The DARAJA (Developing Risk Awareness Through Joint Action) project, funded by GIZ/IKI Small Grants, aimed at reducing the effects of weather by facilitating easy access and promoting the understanding of weather forecast information for residents living in informal settlements. Through DARAJA Project, Centre for Community Initiatives (CCI) , Tanzania Federation for the Urban Poor (TFUP), and TMA (Tanzania Meteorological Authority) conducted a training to teachers, school and community at Kombo settlement about weather information.
Objectives of the Training Program: The main objective of the training program was to enhance the knowledge and understanding of teachers regarding weather information. The focus was on making weather information readily available, understandable, and easy to follow for teachers, enabling them to effectively communicate weather-related information to their students.
School Training: Kombo Primary School students were also provided with this training to increase their awareness of weather information, its availability, and the importance of following weather updates. The students who received the training will play an active role in disseminating weather information to their fellow students at school, as well as to their families and the wider community through their club.
Involvement of the Community: The DARAJA project recognises that the community is significantly affected by adverse weather changes and, as a result, involves the community in the distribution of weather information. Community members from various groups, including the Federation, TFUP, youth, disaster committee, and influential individuals in the neighborhood, received special training from TMA and CCI. This training focused on how to effectively distribute weather information to other community using short messages (SMS).
Community Forecast Group: As part of the project, a community forecast group consisting of four individuals was selected. This group will be responsible for processing weather information provided by the Tanzania weather authority. Their task is to present this information in a simple language that is easily understood by the community. Starting from the eighth month of this year, the group will send weather updates to the Kombo community.
