While working under the auspices of ACORD before it attained its registration in 2017, Integrated development initiatives in Ngorongoro (IDINGO) in collaboration with NGONET a local NGO umbrella implemented a three years sexual and reproductive health in Ngorongoro district (2014-2016). Although INDIGO didn’t attain full legal status, their contribution to this project was immense. INDIGO main strength was that 100% of our team was local people who could easily be accepted by the community members, and furthermore they had a team of experts when it comes to youth involving work. Through this project, IDINGO with the partner contributed to the reduction of maternal death in Ngorongoro district as well as advocating for youth-friendly services among youth in various public and private health facilities within the district.

Hundreds of young people were reached through school programmes hence making the youth aware of their sexuality and reproductive health in general. This project ended in 2016 but the impact can easily be tracked. Integrated development initiatives in Ngorongoro (INDIGO) in partnership with Tanzania Health promotion support is currently carrying out a project on behavior change to Key vulnerable groups (KVPs) in Ngorongoro district. The project works among youth who at risk to contract HIV/AIDS especially the commercial sex workers who happen to be mostly youth. The project which has two major components i.e. Biomedical and Economic empowerment is going and is expected to phase out towards the end of 2020.

Vijana Taifa La Leo is the title of this project in Kiswahili which is loosely translated to ‘The youth of our Nation’. It focuses on advocacy and community mobilisation geared to improving the political and leadership space of young people including those who live with physical disability. Integrated development initiatives in Ngorongoro (IDINGO) engages local structures such as age sets among the Maasai pastoralist of Ngorongoro district to identify and unleash the potential that young people have as far as leadership, social and economic capabilities are concerned. This is achieved through the creation of youth forums at ward level along with economic groups.

Furthermore, the project avails a database of people living with disability across the district and mentors and organises them into forums through digital technology and trainings. IDINGO employs digital technology through social media to strengthen linkages and alliances among the youth forums, by conducting trainings on the use of and purchase of the tools. The project uses local FM radio (Loliondo FM) to raise awareness of the community members on the importance of increasing political spaces for young people. The project also eliminates inequalities in access and use of community available resources and opportunities through the empowerment of the youth and young people with disabilities. Through improved political spaces, the youth themselves are at the forefront of their own agendas.