Church bakery project gets 140m/- shot in the arm
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Published on Monday, 09 December 2013 00:21
Written by MARC NKWAME in Arusha
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THE Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, Germany, has donated 140 mil/- for the proposed construction of a bakery for the Usa-River Rehabilitation Centre in Meru District.
The Bavarian Lutheran Church has also been commended for its long-standing partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) and its recent donation towards the bread-making factory for the special training and handicapped persons’ centre attested to this.
The commendation was made by Bishop Paul Akyoo of the Meru Diocese of the ELCT while gracing the opening ceremony of the new bakery, which went in sync with the 22nd graduation ceremony of 29 students from the Usa River Rehabilitation Centre.
Bishop Akyoo pointed out that the church from Bavaria Germany reamains a symbol of co-operation, responsibility and sense of stewardship to the Tanzanian community.
Earlier, the Principal of the Centre, Deacon Claus Heim, said for quite some times now his centre had been conducting courses such as tailoring, carpentry, shoe making and welding to empower those with physical disabilities, but the majority of female students had yearned for alternative courses that suit their needs and that the bakery project was the answer.
However, he said that after a decision to introduce a cookery and bakery course, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, Nueuendettelsau, Germany, pledged 140 mil/- for the construction of the building and the Embassy of Germany contributed a further 34 mil/- for an oven and other equipment for baking and pastry.
He said that since it was conventional for the graduates to be provided with working tools, they were expecting when the bakery students graduated, they would be given ovens so they can continue with their baking work after training or they could easily get employment in hotels or lodges.
Deacon Heim said the physically challenged graduates were now going to be a solution and no longer a problem or a burden to the community. He gave each student a bracelet with the inscription, “Be part of the solution and not the problem.”
For their part, the students expressed gratitude to the church and the donors and used the occasion to discourage other persons with physical disabilities from begging for alms because there were ample opportunities for them in life.
During the ceremony, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria was represented by Dr Bernard Köhler of Mission EineWelt (Mission OneWord, a centre for Partnership, Development and Mission), an institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria.
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