In the 1980’s there was a popular Paul Simon song, “Graceland” and from that song the Ugandan training location, Hopeland was named. At that stage, Uganda was recovering from a war that was devastating to the entire nation, after which came the HIV Aids epidemic, bringing with it even more destruction. It was in this…
… I did not understand child development … I did not know that I was going against God’s plan for children. I have been raising them the way I was raised during my childhood. The teachings have really transformed my thinking, heart and also equips me with the techniques and skills on how I am…
Our time in Arusha, Tanzania, running the Celebrating Children’s Workshop, was an absolute highlight. I had expected this letter to capture that. But then there was a terrible road accident. Our dear friends, John Mukolwe and Vicent Kazungu, were killed along with ten others. John and Vicent were 2 of Loom’s critical partners in East…
Stories give us glimpses into the reality of life and the power of a human being to change. At the end of each quarter, we evaluate our ongoing training in East and Southern Africa and analyze its impact. What is the role of capacity-building in a community? Who are the critical community influencers (gatekeepers) who…
The Art Vie de Jesus Mafa (Life of Jesus Mafa) was an initiative undertaken in the 1970s to help teach the gospel in Northern Cameroon. French Catholic missionary François Vidil worked with Mafa Christian communities in Cameroon to create a catalog of 70 paintings depicting the life of Jesus as an African man. The plan…
When Anna from South Africa started her lecture by having the whole group jiving with actions to a song, we knew this lesson would go well…we had a master teacher! She shared on children’s participation – how they engage children in making the rules of the after-school center they run. This risky, crazy initiative has…
In September, we told the story of the impact Jane Brenda is having through her seminars. Through her workshop, she was a catalyst for a teacher, a pastor, and a local community leader to engage on behalf of children. In a little over a week, we will gather in East Africa; we will meet with…
Sustainability and long-term change is the heartbeat of why Loom exists. Yet sometimes it is hard to know: how do you measure change? Social Innovator Jane Brenda has been a diligent and faithful facilitator of Celebrating Children Seminars and is fantastic at following-up with those she has taught several weeks, months, or even years…
Dostoyevsky famously said, “Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.” And in a sense, much of my interactions with East African partners feels like a reckoning with this statement. First, because they are living proof that it is true – that loving our community will likely cost us…
Recently we received the following letter from a Social Innovator in Arusha, Tanzania. Hello Loom team, Greetings from Arusha. We trust this finds you well, So far the Lord has kept us safe. Our families and the ministry are going on well. We have all the reasons to thank God for His grace. We…
