Context
The Sarian community forest with 1,682 Hectares located at Olorien Magaiduru and Samunge Wards, is one of a typical example of an Indigenous Community Conserved Area (ICCA) in Tanzania as characterized by ICCA Consortium. The is collectively managed by Maasai pastoralists and Batemi (Sonjo) agro pastoralist from five villages namely Magaiduru, Olorien, Mgongo, Mageri and Oldonyowasi. Sustainable local management of the Sarian is crucial to local livelihood, culture and natural resources conservation. The Maasai pastoralist and Batemi (Sonjo) agro pastoralist, way of life consisting of traditional ceremonies and rites of passage, and social organization (e.g. age-set system), are heavily connected with the existence of the forest. The Maasai pastoralist and Batemi (Sonjo) agro pastoralists are spiritually and socially connected to the forest. The forest provides life to women as they depend on it to implement their community gender roles such as collection of firewood, construction of family houses, collection of medicinal plants for children and pregnant women just to mention a few.

Such importance of the forest to Maasai pastoralist and Batemi (Sonjo) agro pastoralists women at Olorien Magaiduru and Samunge dictate how important it is to involve women in forest management related decision-making processes and ensure gender equality over management and use of the forest resources. Traditionally, Maasai and Batemi women have major roles in the community of firewood collection, build family houses, collect medicinal plants for children and pregnant women. All the materials for such activities come from the forest. Women in pastoral communities especially at Olorien Magaiduru and Samunge area hold traditional knowledge and norms to sustainably use and conserve forest resources. Unfortunately, decision-making processes on forest management at Olorien Magaiduru and Samunge area, quite often do not involve women. Thus, the main problem this proposal seeks to address is low participation of women in the Sarian committee forest management and traditional structures to enhance women participation for sustainable forestry management in Sarian forestry .

This proposal, therefore, seeks to increase participation of women in the Sarian through empowering them on (1) sustainable livelihood activities (2) forest governance (3) documentation of women traditional knowledge of management and use of the forest resources.

About the Organization:

Pastoral Livelihood Support and Empowerment Program (PALISEP) is a Non-governmental Organization established since 2002 with registration No. SO.NO 11616. originally, PALISEP was mandated to operate in the Arusha region to address socio-economic development and create an appropriate space for community effective participation in development and governance programs. In 2016 PALISEP upgraded and registered as national Non-government organization with a mandate to operate in Tanzania mainland.
PALISEP?s major areas of competence are Livestock development, Value chain development, Environmental conservation, Food security, Drought Cycle Management, Women Economic Empowerment & governance. PALISEP also addresses cross-cutting issues of HIV/AIDS, and Gender.
We employ the right-based approach to empower people to fight against poverty and all kinds of injustices. We have track record of implementing women empowerment programs through sustainable value chains and business model. We always put women at the heart of our programming, and this is managed through our robust tools, guidelines, and frameworks that highly capture and address development issues of women and girls. Conducting gender analysis is mandatory for every project we are implementing, and we go further employing specific tools like GEM (Gendered Enterprises Market System). We have a commendable record of Heifer and cows Project in Enguserosambu, Loliondo that was specifically meant to empower widows and women-headed families.
We have developed value chain models for other subsectors in different locations like Milk value chain and hide and skin value chain Ngorongoro in Collaboration with Oxfam Tanzania. We have also supported Women enterprises like Villages Community Bank (VICOBA) and Community Conservation Bank (COCOBA). Through our advocacy and campaign programs, we have been able to empower women and communities understand negative impact of discrimination against women and girls so as they can fight to end it, our programs also addressed issues of Violence against women and girls, and we always advocate for women?s equal rights to economic resources particularly land and rights to participate in decision making structures that have impact to their wellbeing. In all these value interventions, we have empowered women and promote gender equity promoted. Our capacity to deliver and manage donor-funded programs like Oxfam GB, Oxfam Ireland, African Conservation Centre (ACC) and IDRC is enhanced by available internal capacities and systems as well as collaboration with other stakeholders including NGOs, Private sector and government.
Basing our good track records and capacities; PALISEP needs to empower more women and girl through this proposed project and therefore contributes realizing the 5th goal of the SDG which is about gender equity because gender inequality is strongly correlated to poverty.

3. Project?s Primary Objective:

3.1 Main Project Objective
Improve women livelihoods and participation in decision making processes related to Sarian forestry governance in Ngorongoro district by 2020.

3.2 Specific Objectives
? To support women groups with environmentally friendly economic activities
? To increase awareness of women involvement in forest governance
? To document women traditional local knowledge of forest resource use and management
4. Implementation Strategies:
? Support existing community women groups with environmental economic activities such as beekeeping, artwork and tree nursery
? Create awareness through conducting campaigns and village meetings to advocate women fully participation in Sarian forest management and governance.
? Engage local women to document traditional knowledge on forest resources use and management

5. Project Sustainability Strategies:
? The support of the existing community women groups economically will ensure sustainability of the project as community women will have been empowered and they will likely be more involved in the decision-making processes, management and governance of the Sarian.
? The document which will be produced out of the documentation of women traditional use and management of the forest activities will likely be used in the long run by community members and hence ensure sustainability of the project.

6. Anticipated Project Results/Outputs
? Train 480 (320 (67%) women, men 160 (33%), youth and people with disabilities inclusive on community-based forest conservation and governance
? About 9,400 indigenous communities surrounding Sarian community forest are aware of importance of women in forest management and governance
? 480 (320 (67%) women, men 160 (33%), youth and people with disabilities inclusive are participating in decision-making processes related to Sarian community forest governance.
? Four (5) women groups are capacitated on environmentally friendly social-economic activities such as beekeeping, beads work and tree nursery.
? Produce two (2) documentaries (videos, IEC materials) on women traditional local knowledge of forest management, governance and use to promote relevance of ICCAs with gender lenses