2013/14

C-Sema
www.sematanzania.org

Supported by

HAPPY AND SAD OPINION BOXES ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14

Placed in 30 schools in Temeke Municipality - Dar es salaam, the boxes invited children to write-in their concerns with a message that
requests of them simply, "Tell us why you are happy or sad."

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The implementation of the Happy and Sad Opinion Boxes and the
development of this report would not have been possible without the help
and support of our colleagues from Investing in Children and their
Society (ICS) who, with their warm attitude, professionalism and
readiness to share their experience mentored us into Child Protection
and inspired us to embark on it ourselves. A big thank you to Temeke
Municipality administration, the whole of the Child Protection Team at
Temeke, and especially to Sultan Mziray, Subisya Kabuje and George
Vahaye who welcomed us to their Child Protection Team in Temeke and
helped us take our first steps in implementing the initiative!
Many special thanks also to the project staff and partners who worked
tirelessly for the entire year to pilot, evaluate and reflect on Happy and
Sad Opinion Boxes in their/our own organization(s) and thus
meaningfully contributed to the development of the lessons we are
sharing!

Thank you to all of you!

The team of C-Sema 2013/14

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Happy and Sad Opinion Boxes Annual Report 2013/14

1.0 Introduction
C-Sema wants childrens services to serve their needs and interests. Through joint projects with
the government of Tanzania:- the National Child Helpline; Happy and Sad Opinions; and Sema
Magazine, C-Sema collects stories from children throughout Tanzania. These stories are used as
evidence to inform responsible public authorities on budgeting for children, infrastructure for
children services, and advocate for trained personnel to handle children issues at local
government levels to ensure quality service deliver for children in Tanzania.
The Happy/Sad Boxes, decorated with cartoons, are in 30 schools in Temeke, one of the districts
in Dar es salaam. The boxes invited children to write-in their concerns with a message that
requests of them simply, "Tell us why you are happy or sad." Although children at first
submitted many requests for material items, they are gradually beginning expressing needs that
are closer to their hearts. Children opinions are used to ignite dialogues with children, parents
and their local government so that they can better live in harmony [BUILD UNDERSTANDING
/ RELATIONSHIP BUILDING]. The opinions help provide the Ward Development Committees
with actionable data for development to support child protection and childrens education budget
in their respective wards.
Yet the Happy/Sad Opinion Boxes Initiative is aimed at promoting Child Participation, besides
providing avenue for abuse reporting. It is hoped that by the end of project life, children will
have developed the capacity to protect themselves from abuse through their opinions.
1.1 Happy and Sad Opinion Boxes Objective
To ignite dialogues with children, their parents and local government so that they can better live
in harmony (relationship building)
1.2 Approach Summary
The concept is introduced to the District Child Protection Team (DCPT) members specifically
those in charge of child protection teams at ward level. These are Ward Education Officers also
charged with overall supervisory role on education matters in their wards. Teachers orientation
session is then organized where they are taken through the project model before pupils could be
trained on how to use the boxes. Each box has 3 locks with keys kept by 3 different individuals:
a pupil, representing children; parent, representing local community; and a teacher who represent
the teaching fraternity. On the box opening day, each of the three individuals must use their key
to open up the boxes. This ensures protection to childrens information in the boxes.

1.2.1 Key Activities:

Happy - sad boxes placed in schools to ignite conversations with teachers, parents and local leaders

Dialogue with parents about the challenges and resolutions that they face as carers

Follow up on issues raised in the Happy and Sad Opinion Boxes at school, to parents and local government
leaders

