The Contribution of Non Governmental Organizations in Responding to Cholera Epidemics in Zanzibar: Experience from Micheweni District, Pemba.

Rashid, Moh’d Abdalla (2025) The Contribution of Non Governmental Organizations in Responding to Cholera Epidemics in Zanzibar: Experience from Micheweni District, Pemba. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

The 2015–2016 cholera epidemic in Micheweni District, Pemba led to an essential partnership between NGOs and the government, which has subsequently enabled the prevention of massive outbreaks in Zanzibar. In this study, the social and economic functions of NGOs and the difficulties encountered during the response were studied. Guiding collaborative governance theory, the study used a descriptive study design using the mixed-methods approach. Data were collected using questionnaires from 121 NGO recipients and 13 key informants through interview. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS v25 for descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically and presented as quotations. The findings showed that healthcare was the most common social support (98.3%), and economic education headed on economic support (90.1%). Support varied by type by the degree of support. The NGOs also faced several challenges such as constraints in resources, coordination, communication, cultural norms, and logistic limitations. The study summarizes that although the NGOs were at the center of action in response to the outbreak, their support was below community needs. It recommends increased resource allocation, efficient coordination, culturally sensitive communication, and improved logistics. Keywords: Cholera outbreak, Social Support, Economic Support, Micheweni Pemba.

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