Foundation for Civil Society (FCS), in partnership with UNICEF Tanzania, has concluded the capacity building component of its programme, Capacity Development of Youth-Led and Women-Led Civil Society Organizations to Benefit Children and Adolescents, following five-day physical training, mentorship and coaching sessions delivered to 30 CSOs across Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Songwe.

This phase marked a critical milestone in the programme's implementation journey, building on earlier foundational online courses on Programme Design and Implementation, Strategic Communication and Advocacy, Institutional Administration, Financial and Grant Management, and Child Protection, Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), to now deliver in-depth, face-to-face capacity strengthening in two priority areas: Resource Mobilisation and Fundraising, and Strategic Leadership and Governance. Each region combined technical training sessions, practical group work, peer learning, and dedicated coaching clinics where CSO representatives received tailored, one-on-one support.

Regional schedule:

  • Dar es Salaam: 20th – 24th July 2026
  • Zanzibar: 27th – 31st July 2026
  • Songwe: 3rd – 7th August 2026

Across all three regions, the trainings covered:

  • Programme Design and Implementation
  •  Strategic Communication and Advocacy
  •  Institutional Administration
  •  Financial and Grant Management
  • Child Protection, Safeguarding and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
  • Resource Mobilisation and Fundraising
  • Strategic Leadership and Governance

‍

Each regional workshop closed with a full day of Coaching Clinics, giving CSO representatives dedicated, one-on-one space to apply the week's learning to their own institutional contexts before moving into the programme's next phase.

FCS was honoured to welcome UNICEF representatives to the sessions, including Jaya Burathoki in Dar es Salaam and Lilian Rutizibwa in Songwe, reflecting the strength of a partnership grounded in a shared commitment to a more capable and sustainable civil society sector for Tanzania's children and adolescents.

Since the programme's launch, 30 youth- and women-led CSOs across the three regions have gone through six structured capacity development sessions, combining online learning and in-person training, each requiring a minimum attendance threshold to progress. This physical training component closes out the core capacity-building phase of the programme, paving the way for the upcoming Call for Concept Notes, through which eligible CSOs will compete for seed grant support to design and implement community- and school-based initiatives for children and adolescents.

In Their Own Words

Participating CSOs across all three regions have shared their reflections on the journey.

Songwe

"Hakika Mungu wetu ni mwaminifu sana. Hatimaye tumemaliza mafunzo, haikuwa safari ndogo hakika. Ahsante sana FCS/UNICEF na Trainers wetu, hakika mumetunoa vilivyo... Kazi mliyoifanya imetukuka mno! Kutuorganize wote na kushiriki mafunzo si mchezo. Ahsanteni sana kwa uvumilivu wenu, maana mlituvumilia kwa kila hali." — Christopher Lusoko, Programmes Officer, Women and Standard Changes Organization (WSCO), Mbozi

"Of course yes.. we have Nothing to fear, We have been empowered by your training..so, slowly after such a Knowledge and Skills, now we adapting changes of grant depending altitude to grant creation altitude Thanks to UNICEF and FCS indeed.

Team CSO, Elimu tuliyopewa si tu kwa matumizi ya ngazi ya Taasisi, hata kwa level ya familia tunaweza kuitumia, hapo juu mimi nimeitumia jana , kifunga hesabu nankutafuta thamani ya tukio letu ASANTENI sana FCS AND UNICEF, ama hakika hii ni elimu muhimu kwa maendeleo ya kijamii." — Kaita Mbalwa, Communication Officer, Elisha Foundation and Design Youth Support Foundation (EFAD), Songwe

Zanzibar

"JUVIEKA yapata furaha ya matumaini ya kukua kwenye sekta ya asasi za kiraia Tanzania. Mafunzo haya kutoka FCS na UNICEF... yameangazia maeneo ya Resource Mobilization, Local Fundraising, Strategic Leadership & Governance, Communication Strategic, Administration & Finance, Proposal Writing, Child Safeguarding & PSEA, na Mentorship & Coaching. Shukrani za dhati ziende kwa wadau wote ambao tumekuwa nao kwa muda mrefu." — Mbarouk Maalum, Kitengo cha Habari na Uhusiano, JUVIEKA, Unguja

"Alhamdulillah, tunaendelea kujivunia kwa uwezo wa Allah kutufikia leo hii kumaliza mafunzo yetu kwa amani na mafanikio. Tunatoa shukrani za dhati kwa uongozi ulioandaa mafunzo haya pamoja na wakufunzi wetu, tunawapenda sana." — Alawy Hamad, Executive Director, Popular Inspiring and Relief Organization (PIRO), Pemba

Dar es Salaam

"On behalf of Youth 4 Thrive organization, we would love to extend our heartfelt thanks to FCS & UNICEF for the intensive, incredible training we had... Tunawashukuru sana na tunaamini mafunzo haya yatakuwa na matokeo chanya kwenye taasisi zetu. Huge thanks to Cynthia Bavo, Jennifer Mimbi and Evangeline Sokile for good supervision of all our sessions." — Neema Theonest, Executive Director, Youth 4 Thrive, Dar es Salaam

"Imekuwa ni platform ya kujifunza kwa upana na upekee, na imekuwa sehemu ya kuconnect na wadau wengi zaidi... Hakika, Mungu akafanye baraka zaidi katika kazi na mioyo yenu wote, team FCS pamoja UNICEF na walimu wote. Tunasema Ahsanteni." — Zauja Mohammed, Executive Director, Nuru Yetu Foundation, Dar es Salaam

FCS extends its sincere gratitude to UNICEF Tanzania, all 30 participating CSOs, and the facilitation team for their commitment throughout this journey, and looks forward to the next phase as these organisations translate their strengthened capacity into action for children and adolescents across Tanzania.