitation centre. Recently, during the Mwenge celebration, they were given about TZS 2,000,000 to help with the running costs of the centre.
