More than half of the 57 million inhabitants of the East African country are Christians, most of them Catholic. But Tanzania is characterised by an aggressive expansionist policy on the part of fundamentalist Islamists, promoted by the oil states. The coastal areas and the north of the mainland are already predominantly Muslim, and on the almost entirely Muslim island Zanzibar, there are often attacks against Christians. ACN supports the local Church in urgent building projects, in the formation of priests and with material aid to strengthen its presence in the country.
The spread of Islamism is the biggest challenge facing the Catholic Church in Tanzania. Numerous newly built mosques impress believers of all denominations. If Christians have no church to show, they are despised and feel inferior. This is why ACN is committed to supporting the construction of churches and chapels in Tanzania, for communities with their own church offer the faithful a sense of identity and self-confidence.
» We want to escape the maelstrom of Islam! «
An additional problem for the Church is widespread superstition. There is still a good deal of educational work to be done here. Many of the locals believe in witchcraft. Disability is considered a curse or a punishment for an evil deed and albinos are persecuted, ostracised or killed outright in order to make “magic cures” from their body parts. In some areas the illiteracy rate is 75%, and in many places there is a lack of basic medical knowledge to prevent or treat diseases. These are problems that could hardly be solved by the Church without the commitment and care of sisters. They tirelessly support the local population with unceasing advice and support. This is one reason why ACN not only supports priests, but also many sisters with material assistance.