Freedom is important. 

 

 

 

 

 

And the links between poverty and lack of freedom are well known.  For example, it is difficult to feel free when your family is hungry, needs water or medicine and your entire waking hours are spent getting these things.  For many of you reading this from a chair in the developed world, this is an unknown.  However, this is the day-to-day, moment-by-moment lack of freedom among the families of subsistence farmers in Karagwe, Africa.

Our Tanzanian partner – Dr. Benson K. Bagonza – and his management team are changing that. 

Dr. Bagonza, Bishop, Karagwe Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania and KARUCO Founder – has called for a vanguard approach to “development”.  In fact, Dr. Bagonza challenges the use of the word development and instead, outlines a crosscutting plan using the preferred notions: ‘sustainability’ and ‘transformation’.  This is a holistic framework that calls for entrepreneurial education and strategic investment. Check out his latest work.

http://www.amazon.com/Theology-Of-Development-African-Tanzania/dp/3639701941

To bring about sustainability and transformation, Dr. Bagonza has challenged traditional notions of economic development that deny local knowledge in bringing solutions to the problems facing the people.  Instead, he posits a crosscutting plan that includes the building of an business incubator – Karagwe University College (KARUCO) and its agribusiness ‘arms’ that will grow and sustain a healthy economy for the region and bring people out of poverty.  This book looks at the deficiency of “development” as we know it, and introduces economic change in the contexts of “sustainability” and “transformation”.  Most important – Dr. Bagonza’s vision makes full use of local knowledge and accountability as Tanzanians face and solve their own problems.  Dr. Bagonza presents a crosscutting perspective that is effective and permanent as organizations partner to deal with the human condition facing sub-Saharan Africa.  The outcomes?  Girls can attend school along with boys instead of fetching water or other supplies.  Families can earn a living that ensures food stability and future economic growth.  Women can be community forces and can benefit from their businesses and the revenue streams.  With this model and the amazing progress of KARUCO, transformation has already begun!

Everyone deserves an Independence Day.