Tanzania Deep Dive Part 1: Expansion into Tanga

Did you know that Emmanuel International Tanzania (EITZ) is now working in three districts? Thanks to the work of the in-country staff and donor support, EITZ has begun laying the groundwork in Tanga district, and continuing projects in Mwanza and Iringa.

The expansion into Tanga originated from a strategic plan that was made by the EITZ board of directors in 2018. This plan included the vision to broaden EITZ and work in different areas.

The way that EITZ approaches their expansion into a new area is solely through church partnerships. The goal in starting any new location is to build relationships, not to start a project. Therefore, the backing of the churches in the area is very important.

They receive several requests from churches seeking partnership and from there, they decide which ones would be best to work with. After two in-country staff (Joshua and Edward) visited the churches and met with the congregants, Tanga was chosen as the best location in July 2020. There is lots of need in the area due to its rural setting, economically poor population, and high Muslim concentration. In this region, they are also able to broaden their partnership with Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG), a church denomination whom they already partner with in Mwanza.

After spending some time getting to know the cultural landscape, the community, and building relationships, EITZ is now working on developing a project that will be started in the Tanga region soon. We are excited for this new opportunity and to see how the LORD will work in Tanga.