ABOUT US

Name: Kolping Society of Tanzania (KST)
BASIC TOOLS : PRAYER , EDUCATION AND WORK
MOTTO : "In the spirit of Kolping Sowing the seeds of Hope"
DATE ESTABLISHED : 28/June /1989
AREA OF OPERATION: The Society is existing in 77 Parishes in 17 Dioceses from regions of Kagera, Mwanza Kigoma, Tanga, Dar es Salaam ,Morogoro, Rukwa, Singida, Manyara ,Tabora, Dodoma and Kilimanjaro
DIOCESES OF: Bukoba , Rulenge-Ngara,Kigoma,Dar-es-Salaam,Sumbawanga,Mwanza,Tanga,Morogoro,Kayanga, Mbulu,Musoma,Bunda, Singida, Geita,Same,Tabora and Dodoma.

KST ESTABLISHMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

The Kolping Society of Tanzania was established in 1989 after the Diocesan Bishop, Right Reverend Bishop Nestor Timanywa gave his consent for its establishment. Under the persuasion and guidance of the Director of the Lay Apostolate in Bukoba Diocese, Rev. Father David Kamugisha, twelve members in Bukoba Parish formed a Kolping Family which was formally inaugurated in June of that year. From Bukoba Diocese the Society has spread to the dioceses of Rulenge-Ngara, Kigoma, Sumbawanga, Mwanza, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Morogoro, Kayanga, Mbulu, Musoma, Same, Arusha, Singida, Geita, Bunda and Same. Invitations from Tabora and Dodoma dioceses are being worked upon. The KST has more than 10,390 registered members in 201 Local Kolping Families established in 77 parishes of these dioceses. This widespread presence of the Society in the nation gives it leverage in its outreach programmes of on going formation, social and economic development.
This widespread presence of the Society in the nation gives it leverage in its outreach programmes of ongoing formation ,social and econo mic development.

DESCRIPTION OF KOLPING SOCIETY OF TANZANIA

The Kolping Society of Tanzania is a Catholic social action organization established in Tanzania in 1989 for promoting the spiritual, social, economic, and cultural welfare of the people of this country. Set up as a lay movement, it is a family-like, life guiding education and action oriented organization, involved in all aspects of life. As a membership organization, the core group is known as the Kolping Family organized by a minimum of 15 members (female, male, youth and children) from at least 7 households in the same locality. This organization bears the image of the International Kolping Society, of which it is an affiliate.
Catholic – The members of the Kolping Society are actively-involved Christians. The personal commitment to Jesus Christ and the common faith in Him are the uniting foundation. The working relationship between lay people and priests is one of enabling in terms of formation and cooperation.
Family-like – In the Kolping Society, people of all ages are interconnected in a family-like way and contribute their various strengths. The experience of the older generation combined with the new ideas of the younger members result in a nurturing medium for the constantly evolving development of our organization.
Life-guiding – The Kolping Society accompanies its members in all of life’s phase and situations. In this community, people receive and give each other direction and assistance during their journey through life.
Education – and Action-Oriented Community – The personal and occupational development of the members are essential components of the organization’s work. The Kolping society wants to encourage and enable its members to take on responsibilities on the basis of the Christian Social Doctrine in all areas of society . The International Kolping Society is made up of local Kolping Families which, in turn, join together to form Diocesan and/ or Regional Kolping societies. The joining of those organizations is called a National Kolping Society. Thus “Believing in Christ, acting in solidarity”.

OUR VISION

" To secure the dignity of the human being through the integral engagements of the KST’s members and groups. Man / Woman, being at the center of every activity, is to be assisted to develop his / her abilities and talents for his/ her good and for the common good."

OUR MISSION

"Motivated by the Gospel concept of abundant life for all and in the light of the vision of our founder Blessed Adolph Kolping, we the members of the Kolping Society of Tanzania, commit ourselves to contribute towards bringing about holistic and sustainable progress and development in Tanzania by responding to present day challenges relating to spiritual, socio-political, environmental and economic well-being of individuals, families and communities through the application of Kolping programmes"

MAINSTREAM PROGRAMMES

1. Spiritual formation of members.
2. Functional Education and Training to Rural Communities
3. Vocational Training to the Youth and Women
4. Rural Development (food security improvement, improved agronomic practices, agribusiness- coffee marketing, income improvement, rural microfinance – including SACOOS, health and environment management )
5. Solar Rural Electrification.
6. Formal Education.
7. Self Reliance.

