MEMBERS of a Droitwich charity which has been making a real difference to the lives of people in Tanzania travelled out there on Tuesday (July 19) as part of a project to reduce maternal mortality and early child death.
Mission Morogoro was set up by the Bowbrook group of churches as an offshoot of the Partnership link between the Diocese of Worcester and the Diocese of Morogoro and provides financial and practical support to the people of the region.
Rev John Green is accompanying a group of women to Morogoro to support the scheme to educate and listen to women, giving them confidence and autonomy to make decisions about issues which could bring about change.
One in every 100 women in Tanzania currently dies in childbirth and up to ten per cent of children do not reach their fifth birthday.
John said: “We will be helping create links with a number of newly-formed groups of women in the villages and local agencies which are aiming to improve maternal healthcare.
“It is a cutting edge project which will provide significant change to a culture which has hitherto been dominated by men, poverty and superstition.”
While the group work on their mission in Tanzania, Feckenham Church member Jeff Matthews will cycle across the Alps to raise money for the charity.
Jeff will begin his six-day cycle ride on Sunday (July 24) just outside Geneva and aims to reach Antibes, covering a total of 730km.
Jeff’s wife Ann and daughter Thea climbed Kilimanjaro two years ago for the cause and he thought this would make a suitable challenge.
“Although I do a lot of riding, I’m not the greatest climber and it is the trial of riding consecutive days that makes it tough.”
Over the last couple of years the Mission Morgoro has grown and developed and as well as its medical work, it has also seen a tractor delivered to a tiny village of Tunguli.
The project is also helping improve the irrigation of the soil and helping local farmers undertake their own crop rotation scheme.
Visit www.missionmorogoro.org.uk to find out more.
