Welcome to Tanzania and to the CRWRC team working there!

Tanzania is located on the coast of East Africa and shares its borders with a number of other African countries including Kenya, Zambia, and Mozambique.  Tanzania is home to Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, in the north of the country.

Fast Facts

Population: 41,048,532 (July 2009 est.)
Area Comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of California
(945,000 sq km)
Literacy Rate: 69.4%
Life Expectancy: 52.01 years
Population below the povery line: 36% (2002 est.)
Gross Domestic Product per capita: $1,300 (2008 est.
Religions: mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
Languages: Kiswahili or Swahili (official), English (official), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages

(From the World Factbook. Click here for more information on Tanzania.)

CRWRC Tanzania

In 1990, CRWRC got in Tanzania to work with the national office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCT).  At that time, ELCT was the biggest evangelical church in Tanzania that had programs targeting the poor.  Such programs included healthcare, agriculture, and income generating activities with groups of women and young unemployed boys and girls.  This was one of the reasons CRWRC was attracted to ELCT.  In 1993, CRWRC was formally registered in Tanzania and that opened doors for CRWRC to work with other like-minded churches and Christian NGO’s to reach out to most vulnerable community members in various parts of Tanzania.

CRWRC Partners in Tanzania

African Inland Church in Tanzania (AICT) 

CRWRC works with AICT in a variety of ways throughout the country.

a) Through the AICT National office CRWRC is reaching out to Church leaders at the Diocesan levels with leadership training initiatives.  Development workshops aimed at improving the responsiveness of the Church to the needs around them are planned periodically.  Leaders increase their skills in planning and in assessing how well the Church is living out her vision and mission.  Currently work with the National office is limited to Constituency Development through placement of volunteers and justice education focusing on witchcraft and powers of darkness – mostly related to murder of people with skin disabilities (albinos) and aged widows.    In the recent years, AICT has hosted 7 volunteers serving in different capacities with the Church.  Currently AICT has 2 volunteers from CRWRC working at their Head office in Mwanza 

b) Through the AICT Coastal Diocese CRWRC is reaching out to young men and women, widows, single parents, and other low-income individuals in the coastal region.  To assist these at-risk individuals, AICT provides training, which help people hone their individual skills and find employment. AICT also trains community members to form savings and credit groups. These group members save together and loan out their savings to members at a small interest. All group loans are invested in income generating activities and group members share successes and challenges each month during their monthly meetings. CRWRC also facilitates workshops for AICT Christians on stewardship and support for the Lord’s ministry.   CRWRC and AICT Coastal Diocese have been facilitating awareness on justice issues related to widows and orphans and has planned to start raising awareness on environment care within and around the city of Dar-es-Salaam.

c) Through the AICT Geita Diocese, CRWRC reaches out to Pastors and Evangelists through training on the role of the Church in Development reflecting on Jesus’ ministry to a hurting world. The main focus in community development projects is continued training on the killer HIV and AIDS – addressing questions as to what HIV and AIDS is; who is vulnerable; how it is contacted; how people can keep safe; and how to live with and help those affected and infected.  The Diocese cares for over 2000 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC); train older OVC and infected and affected adults in forming support groups and in income generation and most are already involved in income generating activities that help them earn income. 

d) Through the AICT Mara and Ukerewe Diocese, CRWRC reaches out to Church leaders through training on the role of the Church in Development reflecting on Jesus’ ministry to a hurting world.  In this partnership focus on community development majors in i) income generation – where community people are trained on group formation, saving together and loaning each other, identifying local resources, their own strengths and using those to meet most felt needs; ii) HIV and AIDS awareness creation and caring and working with people living with HIV/AIDS.

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) 

CRWRC works with parishes of ELCT in a variety of ways in two geographical areas. 

a) In Ipogolo Parish of Iringa Diocese, CRWRC works with Wende Women Group in an interdependent relationship.  Wende Women Group is one of the many community organizations that CRWRC and the Diocese of Iringa helped to build capacity to operate of their own.   This group has a Savings & Credit account where members save and loan to each other at an interest.  Interest earned is boosted by CRWRC and Partners to fund various community outreach projects: like, school supplies to orphaned and vulnerable children; small income generating projects and revolving small animals with guardians of the orphaned children; tree planting in public places like health centres and schools, and care for people living with HIV/AIDS.  CRWRC works with Wende to increase their capacity to operate their Savings & Credit and in financing some of the community outreach projects.  Wende has two affiliate members in the U.S. who support Wende through Partners Worldwide (PWW). 

b) CRWRC Tanzania has worked with ELCT Buhumbi & Magu Parishes of East of Lake Victoria Diocese for over 15 years.  Over this period, community organizations have been formed and capacity build has led them to forming their own Community Organization and recently registered as Magu Evangelical Development and Relief Agency  (MEDR).   Their program outreach include projects such as community based health care (CBHC) focusing on mothers and children under 5 years; food security focusing on traditional foods like pigeon peas and amaranth, pearl millet, sorghum, and cowpea; environmental conservation focusing on planting trees and using fuel efficient stoves; income generation through savings and credit schemes.  MCDR will remain as an interdependent Partner and a resource for other CRWRC Tanzania Partners through their membership at the CRWRC Tanzania Country Team. 

Local Christian Non Governmental Organization 

Sengerema Informal Sector Association (SISA) - SISA maintains an interdependent relationship with CRWRC Tanzania after graduating from direct funding due to successful capacity growth and ability to continue on their own.  Due to SISA members’ high capacity in community development, SISA is highly recognized by the District and Regional government offices and has been awarded various tenders to train many communities.  SISA is an offshoot of CRWRC’s work with the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of East of Lake Victoria and maintains a good relationship with the Lutheran Church as well.  Because of previous business development relationship between SISA and Partners WorldWide (PWW), there is an account through PWW in which this relationship is maintained.   

Embracing HIV and AIDS 

CRWRC Tanzania is implementing an Embrace AIDS program in collaboration with the Tanzania Coastal Partners including community organizations that in the recent past have graduated from CRWRC’s direct financial support. Working closely with the Church leaders and local Government leaders, the program focuses on raising awareness on HIV and AIDS amongst the youth in high schools and within the community, caring for people living with HIV and AIDS and their children and integrating this with income generating activities for the affected and infected.