Hanga Health Center March News

Hanga Health Center is happy to witness two special events this March, 2013. The first is the visit of two student doctors from Italy. They will be volunteering at the Center until May.

The second event is the acquisition of a driving license for a woman nurse at the dispensary, Bertha Mligo. She will be driving the ambulance of the Health Ceneter. It is a kind of uncommon in Tanzania especially in rural areas to have women drivers. As such it is a progress and pride that she can drive.

Hanga Health Center Acquires Surgery Equipment

As of this February 2014 Hanga Health Center has received the equipment for surgery services. The equipment was had by loan amounting to $25,000. The loan, by Action-Medeor, a German based non profit organization for medical services, will have to be paid without interest. This is a good news for Hanga community and all villages around Hanga who are served at the Health Center.

 The equipment includes a special bed for surgery, lighting system, and a unit for anesthetic service. The whole equipment has been installed in a temporary room and services are expected to begin no later than March. Meanwhile the construction of the (permanent) surgery unit has resumed after a temporal halt due to the imminent need of constructing dormitories for boys of St. Laurent school after a fire accident last November, 2013.

With materials (cement and boards) ready, work is ready for construction of ceiling slab and roofing.

With the presence of surgery services comes the establishment of blood bank. The equipment will be of great benefit to women during delivery who develop complications needing surgery and/or blood infusion. Children suffering from malaria and anemia will also be well served and saved.

Mr. Alois Sanga, A Former Employee of Hanga Abbey, Dies

 On Monday January 13, 2014 Mr. Alois Sanga died of malaria and stomach complications at Peramiho hospital. Mr. Alois once in the 1950's was a monk of the abbey but then left and got married. Thanks to him though one of his son is now a monk of the abbey - Frater Onesmo Sanga, OSB.

Mr. Sanga was a man of few words, gentle, patient and hard working. Mr. Alois has been a teacher for most of his life. Back in the 1960's, for a few years, he taught as the abbey elementary school which now is Hanga Religious Seminary. Recently for about ten years he has been teaching at the abbey St. Laurent Elementr & Primary school.
In the photo below Mr. Alois (in black suit) with his son, a monk, Frater Onesmo Sanga, OSB

He will be missed by many of us the monks, villagers of Hanga, St. Laurent school students and his family. May he rest in peace.

Videos on Clean Water Project by Hanga Abbey

Water Project: need and solutions

Frater Jerome Mlelwa, OSB, named the Prior of Hanga Abbey

Abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, of Hanga Abbey, has appointed Frater Jerome Mlelwa, OSB, to be the prior of the abbey. The appointement comes following the new assignment of the former prior Frater Odo Nanyanje, OSB, who is going to Katibunga monastery in Zambia to be a formator. Abbot Thadei made the announcement to the monks about the new prior on Christmas day.
Frater Jerome Mlelwa is taking this position for the second time. Once he was a prior under the resigned abbot Alcuin Nyirenda, OSB. Frater Jerome has also been the head of Kurasini Guest House in Dar es Salaam for a number of years before he returned to the abbey in 2011. By trade Frt. Jerome has a diploma in auto-mechanics. As to this appointment he is has been the head of the abbey auto-mechanic and will continue with the job meanwhile he is the prior. See the photo of Prior Jerome Mlewa above. Below fro left; Abbot Thadei, Prior Jerome and Br. Julian
Abbot Thadei also welcomed Br. Julian Glienke, OSB, from Muensterschwrzach abbey in Germany. Br. Julian will stay at the abbey for a year an half teaching in abbey schools. The Brother is expert in music and history. We warmly welcome Br. Julian to our Hanga Abbey community and wish him good stay with us. See Br. Glienke in the photo below.

Welcome to Students from Peramiho Nursing School

Early this December 2013 Hanga community had the pleasure to welcome eight students of Nursing School from Peramiho Hospital (about two hour car drive from Hanga abbey) for field experience at Hanga Health Center. The students have proved to be diligent and up-to-the-task kind of people. They have been giving conference to local people on hygiene and prevention of malaria, administering vaccine and other medications to patients. We wish them success in their nursing studies.

Below pictures of the Nursing students from Peramiho at work.

Hanga Religious Seminary Graduation 2013

A 36th  graduation was held at Hanga Seminary on the 23rd of November, 2013. A total of 42 young men graduated after four years of formation in spirituality, morality and academics. The guest of honor at the event was Mr. Aloyce Kisasembe, a retired Adult Education officer of Dar es Salaam region. In his address to the graduating class he stressed the importance of abiding to the Benedictine motto of "prayer and work" as a source of progress in life. During the ceremony there was quite an exotic performance of dances and songs. The best dance, seemingly, was the traditional war dance of the Ngoni tribe commonly called "ligihu".
We wish the graduates success in whatever way of lives each one of them will choose, and we hope and pray that a few of them will continue to become monks and priests.
In the photo the graduating class with the guest of honor Mr. Kisasembe (right in the front line). To his right is Abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, followed by Fr. Chrysostom, OSB, the rector of the seminary.
In the photos below are pictures of dances and sections of audiences that were present during the graduation ceremony.



Seated with wreaths are the graduating studnents
Holding the microphone is Frater Anno Haule, OSB, vocation director of Hang Abbey, giving a speech.


Hanga village mayor was also present at the ceremony. He is the first left in the photo (with a white cap) below.

The most exciting performance was "ligihu", a Ngoni traditional war dance (below).