Meeting our scholarship students

As our group of 25 travelers prepares to visit our Tanzanian partners in the next few weeks, one thing we are especially looking forward to is meeting the students we sponsor.

Scott, Rich and Nancy Nonini met Mwanne K. last year

Shepherd of the Valley provides scholarships to over 150 secondary and university students each year.  As we travel around Iringa and to Tungamalenga and Makifu, we are often met by students or former students, or we meet their parents.

Kambona K. is one of our recent graduates.  Last summer as we traveled from village to village, he stepped up to translate during our visit to Mpalapande.  We've recently learned he was accepted into a university program in which he will earn a certificate in community development.  Congratulations, Kambona!

Two years ago, Sharon Mertz, a retired nurse, was delighted to meet these nursing students working at the Tungamalenga Dispensary.  

We've been providing scholarships for twelve years, so of course there are a lot of graduates.  It's so wonderful when we find out how the graduates are using their education to benefit their communities.  Here is Joyce L. (back row, center, wearing royal blue), now teaching the kindergarten class at Mpalapande.

We recently received a letter of thanks from one of our graduates.  

Receive lovely greetings and our gratitude for the good job you did in making sure Dorah was supported in her studies. She is now working at Ilula hospital as assistant to the hospital administrator. Even her salary is a little bit higher than before. She is helping many patients in the hospital as they come for treatment; also the family benefits a lot from her job.

Mungu akubariki sana [the Lord bless you] for your great support for Dorah.

Asante sana [thank you very much]

Our students appreciate the gift of education very much.  When they graduate from secondary school, they may still have quite a challenge either finding work or finding a way to continue at university.  Last summer we met two young men who were in this kind of transition.  Nico (above) and Pasco had graduated and both aspired to university studies.  In the year between, they had begun to tutor younger students in an after school program at the Tungamalenga Youth Center.  They provide such a valuable service, especially helping primary school students prepare for the rigors of secondary school by improving their English skills.

Once again, as we prepare to visit our friends, we are grateful beyond measure for the many families at Shepherd of the Valley who support the scholarship program with their gifts.  We are looking forward to meeting many of our students, hearing their stories and their hopes and dreams.  We look forward to sharing some of their stories here in the coming weeks.

Asante sana.