Sharing of progress with adult and child representatives in the schools

2.0 Project Progress

The project is implemented by the Ward Education Officers who are responsible for opinion
boxes opening and key follow ups on issues raised by children opinions. The project has grown
in terms of scope from about 5,000 people in 2012 to now over 32,000 people in total (24,000
children, 800 parents/guardians, 342 teachers and 120 frontline child protection profession) who
participate in the initiative.
A decision to work through the Ward Education Officers was reached to ensure swift response
and follow-ups on childrens concerns at school, community and local government levels. It is
important to note that issues raised by children are vast both in quantity and in issues they
address. To respond to the growing demand from children, C-Sema consulted Twaweza a
research organisation in East Africa based in Dar es salaam to help think through possible ways
to better respond and manage data from children. The consultations concluded that scientific
research and data collection methods could provide a relief in data management. The scientific
model will be put to test from January 2015 where mainly randomized sampling will be used to
identify project schools, students and their views will be recorded on a specific subject as
opposed to uncontrolled subject contribution happening currently.
2.1 Success
About a year ago C-Sema received over 200 letters from children in Bahati Primary School
describing the poor state of their school pit latrines. A team of officials from the local
government, C-Sema and community members were assigned to visit the schools to verify
children worries. What they found was alarming! The latrines were in bad shape and dangerous
to the lives of children. Children could easily have fallen into the worn-wide pits and drawn to
death. The latrines were found not fit for use and immediately closed. Temporarily, children
were asked to use neighbouring schools pit latrines as theirs were under immediate
reconstruction. The school latrines are now in better condition for use.
Kindly accept our apology for the following photos contains graphics that some viewers may find
disturbing.

Latrine as they were captured during the verification visit before interventions

The new latrines constructed

The above shared case represents over 200 issues raised by children for the past one year
2013/14. Over 70% of the cases are successfully closed with actions taken to mitigate raised
concerns. Follow-ups continue on the remaining cases.
2.2 General Overview on Childrens Request/Comments

Missing Desks: It was reported that some student had the habit of stealing desks selling
them to local food vendors (Mama Ntilie) as firewood. It was one of the most shocking
issues that needed immediate intervention. Although the school administration had learnt
of the missing desks, they did not know of where the school desks vanished to. The head
teacher decided to call for an extra ordinary meeting so as to find the best way forward to
address the problem. A school parents meeting was called and the parents whose
children were identified as the culprits were ordered to each make or pay for the desks
missing.

Several opinions asked for school library. Most children wrote opinions saying other
neighbouring schools had school libraries and they also needed one. The head teacher of
one of the complaining schools has, through the Ward Education Officers responded to
the childrens request and managed to get a donor who supports their library mission.

A good number of secondary school students wrote a lot of opinions requesting science
subject teachers. A keen Ward Education Officer has since followed up on the same and
several science teachers have been deployed by the relevant Municipal Authority.

At Tandika Primary School most opinions thanked the school administration for
providing them with desks which is making the learning process smooth. Most children
had complained that they were sitting down on the floor during lessons in class
complicating their comprehension.
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Most Opinions at Kizuiani Primary School were happy opinions, whereby pupils thanked
the head teacher for introducing a porridge feeding programme at the school.

Pupils were happy at Sandali Primary School for they now have running water at school
after they had written a lot of letters about the issue.

Malela Secondary School opinions were asking for classes to end at 12:00 pm. This is
because a large number of students are of the Islamic faith and wanted enough time for
worship since the Mosque is located at a far distance from school. The head teacher was
requested by the Ward Education Officer to address the situation through the school
boards consultation.

Wrongly accused. A female teacher was allegedly accused of having a relationship with a
grade seven boy. The Ward Education Office conducted an investigation concluded that
although the teacher had a very close relationship with her pupil, the relationship was not
intimate. The other pupils thought they had a sexual/intimate relationship. She was
directed to be careful with being too close with particular or specific pupil(s).

2.3 Collaborations
The initiative is currently replicated by three organisations: SOS Children Villages Tanzania,
Pestalozzi Children Foundation through its operating partners and the International Rescue
Committee (IRC). A formal working relationship exists between C-Sema and SOS Children
Villages Tanzania where the work of replicating the initiative in Mwanza, Arusha and Zanzibar
is described and various implementation roles are defined. Informal models exist between CSema and the other two mentioned organisations above.
3. Challenges
Collecting children opinions require swift response since children expect answers almost
immediately after letter posting. Although responses take time, C-Sema ensures that children are
kept up-to-date with the follow ups and status of their concerns responses to ensure their trust to
the initiative.
3.3 Way Forward

Starting from January, 2015 the initiative will be rolled out to the other two Dar es salaam
districts where scientific research methodologies of data collection, data analysis and results
dissemination shall be put to use. Opinions shall be issue based as opposed to current
multiple subject opinions.

Lessons drawn from the initiative will be used to inform the best way for projects largescale replication.
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