Africa-Press – Tanzania. AT least 5,253 people have benefited from legal aid offered by a nongovernmental organisation, Kawiye Social Development Foundation (Kasodefo) in Simiyu Region.
The beneficiaries are part of the targeted 9,804 people in need of the service that the organisation had planned to reach out through a programme under the sponsorship of Legal Services Facility (LSF), with land disputes emerging as serious problems.
Kasodefo Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, John Titus revealed this week when presenting a report on the implementation of organisation’s DAILY NEWS & HABARILEO will publish special supplements on 12th January 2021 to commemorate the 57th Revolution Anniversary You are all welcome to place Best wishes-messages.
57 Revolution Day of Zanzibar Revolution th Special Supplement of Revolution Day Special Supplement of For more information +255 222116074, +255 739469643 [email protected] [email protected] 1404980004 activities during the past four years.
Mr Titus presented the report during the stakeholders’ meeting to wind up legal aid projects in the region.
“At the beginning, we intended to reach out to 3,500 needy people, but we later learnt that many were in need, hence, we decided to increase the number to almost 1,000. We first intensified a public awareness campaign and there was good response from people who were open to air their problems that needed legal aid,” he said.
The response was good as the NGO received 981 land dispute cases, 814 cases on inheritance, 765 matrimonial cases, 505 child custody cases and 844 civil cases. According to him, the NGO collaborated with other legal aid providers to give legal aid to address their problems, including representing clients in court.
Kasodefo Project Manager Marius Isavika said the NGO had built the capacity of community legal aid organisations through regular training and improving relationship between them (organisations) and various government authorities.
“In the past four years, we provided legal education (by 106 per cent) and legal aid (by 51 per cent). The aim of training of legal community organisations is to ensure they offer legal aid services even after the project is over. Many Tanzanians still need legal aid,” stressed Mr Isavika.
However, the project manager cited a shortage of members of staff of legal community organisations as among the challenges facing Kasodefo throughout the four years of its operations in the region. He urged other stakeholders to support government efforts in the provision of legal aid to help those, who were in need of legal aid, especially women and children.
One of the legal aid service providers from Maswa District Council, Ms Elizabeth Mushi, echoed similar views that the number of people in need of legal aid had been increasing almost daily.
She called for regular meetings with community legal aid providers and public servants for a joint training, which she said would improve access to justice.
Winding up the meeting, Regional Assistant Registrar of Legal Aid Organisations Fadhili Wilhem thanked Kasodefo for provision of legal services in the region, as well as financial support and regular training to other legal aid organisations. He said about five legal aid organisations had received 8m/- each from Kasodefo for providing legal services to Tanzanians.
