Ibuga, Tanzania

A classroom block under construction in Ibuga ADP.

The incidence of HIV is still on the increase in the area, with young and old alike dying of AIDS. The loss of many in the workforce, and the increasing number of dependent AIDS orphans and widows, significantly impact upon the community. Ibuga ADP allocates five percent of its budget solely to AIDS education and care for those affected by the disease.

Malaria remains a major killer of women and children under five years old. World Vision Programme staff teach the community about malaria symptoms, risk factors and prevention methods.

Chronic drought affects food security* and makes agricultural planning difficult.
Despite these considerable challenges, Ibuga ADP has many successes to celebrate, such as:

• 85 percent of children are enrolled at school (compared with 47.4 percent in 1996) and 80 percent of the enrolled children regularly attend school (42 percent in 1996).
• 93 traditional birth attendants have been trained in safer delivery practices. In 1996 there were only 20 trained birth attendants.
• 410 farmers have been trained in improved agricultural techniques. Food production has increased from 300kg maize/acre in 1996 to 500kg/acre in 2002.

* Food security – access by all people at all times to enough safe and nutritious food for an active and healthy life.