SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

In the new Parish of Mkiu, carrying out essential service works, together with conditions of long lasting sustainability with income generation projects.
New ideas in action to then get into the life of the people of the area: a peaceful life, in a supportive community.

Project active since 2014, and to continue

Mkiu, about sixty km from Njombe, in southwestern Tanzania. Valleys and mountains, a very beautiful territory, but still quite isolated, and underdeveloped even compared to the living conditions in the country.

The encounter of Sermig with Tanzania, and then in particular with the diocese of Njombe dates back a long time ago, and has given much fruit: aqueducts, agricultural projects, schools ... the last one, working for a few years for a new life and the development of the new Mkiu Parish, created a few years ago. Along with the role of pastor for the community of the faithful, as always in these realities, the priest, careful and expert friend Baba Innocent Ngaillo, also has the gift of making himself available to the needs of his people's life. Malnutrition is finally less widespread, but poverty and vulnerability are still very high.

Sharing solidarity is not new for people, accustomed to help each other in every aspect of life: it is rather worth to organize it better. To empower and jointly promote initiatives to improve living conditions, nourish dignity, awareness and values. A key role for the present and the future.

In which the challenge, to be overcome, is to be able to live a simple life, but quitely; in which work brings the fruits of stable security, in a supportive community: food security, safe water for consumption, school, health care… to avert the mirage of emigration to cities, or overseas.

THE PROJECT: TO SHARE, TO PRODUCE

Having recognized the intervention priorities to be developed step by step, the entire project was defined not only on building structures and equipment to offer the necessary services: the criterion around which to implement is the sustainability of each initiative over time. Therefore, to produce, to share.

In fact, the parish does not receive support from the diocese which dedicates its meager resources to its service works - hospitals, dispensaries, schools as a priority; it must therefore "self-produce" its own necessities - including, among other things, that for the considerable transport costs to be spent on the vast territory.

The human development project organized by Baba Innocent and Sermig therefore aims to carry out some essential parish works - in particular, alongside the kindergarten already built by other friends, an aqueduct, the maternity dispensary also for the diagnosis and treatment of HIV , a school structure - and to create conditions of lasting sustainability for all of them, launching income generation projects alongside them. Doctors, teachers, resources for teachers, drugs, materials ...

Diversified initiatives, to exploit the different potentials of the place, and stabilize an adequate source of income over time as much as possible.

First of all, a large cultivation of corn, soy, vegetables and fruit; then herds of cattle, pigs, poultry for meat and eggs, rabbits and guinea pigs. For the needs of guests, kindergarten children, and for the market, which have already started and are gradually being equipped with suitable structures for their growth and productivity.

More specifically, some more "specialized" activities for the market: fish farming and beekeeping, which are already giving an important contribution. Together with forestation and wood cultivation: to protect the environment, making available a fundamental renewable resource.

A grain mill was built to serve the whole territory. Already in operation and with an interesting activity of woodwork; recently greatly expanded with machines sent by container, flanked by a carpentry, installed in a large room. And cutting and sewing workshop. All utilities - parish, kindergarten, dispensary, laboratories, school - are powered by a photovoltaic system, to contain the cost of energy. Overall, production cycles integrated as much as possible, in which small and large innovations in technique, method, knowledge are also experimented: over time they will make the difference.

TO PRODUCE, LEARN

People are aware of their poverty and work hard and hard to improve; Today, however, work still yields little: “know-how” is not enough, the few equipment available, the lack of capital. But here, the parish is also a learning and development center. People trust the parish, and are willing to participate.

The various initiatives underway are thus a privileged tool for offering the community training opportunities and new experiences. People aren't so used to evaluating new ideas, they want to see ideas in action. You learn much better and much faster new things by working on it. This is really the method to introduce new techniques, new ideas: experimenting together, and seeing the results. There are several young people involved; while some are trained to be supervisors of branches of activity.

The experience gained then becomes a vehicle for the germination of new activities - crops, micro-breeding of hens, pigs, bees - in families, even by organizing their common work, and in villages. Backed by the resources of the job opportunities along the project, and by a microcredit program. The ultimate goal of all the work.

Once more, beyond the necessary important resources made available, the skills, the knowledge, the professionalism, organized and shared free of charge, are the essential factors to involve and make people protagonists of their own history.

Associazione Sermig Re.Te. per lo Sviluppo – Arsenale della Pace, Piazza Borgo Dora 61 Torino

IBAN: IT29  P030 6909 6061 0000 0001 481   Banca Intesa SanPaolo