Economic Uplifment
Bilal Muslim Mission has a long history in helping its community members in economic aspects. Since these activities were not systematically recorded, we don’t have any information about quantity, quality or volumetric sides of delivered supports. Obviously we don’t have statistics of success and failure and consequently we won’t be able to distill fruitful endeavors and pass the experience. There one characteristic that all previous efforts have in common: They were individual–oriented.
Previously Bilal played its role as a bridge between donors, service providers and supports to service receivers; therefore it had neither control or authority nor monitoring system. There were some people who took advantage of good intention of donors and so many cases failed success due to lack of knowledge and skill and here we are now missing trustworthiness feeling among helpers and help seekers understandably.
Bilal Formed Economic Empowerment Office at Secretariat in October 2010 with the intention of bringing self-sufficiency among community members, better governance of centers and financially independence from Africa Federation.
To facilitate achieving the objectives we had to adjust our strategies. We put into practice 48th session of the supreme council held in Nairobi, Kenya in June 1990. In general we diverted our activities from individual-oriented to community-base. Like so, Bilal seeks for more responsibility and ease of communication between itself and members through community’s managing board and also among the members themselves.
Economic Empowerment Office complete feasibility study and need assessment and accordingly propose development schemes.
Bearing in mind the explained strategy, an economic development project for Ikwiriri was designed. Ikwiriri Development Project (IDP) is considered as the first community-based economic empowerment program and as pilot project administrated by Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania. IDP acts as an integrated project which touches different areas such as society structure (community formation), economic aspects (agriculture, business, etc.), education (training professional Human resources) and so forth.
Intended to increasing chances of success and avoid rejection of new system introduced to community member, IDP was divided into sub-routines. Finally in September 2011 as a result of census which carried out in December 2010 and January 2011, and different inspections and public meetings with community members, water selling business as first phase of IDP was launched.
Bilal could facilitate the community with a tank of 3000 liters, pipes and fittings. The community provided tank stand and they supervised the plumbers work.
The business is now in testing stage for collecting information on how will be the selling rate and expected revenue. Accordingly the Ikwiriri community has to prepare loan repayment and expenses plan.
