Sister Leah – Mtwara (Tanzania)
PROJECT 38 of 72
MISSION
Location
Diocese
Mtwara
Country
Tanzania
Continent
Africa
GPS coordinates
-10.31068 40.17730
Time zone
UTC+3
CONGREGATION
Congregation
African Benedictine Sisters of Ndanda
Motherhouse
Ndanda-Mtwara
Diocese
Mtwara
Country
Tanzania
Continent
Africa
Congregation Feast Day
On the Feast of the Annunciation
GPS coordinates
-10.49958 39.02026
Time zone
UTC+3
Contact person
Sister Leah
Mother General
Sister Auxilia Hokororo
Website
TRAINING ORGANISATION
Name
Misericordia Castiglione del Lago
Location
Castiglione del Lago (PG)
Country
Italy
Continent
Europe
GPS coordinates
43.12282 12.03333
Time zone
UTC+1
Start date
04/08/2022
End date
31/03/2023
Tutor
Giuliano Lissi
REAL SPACE
Project manager
Sister Leah
Start date
30 2023
Type
Bread of Mercy
After Sister Leah arrived in Mtwara, Tanzania, spazio + spadoni immediately supported the construction of a well, which was inaugurated in August 2023 and is available to the entire local community. In the same month, brick production began for the construction of the chicken coop. In March 2024, the social enterprise began with the purchase of 300 chicks.
Sister Leah is a member of the African Benedictine Sisters of Ndanda Mtwara Tanzania. She arrived in Italy in August 2022 and was welcomed by Misericordia di Castiglione del Lago, in Umbria, where she remained until the end of March 2023. During her months at the Misericordia, she actively participated in the life of the association and the community, becoming integrated into local traditions. She received training in social enterprise, first aid, bread-making and livestock-rearing techniques.
At the Convento di San Cerbone, the headquarters of spazio + spadoni, she took part in the Convention “Fare Spazio al Coraggio” in September 2022 and in a training course on the Works of Mercy and the Economy of Communion in February 2023.
Learn more UISG | Interview with Mother General Auxilia Hokororo (Tanzania) Sister Leah: A Bridge Between Italy and Tanzania Thanks to spazio + spadoni’s HIC SUM Project
Timeline
2020
05.12 | Start of relationship
Collaboration begins between spazio + spadoni and the African Benedictine Sisters
2022
04.08 | Sister’s arrival
Sister Leah arrives in Italy, welcomed by Misericordia di Castiglione del Lago
07-11.09 | Convention Fare Spazio al Coraggio
Sister Leah takes part in the Convention created and promoted by spazio + spadoni at the Convento di San Cerbone (LU)
2023
01-10.02 | Training
Course on the Works of Mercy and the Economy of Communion promoted and supported by spazio + spadoni at the Convento di San Cerbone (LU)
31.03 | Sister’s departure
Sister Leah returns to Tanzania
12.04 | Presentation of spazio + spadoni
Sister Leah presents spazio + spadoni and OPERA M to the Mother General
05-09.05 | Technical visit by spazio + spadoni
Rodrigue visits Sister Leah’s community in Mtwara-Narunyu, Tanzania
30.05 | First funding disbursed
The funding is intended for the construction of the well
20.06 | Second funding disbursed
The funding is intended to complete construction of the well
09.08 | Third funding disbursed
The funding is intended to adapt the structure that will become a chicken coop
16.08 | Well inauguration
The well is inaugurated
18.10 | Fourth funding disbursed
The funding is intended to purchase equipment for the chicken coop
2024
17.01 | Fifth funding disbursed
The funding is intended for the chickens' purchase
11.03 | Start of activities
The Social Enterprise begins with the arrival of 300 chicks
2025
02.05 | Meeting with the Mother General
During the UISG Assembly held in Rome from 5 to 9 May, spazio + spadoni met Mother Auxilia, whom it hosted for the entire event at the Motherhouse of Figlie di Maria Missionarie
14.05 | Sixth funding disbursed
The funding supports the social enterprise and concludes spazio + spadoni's predetermined financial commitment to this activity's implementation
30.06 – 02.07 | Technical visit by spazio + spadoni
Stefano, the linker for Tanzania, visits Sister Leah and Mother Auxilia’s community and discusses the project and the Forum to be organised in Tanzania with them
Project Assessments
February 2023 Presentation of the final
project for the Social Enterprise – chicken farming
May 2023 Hydrogeological analysis of the land
to determine the actual feasibility of constructing a well
May 2023 Cost estimate sent for the
well
July 2023 Update on the progress of
work to construct the well
August 2023 Sister Leah informs us about the
production of bricks for construction of the chicken coop
September 2023 Monitoring of construction
of the chicken coop
December 2023 Update on the progress
of the work on the chicken coop
January 2024 The chicken-coop structure is
complete
September 2025 New chickens
purchased
October 2025 Social enterprise
progress
December 2025 Social enterprise
progress
Photos and videos
