Cheka Sana Tanzania is a Tanzanian NGO working in Mwanza, on the shores of Lake Victoria. They support children and young people living or working on the streets of Mwanza, using a therapeutic, solutions-focused approach which concentrates on children’s potential and strengths.
Their intensive, long-term family support uses play and therapeutic approaches to rebuild relationships between children and their families, ensuring that safe home environments are created and family dynamics are improved.
Cheka Sana's areas of work focus on street outreach, psychosocial support, basic healthcare, sports, arts, vocational training, family reunification (where possible), and long-term family support.
Girls have been an under-supported group for a long time, and in response to this Cheka Sana’s girls' centre was established as a vital place where they can be safe, begin to understand and face their trauma and regain their sense of self. Self-defence training with girls and young women is also offered weekly, to increase girls’ self-confidence, power and self-esteem.
I want girls to be confident. I want them to open their mouths and speak up. I want for them to be more confident than me so that they become the ones pushing for change.” Nyangi, Self-defence trainer, Cheka Sana Tanzania
A key part of Cheka Sana’s approach with teenage girls and young women is to educate them about the opportunities to secure income outside of sex work. Girls form association groups to support each other, learn new skills and to be encouraged, along with the wider communities, to learn about child safety and how to address gender violence and exploitation.
Run Without Fear
We invited four young women from Cheka Sana Foundation in Tanzania, to join us in running the first Zanzibar Half Marathon for gender equality. This is their story.
Take a look through our range of resources, blog posts, downloads and products to find out more about Amos Street Child.
As part of our occasional series of Amos Theology Days, please join us for an afternoon with Dieudonné Nahimana from our partner New Generation Burundi, who is visiting the UK in July. We are delighted to be able to host Dieudonné for this afternoon discussion as his work and the theology which underpins it has inspired our work at Amos Trust.
Join Team Amos and run the Royal Parks Half Marathon through London this October and raise funds for Amos’ On Her Terms campaign. If you’re new to running or want to beat your PB, this is a great challenge and an opportunity to run in solidarity for girls and young women.
16th June marks the 43rd anniversary of the Soweto Uprising. In 1976, whilst South Africa was under apartheid rule, thousands of black school children marched in Soweto to protest about the poor quality of their education and to demand that they be taught in their own language. Amos Trust works alongside three partners across the continent, in Tanzania, Burundi and South Africa, and we’ll be sharing stories from our partners across the weekend. Full details.
Karunalaya, our partners in Chennai, India, have been representing their country and the rights of children on the streets since 2014. This year is no different as Karunalaya is representing South India at the Street Child Cricket World Cup in London in May. Full details.
“It was a radically challenging and encouraging night learning from such a formidable figure as Davis, still full of the energy needed for this struggle against inequality even after more than five decades involved in activism.” Karin Joseph writes about listening to legendary activist Angela Davis speak at the Women of the World Festival in London.
“On Her Terms is transforming the lives of girls and young women on the streets so that they can be free from abuse. We are journeying with them as they take control of their lives, challenging the daily injustices they experience.” Karin Joseph recently visited Umthombo — our On Her Terms partner in Durban, South Africa. Here she writes about some of the difficulties of journeying with girls and young women who live on the streets.
“Climbing Kilimanjaro has been on my bucket list for some time. At 5,895 metres it is both the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world.” Neil Irving writes about ticking-off one item from his bucket list to raise funds for Amos Trust.
Welcome to the first On Her Terms update of 2019. This year marks 30 years since the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This landmark in children’s rights has remained a hugely important reference point for those working for justice for children and young people.
“It’s like on a flight. When the flight attendant says, ‘Make sure you put your own breathing mask on first, before helping the person next to you.’ She is absolutely right. If we can’t breathe we are of no use to anyone.” Karin Joseph writes about the first On Her Terms conference in Devon in October 2018.
“In spite of our heartbreak over Mali’s decision, we can recognise the small victory that is Mali’s choice in this, her completion of exams at 16 and her knowledge of women’s rights.” Azey Bennetts writes about the importance of small victories when working with girls on the streets of India.
What can a group of women, from cities thousands of miles apart, almost all of whom don’t speak the same language, hope to gain from spending a week together in the UK? Karin Joseph talks about some of the reasons why Amos’ on her terms campaign are so important.
At the core of Amos Trust’s work are the individuals who support us. Our work is made possible by you. Large or small, your donation makes a real difference.
Amos Trust
St Clement’s
1 St Clement’s Court
London
EC4N 7HB
United Kingdom
Telephone:
+44 (0) 20 7588 2638
Email:
office@amostrust.org
Registered Charity No.
1164234
