From Michigan to Tanzania…
We have been a part of many projects both locally and in Tanzania, Africa. Here are a few things that have made a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Disability Awareness Seminars
Beginning in 2010, special seminars have been scheduled during each trip, for persons affected by disability and their families. They, along with local community leaders, enjoy a special meal and learning together. The goal is to provide encouragement and awareness that People affected by disabilities have the same basic rights as everyone else. New this year, a local team is ready and available to complete disability awareness training, beginning with pastors, at this spring’s session of the Bible college.
Water Wells
In the summer of 2012, we traveled to Geita with a goal of training a local team to drill water wells, providing urgently needed clean safe water for the local communities. Since that training, the original team has trained a second team. Using best practices, as provided by the trainer, seventeen wells have now been drilled and maintained by these teams. A new focus is working with local communities to provide safe water for schools. Our current project is drilling a well for a primary school of eight hundred students and no access to water.
Farming God’s Way
Farming God’s Way is a Bible-based farm management strategy which has the potential to lift farmers out of poverty by increasing their productivity while also instilling Christian character into the lives of those who put this teaching into practice. In the summer of 2018, we taught our first ever 4-day Farming God’s Way training seminar in Geita, TZ. We had a total of 40 attendees, including both men and women, some of whom are pastors. A demonstration garden was constructed next to the Bible college, and training manuals were printed and given to each participant. The months following the seminar saw dramatic results on each farm that put into practice the lessons learned.
Preschools
Support and materials have been provided to preschools that have been started in some churches, including parent education and materials. The government is now expanding access to pre-primary education with a policy of one year of free and compulsory pre-primary education for all children, however, many needs still exist.
Women’s Empowerment Groups
Women’s Empowerment Groups are now meeting in each church community, and they have developed projects such as sewing, farming and small lending opportunities to meet needs in their communities.
Covid-19 Masks
The project provided education and support (especially funding for good scissors) to make reusable masks using local, easily available materials. This has proven to be a sustainable benefit to meet additional, on-going needs, such as protection from dusty roads, as well as other communicable diseases. Training has been requested by both a district hospital and district school and will be provided this spring.
Get Involved
The core of all we undertake is collaboration. We are a connector: of communities, organizations and families who have needs and skills with organizations and individuals who have resources, interest, and a concern to come together to create opportunities for families to thrive. We have done more with the partners in Tanzania because we have found more willing partners. Closer to home, we have held several community forums using the process and results of the projects we are involved with to demonstrate and encourage the collaborative process. We financially managed a Community Foundation grant for a local Health and Humans Services organization, a program which supported teens in school. We actively engaged with managers of our local local Farms Markets to explore possible collaborative opportunities. We continue to maintain connections with local organizations concerned with the supporting families.
If you would like to be a part of one of our educational based projects or have an idea for a project, please send us a submission. We would love to hear from you!