Korean students raise funds to build classrooms in Moshi, Kilimanjaro

KILIMANJARO: Nearly 20 young students from the Republic of Korea have contributed among themselves to build a total of five new classrooms in the Moshi Municipality of Kilimanjaro Region.

The five classrooms were constructed at the ‘Maendeleo ya Mtoto na Kijana,’ (Child and Youth Development) Vocational Center operating at the Tanzania Assemblies of God (TAG)’s El-Shaddai Church located within the Maili Sita ward of Moshi.

The Korean students have just jetted into the country to visit the Child and Youth Development Center which happens to be one of the community ancillary entities being supported by the Compassion International Tanzania.

Pastor Sang Jin Lee from Korea led the delegation of youth who arrived in Moshi to meet the beneficiaries. He expressed satisfaction that young people from Seoul could make such a big difference in Tanzania.

“Our schools back home in Korea always teach children to be global citizens and when they came here they saw the need and set out to fund-raise money in support of the Tanzanian Center,” said Pastor Jin Lee.

A total of 19 students aged between 15 and 17 years, hailing from the Saeronam International Church of South Korea, raised between them, 123.9 Million/- funds that were invested in the construction of five classrooms at the Maendeleo ya Mtoto na Kijana in Tanzania.

The project was undertaken by the Compassion International Tanzania in conjunction with the Compassion International Korea through the Saeronam International Church and Ministry.

Members of the ‘Maendeleo ya Mtoto na Kijana,’ centers also get support to attend education in other institutes including primary and secondary schools elsewhere.

Students from Korea used the occasion to belt a number of Kiswahili songs at the center.

The Elshadai Youth Center Coordinator Amani Ndelwa said they started out in 2004 with a total of 234 young people and at the moment they have 434 members and so far nearly 300 youth have graduated from the establishment’s training programs as well as other colleges.

Benson Moshi is the representative from Compassion International Tanzania.

Mr Moshi explained that the center is specifically to support children and youth coming from poor families who attend there for education, life studies and other supportive programs.

“Here they are trained in various programs, including computer studies, carpentry, agriculture and other vocational education,” Moshi explained.