The economy in Arusha, Tanzania, is based heavily on tourism. Once a vibrant base camp for hikes of Mount Kilimanjaro or the starting point for trips into the Serengeti National Park, the town, like so many others around the world, has been reeling with closures due to COVID-19. Mountain paths, safari trucks, lodges, and preserves have now been almost completely empty for a year — as a result, families who work in these industries are unemployed.
As the COVID shutdowns occurred, ECHO’s East Africa team began focusing training on the recently unemployed who were beginning to experience great hardship. As time went on, more and more people reached out for training and the demand grew.
The challenge
Arusha city has over 450,000 citizens whose average income is less than $2.25 dollars per day and 60% of the population is under 25 years of age. Urban Arushans have access to carbohydrate-rich maize, rice, and sweet potatoes but limited access to nutrient-dense foods rich in proteins and vitamins. More than 30% of children under 5 years old are stunted and nearly 60% suffer from anemia. And yet, food prices are increasing as a result of the pandemic.
How are we helping
The perennial vegetables ECHO promotes are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals — essential for building strong immune systems and avoiding chronic illnesses.
Focusing on Arusha, ECHO has been training groups of women and youth. Training women affects the entire household while equipping young people engages this large population with meaningful, productive work.
Over the last eight months, the ECHO East Africa team has equipped over a thousand people with nutrition and vegetable trainings.
What’s Next in 2021
Continuing these trainings, we are now broadening the scope to include more staff within the health professions. Rather than treating the symptoms, these community leaders can share preventative skills that will build the community’s health from the ground up.
There are still a large number of groups which are requesting this training. ECHO will continue these trainings on two levels — a more concentrated training for health and community development professionals, and continued trainings for women and youth.
After all, there IS hope against hunger!
