For many adults in Tanzania, though, this situation is a reality, and it keeps many people living in poverty. Here’s an example of the ways that World Renew and its partners are working to help people who live in poverty improve their skills and abilities—and as a result, change their lives. 

Ragata is a community in northern Tanzania that is served by our partner, the Africa Inland Church of Tanzania Mara/Ukerewe Diocese (AICT MUD). Ragata was established in 1944 and now has a population of about 2,000 people. Most of the residents are from the Wajita tribe, but there is also a mixture of other tribes in the community. The majority of the village members cultivate crops and raise livestock (cows and goats) as their main economic activities. The animals graze in fields nearby, rather than being kept in a pen, and so they must be moved from one area to another to find adequate food and water.

As a community with mixed ethnic groups and mixed livelihoods, the people of Ragata have different lifestyles. The pastoralists (herders) make up a large part of the community. Because they depend on their livestock for income, many of these families do not send their children to school. Instead, the children (both boys and girls) look after the livestock each day, and as a result, many of them grow up without learning to read, write, or count. This makes it very hard for them to try any other business activities besides watching their animals.

This wasn’t the only way that the families in Ragata were ignoring the importance of education. “Before AICT MUD was active in Ragata, the school building was neglected and lacked basic equipment and furniture, like desks for the students,” said a community member. “The children who did attend school said that they sat on the ground or on a stone during class. There was also very little housing available, making it difficult to attract and keep teachers in the community. Many teachers left and went to better, privately-owned schools.”

In 2011, AICT MUD began a literacy project in Ragata as part of a community  empowerment program. To start the project, the community members identified their challenges, and illiteracy topped the list. The villager’s lack of literacy and numeracy skills was especially problematic for members of the community’s self-help groups where saving and lending activities with microcredit are part of a program to help improve their businesses.

“We now know how to read and write, and we no longer confuse numbers when counting,” said James Lusengeneja.

An initial class of 26 students began to meet in the afternoon, after the farm work was completed, lunch for school-aged children was cooked, and a neighbor could watch their livestock. On a recent visit to the community, the AICT MUD staff discovered that nine of the students had become quite good at reading and writing, and they are now looking forward to learning some English.

“We now know how to read and write, and we no longer confuse numbers when counting,” said James Lusengeneja.

“Now we need to continue to study the English language so that we can communicate with the visitors we have received from abroad who do not know Swahili. We want to know basic English phrases, like greetings and counting, so that we can talk with our visitors.”

Ragata was once seen by the communities surrounding it as a village with many pastoralists that cared more about their animals than the education of
their children. But now the people of Ragata are demonstrating how much they value education. They have already built a new primary school and good houses for their teachers. They are also thinking of building a secondary school and providing transportation so that their children can attend. Because the villagers in Ragata have seen the importance of education, they have changed their priorities. They no longer value caring for their livestock more than properly investing in their children.

“I wish time could go back and I could be young again, so that I could study more,” one adult student said. “As a child, I would have been able to understand what I am learning much more easily. As an adult, I have to think of so many things, including my children’s future.”

The Ragata literacy group plans to take government examinations to test their comprehension so that they can proudly show everyone their new abilities. They are excited about the new opportunities in life that their education is making possible.

Prayers and Praises

• Praise for many supporters who contributed generously to help Joseph Shigulu’s family after our tribute to him in the last newsletter. We are so grateful for your support.
   
• Pray for the many people in Dar es Salaam who have been affected by the severe flooding this last week. Many adults and children have died in the rushing water, have had their houses destroyed, or are unable to return to their families and work until bridges are repaired.

Chris Enns

Program Consultant
World Renew Tanzania

World Renew's ministry in Tanzania is made possible, in part, by the generous support of the Canadian government's Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).