Situated in Usa River, Arusha, MS TCDC is a convening space, knowledge sharing and learning hub that attracts various interest groups – academia, civil society, youth, artists, activists, public servants -  who are passionate in popular struggles for transformed, just, democratic and a sustainable world.

The history of the Training Centre for Development Cooperation (MS[1]-TCDC) traces back to April 1967 following the execution of a bilateral agreement between the Governments of Denmark and Tanzania in 1967. Situated in Usa River in Arusha, Tanzania, the facility has provided Kiswahili language skills and cultural orientation for Danish Volunteers working in Tanzania and later, for those destined to other African countries. The Centre progressively grew to incorporate training of civil society practitioners, mostly working in Africa and others in Asia and Latin America.

MS-TCDC offers training programs for the civil society sector in Africa, to enhance their ability to influence democratic governance, equitable, sustainable and transformative change on the continent. The Centre offers a variety of short courses, undergraduate and masters studies in Governance, Development and Leadership. The Centre convenes/facilitates caucuses aimed at engendering social justice in national development agendas, most of which embody the SDGs[2]. TCDC applies learning methodologies that inculcate an in-depth understanding of the social, economic and political context, build the knowledge and confidence of potential agents of change and create the thrust for social justice.

TCDC is on the threshold of adding impetus to social movements in Africa, and rightly positioning itself as a leading Pan-African institute that incubates social movements. It has the infrastructure, reputation and experience to grow as a training Centre par excellence for development professionals and a repository and convergence of intellect. The Centre has taken stock of its institutional gains and those of civil society movements in the last decade and considered the evolving socioeconomic dynamics across the continent.

In the last two decades, social movements demanding social justice, equity, inclusion and accountability, have gradually gained traction. Today, democratic governance is openly demanded and to a significant level, practiced. Globally, social and economic indicators show improvements in access to social services and some increased household income. Nonetheless, violations of fundamental rights, unjust economic policies, gross corruption and a suppressed civil society are salient features in several African countries.

TCDC strives to support civil coalitions to confidently and in solidarity challenge inequitable growth and campaign for structural change. It proposes a disruptive strategy hinged on innovation and visionary thinking, one that constantly interrogates policies against community needs, and remains relevant to the context and is economically sustainable.

Mission and Vision:

Vision Statement: 

Confident, determined citizens engaging in popular struggles for a transformed, just, democratic and sustainable world.

Mission Statement: 

To facilitate learning that stimulates citizens’ consciousness of their fundamental rights, and builds their ability to contribute towards social cohesion, equitable economic growth and democratic governance.

Core Values:

We believe in and promote an open culture of Inclusiveness. We heartily welcome all who visit with us and seek to demonstrate consistency in all we do. We value Integrity, Humility and Innovation and are committed to living these qualities.
1. Inclusiveness: We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to attain their full potential as a human being. We support actions that promote human dignity, equity, equality and respect for diversity.
2. Welcoming: We are happiest to receive guests, participants, students whose presence in our midst is cherished.
3. Consistency: We try to keep the highest standards in all that we do - all the time
4. Integrity: We are devoted to principles of uprightness, trustworthiness and dependability. We are committed to a culture of zero tolerance to corruption.
5. Humility: Our natural state is one of service to those who accord us this privilege and we approach this privilege with modesty.
6. Innovative: We are constantly looking to maximize our impact by changing our practice and experimenting with new ways of conducting our activities on an ongoing basis.

Strategic Areas of Focus:

TCDC has built its repute and will continue to capitalise on its heritage as a learning hub in the fields of Leadership, Governance, Accountability and Community Development. We also recognise there is a wealth of untapped knowledge from cultures, regions and generations to inform resilience mechanisms in times of social and economic shocks and diversity in participation. Our existing capacity and this knowledge which we will foster will inform our approach in the thematic focus on Youth, Gender and Climate Change, which are widely in tandem with both AADK and the AA Federation. 

Youth: Africa’s bulging youth is vastly unemployed, disenfranchised and increasingly disillusioned despite the pertinence of their participation in the discourse on policies. TCDC will develop programs that they can learn from but more importantly, provide them a platform to galvanise their new thinking and innovation.

Gender: Women endure the most of social injustice and poverty. Systemic marginalisation has to be tackled from the grassroots but also challenging policies that perpetuate their exclusion. TCDC will aim to use its knowledge base and convening programs to petition and stimulate women’s political leadership and participation especially in community movements.

Climate Change: The absence of mitigation will only further exacerbate social injustices on women, children and youth. Mitigating the effects of climate change is an opportunity to grow community resilience from homegrown solutions. It requires broad alliances across communities, invigorating cultural and contemporary innovations and deliberate effort to include the most marginalised in society. Our programs will sensitise social movements, build their ability to engage with leadership structures, and enable incubation of innovative solutions.