FOCUS • NGOME MARIAN SHRINE

Tabernacle of the Most High

The most famous Marian shrine in South Africa, at Ngome, North of Kwa-Zulu Natal,
has become a pole of attraction for thousands of pilgrims who experience spiritual graces immersed in an atmosphere of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to Mother Mary

BY Fr Wayne Weldschidt OMI | Good Shepherd Retreat Centre Director, North West Province

Sr Reinolda and the beginnings of Ngome

Little is known about Benedictine Sr Reinolda May OSB and her involvement in the development of the Ngome Marian Shrine. From the accounts of Fr Michael Mayer OSB, the Rector of the Shrine (before I arrived as Rector in May 2010), we have the following information about the establishment of the Shrine.

Sr Reinolda had taken up her nursing ministry at the Benedictine Hospital in Nongoma, in which
she ministered and taught as a midwife

Between 1955 and 1971 Sr Reinolda was purported to have received 10 apparitions from the Blessed Virgin Mary, who requested “that a Shrine be erected in the place where seven springs come together” on the property of the Church known then as the Ngome Farm, an outstation of the then Mission of Nongoma. It is purported that the Blessed Virgin Mary introduced herself as the ‘Tabernacle of the Most High´ and promised that in this Shrine her “graces would flow in abundance” and that “many people shall turn to God.”

By the time Sr Reinolda ‘received’ her purported communication from the Blessed Virgin Mary, she had already taken up her nursing ministry at the Benedictine Hospital in Nongoma, in which she ministered and taught as a midwife. She was also involved with the catechism of the local Catholic community of the Nongoma Mission.

The Hospital had a chapel in which Holy Mass and Adoration were daily celebrated. Sr Reinolda was particularly committed to the Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and would often take her student nurses to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, and invited them to begin the day with Holy Mass. She was in the habit of taking the person to the chapel before the Blessed Sacrament for prayer if there were any serious medical difficulties experienced by those coming to the Hospital for the delivery of their babies. Invariably, some grace was granted, and the danger was averted. Her love for the Holy Eucharist impelled her to spend quiet time before the Lord, entrusting her day and her ministry to His grace and mercy. This she also taught to her students.

Sr Reinolda was also known to have taken her young nursing sisters to the Ngome Marian Shrine to pray for their own personal needs, especially the success of their studies, thus establishing in many of their hearts a personal connection with that holy place and a deeper trust in the love and mercy of the Lord and the care of Our Blessed Mother.

These were some early signs that Ngome Marian Shrine would become, for many, a spiritual home in which many profound needs were offered to the Lord in prayer, through the intercession of the Tabernacle of the Most High, the title now popularly used by pilgrims who visit the Shrine.

Further developments

Through the grace of God and careful discernment by the Church over some time, the place was recognised on the Ngome Farm, since it had many springs. Urged by Father Ignatius Jutz, Bishop Aurelian Bilgeri of Eshowe allowed Brother Jacob Riedmann to build a small chapel on the Ngome farm in the area where the seven springs were situated. Father Ignatius blessed the chapel on Pentecost Sunday in May 1966.

Today Ngome Marian Shrine is one of the most loved and visited holy sites in Southern Africa, of which the Catholic Church has the great privilege and responsibility of being the custodian

Meanwhile, Sr Reinolda felt the need for a picture of Our Lady. With the consent of Bishop Bilgeri and the support of Archabbot Suso Brechter of Saint Ottilien, artist Joseph Aman, from Munich, painted the picture according to the instructions given to him by Sister Reinolda. Once the chapel was erected, the picture of Our Lady, portrayed as the Tabernacle of the Most High, which had originally been put up in the Ngome school, found a permanent place in the little chapel.

On 31 August 1985, a larger chapel, which was built opposite the original chapel, was blessed by Bishop Mansuet Biyase, the Local Ordinary at the time. Joseph Aman’s painting of Our Lady was then transferred to this chapel.

On 3 October 1992, Bishop Biyase blessed an open-air altar at the Shrine and declared the Ngome Marian Shrine a “Place of Prayer”. In December 1996, the Benedictine Sisters of Twasana, took up residence at the Shrine in service to the pilgrims who visited, and in keeping vigil before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

On 04 October 2003, Bishop Jabulani Nxumalo OMI, dedicated the big chapel built at the Shrine, after the increase of pilgrims visiting the Shrine.

In May 2010, