award

MAMA YETU KAPOKEA ZAWADI. MIE KWA VILE INGLISHI IZ NOTI RICHEBO, NAOMBA MBANGAIZE KAMA NILIVYOLETEWA, VINGINEVYO NINGETAFSIRI. KUNRADHI...

First Lady Mrs Anna Mkapa has received The Witternberg Award from the Luther Institute, honoring her exemplary service to the church and community. Mrs Mkapa is the first African woman to receive this award which was given to her on November 29, 2006 in Minnesota, USA.

The Wittenberg Award is given to honor extraordinary Lutheran individuals and organizations from around the world for outstanding service to church and society. This year’s award ceremony marks the 17th year whereby the second individual from an African country is being honored.

The Luther Institute was established in 1990 as inter-Lutheran, non-partisan organization that fosters dialogue among Lutherans, both in the United States and around the world. Its mission is to assist Lutherans in the citizenship dimension of their callings as Christians. Essential to this mission is leadership development and recognition.

Mama Anna Mkapa was nominated by more than two members from collaborating organizations stating her contribution to her community through her NGO the Equal Opportunities for All Trust Fund.

Those who nominated Mrs Mkapa are Dr. William Hamm – Former Waldorf College President and current President of Foundation for Independent Higher Education; Mr. Larry Johnson – CEO of Lutheran Youth Encounter and Mr. Mike Sime of Minnesota, Ward Brehem, Senator Durenburgh to mention but a few.

In their recommendation, they highlighted the contribution made by Mrs Mkapa that includes; the construction of latrines in schools, scholarship to orphans, training of women entrepreneurs, securing markets for women’s handcrafts products, building an orphanage and the like.

This award was also in recognition to Mrs Mkapa’s contribution to her church as a Lutheran. Mrs Mkapa has been attending church services at Azania Front Lutheran Church since independence and she serves as church elder for over twelve (12) years.

This year’s award ceremony was done jointly with Operation Bootstrap Africa (OBA) founded in 1965 and has worked in partnership with Tanzania for over 30 years. OBA also provides financial support to hospitals and provides scholarship opportunities to secondary schools and assist building classrooms for primary schools.

The event was also attended by Mr. Joseph Sokoine, a representative from the Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania, Washington D.C. and Reverend Mrs. Elieshi Mungure a Tanzanian pastor pursuing her PHD in Theology in Minnesota USA.