AGEN-USA Inc, AGEN and their allies implement interventions across New York State, and the Sub-Saharan Africa. On going pioneer projects (with potential for upscaling) have been implemented in Tanzania.
Uzalendo Nguzo ya Maendeleo ya Jamii (UNMJ)
Uzalendo Nguzo ya Maendeleo ya Jamii (UNMJ) is a joint project of AGEN and Community Development Association (CDA). The project is aimed at cultivating the spirit of volunteerism, and patriotism among graduates and ongoing students pursuing the degree of Bachelor of Community Development. CDA was launched at the Department of Agricultural Extension and Community Development of Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) to serve as a platform to enable University students execute development interventions to communities living close to the university. The intervention targets marginalized communities living across Tanzania mainland. The project allows alumni from across Tanzania and students on campus to develop patriotism to their nation as they serve the marginalized communities.
Within the UNMJ, students have founded and championed a range of initiatives that directly address real-life challenges faced by surrounding communities and beyond. Their efforts demonstrate a strong commitment to social responsibility, patriotism, and constructive dialogue. Among their notable contributions is the initiation of Tanzanian Men’s Day, celebrated annually on 23rd April, which honors the unique contributions of Tanzanian men to family, community, and national development.
In addition, the students have facilitated a WhatsApp-based loose network known as Jukwaa la Mijadala Huru TZ, a platform that encourages constructive debates on issues affecting Tanzanians. Open to all citizens, the forum has no hidden agenda other than fostering positive dialogue to strengthen understanding, unity, and peace. This initiative reflects the students’ belief that informed and respectful discourse is a cornerstone of national cohesion. Ensuring constructive debates within the platform is challenging; however, the end product of the platform is participants who are better developed and able to engage positively with people from all backgrounds. AGEN maintains the demanding role of remaining neutral, encouraging members from all walks of life to participate. While AGEN may share certain arguments to stimulate discussion, its position remains impartial.
Through these initiatives—ranging from commemorative national days, digital platforms for dialogue, and structured community development projects—SUA students have demonstrated that higher education is not only about academic achievement but also about cultivating civic responsibility. Their work embodies the principle that patriotism and volunteerism are pillars of sustainable community development, ensuring that their impact resonates far beyond the university campus.
Women and Men Empowerment
Here we focus on empowerment, food security, and outreach to marginalized communities. This program has been empowering grassroots women living in semi-urban areas of Tanzania and in particular those who live Iringa, Morogoro and Singida regions since year 2011 todate. The women have created entrepreneurial networks to sustain their relationship with AGEN&AGEN-USA Inc. Many of the grassroots women are involved in small businesses such as sunflower oil extraction, food vendoring, shop keeping, tailoring and making of traditional costumes. This program has been enhancing these networks through training programs, study visits, trade fairs participation and intercultural exchange activities; all are intended to empower women to cope with a fast-globalizing world. This initiative has been achieved through provision of loans, cutting edge monitoring and capacity building. The program has identified and promoted entrepreneurial women’s networks, whose members are equipped with entrepreneurial skills, in fostering their political, social, cultural and economic empowerment. Experience in many underdeveloped countries, such as Tanzania, reveals that a combination of training and micro-finance to women can yield good results in promoting their socio-economic status as well as that of the community and the country in general. This has proved to be true for this project.
In addition, the program has been facilitating networking among scholars across the globe who share their expertise and experience. The end product of this project is creation of a model which can be adopted across Sub-Saharan Africa and the whole continent of Africa.
Water and Sanitation
The project focuses on increasing access to clean and safe water to unplanned settlements in semi-urban areas across Sub-Saharan Africa. The initial project goal is to build tap water points to allow marginalized communities access tap water at the nearest water point. The summative goal is to enable each household own at least one tap water point. The intervention will prevent marginalized household from walking through unsafe conditions to access water. AGEN has managed to facilitate 50 households to bring a major 4 inches PVC pipe (piped-in water) covering 354 meters from the nearest tap water source (with 1.5 inches branches covering 300 meters). The aim of the project is to ensure that each of the households in the neighborhood gets tap water. A total of $3500 from community members and other stakeholders (Individuals, AGEN-USA Inc, and MORUWASA- government water authority) has been raised and spent in the project.
Community Seed Bank in Iguguno Village, Mkalama District
AGEN is proud to announce the establishment of a Community Seed Bank (CSB) at Iguguno village, Mkalama District, Singida. This initiative is designed to serve farmers in the district and beyond by safeguarding indigenous seeds, strengthening food security, and promoting sustainable agriculture.
Why a Community Seed Bank?
Community Seed Banks are farmer-led institutions that conserve, exchange, and improve local seeds. They:
– Preserve biodiversity and traditional knowledge
– Ensure reliable access to quality seeds
– Support climate-resilient and environmentally friendly farming practices
– Empower communities through education, entrepreneurship, and cultural continuity
How It Works?
The Iguguno CSB is managed by a Seed Committee composed of respected local farmers. Their role includes:
– Collecting, storing, and distributing seeds
– Training farmers through demonstration plots
– Documenting seed varieties and promoting seed quality standards
– Acting as ambassadors for farmer-owned seed systems and agroecology
Community Impact?
The seed bank will:
– Provide farmers with diverse, affordable, and accessible seeds
– Strengthen local food systems and livelihoods
– Encourage knowledge-sharing and collective action
– Inspire future generations to value indigenous seeds and sustainable farming
With this milestone, AGEN reaffirms its commitment to empowering communities, conserving biodiversity, and advancing agroecological practices across Tanzania and beyond.