May 4, 2007

The Tanzania Marketing and Communication Company, Ltd (also known as the T-MARC Company) has been officially launched. The T-MARC Company is a Tanzanian not-for-profit organization whose mission is to build partnerships between multiple players in the commercial, NGO, and public sectors.  The T-MARC Company’s mission is to facilitate the growth of the “total market” for an extensive range of public health products and services, and to increase the practise of health-protective behaviours. The philosophy of the T-MARC Company is that its partners lead with T-MARC providing the support they need to be successful.

T-MARC’s socially marketed health brands are distributed in collaboration with Shelys Pharmaceutical, Inc.  They include the Dume male condom, Lady Pepeta female condom and FlexiP oral contraceptive pills.  T-MARC’s communications initiatives are implemented in collaboration with a wide range of public and private sector partners and have included the faithfulness campaign Sikia Kengele: Tulia Na Wako, the condom promotion campaign Vaa Kondom, the Mama Ushauri radio serial drama for reproductive health, and the launch of the Kataa Malaria initiative in Zanzibar.

“AED is proud to be involved in the mentoring and launch of the T-MARC Company, a Tanzanian owned and operated institution,” said Margaret Parlato, AED’s Senior Vice President and Director of the Global Health, Population and Nutrition Group.  “The excellent work being executed through the T-MARC Company should have an important impact on the health of vulnerable people in Tanzania.”

T-MARC Project Director, Dr. Martin Alilio stated, “Today we are celebrating that the T-MARC Project is moving from a “project” to a permanent institution. By building Tanzanian capacity, USAID is helping this country to develop sustainable public health interventions.  This is particularly important given the scale of the HIV/AIDS problem and the impact that other health issues such as malaria are having on the socio-economic development of Tanzanians.  The whole T-MARC team is grateful for the investment of the American people through USAID.”

Through practical partnerships, the T-MARC Company will work closely and purposefully with other organizations and agencies engaged in similar programmatic areas to address issues of coverage and consistency related to the distribution of dependable products and the dissemination of accurate information.

For further information contact:
Nelson Karanja
Communications Director
T-MARC Company Ltd
Tel: +255 784 705420
Email : nkaranja@tmarc.or.tz