Governance and Management.
LANGO’s highest decision making body is the Annual General Assembly (AGM) in which each member organization is represented with 3 to 5 persons. The organization is governed by elected Board of 10 members led by the Chairperson supported by Vice Chairperson. The day to day programs/activities are managed by the Executive Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Prorgam Officer(s) at the current. However the organization is on the process to review it Constitution where by the highest decision making body will be Annual General Meeting (AGM) .Also there will be Board of Directors of which will comprise 8 members thus; five (5) members each representing one district network, two (2) nominated women expertise and the Executive Director who will be the Secretary of the Board. The day to day programs will be undertaken with Secretariet and managed with Executive Director supported with other technical staffs such as; Managers, Coordinators, Program Officers etc
LANGO had been supported with The Foundation for Civil Society (FCS), LANGO had undertaken various interventions on Tracking of Public Expenditures (PETS) for Road Fund in 6 LGAs of Lindi region and Enhancing Citizens Engagement with their Political representatives (MPs and Councilors) and Duty Bearers to discuss on Development concerns in 5 Constituencies of Liwale, Nachingwea, Ruangwa, Kilwa North and Kilwa South since 2011 to 2013. Again with funding from Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) – Tanzania and Oxfam Gender Justice – Tanzania office had implemented the Constitutional Review Process and the 2015 Election Projects farmously known as “Fahamu, Ongea, Sikilizwa” (FOS I & II). These projects were implemented in Ruangwa and Nachingwea with funding of VSO and Kilwa, Lindi, Liwale and Ruangwa with funding from Oxfam – Tanzania
Also with supporting with Oxfam Tanzania and Open Society Initiative for eastern Tanzania, LANGO has managed to work in extractive industries, to promote accountability, transparency of duty beares, policy makers/ political leaders, community members together with extractive companies in proper management of the sector and service levy revenues management revenues for Oil & Gas sector in Lindi and Kilwa district. Also to promote citizens engagemnts in planning and decision making related to Oil & Gas sectors at their localities in Lindi Region. Through Funding with Oxfam, LANGO has also managed to engage with Mbanja and Mchinga wards community members to promote gender equality and econimoc empowerments to women and youth groups.
Focus Areas
LANGO has various key focus areas as follows
- Capacity Building to CSOs and local communities to advocate for the right of the poor and play an oversight role in policy implementation and monitoring
- Fair sharing of natural resources for the broader benefit of the Tanzanians
- Making policies works for Tanzanians through open up and influencing policy processes
- Governance, Transparency and Accountability practices and systems, rule of law are effective and efficient in Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in Lindi region
- Protect human rights and promote Gender equity and equality
- Environment conservation and climate change response and mitigation
- Making and strengthening Governance Practices.
- Transparency and Accountability plus the rule os low at local Government Authorities in Lindi region.
- Equality to ensure children and other marginalized group are safe and protected against all forms Violence
Working Areas
LANGO is working in 5 districts of Lindi region of which are; Kilwa, Liwale, Nachingwea, Ruangwa and Lindi with a total population of 864,652 where 450,145 are female and 414,507 male (Source: 2012 Census).
Current Programs/Projects
Currently LANGO is implementing the following projects/programs:-
- To implement animation activities, to promote citizen agency, collective community action and engagement with authorities in Mtama District Council. The program is being implemented since Dec 2022 up to date and is funded by Twaweza East Africa
- Ensure institutional sustainability through strengthening of the grantee’s internal systems and structures. The project is being implemented since Nov 2022 up to date and is funded by Open Society Initiatives for Eastern Africa-OSIEA
- Improving costal women livelihood through marine resources in Lindi region. The project is being implemented in Lindi Municipal and Mtama District Council since Oct 2022 up to date and is being funded by Legal Services Facility in Tanzania-LSF
- Education Out Loud-Mobilizing & capacity building for rural youth collectives in Mbeya Mbogwe and Ruangwa Districts. This project is being implemented in Ruangwa District in partnership with Policy Forum
- School 2030. The project is being implemented in Lindi region in partnership with Aga-Khan Foundation (AKF) since 2020 up to date
Programs/Projects undertaken
LANGO with funding from Open Society Initiatives in Eastern Africa (OSIEA) has managed to implement the following projects:-
- Promoting Citizens Engagement, Transparency &Accountability in Service Levy Revenue from oil and gas industry. The project was implemented in Ruangwa and Lindi districts from 2018 to 2022
LANGO with funding from OXFAM Tanzania had managed to implement the following projects:-
- Accountability through Active Citizenship in Petroleum Governance in Tanzania project in Kilwa, and Lindi districts. This project implemented in Lindi region from 2015 to 2022.
