After our return from Tanzania (January, 2013), I completed
a history of the Igumbilo Lutheran Girls’ Secondary School (ILGSS) in
Tanzania. The title of the photo journal
is From Camp to Campus 2004 – 2013. It was a work from the heart –a joy-to
follow the history from an email in January, 2001 to Bp Miller from Bp Mgeyekwa
describing a plan from the Southern Diocese to start a Girls Secondary School
in the area around Chimala District to increase opportunities for women in
rural areas and to reduce gender imbalance of educated people along with other
aims.
In May of 2004, Mike and I traveled to the Southern Diocese
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania to meet our counterparts. The Western Iowa Synod and the Southern
Diocese are companion synods. While
there we traveled around the Diocese learning about their institutions, their
history and their dreams. At that time a
rice plantation was being offered for sale and the Southern Diocese very much
wanted to buy it and start the Igumbilo Lutheran Girls’ Secondary School.
 |
| 2004 |
Western Iowa Synod Women’s Organization heard
about the need and set about to raise the money for purchase. In the Southern Diocese they worked hard to
get the school started, rehabbing the buildings and planning for the future of
the school. And since then we (WIS and
the Southern Diocese) have walked Hatua Kwa Hatua (step by step) at ILGSS and
in other areas of lives together.
 |
| 2006 |
The first term
Igumbilo Lutheran Girls’ Secondary School opened in 2006 with 83 students and
this January (2013) has 374 enrolled. In
the four years of graduation they have graduated 285 students with an overall
completion rate of 70%.
|
Starting Year
|
Form 1
|
Form 11
|
Form 111
|
Form IV
|
Completion Rate
|
|
2006
|
83
|
76
|
84
|
58
|
58/83 70%
|
|
2007
|
90
|
73
|
74
|
64
|
64/90 71%
|
|
2008
|
117
|
100
|
90
|
88
|
88/117 75%
|
|
2009
|
117
|
80
|
95
|
75
|
75/117 64%
|
In the same time Igumbilo Lutheran Girls’ Secondary School
has
~moved from one dorm to four dorms and from one
classroom to 8 classrooms and a lab.
~endured a fire, and irregular water and electricity.
~expanded from 60 acres to 460 acres
~dreamed of a future with a library, assembly
hall/chapel, dining hall and
~received and used textbooks
and microscopes from WIS that improved their state examination scores
For all of its accomplishments for me it is the
people I’ve met, known, and loved…the students, the staff, the teachers and
their generosity and kindness. Each time
I arrived at the drive to ILGSS the sign causes tightness in my throat and my
heart swells.
After staying a day or two
it feels so comfortable to join the rhythm of the day: the bell, porridge,
devotions, class, lunch, class, activities (choir, sports, and debate), daily
cleaning, supper, study, and the girls singing at closing worship. I’ve enjoyed the mountains standing at one
end of the campus and the trail to the well at the other end of the
campus. I’ve enjoyed hiking around the
nearly 460 acres of the school and also
going into the town of Chimala to experience the colorful market. Ah Igumbilo.
