Loss of a Beloved Colleague and Friend

Joseph Kimaro

We are deeply saddened to announce the sudden passing of our dear colleague, Joseph Kimaro, due to a motorcycle accident.

Joseph led our Business and Agriculture programs for SHEFO (Shelter of Hope and Excellence Foundation) in Karansi, Tanzania. He has been a valuable leader and contributor to our work in Tanzania, focused on educating and empowering local business leaders and farmers. He’s been instrumental in our Women of Faith and many other programs through SHEFO and PEFA Church Karansi.

A celebration of Joseph’s life is being held today, July 29, 2024, in Karansi. His U.S. family will be gathering for a celebration of life service in the near future. We will share details as more information becomes available.

Joseph is survived by his wife and six children. Please keep his family and our SHEFO/Ubora staff in your prayers during this heartbreaking time.

To send messages of well wishes, stories or photos which we will be gathering for his celebration and family, please mail to: Info@uboratz.org.

Glory's Smile

Glory Naiso, pictured here with Ubora President Dave Burgess, in Karansi, Tanzania.

Through Ubora’s work in the rural village of Karansi, Tanzania, we have witnessed many stories of faith, hope and transformation. Read on to learn more about Glory’ story, our friend and daughter-in-Christ…

Glory had a tragic accident as a child.  She fell into a cooking fire in her family’s home and was burned on one side of her face.  Some of her facial nerves were also damaged, leaving her face forever transformed with a slight droop in one eye, visible scarring from the burns, and a crooked smile.

Embodied with a strength of character many of us can only dream of, she was accepted into Siha Leadership School (SLS).  Glory quickly became a star student and excelled in her studies, particularly in math.

As she grew older, she became aware of her appearance that was different from her classmates, particularly her smile.  During this time, she shared that she didn’t like her crooked smile.  So she stopped smiling.  

But Jesus had another plan for her life.

As her faith grew, she felt the joy of the Lord swelling up in her heart…radiating out into the world in the form of a smile. She couldn’t keep it inside anymore.  Glory’s smile was back!

She graduated from SLS and went on to secondary school and university, graduating with a degree in accounting.  She was accepted with the first class of interns at SLS and served in many roles, excelling in each area.

Upon completion of the internship program, she had a job opportunity and interviewed for an accounting position with a hospitality company.  She interviewed well, but did not get the job.  She was heartbroken as jobs are precious and few in Tanzania, particularly in her field and around the village of Karansi.

She served an extended internship at SLS, where she continued to develop her skills as an accountant, working in that area for the school.  She continued to wait and to be faithful to the Lord.

Then, a sudden illness struck Glory earlier this year.  Inflammation and partial paralysis impacted her face—the side that was damaged by the burn so many years ago.  

Glory was unable to smile.  

But she continued to show up for work at the school and to persevere.  She continued to sing in the Victory Choir at PEFA Church.  And with time, contributions from the Ubora family, and much prayer, she got better.

We are happy to report that Glory’s smile has returned once again!  As she shared with our team, she is about 90% better.  Bwana asifiwe—praise the Lord!

She also has been hired as an accountant, “her dream” in her words, with the Karansi Coffee Community Collaborative.  

Watch the video below to learn more about Glory’s new job and celebrate with us knowing that a job in Karansi is a very big deal!

To give to Ubora Tanzania to support stories of hope and transformation like Glory’s: click here.

Public Invited to Tanzanian Celebration!

Atlanta Loves Tanzania

Celebration Set for Sunday, September 24th at Newtown Park Amphitheater in Johns Creek, Georgia

Though some may struggle to locate the east African country of Tanzania on a map, there is a large and ever-growing community in metro Atlanta who make the 8000+ mile journey multiple times a year.  The cause is “holistic community transformation” for the people in the rural village of Karansi, Tanzania through the work of UboraTZ, a nonprofit in Johns Creek, Georgia. 

 To celebrate the 21-year partnership of the two worlds of Atlanta, Georgia and Karansi, Tanzania, Ubora is hosting, “Atlanta Loves Tanzania,” a Tanzania-inspired celebration on Sunday, September 24th from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at Newtown Park Amphitheater in Johns Creek.

 “We have a blast when we are in Tanzania and have learned so much from our friends and partners in Karansi,” said Ubora President Dave Burgess.  “We wish we could bottle up and preserve that Tanzanian spirit of joy and thankfulness and bring it back with us to Atlanta.  Through ‘Atlanta Loves Tanzania’ we hope to do just that, and encourage people to get involved in serving there.”

 The Ubora family, the Tanzanian community of metro Atlanta, and the public is invited to join the celebration which will include:

-       Tanzanian dance party, featuring DJ Luke from Tanzania

-       Authentic Tanzanian cuisine, including mandazi and chai

-       Impact updates from Ubora in areas including education, health, business, widows, community and more

-       Exciting announcement about future development plans for education in Tanzania

 Attendees will also learn about opportunities to travel to Tanzania on mission trips and ways to get involved.  This is a free event; registration is requested: https://uboratz.kindful.com/e/atl-loves-tz

 Pastor John Kazilo from Tanzania, who now lives in Cumming, Georgia, is a friend of the ministry and is helping to engage the local Tanzanian community to join the celebration. 

 To learn more about Ubora, visit:  https://UboraTZ.org

Project Child expands with addition of advocates

By:  Tim Neet, Project Child Director

For the first 20 years of our school in Karansi, Tanzania, we focused our attention on bringing education to under-resourced children and their families, plus developing a curriculum of creative problem solving that is transforming the educational processes.  Siha Leadership School is truly helping transform education throughout the district and all of Tanzania!

 Our intake of new students will always welcome the poorest of the poor, but as economic transformation occurs in the village, we are experiencing an increased financial sufficiency with medium-income families. It is our desire to serve a cross-section of the entire village while developing pathways for financial sustainability for SLS. 

 We also see the product of our work migrating beyond our SLS student graduates to include a critical thinking curriculum and instructional philosophy bringing benefit throughout the Siha District, eventually to include a STEM secondary school where the future leaders of Tanzania will one day learn.

 This presents an exciting new opportunity for even more Tanzanian children and U.S. families to walk together through life as “family” by becoming a Project Child Advocate!

 All students will be provided an international friend or family serving the role of advocate, petitioning on the child’s behalf before the Father and praying for their personal, educational and spiritual development.  To pray effectively for one another, advocates and students need to know and understand about each other and the culture in which they live.  These relationships are nurtured through letters, emails, Zoom calls and even home visits resulting in mutual benefit for all involved.  

The monthly gifts from Project Child help cover several critical gaps in funding of the school.  For example, the parental fees do not fully cover the overall incremental cost of a new student especially as we need to invest in training, equipping and mentoring our teachers and staff.  Not to mention the costs involved with doubling the size of the school and our goal to coach and mentoring some of the public school teachers. It is our prayer that each participant in Project Child will not only contribute and advocate for their child, but also for the SLS school and village as well.

 Advocates have the opportunity to support SLS and its ministry through a $49 per month contribution via our UboraTZ/SHEFO partnership.

Thank you for welcoming one more precious child of God into your hearts by becoming an advocate!

Visit:  https://uboratz.org/the-kids or for more information, contact timneet@uboratz.org