History of UCE-Tanzania
UCE Tanzania was the third UCE branch established. It was formed after a local priest cried for help asking, “What good will another school room do if I have no students left to teach?” Joe Wodiuk, and his wife Jill, had been to Tanzania previously and built a schoolroom for Fr. Francesco Mosofu. They had wanted to build him another. However, they were troubled by Fr. Mosofu’s lament and how discouraged he was.
Joe had remembered hearing that UCE was working to prevent AIDS in Africa. He called them, and told them how discouraged the priest was. Fr. Mosofu went to visit the Dernovseks and received a presentation on UCE and what UCE does. They tried to inspire him that the teachings he has in The Bible are the methods that have had success in Africa. They told him about the Ugandan success with the abstinence and be faithful through Christ approach. By the end of the day he was very excited and wanted to talk to his Bishop, Bishop Ngalalekumtwa of Iringa, about UCE.
About a month later UCE got an email from him that the Bishop wanted to send he and another priest Fr. Aidan Ulungi to an outreach in Uganda. They would observe from them and learn what they were doing in Uganda. They paid for their trip and wanted only to observe. Part of the vision of UCE is not only to tell the world about the Ugandan success, but also to allow others to incorporate this success into their own culture, their own way, using their own strategies and methods that they know will work.
Six months after Fr. Mosofu and Fr. Ulungi visited Uganda, and with the help of Isaac Lema and Leonard Mgina, UCE-Tanzania was born. Bishop Ngalalekumtwa donated a diocesan building for offices and serves as the UCE Tanzania patron. Fr. Ulungi organized an all volunteer staff so that UCE could begin even before funding was available!
UCE Tanzania
UCE Tanzania boasts an entirely volunteer staff, although this is something we hope to change so we can expand the project. UCE Tanzania adopted the traditional Ugandan outreach model, but as was the case in Burundi, they added their own components. UCE Tanzania was the first to pioneer UCE clubs. Each school they reach has a chance to form a UCE club. Students who are like minded can join the club and have a built in support group. Additionally, the team allows students to come into their offices, which were given by Bishop Ngalalekumtwa, and receive advice and counseling when they are having a difficult time. The Tanzania team is very vibrant, but UCE needs donations to keep the branch alive!
Tanzania
UCE TANZANIA CARRIES OUT THEIR MINISTRY IN 3 PHASES
OUTREACHES
In phase 1, the team reaches out to secondary schools and colleges. The teams travel to schools to give a message of chastity and hope. They go with the attitude that they have 2-3 hours to give the students the most important message they will ever hear. This may be the only chance they have to reach these students, and they offer students the opportunity to commit their lives to God and to chastity.
SEMINARS
who have signed chastity commitment cards. They are multi-school events where the youth gather to be strengthened in the choice they have made. The purpose of this phase is to continue to share more in-depth information on how students can protect themselves, build their life skills, train peer educators, and give them tools to succeed.
CHASTITY CLUBS
In phase 3, UCE clubs are formed. The purpose of this phase is to help the young people cement themselves in the decision they have made while preparing them for the challenges of life, and college. In this phase, the team provides counseling, psychological, spiritual, and moral support. They also work to build students’ self-esteem, life skills, and create a healthy, positive after-school environment for the students. UCE Tanzania has 16 clubs, with over 1,000 members. All UCE clubs have a UCE manual that is used to club meetings. This way, the UCE club leaders continue to share the message even when the team is not present. At meetings the students share their challenges, successes, questions, testimonies, and knowledge with their fellow students. Occasionally, clubs also travel with the team on outreach to perform skits on chastity for their peers.
If you would like a UCE speaker to address your group, please contact us.
Africa Director
Isaac Lema
Mr. Isaac Lema was a co-founder of UCE-Tanzania and now Africa Director. He has served UCE continuously since then as an outreach volunteer and the Tanzania Programs Officer. Isaac is a professional counselor who graduated from Tumaini University in 2008 with a degree in Counseling Psychology. In 2012, he received a Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from Muhimbili University. During those years he wrote two books on chastity, Love and Relationships and Sex Before, Within, and Outside of Marriage. He also is an assistant lecturer and clinical psychologist at Muhimbili University in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He and his wife, Emeline, have co-facilitated UCE outreaches, testifying to the reality of living chastely. They are now parents of a lovely baby girl. In his new role, Isaac will coordinate all of the UCE programs in Africa.
Abstinence for Life, Universal Chastity Education (UCE) Club Njombe High School, Tanzania. Composed and performed by: Fredrick Godfrey and Shadrack Kamenya.
UCE BOOKS
Through UCE books, which are written by team members, the chastity message continues to reach many people in Tanzania. UCE books are also being used by other organizations throughout the country.
“My name is Erica. I like reading books and among the books that you (UCE) have given me, I have learned a lot of things and increased my confidence as a girl. I know that only a few girls have received this kind of message and that I am among them. Many girls wished to get an opportunity to learn this, but unfortunately some of them have died without receiving it. Thank you God for this another opportunity to know about myself as a girl. I got a lot of benefits after reading UCE books, I cannot explain all of them, but two are self-discovery and self-control. I learned how precious I am, and how I was created to live a chaste life. Through chastity my value will increase day by day as a girl. Thank you very much and may God grant a blessing to all who participated in the development of the UCE manuals.”
INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING
Approximately 900 students receive individual counseling each year. Students receive 1 on 1 counseling on a wide array of chastity issues. Any student may request and receive counseling free of charge.
Meet Our Tanzania Team
Fr. Aidan Ulungi
National Coordinator, Tanzania
Fr. Ulungi heard about UCE and went to Uganda to observe an UCE outreach. After learning from the outreach, he went back to Tanzania and immediately established a UCE team and started UCE Tanzania. He has diplomas in Philosophy and Theology, a BA in Counselling, and a MA in Business Administration. He was ordained as a Catholic Priest on the 12th of June 1996. He is a Director of St. Dominic Savio School in Iringa, and the Diocesan financial administrator.
Isaac Lema
Programs Officer, Tanzania
Mr. Isaac S. Lema is a professional counselor and graduated from Tumaini University. He was also one of the founders of UCE Tanzania in 2009. Since then, he has been working with UCE in Tanzania as a Programs Officer. He is accountable for effective planning and educating youth on chastity. He is an experienced counselor and facilitator, and takes on this role during UCE outreaches and seminars.
Leonard Mgina
Mobilization Officer, Tanzania
Mr. Leonard Mgina has a MA in Business Administration from Tumaini University. He has BA in Counseling and he is a practitioner teacher with a diploma in Education. He was also one of the founders of UCE Tanzania in 2009. Since then, he has been working as the Mobilization Officer of UCE. He also serves as a counselor and facilitator in various UCE seminars.