Formally established in January 1964, TCRS begun its work under a Tripartite Agreement signed on 25th May 1964 between the Government of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Lutheran World Federation/World Council of Churches.
TCRS started working with Rwandan Tutsi refugees, establishing the Mwese Settlement in Mpanda District and became UNHR partner agency in the already established settlements in Muyenzi, Ngara and Karagwe, in North-western Tanzania.
Read MoreTCRS continued to gain more experience in managing refugee settlements and related operations; expanded to more than 1000 staff; served more than 250,000 refugees since its inception in 1964.
Read MoreIn March 1994, the plane carrying Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana and Burundi President Cyprian Ntaryamira was shot down as it was about to land in Kigali Airport. The dreadful death of the two Presidents ignited tremendous fear and genocide in Rwanda.
-About a million Tutsi and Hutu moderates were brutally killed. Millions of Hutus fled Tutsi-led rebel Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) army which invaded and took over the country.
Read MoreTCRS Participated in refugee camps consolidation and voluntary repatriation of refugees. As repatriation was going on, small caseloads of refugees were left in the camps necessitating step by step closure of until the final camp of Kanembwa was closed leaving only a resettlement processing center. TCRS was fully involved in transporting refugees from one camp to another and supporting refugees to settle in the new camp.
Read MoreThe 1972 Old Settlements protracted Burundian refugee caseload and the Tanzania Comprehensive Solutions Strategy (TANCOSS). TCRS participated in doing registration of both repatriation and naturalisation candidates, led by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. TCRS was fully involved in providing food and transport to over 54,000 returnees from the Old Settlements to Burundi and registration of over 162,000 naturalization candidates.
Read MoreBurundian refugees return to North-Western Tanzania in a fresh influx. In this refugee response, TCRS participated in water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion activities in Nyarugusu Camp in Kasulu district, Nduta Camp in Kibondo district and Mtendeli Camp in Kakonko district. TCRS also responded in terms of psychosocial support, community-driven dialogue and social cohesion activities. Further to this, TCRS participated in the distribution of various non-food items to refugee communities.
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The overall program goal is to reduce human suffering and poverty, and to achieve self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods of vulnerable, marginalized and displaced people (VMDs) in the areas of intervention in the next five years from this year 2018.
Vulnerable, marginalized and displaced communities are empowered to achieve economic self-reliance, effectively participate in national governance processes and enjoy fundamental human rights.
TCRS gets capacity to effectively and efficiently respond to the challenges of the changing environment in fulfilling its mission.
Extremely vulnerable groups (EVGs) are accorded humanitarian assistance to access basic needs.
Communities develop resilience and appropriate coping mechanisms to respond to climate change and disaster situations.
TCRS focuses on the vulnerable, marginalized and displaced people (VMDs) vulnerable poor people whose livelihoods are threatened by the effects of natural and human-made disaster, with special regard to internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees and disadvantaged communities in the remote areas of greatest vulnerability and endemic need. Special attention is paid to women, children, youth, elderly, people with disability and People Living With Communicable diseases.
TCRS works in some selected villages of districts and locations with highest vulnerability to disaster and greatest concentration of poverty. It focuses on remote and vulnerable areas where adequate local capacities and services are not available. Currently, TCRS is working in 11 selected districts in Tanzania i.e. Ilala,Kakonko, Kibondo, Kigamboni, Kilwa, Kinondoni,Kishapu, Morogoro Rural,Ngara, Temeke and Ubungo.
EMPOWERMENT APPROACH builds people’s capacity and competences as individuals and community members.
INTEGRATED APPROACH focuses on environmental issues, HIV and AIDS, gender justice is integral to any action taken in any given sector.
RIGHTS BASED APPROACH emphasizes awareness raising on human rights standards and ensures that the root causes of poverty and exclusion receive proper attention in the formulation and implementation of communities development programs.
FACILITATION APPROACH allows TCRS to facilitate the empowerment of people affected by disasters to rebuild their livelihoods, be aware of their rights, live dignified lives as active members of their community and hold duty bearer accountable.
