Volunteer International development charity seeks two new Trustees | Tanzania Development Trust

Tanzania Development Trust (TDT) has been helping to lift people out of poverty in rural areas in Tanzania for almost 50 years. We need additional Trustees who can help us expand and strengthen our own delivery capacity.

What difference will you make?

Helping people to lift themselves out of poverty is one of the most satisfying experiences you will ever have. They all face different challenges, so there is never a dull moment. Trustees are encouraged to go and see for themselves the difference they are making (unfortunately at their own expense) and will be given a warm welcome wherever they go.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for Trustees who can provide direction and guidance to our volunteers in fund-raising, project appraisal and monitoring & evaluation work, and come up with new ideas about how to help our beneficiaries more effectively. They must be willing to use their contacts and networking skills to increase awareness of our work, generate additional income and build strong partnerships with other organisations working in the same areas. They will be conscious of changing opportunities for the rural poor in the mobile phone era, and able to think constructively about how we can use our projects to build capacity amongst our beneficiaries, leading to more development projects.We would also welcome objective analysis of how to improve our own operations. Whilst we do not expect our new Trustees to become involved in the day-to-day running of the business, they are welcome to take on additional functions if they so wish.

What will you be doing?

TDT sponsors 40-50 small rural development projects p.a., mainly in the areas of clean water, girls’ education and small income generating activities. It also has longer-term partnerships with four flagship projects a school for teenage mothers; community development through training in sustainable agriculture and the provision of clean water; vocational training for profoundly deaf adolescents; and integrated infrastructure development in a remote village. Its primary function is fundraising, although it provides general project management and business advice where appropriate. Around half of its income comes from individual donors, and half from Trusts & Foundations. It helps villagers in Tanzania who lack the capacity and language skills to present their projects to international donors, conducting project appraisals and monitoring project outcomes on their behalf. The projects are implemented by the villagers themselves, or by small local contractors. TDT is run entirely by volunteers (17 regular volunteers in the UK and 16 local representatives in Tanzania). It has no paid staff, premises or overheads, so 100% of all money raised goes directly to projects in Tanzania. The demand is enormous so we are looking for additional Trustees who can help us to grow by identifying potential donors, increasing awareness of our activities, and strengthening our project selection and monitoring procedures. The existing Trustees are strongly committed to rural development in Tanzania, and are looking for people who share their enthusiasm for the country and its people. We would like at least one of the new Trustees to improve our fund-raising activities by piloting more innovative and creative approaches. Experience of living or working in Tanzania is not essential, but to improve the Board’s racial diversity we would like at least one of the new Trustees to be of Tanzanian origin or have strong connections with East Africa. The work we do is immensely rewarding. You would be joining an organisation that is growing and adapting to meet the needs of a changing world, where helping poor people to help themselves is of paramount importance.