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Dear Friends-

Since late January Mr. Norman Siekman, a member of the Board of Directors of Iringa Hope, has been in Iringa to work with our new AMCOS manager on organizing crop sales and support.  While he is there Norm is making visits to some of our locations, talking to suppliers and buyers, and helping with a variety of organizational issues.

Norm was pleased that he could accompany Russel King, his wife Andrea, and several members of the Board of Directors of the Peter J. King Family Foundation on their visits to three of our newest IDCs.  The King family Foundation is the foundation that has been funding our Integrated Development Center (IDC) building program.  The group from the Foundation was there to visit a number of projects which they have been funding in Iringa – including attending the dedication ceremonies of some of our latest IDCs.  Norm sent us a brief report on the meetings and a few photos of the event (see the article below).

In February we added a new board member!  Although his election will not be official until our next board meeting, the Directors have all endorsed his candidacy, making his election a formality. 

Many of our readers may know Rev. Lamont Koerner.  Rev. Koerner has been a pastor in the St. Paul Area Synod for 37 years.  During the past eight years he has served as an Interim Pastor and Assistant to the Bishop.

Rev. Koerner has long been associated with the Synod’s work in Iringa, having traveled there over 30 times.  He was one of the first people to meet with the Diocese of Iringa (DIRA) and has played a key role in the Synod’s work there ever since.

Rev. Koerner brings a unique depth of understanding of the problems our members face in Iringa.  His contacts will help our members and their families in many ways. 

We could not be more pleased to have him join in our mission to improve the lives of our members.  So we are saying WELCOME to Rev. Koerner.

Blessings

Tom


Dr. Thomas Hendrickson, President

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Mission Statement: 

Iringa Hope is a US, non-profit corporation dedicated to alleviating poverty in rural Tanzania.
 
About Iringa Hope:
 
Iringa Hope is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation working in the rural Iringa region of Tanzania. 

We work to alleviate poverty among our members by providing access to micro credit, education and training, and markets and supplies for their farms. 

We do this by developing village based micro finance cooperatives called SACCOS (Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies) and Farmer's Cooperatives called AMCOS (Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies).

All of our cooperatives are locally owned and operated and are fully self-supporting.  Rather than a program, our members see Iringa Hope as a part of their communities.

 
Iringa Hope Board Members:

Rev. Paul Harris, member of the Board of Directors

Dr. T. Hendrickson,      President

Dean Hoffrogge,           Treasurer

Dr. Kent Olson,    
Vice President


Mr. Norm Siekman, member of the Board of Directors

Rev. Lamont Koerner, member of the Board of Directors
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Are you interested in becoming our WEBMASTER?
 
A while ago our webmaster retired and moved to Florida.  Mr. Ben Kilgore had been keeping our website current for many years.  After making his move he continued to work with us for several more years.  This last year Ben decided that he could no longer work on this, so we are now looking for a new webmaster!  Are you interested in working on this with us?  If you would be interested in working with Iringa Hope, or if you know of someone who would, send us a note at iringahope1@gmail.com.  
 
And Then There Were Fifteen!
 
Last month we completed our fifteenth Integrated Development Center (IDC).  We now have IDCs in 15 locations, serving members in over 70 villages.  The buildings are busy places with courses, meetings, counseling, and sales of agricultural products taking place.  Overall these centers are providing information, training, and services to over 11,000 people!

In January, shortly after the 15th IDC was completed, directors of the Peter J. King Family Foundation visited three of the newest IDCs.  The King Foundation has been the key sponsor of all of the IDCs. 

The stated goal of the Peter J. King Family Foundation is to improve education among the children in the area, provide for better health care, and improve the lives of the members of these communities.  The Logo on their web page is “Building Places That Change Lives.”

We at Iringa Hope strongly believe that the best way to do this on a long term basis is to help the families move out of the extreme poverty found in rural Iringa by increasing their incomes.  As Sir Fazle Abed (a prize winning British economist) put it, “This is a holistic, sustainable, market-oriented approach to reducing poverty and improving family welfare.”  Or, as Bishop Mdegala said, “Poor education, malnutrition, childhood illness and death, and poor health are all caused by our poverty.  Only Iringa Hope has been effective in changing this.”

It was on a Tuesday morning that the group headed out to visit some of the Iringa Hope IDCs.  Visiting from the Foundation were Russell and Andrea King, Stephen Higgins, Jim and Stephanie Teal, and Jennifer Weichert.  Accompanying them from Iringa were Director Enock Ugulumu and MFI manager Itiweni Luhwago along with MFI team members Jefa Duma, Peter Silayo, and Venance Msigala.  Also in attendance were Gary and Sharon Moody and Iringa Hope Board member Norm Siekman.

First the group headed for Ugesa where a dedication ceremony was held; it was a real celebration!  Along with the usual speeches and ribbon cutting there was singing, dancing, and a level of general enthusiasm we Americans are generally unaccustomed to!

There were the expected thanks for the new building, talks from the Co-op officers, the local chairman, and village officials.  They told their visitors about how Iringa Hope is changing things for the members in their villages.  They talked about how building the IDCs represented more than just another location – but rather it made it official that Iringa Hope was now and would always be a part of their community.  They noted that, “Programs come and go.  Some cheat us, some help us, but none of them make lasting changes.  But Iringa Hope comes and stays.  Iringa Hope is a part of our community.  It is ours and we appreciate it.”

After Ugesa the group moved on to ceremonies and meetings at Ihemi and Mgama.  The message from the people at every location was the same.  “Iringa Hope is changing our families’ lives.  Thank you, thank you.”

It was a long, but rewarding day.  At the end of the day the group went to a buffet dinner at The Chimneys restaurant.  Discussion continued regarding how Iringa Hope works, where it is going, and how our members’ families are changing.  At end of the meal Stephen Higgins, member of the Board of the King Foundation, told Mr. Siekman and the entire group, “The King Foundation couldn’t ever imagine not supporting Iringa Hope!” 
 
What a Blessing their support has been!
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Iringa Hope · PO Box 21055 · Eagan, MN 55121 · USA

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