Thubutu Africa Initiatives, Tanzania
Thubutu Africa Initiatives (TAI) was established in 2014 by a group of academics and development practitioners, with the belief that females and youth (particularly girls) must have greater access to and control over resources, opportunities, and decision-making power in order to sustainably reduce extreme poverty, build healthy communities, and promote inclusive growth in Tanzania. The Swahili word “Thubutu” means “to dare.”
With a GFCF grant in 2022, TAI offered its board and staff training on community philanthropy and #ShiftThePower. It also undertook a scoping study on the potential for growing local giving, which had more than 300 respondents. In parallel to the research, and in order to demonstrate the potential of community philanthropy in action, TAI ran a pilot project aiming to construct a designated toilet for girls in the Lubaga primary school. Ultimately, 99% of this was achieved through community contributions: money, building materials and labour valued at more than US $6,300. Speaking about this process, TAI’s Executive Director Jonathan Kifunda noted that: “People are ready and waiting to re-claim their power. The power to solve their own problems, power to decide and make choices, power to share the little they have and power to collectively take care of the assets available in their communities.”
Since 2022, the GFCF has made two grants to TAI, totaling US $57,220.