Over the past two years, the Board of World Mission has provided Mission Grant funding to the Comenius Polytechnic Institute (CPI) in Tabora, Tanzania. In January 2024, several members of our staff and board had the opportunity to meet over Zoom with Brother Ezekiel Kassanga, chairman of the governing board that oversees CPI, to receive an update on the institute and the projects supported with BWM funds.
Comenius Polytechnic Institute (CPI) was established in 2018, with the goal of continuing the mission of Teofilo Kisanji University’s Tabora Center (TEKUTABCE), following its closure. The institute, named in honor of the renowned Moravian bishop and educator John Amos Comenius, serves as a key educational pillar for the Moravian Church in Western Tanzania.
Located in Tabora, CPI plays a central role in the Church’s mission to educate and train leaders, particularly preparing Moravian ministers for service in the region. CPI has been instrumental in providing both pre-service and in-service ministerial training at certificate and diploma levels, directly addressing the challenges faced by the Moravian Church in an increasingly diverse faith landscape.
In addition to its core theological programs, the institute offers other academic courses to ensure sustainability and broader community impact.
CPI continues the Moravian commitment to empowering women for ministry and leadership within the Church. In 2024, five CPI graduates were ordained as Moravian ministers, including three female graduates who were ordained in June. This achievement highlights CPI’s dedication to gender inclusivity and its role in preparing capable women for ministry, strengthening the Church’s mission in Western Tanzania.
Project Update
Background: A project to construct several new classrooms began in 2022 as part of CPI’s strategic plan to become a center for promoting Moravian faith in East Africa, focusing on training competent ministers with an emphasis on Moravian theology and tradition. Located in Tabora, a historic hub of the Moravian Church in Tanzania, CPI aims to provide students, both from within Tabora and beyond, with a firsthand experience of Moravian teachings
Timeline and Funding: This project has been supported by two grants from the Board of World Mission, and has also received community support through local fundraising efforts. The financial sustainability of the institute comes largely from the fees paid by students (both theology and non-theology students).
- 2022: Initial sketches and preparation.
- April 2023: Project began after receiving a mission grant from the BWM, as well as local contributions. Construction was completed up to the lintel level.
- October 2023: A second installment from the BWM funded roofing work.
- December 2023: A small fundraising effort during CPI’s 4th graduation ceremony raised additional funds for finishing work, particularly the concrete floors.
- 2024: Throughout the year, CPI used internal funds to continue finishing work on the classrooms (plastering walls, completing wiring, adding ceiling boards, etc.)
- Remaining needs include adding floor tiles, interior and exterior painting, installing ceiling boards in two remaining rooms, adding glass windows, and furniture.
Even as the classrooms are in the finishing stages of construction, they are being used in their current state (as you can see in the photo at the top of this post).
Thank you for your support of BWM Mission Grants, which make projects like this possible around the Moravian Unity. If you would like to contribute to our Mission Grants fund, you can do so online at MoravianMission.org/Give/. If you would like to mail a donation, please make checks payable to Board of World Mission and send to one of the following addresses. Please select the Mission Grants fund when giving online, or indicate “Mission Grants” in the memo line of your check, to designate your gift to the mission grants fund.
U.S. Donors: Board of World Mission, 1021 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018
Canadian Donors: Moravian Church in Canada, 600 Acadia Drive SE, Calgary, AB T2J 0B8. Interac e-Transfer donations may be sent to [email protected]. Please include your name and address in the comments section of the transfer to receive tax receipts.