NRC in Tanzania

NRC's operation

Following the civil war that broke out in Burundi in 2015, NRC started operations in Tanzania to support people living in Mtendeli and Nduta refugee camps close to the Burundian border.

In May 2017, we expanded operations to the Nyarugusu camp. Later in January 2020, NRC became the WASH, shelter and infrastructure lead agency in all three camps under UNHCR. In 2021, we started the implementation of an information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA) programme and expanded our education programme.

Education

The situation in the education sector is disastrous. Education quality suffers due to insufficient classrooms, disrepair, crowded classes, scarce materials, untrained teachers, turnover, and limited parental involvement. Limited access to accelerated education programmes leaves many vulnerable children at risk of street life, early marriage, child labour, pregnancies, and various child protection issues, as only a few grades are covered. Our intervention includes: 

• accelerated education programmes (AEP)
• vocational training including basic education, life skills and entrepreneurship skills for youth
• quality training for teachers
• the establishment of safe learning spaces for children and youth
• nurseries for young mothers to make it easier for them to study
• advocacy for safe temporary learning spaces to encourage girls and youth to study
• promotion and support for girls’ education in Nyarugusu refugee camp

Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)

In a bid to enhance protection, increase access to basic services, and strengthen the self-protective capabilities of people of concern, we started the ICLA programme in Tanzania in the last quarter of 2018. Through ICLA, NRC supports refugees and asylum seekers in claiming their children’s rights through birth registration and acquiring birth certificates in the camps and host communities.

Shelter and settlements

Lack of shelter has been identified as one of the main needs in the camps. Over 60 per cent of residents live in emergency shelters and tents that are in poor condition. We provide shelter and maintain infrastructure in Nduta and Nyarugusu camps, where our intervention includes:

• construction, maintenance and upgrade of transitional shelters
• providing emergency shelter facilities
• distributing and erecting prefabricated refugee housing units
• developing more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly shelter solutions
• maintaining access roads and bridges in the camp
• constructing permanent building facilities such as schools, offices and police stations
• constructing permanent shelters for people with specific needs in the host communities

Water, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH)

In crowded camps, it is essential that people have access to sufficient safe drinking water, proper sanitation facilities and good hygiene practices to prevent diseases. We work with UNHCR in Nduta and Nyarugusu camps as the WASH lead agency, providing support within the camps and host communities for different activities related to safe water supply, sanitation and hygiene. Our intervention includes:

• selecting, designing and operating appropriate water supply systems including source selection, abstraction, storage, treatment and distribution of new systems and/or the repair/rehabilitation of old systems
• working with refugee communities to select and design the most appropriate form of sanitation system, taking full account of local conditions, resources, customs and cultural norms