Founded in 2002, the Joseph Cardijn Foundation and the CAJ (YCW) movement in the German Diocese of Würzburg are raising funds for the Uvikambi Centre including a carpentry school and a tailoring workshop in Mbinga in Tanzania. The centre includes guest rooms, a school of carpentry, meeting rooms, a restaurant and a contact point for local people.
“The focus of the funding has always been on the projects of the partnership with the Uvikambi, the Catholic Youth Association in Ming- dia, the partner province of the diocese of Würzburg,” says Andrea Karl, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Joseph Cardijn Foundation.
As well as financing the salaries of local teachers, the Foundation and the Wurzburg CAJ supply toolkits to apprentices who complete their training.
“Young people who have completed their apprenticeship there have already received a toolbox or a sewing machine, depending on their training,” Andrea added.
“As well as in the city of Mbinga, we have been able to launch further projects through our activities in smaller municipalities in the diocese.
“These include a fishing project on the Malawi Sea, for example, which has been running for almost 20 years.”
The Uvikambi local group initiated the fishing project, to improve the lives of fishermen on the Malawi Sea.
“People, for example, are buying nets together to improve living conditions in the Community.” The nets were initially too big, so small fish could not be caught. This is why the Foundation co-financed new networks.
“In 2006 I went to Tanzania for the first time. I wanted to know about the situation there and the development policy situation,” explains Andreal. The effects of globalization were already becoming visible.
“Many big companies are fishing on the Malawi Sea. And there is a huge area on which brown coal is mined. Tanzania has many valuable raw materials in the soil,” Andrea noted.
With a donations coming to around 2000 to 2500 euros per year, there is already a lot going on in Tanzania.
“We pay attention to making donations meaningfully and sustainably, and we are thus in a constant reflection process,” Andrea explained.
The project organisers also evaluate the local contribution to the project.
A donation of 50 euros provides for the purchase of a fishing net, while 100 euros is enough for the construction of a dug-out boat.
For further information, please contact:
Joseph Cardijn Foundation, Treibgasse 26, 63739 Aschaffenburg, Germany
Bank account: Ligabank Würzburg, IBAN DE30750903000003011240, BIC GENODEF1M05
Website: www.cardijn-stiftung.de
SOURCE
A future for the people of Mbinga (Diocese of Wurzburg)
