Chavita - Tanzania Association of the Deaf

Sobre nosotros

The Tanzania Association of the Deaf (TAD) popularly known by its Swahili name Chama cha Viziwi Tanzania (CHAVITA) was established in 1983 and attained its official registration on September 4th, 1984. Currently CHAVITA has its headquarters in Dar es Salaam with 17 branches across the country and membership is open to all deaf individuals who are citizens or legal residents of Tanzania.
Our goal is to improve the living standard of Deaf people through mobilization, participation and education of the Deaf, and wider community, through advocacy for equality and human rights for the Deaf people, and by developing Tanzanian Sign Language.

Our Mission
To advance and promote access to all human and citizenship rights among Deaf community in Tanzania, and to advocate for reduction and alleviation of all barriers constraining their access and engagement of those rights, so that Deaf people can realise their full potentials, improve their quality of life and be full productive members of the society.

Our vision
To have an empowered and well-informed Deaf community and a Tanzania community which has a conducive and supportive environment for deaf people to access and enjoy their rights, fulfill their potential and be productive members of the society.

Programatic Areas
• Lobbying & Advocacy: CHAVITA strives to promote awareness and respect for the legal and human rights of Deaf people. This is achieved by sensitising and empowering Deaf people themselves, sensitising communities and the wider public, institutions and the Government. CHAVITA’s advocacy efforts are often directed towards ensuring that enacted legislations and developed policies, together with their implementation, are favourable for Deaf people.
• Poverty Reduction: CHAVITA promotes economic empowerment by linking Deaf people with sources of capital, trainings, and income generation activities provided by CHAVITA, as well as with those provided by other stakeholders.
• Sign Language: This programme aims to increase awareness and usage of Tanzanian Sign Language (TSL) amongst Deaf and hearing people. This is achieved through provision of sign language training, co-ordination of an interpretation service, undertaking TSL research and production of the TSL Dictionary and other related materials.
• Gender & Children: The role of this department is to prioritise and integrate gender issues into all aspects of CHAVITA’s programmes and at the same time to empower and build skills of Deaf women, sensitise deaf women regarding their rights and self-worth; capacity building to deaf women through training and provision of guidance for value addition in their services and products; linking deaf women to sources of capital and promotion of innovative income generation projects.
• Membership & Public Relations: The responsible department works to develop an effective membership base through the mobilisation of Deaf people, ensuring their active participation in developing strategies for solving their problems and advocating for their rights. National and international public relations and CHAVITA publicity materials are also co-ordinated by this department.
• Health & Social Welfare: The social and economic inclusion of deaf people is supported by this department, through such activities as job placement and guidance, counselling, providing a link between Deaf people and audiological services and ensuring that Deaf children are enrolled in schools.

Projects:
• Poverty Reduction Project: The objective of this project is to enhance self-reliance of the Tanzanian Deaf, especially women and youths in the 7 project regions of Kagera, Kigoma, Singida, Mtwara, Lindi, Kilimanjaro and Arusha.
• Sign Language Training & Advocacy Project in Tanzania: The objective of this project is to strengthen sign language development in Tanzania at district levels through training sign language to trainers, deaf people, parents of deaf and service providers.

Dickson Mveyange is the Executive Director of Chavita - Tanzania Association of the Deaf.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.