Blog Post

2018 Visit of Beckhoff Team

  • by Martin Rostan
  • 27 Aug, 2018
Students with Beckhoff visitors

Friendly Welcome

We spent the best part of two days on the school premises. The principal Fr. Pascal Kipenye showed us all the facilities, explained the current situation and answered all questions.

The seminary board, chaired by Bishop Gervas Nyaisonga and extended with the seminary teaching staff, met in the morning of the second day so that we had the opportunity to discuss the achievements and the current situation as well as discuss a proposal for the next steps.

We appreciates that they we could roam freely on the school grounds so that we were able get a good impression of the status quo. The Beckhoff team wants to thank the local team for the open discussions, the time they invested in our visit and the great hospitality!
Frederike Beckhoff visited the Seminary for the first time
Surprise and great news: the seminary is now connected to the electric grid!

A nice surprise: The school is now connected to the electric grid! The grid has been expanded by the government to Mpanda Ndogo village, so electricity is now available.

Singing the school hymn
Where is Germany? Well done!
New footballs for school sports: Father Paschal shows his skills
And Frederike Beckhoff, too...
... most appreciated by the students!
The main road from Mpanda to Mpanda Ndogo is currently being upgraded
The outer walls of the seminary chapel are finished
The Chapel will also serve the local neighboring community
Once the chapel is finished the dual use of the refectory is over

The building projects that we agreed on in 2016 are in advanced stage, but not finished yet.

Storage house nears completion
The bats have moved in already... :-)
one of the two residential houses
Bathroom of the residential house
The kitchen ovens have been improved for better efficiency
Frederike has a new job?
the laboratory equipment is well used
for electronics basic education
Chemistry lab equipment

The farming activities the school are currently hindered by lack of water, since the river may not be used currently for irrigation due to governmental restriction. Hopes are high that the ban will be lifted soon, so that more crops can be grown.

Seminary fields for the supply of vegetables
The new pigsty
The goat stall needs an upgrade, too...
Dormitory room
Father Paschal shows the study content
Bishop Gervas visits a class
School Board Meeting chaired by Bishop Gervas
The school board
by Martin Rostan 15 Dec, 2021
Fr. Paschal provided these pictures showing the making of the benches for the chapel. It's just a good thing that the school meanwhile has electricity!
by Martin Rostan 26 Jul, 2021
Fr. Paschal provided some pictures of the finished chapel, which is finally finished! The chapel will be the spiritual center of the seminary. But before that, it still has to be equipped with furniture.
by Martin Rostan 18 Nov, 2020
On Nov 18 2020, seminary director Fr. Paschal Kipenye send the following pictures, showing the progress of the chapel building
by Martin Rostan 05 Aug, 2020
School director Fr. Paschal informed us that the school opened again on June 29, 2020, and classrooms activites resumed on June 30. The seminary is taking precautions to deal with the Covid 19 challenges. 

Since the salaries had to be paid during the school closure, part of the funds for the construction projects were used for this purpose in agreement with Beckhoff. 
by Paschal Kipenye 20 May, 2020
The following is an excerpt from the report that Seminary Director Fr Paschal Kipenye sent today:

Greetings from Mpandandogo. I would like to say thanks very much to the funds sent to the Seminary. I am happy to inform you that the works are in good progress.

It is very sad that up to the moment all school in Tanzania are closed! It is a very disturbing moment to the curriculum development as well as economic progress in national level up to an individual level.

As a Seminary, let me be open: we are facing a financial crisis! We have sent home almost all of our workers! The fact is almost 70% of our daily undertaking in the school depends on school fees! The school was closed in the beginning of the first quarter while the majority of the students were in the process of paying school fees; So you can imagine our situation.

We really appreciate what the company is doing for us, it is doing a lot! But in this particular situation may I appeal on the behalf of the community to beg for financial assistance to run the school; sincerely we are facing the problem of paying the salaries to our workers since last month! Indeed our workers are very understanding and they are coping to realize the situation, but I'm afraid we will lose the best workers as soon as they decide to go back to work in agriculture.

by Fr. Paschal Kipenye 09 Mar, 2020
by Fr. Paschal Kipenye 09 Sept, 2019
Wash Stations completed, Residential Houses near completion, Chapel makes progress
by Fr. Paschal Kipenye 23 Aug, 2019
The Wash Stations get Roofs, Dry Well is filled with Rocks
by Fr. Paschal Kipenye 30 Mar, 2019
Update on Status of Projects at Mpandandogo Seminary
by Fr. Paschal Kipenye 15 Jan, 2019
Chapel Roofing completed, Wash Stations make progress
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