We are happy to share an update on the end of year activities for two of the IMARIKA groups in the Iringa region of Tanzania: Mafuluto and Lupembelwasenga.
IMARIKA is an integrated project which aims to ‘strengthen environments, livelihoods and the church’. Find out more about the IMARIKA project on the project page on our website.
VICOBA is just one element of the IMARIKA project, but has great benefits and dividends for the group members. Read Sue’s description of how VICOBA works in the November 2022 issue of the Down to Earth. Adelina, from the Utelenge group, told us what a difference VICOBA made to her life. Read her story in the May 2023 prayer calendar.
Mafuluto
In Mafuluto there was great interest in VICOBA and they had to form 2 groups. Both groups completed their VICOBA round on 4 April 2023. The results were amazing, as they collected the following amounts:
Group A
- Shares: TSH. 20,214,000 (≈£6,885)
- Interest: TSH. 5,377,500 (≈£1,830)
- Community fund: TSH. 805,000 (≈£275)
- Total: TSH. 26,891,500 (≈£9,000)
Group B
- Shares: TSH. 7,732,000 (≈£2,635)
- Interest: TSH. 1,793,000 (≈£610)
- Community fund: TSH. 520,000 (≈£180)
- Total: TSH. 10,045,000 (≈£3,420)
The total amount for both groups from Mafuluto was an amazing TSH. 36,936,500 (≈£12,575)!
Blessing their community
We thank God that the Mafuluto group has given help to the disabled people by giving them each 5kg of maize flour. 30 people received help at a the total cost THS. 300,000 (≈£102).
Furthermore the group members prepared lunch so that they could invite all disabled people and church leaders from a different denomination. The church leaders were very happy when they saw the disabled being given food and maize flour 5kg ,without discriminating against their religion and their condition. But this also brought a great lesson to the community of the poor. The leader from the other church said he had never seen such a great act of compassion done by a group to care for the needy.
The Mafuluto group is blessed to have strong unity and good relationships. They have been managing very well to carry out their VICOBA program, agriculture and other subprojects.
Lupembelwasenga
We thank God that, through the work of IMARIKA, on Easter day Pastor Ng’enula of the Anglican church baptised 5 group members who decided to be saved and entrust their lives to Jesus Christ! A total of 7 (4 men and 3 women) were baptised between January and April.
We have seen that IMARIKA, and the VICOBA program specifically, has a been a great blessing in this village.