A TOTAL of 250 women from 14 wards of Kilwa District in Lindi Region will soon receive customary title deeds, something that will enable them to access loans, thus engage fully in economic activities including agriculture.
This has been possible through the Kilwa Local Rights Programme that is being executed by ActionAid Kilwa.
Briefing journalists and ActionAid staff who visited at Miguruwe village in Miguruwe ward recently, Pili Kuliwa, Secretary of Tumaini Jipya kwa Wanawake Kilwa (TUJIWAKI) women group said under the programme women were trained on land ownership and how to access the Certificate of Customary Right of Occupancy (CCROs).
The training was offered by a land officer from Kilwa District Council in collaboration with
ActionAid Kilwa.
Through the knowledge and skills gained from Land officers and ActionAid Kilwa, women have now begun to apllyfor the CRROs as they are aware of their rights.
The main goal of the visit was to oversee progress of the women and witness what has been achieved since they were trained on Land ownership, women rights, how to access loans services, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and identify the main challenges they encounter in agricultural activities.
“To start with a total of 250 women from TUJIWAKI have already filled in all necessary details so
that they can acquire CCROs from Kilwa District Council and later own land similarly to men,” she
said.
She thanked ActionAid Kilwa and Kilwa District Council for introducing the Local Rights Programme (LRP) because it has opened their eyes and women are massively applying for the documents.
“Before ActionAid Kilwa intervention, women were lagging behind to own land, were not aware of their rights and many of them were utilizing land without CCROs or title deeds,” she said.
Community development facilitator from Njinjo Ward, Farida Chaukulu said women in Njinjo ward are now ready to access CCROs after understanding their rights.
“So far we have already received 100 CCROs application forms from Kilwa District Council and
more than 30 women have been able to fill application forms to access CCROs,” she said.
Although women were trained on land ownership, knowledge on women rights especially the right to access land and control land is still required to enable behavioural change in the community.
Also after attending several training sessions from ActionAid Kilwa, Chaukulu has also trained
other 30 women on tax issues encouraging them on voluntary tax payment for the country’s
development.
Kilwa Local Rights Programme project coordinator, Steven Benard says “As ActionAid Kilwa is conducting LRP in eight villages in partnership with women reflection cycles, TUJIWAKI) and Kilwa Youth Development Initiatives (KIYODI) to provide training.”
Many of women were left out due to tradition and cultural practices, as they were not allowed to
make any decision about land ownership,” he said.
The training has brought positive results because right now women are aware of their rights and
can report land dispute in court and demand their rights something that was not there before.
Said Malenga, chairman of Matandu hamlet, said women in Kilwa District having the land title
deeds guarantee women to access loans facilities from the financial institutions to run the
business.