- Promoting gender equality and economic empowerment to women and youth project in Lindi district. The project was implemented from 2017 to 2021
LANGO in partnership with SWISSAID Tanzania has implemented an activity based on increase women income through seaweed value addition in Mchinga ward
LANGO with support of The Foundation for Civil Society had managed to implement projects of the following:-
- Tracking of Public Expenditures for the Road Fund disbursed to Local Government Authorities (LGAs) from Central Government in order to improve rural roads and infrastructures by the year 2011
- Public Policy Dialogues (PPDs) to capacitate citizens participation and monitoring implementation of various policies such as; Agricultural Sector Development Program (ASDP) through District Agriculture Development Plans (DADPs), National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP/MKUKUTA) by the year 2009 to 2011.
- Election Dialogues to interact the citizens/voters with their Parliamentarians candidates to hear on their representing political parties manifestoes and promises to citizens if will be elected. And the citizens had opportunity to question the candidates and be given answers. This was 2010 general election
- Enhancing relationship between legislators and LGAs officials with ordinary citizens in their constituencies for effective implementation of policies, strategies and development plans by the year 2012/2013
With funding from Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) – Tanzania and Oxfam Tanzania, LANGO had managed to implement:-
- Constitution Review Project with focus to enhance women and youth participation in the constitution making process to ensure their concerns and issues are raised, heard and incorporated in new constitution planned by the year 2013 to 2014.
- Election Project for 2015 general election known as “Fahamu, Ongea, Sikilizwa” (FOS) with focus to enhance women participation in the electoral process as contestants, voters and monitors supported by Oxfam Tanzania in Mtama and Kilwa South constituencies founded in Lindi region
- Election Project for 2015 general election known as “Fahamu, Ongea, Sikilizwa” (FOS) with focus to enhance youth participation in the electoral process as contestants, voters and monitors supported by VSO Tanzania in Nachingwea and Ruangwa constituencies founded in Lindi region
With partnership of Policy Forum (PF), LANGO had participated in implementation of:-
- Social Accountability Monitoring (SAM) for extractive industry in Kilwa district to realize and reveal how revenues are been collected from Oil and Gas are spent and managed effectively and efficiently for the benefit of the communities/citizens. The project is being implemented in partnership with the Policy Forum – Tanzania
Funding Relationships
LANGO has had funding relationship with different funding organizations as follows:-
- TWAWEZA East Africa (2022 to date)
- Swissaid Tanzania 2022
- Legal Service Facility Tanzania-LSF (2022 to date)
- The Foundation for Civil Society (FCS) – 2009 to 2o13
- Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) – 2013 to 2015
- Oxfam (Gender Justice) – 2017 to 2021
- Oxfam (Great Britain) – 2015 to 2021
- Open Society Initiative for Estearn Africa. 2018 to 2021
LANGO future plans (2016 – 2020)
- To review its Constitution and reform structure by the end of 2017
- Develop and finalize its new Strategi Plan 2017 – 2020
- Construction of its own office (permanent premise)
- Enhance its operational system by recruiting young and competent staffs
- To devevelop various policies and effectively be implemented
- To advocate for fair sharing and benefits from natural resources
- Promote CSOs and communities capacity and engagement into policy processes and development agendas in the Local Government Authorities (LGAs).
- Strengthening cooperation amongst CSOs and other development actors regarding policy issues and development agendas.
- Enhance cooperation and partnership with Governmental bodies for various policy and development issues.
- Promoting citizens engagement and participation in the Public Policy Dialogues (PPDs) in the local/grass root levels to ensure policies are working for Tanzanians
- Strengthening information and skills sharing and networking among CSOs and other development stakeholders.
- Promoting Good Governance and Accountability practices in the Local Government Authorities (LGAs) in Lindi region.
- Harmonizing to CSOs the implementation of the Code of Conduct and Ethics.
- Improve capacity of CSOs in different aspects and coordination.
- Enhance media engagement
- To deal with different cross cutting issues such as; health, education etc
- Promote transparency and accountability in management of natural resources
- Protect human rights and promote gender equity and equality