PROGRAMME AIMS:-

A.)Reducing Vulnerability – especially among rural communities.
B.)Making markets work for poor people
C.)Improving access to infrastructure services
D.) Sustainability of undertakings at all levels.

KST PHILOSOPHY: PARTICIPATION OF KST IN THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY

1.KST IN THE CHURCH

Father Kolping developed his organization on a distinctly religious foundation. For him, religion and Christian living were the basis and guidelines for everything that one does, and this is still so for Kolping members world-wide. What matters here is an active Christian living, the practical love for one’s neighbour, which is not limited to participating in the life of the Church. The Kolping Society sees itself as part of the Church in society and, at the same time, as part of society in the Church. Its members bring customs, developments, and the responsibilities of society into the Church.
The Kolping Society is a lay organization, whose members are fully aware of being at home in the Church and, as responsible Christians, want to take part in shaping the Church and society. The Praeses – as a rule a Catholic Priest – bears the pastoral responsibility for the Kolping Family and works with the members on enabling and partnership basis. However, the lay people a re also responsible for the pastoral ministry in the Kolping Family and the Kolping Society.

The Kolping Society of Tanzania as part of the Church must also cooperate in fulfilling Jesus Christ’s mission: “You then are to go and make disciples of all the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you”. (Matt. 28,19) The program of the Kolping Society embraces the basic functions of the Church: Proclamation, Liturgy, Social services and Secular ministry.

2.KST IN THE TANZANIA SOCIETY

Since the majority of Tanzanians live in rural areas where the majority live confronted with poverty related problems, KST opted to take a direction which reflects the “rural emphasis” so as to respond to the needs and aspirations of the poor. We are convinced that authentic transformation i.e. the search for values that give hope in our rural setting can only be realized through active involvement of the rural people in their cultural, social and economic undertakings. In other words, KST is about actualizing human hopes and aspirations by enabling the people to become masters of their own destiny in terms of food security through improved and increased agricultural production, stable livelihoods through skills training and support, better practices in environmental practices, solidarity in confronting the challenges of life and living and building social justice.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

Our statement of specific objectives defines the part KST is expected to play in accomplishing its mission; it delineates the social and institutional goals the KST is authorized to serve; it provides both the sense of direction and specification of limits for KST; it conveys the educational philosophy or system of values that should govern choices among alternative lines of action and according to which the worth of any intervention will be judged by the KST.

1.) To provide on going holistic formation that will enable individual Kolping members, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and KST functionaries to internalize the Kolping Vision in the African context and therefore become credible messengers and witnesses of a just society in their natural families, communities and society at large.

2.) To contribute towards poverty eradication efforts and environmental care in the Tanzanian community through optimum utilization of the education instrument which will enable beneficiaries to become effective change agents in their specific groups and localities.

3.) To seek appropriate means and ways of complementing grass-root people in their efforts towards socio-economic development through participatory approaches particularly in the fields of agriculture, environment, vocational training and health. To induce greater unity of purpose, coherence of efforts and responsiveness throughout the structures of the Kolping Society of Tanzania so that it can more effectively help meet the challenges of our time.

ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

The organization structure of the Kolping Society of Tanzania has been so designed as to facilitate the promotion of efficient administration through authority within the framework of democracy. The supreme governing body is the National Convention, which meets according to the Constitution and elects the National Board of Directors and the National Executive Board. The former is the organ for policy decision making, while the latter is the organ to supervise and ensure the proper implementation of the policy. This set up is replicated at other levels down to the grassroots.

The management and administration of the day to day affairs of this organization, as well as the implementation of the policy decisions made by the Board and the Executive Board are entrusted to a team of hired workers. These employees are headed by the National Co-coordinator, who is assisted by various departmental heads. At, present the main sections include the departments of, Administration, Education and Promotion, Rural Development, Finance and Accounting, and Projects. There are, also, the women and youth development wings.
In order to respond to the challenges of growth and expansion, the Society has of recent established three Zonal Offices namely the Lake Zone (Bukoba), Eastern Zone (Korogwe) and Central Zone (Singida).