Non-profit making, non-governmental organization with its Headquarter at Nyamisi village, Butiama District- Mara region, Tanzania. The organization registered in 6th May, 2009 under Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children as The Non-Governmental Organization Act, 2002 Made under section 12(2) of Act No.24 of 2002 with registration No. 00NGO/00003130

Shimautita has been formed through the idea of Dr. Machakos C.Sinja when met with a big number of traditional healers who conduct their works traditionally with no health protective gears. This situation forced Dr. Machakos C.Sinja to conduct a baseline survey to some of the traditional healers in Musoma rural district, Mara region aiming to have traditional healers who will conduct their work following the Ministry health regulation and code of conduct. The organization has engaged in researching and finding the solution for application of Herbal medicine for treatment of chronic different diseases including HIV/IDS, Diabetes, Polio, Tuberculosis (TB), Hepatitis, Ulcers, Asthma, Epilepsy, Mental abnormal, Cancer, Rat bite fever, Whooping cough, chronic Malaria etc.

Currently, the organization has focal persons into four regions in Tanzania Mainland. These include Mwanza, Simiyu, Kigoma and Tabora regions respectively.

Shimautita believes that application of herbal medicine is the only solution for treatment of chronic diseases. This will be aligned through conducting training for traditional healers to raise awareness for the application of herbal medicine.  Shimautita acknowledge all interventions undertaken by the Government and other development practitioners in enhancing a healthier community through policies, strategies and supportive initiatives. We therefore decided to unite our effort through establishment of SHIMAUTITA to support initiatives undertaken by the Government and other development practitioners in ensuring treatment of chronic/non-communicable diseases.

Herbal medicines have been used in traditional medical practices for centuries. While practitioners of herbal medicines are often comfortable with the application of such medicines and are also largely convinced by the results they experience with patients, the scientific validity of herbal medicines in research and development is still often questioned. This is partly due to the lack of quality control, identification, and standardization of chemical compounds and drug formulations, as well as the challenges of applying the same methodologies across dissimilar medicinal products. The development of herbal medicine within the framework of evidence-based medicine is relatively new. Applying the methodologies of Western-based pharmaceutical sciences to herbal medicines presents the research community with a complex set of challenges. However, it is essential that herbal medicine research design and conduct be scientifically and ethically sound, while also taking into account the medical philosophies and practices that accompany the use of traditional herbal medicine.

Our special issue is focused on the application of modern technologies and methodologies in herbal medicine research and development using the accepted Western scientific and ethical standards. In the last decades, there has been significant progress in advancing traditional herbal medicine research and development, particularly in Asia, where there is an abundance of medicinal plants. As this issue will illustrate, the application of modern technologies and methodologies can have a significant impact on the scientific validity, quality improvement, and standardization of herbal medicines.

Our vision
To make sure for every Old people, widows /widowers the sick and   orphans, vulnerable children attains the right to survival   protection, development and participation within their environment.

Our Mission
To create lasting solutions to health, education, poverty, hunger and social injustice.

Our Objectives

1. Raising community awareness on issues of health focusing on cchronic diseases aand non-communicable diseases.
2. Develop opportunities; situation and environment which will make traditional healers to conduct their work following the Ministry health regulation and code of conduct.
3. Promote health education on the application of herbal remedies for treatment of cchronic diseases and non-communicable diseases.
4. Promote and enhance environmental protection and conservation.
5. Facilitate children, women, disabled youth and elder’s social well-being and empowerment.

Statement of Values

The core values of Shimautita are as hereunder:-

1. Commitment: All Shimautita staff members are expected to show spirit of commitment, effectiveness and diversity.
2. Transparency: Leaders and staff members shall observe transparency in matters that involve the use of the organization resources by providing all stakeholders with physical and financial implementation reports.
3. Respect: The potential and dignity of human being shall have worth and be respected.

Current Key activities

1. Researching and finding the solution for application of herbal remedies for treatment of chronic different diseases including HIV/IDS, Diabetes, Polio, Tuberculosis (TB), Hepatitis, Ulcers, Asthma, Epilepsy, Mental abnormal, Cancer, Rat bite fever, Whooping cough, chronic Malaria etc.
2. Conducting health and environmental training for traditional healers.
3. Visit and support peoples with disabilities, women, sick, orphans and vulnerable children.
4. Prepare and sell affordably different herbal remedies for the communities for treatment of chronic diseases and non-communicable diseases.

Donors

Since the organization registered in 6th May, 2009 and starts its operation on June, 2009 to implement its activities, the organization has been relying on the following as source of income as it has not succeeded to score funds from the donor. These are:-

1. Members contribution
2. Members annual subscription fee
3. In-kind contribution from well wishers

Geographical position

Currently, the organization operates in Mara with our focal offices in Mwanza, Simiyu, Kigoma, Tabora and Mwanza region.
Our Beneficiaries/ target group

1. Orphans and vulnerable children
2. Women and youth
3. Peoples with disabilities
4. Poor and elders

Stakeholders / Partners
Government, community groups/CBOs and the communities.

Approaches
Shimautita uses participatory approach as its basic methodology to allow and encourage the community (the target group) on its own problem solving and decision making and implementing its development programs. Shimautita considers this approach as a corner stone to sustainable community development. This approach is also a means to maintain sense of ownership and responsibility among the community and to secure its contribution in development work.

Strategies of the organization
The organization strategies for the vision, mission and goals include:

1. Individual motivation aimed at mobilizing others to be creative.
2. Internal capacity building of the organization staff through training.
3. Encouraging and ensuring networking and collaboration among all project/ programs stakeholders, the people, government and voluntary sectors/ private sector.
4. Initiating need based sustainable community identified developmental projects/programs
5. Integrating gender issues in all development interventions.

Our Strength 

• Shimautita has a team of staff that is highly committed and has passion for human development, this is backed up by the organizations need to promote community sustainable development through awareness creation on health and environmental conservation.
• Good relation with the government particularly RMO, DMO, teachers,  Ward Executive Officer (WEO), District Commissioner(DC), Region Commissioner (RC), DAS, RAS, DED etc.
• Transparency in matters that involves the matters in physical and financial implementation

Attachment: Shimautita_Organization_Profile_2021