PANITA Members’ Zonal Coordination

Since 2015 CEELS is coordinating the Partnership for Nutrition in Tanzania (PANITA) members in Mbeya, Songwe, Rukwa and Katavi regions. PANITA, established in 2010 through technical and financial support from Save the Children International (SCI), UNICEF and Irish Aid, is a coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) across the country dedicated to building the political and public-will, commitment and support to end malnutrition in Tanzania. PANITA members work at community level to create nutrition awareness and engaging sub-national authorities and partners in nutrition discussions and plans.  PANITA builds capacity of its CSOs member’s while the members find avenues such as District Multisectoral Nutrition Steering Committee, District Consultative Committees to push the agenda in their localities. 

At ground level, CEELS is a member of nutrition committees in Rukwa region and Sumbawanga MC, Sumbawanga DC, Kalambo DC and Nkasi DC where it trains community and advocates through RMT, CMT, WDC Kisumba (Kisumba ya Watoto), Primary and Secondary schools platforms for implementation of the National Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Action Plan II, Nutrition Compact and effective use of government guidelines such as Terms of Reference for Regional and Council Multisectoral Nutrition Steering Committee and Supportive Supervision Tools. Pushing nutrition agenda has contributed to the increased awareness, governance, and accountability along with increment in resource allocation and realization for nutrition activities at regional and council level.

In increasing effort to combat   malnutrition, CEELS in collaboration with Rukwa Environmental Youth Organization (REYO) focuses on environmatal conversation intiatives and strategies through community involment in forestation and aforestaion programs to 22 acres of pines trees in Mdope village, Ludewa DC were planted. This intervention enhance environemental conservation and resielince to climatic changes  through  environmental education, awareness and mainstreaming.