Understanding Project Office work in Tanzania
Study Trip South of the Equator

Dr. Möhringer, Ms. Küfer and 21 scholarship beneficiaries traveled to Tanzania in January of 2023 for a study trip. Mr. Karl-Peter Schönfisch, the Resident Representative for Tanzania and Uganda informed the scholars in his remarks that Hanns Seidel Foundation office in Tanzania was founded in 1988. The office has 12 employees working on full time basis. Women empowerment, local governance and peace and security (citizen-friendly policing) are the main themes the office is pursuing.

The scholars were keen in understanding on how the project office works abroad as well as learning about religion, education, culture, and politics in the United Republic of Tanzania. The scholars visited several Tanzanian places, including Azania Front Lutheran Church, where they participated in a Protestant congregation's German service. The scholars also paid a visit to Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), where they met the Secretary General, Father Dr. Charles Kitima, who briefed them on the main functions of the Episcopal Conference in Tanzania. The scholars also paid a visit to Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), where they met the Secretary General, Father Dr. Charles Kitima, who briefed them on the main functions of the Episcopal Conference in Tanzania.The scholars as well went to the University of Dar es Salaam, about 40,000 people study at the public university and almost 500 students come from abroad.

The scholars furthermore visited Bagamoyo, one of Tanzania's oldest towns. It was founded in the eighth century. Bagamoyo was the first capital of German East Africa and one of the most important East African trading ports. "The Kaiser's so-called Schutztruppen were stationed there between 1885 and 1918," according to scholar Lukas. The scholars traveled to the Dodoma region, where the University of Dodoma is located, and spoke with the teaching staff about the Hanns Seidel Foundation's mission and scholarship opportunities.

The scholars also visited Tanzania's Parliament and met Dr. Tulia Ackson, the speaker of the national assembly. Dr. Akson described how the parliament is composed of 393 members from the mainland and Zanzibar, as well as the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, in Tanzania's unicameral system. In her country, she sees electricity and infrastructure as two major challenges.