About Mwanza

Mwanza is a city in northwest Tanzania and a southern port of Lake Victoria. It is the capital of Mwanza Region and of the ethnic region Basukuma [English: Sukumaland]. According to a 2002 census, the population was 378,327, and Mwanza is the second largest city in Tanzania, after Dar es Salaam.

The city deals with much of the lake trade with neighbouring Uganda and Kenya. Industries include fishing, meatpacking, and manufacturing textiles, Arts and soap. Mwanza is connected by rail with Dar es Salaam and Dodoma. To the South, a road connects Mwanza to Shinyanga and Singida and progress has been made to pave it. To the East, Mwanza is connected to the Western Gate of the Serengeti and Musoma via tarmac road.

Fun Facts about Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa that is bordered by Kenya and Uganda on the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique on the south. To the east it borders the Indian Ocean.

The name in Swahili is Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania.

The country's name comes from a combination of Tanganyika, which is the large mainland territory, and Zanzibar, the offshore archipelago. The two former British colonies united in 1964, forming the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which later the same year was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania.

Game Night Fundraiser

The Game Night Fundraiser is Saturday, February 28th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm -a night of Food, Fun and Fellowship for the whole family.

Games to be played include poker, Bunko, Scrabble, Bingo, Bridge, Nintendo Wii games, and other board games like Monopoly.

We'll also have movies and other activities for both youth and smaller kids. An obstacle course is planned for the smaller kids, too.

We'll be selling food at the event as well - Hot dogs, Sloppy Joes, Nachos, Popcorn, Fruit, Drinks and Ice Cream Dippin' Dots are on the menu.

Tickets go on sale on the 31st of January and will be at the Tanzania table in the narthex. Advance tickets are $4 for individuals, $15 for families, and at the event will be $5/$20) We'll have more details in the upcoming Messenger and the Atonement Times.

The team met Tuesday night and will meet again before the Game Night event on Tuesday, February 24th. Thanks to Bette and the Game Night Team for your hard work and support toward this event.

Game Night Meeting Tuesday Evening

This is a reminder of the meeting of the Game Night helpers on Tuesday, January 27th at 7:00 PM in Room 107.

Please be ready to report your progress/plans for the area you signed up for.

We will need to finalize the plans for Game Night. Thank you for your help with this project!!

Welcome to Our New Blog!

This blog is to share information about our mission effort for Mwanza, Tanzania.

Since I am new to the group I need some help in describing our effort and would appreciate your input into what you want to see on this blog other than regular posts (updates) on our progress.

A blog is basically an online diary and information is posted and displayed chronologically with the latest entry showing when the blog is initially launched.

Blogs usually have an author (or several) and then followers - the latter can add comments to the posts, which then are able to be viewed by visitors to the blog.To add comments you will need to set up a Google account.

I am an avid blogger and find it is a wonderful way to share information and images using our current day technology. Blogs are free and very easy to maintain. Blogs also have limitations and don't have as many features of a full website - but there are many features that can make a blog a very useful tool for efforts like ours.

Other than the posts, what I would like to see on our blog are:

1. Description of our mission and goals

2. Calendar of meeting, events, important dates, etc

3. Links to other blogs, websites

4. Awareness (advertising) for fundraising

5. Mission team information

6. Customizing the visual look of the blog.

If you have other things you would like to see on the blog, please add a comment below or email Brooke, Maryann or me with your thoughts.