Envirocare is a non-profit making, non-partisan, non-governmental registered organization founded in 1993. Envirocare is registered under society ordinance with registration No.3060.

Envirocare’s achievements
Envirocare has a strong track record of implementing development projects aiming at improving environmental conservation and enhancing an equitable sharing of those natural resources most people in Tanzania depend on for their livelihoods. Focus has been on integrating human rights issues and particularly with a gender perspective, as issues of land and inheritance rights are critical for women to benefit equally and participate fully in community affairs.

As part of environmental conservation Envirocare has worked to enhance and increase agricultural production through the promotion of organic farming and improved farming methods. Promotion of tree-planting both at household level and at community level through Participatory forest management has been another way of carrying out the mission of Envirocare.

Also civic education and economic empowerment in some cases with youth and vulnerable groups as a specific target group has been carried out with considerable impact.

Additionally Envirocare has played a significant role in educating children and youth on HIV/Aids and to advocate for removal of communication barriers between children and parents, students and teachers.

Finally Envirocare has been outspoken in advocating for women’s rights and agricultural policies favorable to the environment.

Envirocare’s strengths
The organisation employs a team of professionals, advisors, volunteers and support staff with multi-discipline expertise in agriculture, law, human resource management, gender, sociology, etc. The Envirocare staffs have acquired competence in implementing core activities from a wide variety of trainings, a professional exchange program with Norway, and through experience from project management.
 
Envirocare has its head office in Dar and a field office in Moshi to be supplemented by other field offices in areas of intervention.

Envirocare enjoys good working relations with a number of development partners as well as with government bodies at national and local level. The organization values collaboration with like-minded organizations and have joined a number of local, national and international networks as a means to increase achievements.

Geographical focus

In the Strategic Plan 2007-11, Envirocare has decided to focus on the following regions; Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Morogoro and Dar es Salaam. However where need arise Envirocare shall be flexible to extend its geographical area beyond its main focus.

Envirocare’s approach
Community based and participatory approach
Envirocare’s primary target groups as well as main stakeholders are the communities that we have chosen to work with. From the inception of ideas to the implementation and evaluation we ensure that the communities are engaged in a meaningful way in order to ensure ownership and enhance sustainability and impact. We are committed to helping people build on the resources readily available in order to bring about positive changes.

Envirocare believes that everybody has a right to participate in decision-making be it at household level, in the district planning processes or using constitutional rights to participate in elections. We are aware that cultural norms, values and practices in many communities in Tanzania do place gender specific constraints, which particularly limit women’s participation in decision making and development processes; hence Envirocare’s special attention to women as the key-holders to sustainable development.

Holistic approach
Envirocare emphasizes the links between environmental degradation, human rights abuse, and poverty. An environmental problem cannot be solved successfully without analyzing and addressing these links. This encompasses issues of land rights, who owns and decides on the use of natural assets, of gender equality, who in the family has decisive powers over the family’s resources, and of democracy, how people can participate in decision-making that influences their livelihoods and their environment. As a result of this approach all implementations are designed to address these links either as direct interventions by Envirocare or through some of our networking partners.

Recognition
In recognition of our achievements, Envirocare was in 2003 awarded the international price of Ma’Africa, for the exemplary and inspirational work in the interest of sustainable development for Africa. Ma'Afrika (A Zulu word for 'Women of Africa') is a competition that recognizes and rewards women of Africa who excel in community activities.

Working relationships
Envirocare maintains close working relationships with a broad range of national and international Organizations and participates in national, regional and global discussions on critical environmental and human rights issues.

Collaboration partners
Environment Africa Biodiversity Network (ABN), African Stockpile Project (ASP), Agenda For Environment and Responsible Development (AGENDA), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), IPEN - International Persistent Network,Lawyers Environmental Action Team (LEAT), Journalist Environmental Team (JET), Tanzania Technology Development Organisation (TaTEDO), Low External Imputed Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA), ENERGIA, Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), Sustainable Watch Project (SWP), National Policy Forum, Tanzania Association of NGOs (TANGO), Kilimo Hai Tanzania