Our Partners in Tanzania
The Moravian Church of Western Tanzania Orphan Program: The Origins
For more information on the specific villages, maps, and pictures, click here.
The worldwide AIDS epidemic has crippled Africa. Nearly two thirds of those infected live on this continent which is home to only 10% of the earth’s population.
In the year 2000 eight percent of adult Tanzanians were infected with this fatal virus. Superstition combined with misinformation to facilitate the spread. There was a conspiracy of silence; the word “AIDS” could not be used in public. It was into this environment that the Board of World Mission asked Central Moravian Church to use their existing partnership with the Sikonge Moravian Church as a vehicle to assist our partner province, the Moravian Church of Western Tanzania (MCWT), in confronting this epidemic.
Working through the Sikonge Moravian Hospital, a comprehensive approach to the AIDS epidemic was begun. One major component of this plan was to develop support for the ever increasing number of orphans.
In 2002, Mama Zipora Kimwaga and three friends from the Sikonge Moravian Church organized a community based orphan assistance program. The objective was to maintain these children in the extended family where they were living. This was to be done by providing the caregivers, usually grandparents, with the material support needed, such as extra food, clothing, school supplies, medical care, and personal items such as soap and sheets. The women enrolled 34 orphans in the first four weeks, and distributed supplies to the caregivers from Mama Kimwaga’s home.
Since that modest start, the program has grown exponentially. By the end of the first year it had added orphans from each of the subsections of Sikonge and had developed plans to include two major neighboring villages. All orphans, not just those created by the epidemic, were included. Moravian churches in the area were asked to provide women “who love children” to assist locally. By the end of 2008, twenty-five Moravian women, working in ten centers throughout the district, had expanded the effort to include a total of thirty four villages. At the end of that year more than 3200 children were receiving love and care from the orphan “Mamas” while continuing to live with their extended families.
At the request of MCWT, a similar but separate program was begun in the city of Tabora in January, 2004. It now includes five parishes (Milumbani, Ipuli, Isevya, Moria, and Kiloleni) where Moravian churches are located. Mama Anna Sikazwe and her four assistants currently serve an additional 370 children. Both programs are assisted by volunteers from Central Moravian Church.
Primary school education is free in Tanzania, but secondary school is not. In 2005 the program expanded to include full secondary school scholarships for any orphan able to pass the government’s entrance exam. By the end of 2008 more than 400 children were registered for this additional benefit.
From its inception, the program has been able to provide care for less than $20 per child, not per month, but per year! This remarkable accomplishment is possible for three reasons. First, Tanzania is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. The cost of living is very low; two adults can eat well for less than $3 per week. Second, the program does not supply all the children’s needs. It supplements what their caregivers are already providing to keep the orphans on par with their peers. Third, there is no overhead for the program; 100% of every dollar donated goes to Tanzania where it is spent by Tanzanians for Tanzanians. For this reason, donations of any amount are greatly appreciated and can be used effectively.
Adopt a Village
As the number of orphans receiving assistance continued to grow, the financial requirements increased as well. In 2004 the Sikonge Committee of Central Moravian Church asked the Board of World Mission to sponsor a new concept called “Adopt a Village.” It was formulated with two goals. The first was to help fund the expansion of orphan care; the second was to provide an opportunity for churches in North America to form a relationship with a village in Western Tanzania.
For a pledge of one thousand dollars a year for three years, a church, organization, or individual, would be given the opportunity to partner with one of the participating villages or parishes. They would receive a map locating their village and pictures of the “Mamas” and some of the children for whom they care.
The program was launched in January 2006 with an article in the Moravian. The response was overwhelming; forty-four churches, church groups and individuals participated, supplying 45 % of orphan support in 2008. Each village has been adopted by at least one sponsor. Several churches have adopted two villages and many are renewing their commitment. As 2009 began, the entire orphan program included 34 villages and 5 parishes where 30 Moravian “Mamas” were assisting nearly 4000 orphans.
The Future
To be certain the orphan program does not outgrow its competence, it is no longer expanding to additional villages. Attention has been focused instead on the increasing numbers of orphans attending secondary school and the relationships between the villages in Tanzania and the churches of North America. Multiple Sunday schools in both the northern and southern provinces have exchanged pictures and letters with their partners in the Sikonge district. Many churches have gone beyond orphan care and have begun providing support for Moravian congregations and local schools. Benches have been purchased for sanctuaries and desks have been given to village schools .Wells have been constructed, and churches are being built. Most recently one church has sent representatives to their partner village to meet the pastor and visit orphan households with the “Mamas.” The response by any standard has been impressive.
The challenges facing orphaned children in Africa can be enormous, but the Moravian orphan ladies, assisted by their Adopt a Village partners, are providing the love and care that will enable these children to grow into the nation of tomorrow. August 2009
In June 2006, Central member Mia Mengel went on a 35 day visit to Tanzania, East Africa accompanied by physicians Bill and Peg Hoffman and a reporter and photographer from the Morning Call newspaper. Mia's visit included consultation with the Bishop of the Western Province on financial and management issues, touring the Orphans' Project villages and participating in the church life of our partner congregation in the town of Sikonge. Rev. Gordon and Mary Mowrer and other family members joined Mia on this trip to Tanzania and also enjoyed visiting with the people of Sikonge and learning about our on-going partnership with these people. Read the Morning Call story by clicking here.
Some of the children of Sikonge, W. Tanzania
Mia Mengel, Veronica Terrojon, Peg Hoffman, and Bill Hoffman and Sikonge villagers.
Mia teaching computer skills.
Many groups at Central have contributed significant financial and spiritual resources as we have prayed, built, healed and grown together - Two Moravian Communities on different sides of the world, but One in Faith.
Learning skills (sewing and wood-working) at Youth New Fashion in Sikonge.
Continuing our work with the children of Sikonge, particularly the successful orphans program (Adopt a Village) in Sikonge and areas beyond, is a main initiative of Central's partnership with Sikonge.