CODEWA Hosts an International Development Leader: A Courtesy Visit by Janet Chapman in Tabora

Community Development Watch (CODEWA) was deeply honored to welcome Ms. Janet Chapman, Chair of the Tanzania Development Trust (TDT) and Founder of Crowd2Map, during her recent visit to Tabora. Her visit to our office marked a meaningful moment of international connection, learning, and shared commitment to community-driven development.

Ms. Janet Chapman was in Tabora to visit and follow up on projects being implemented through Tanzania Development Trust and Crowd2Map. During her stay, she graciously took time to visit CODEWA to learn more about our work and grassroots impact in the region.

Sharing Our Mission and Community Impact

During the visit, the CODEWA team had the opportunity to present:

• Our core mission and vision as a community-based organization
• Our key program areas including education, youth empowerment, child protection, gender equity, and civic engagement
• Our ongoing efforts to support children and young people from vulnerable backgrounds
• The challenges and opportunities we encounter while working at the grassroots level in Tabora and beyond

It was a powerful moment of knowledge exchange. We shared practical insights from our daily work with children and communities, while also learning from Ms. Chapman’s vast experience in international development, mapping innovation, and community empowerment.

A Moment of Trust, Recognition, and Inspiration

For CODEWA, this visit was more than a courtesy call — it was a sign of trust, recognition, and growing global solidarity. Hosting such a respected development leader from outside Tanzania affirmed the value of grassroots organizations in driving sustainable change from the community level upward.

Our team was inspired by her humility, curiosity, and genuine interest in understanding how local organizations operate and create impact with limited resources but strong community spirit.

Strengthening Global–Local Partnerships

The visit reinforced the importance of:

• Cross-border partnerships
• Knowledge sharing between international and local actors
• Community-centered development approaches
• Long-term collaboration for sustainable impact

At CODEWA, we strongly believe that sustainable development is achieved when local knowledge meets global support — and moments like this encourage us to strengthen networks that amplify community voices.

Our Commitment Going Forward

We remain committed to:

• Improving the lives of children, youth, and marginalized communities
• Strengthening community participation and accountability
• Building partnerships that promote innovation, education, and social justice

We are sincerely grateful to Ms. Janet Chapman for taking the time to visit our office and engage with our team. Her visit was an encouragement to continue working with dedication, integrity, and hope.

As CODEWA, we view this visit as both an honor and a responsibility — to continue delivering meaningful impact at the grassroots level while strengthening bridges between local action and global solidarity.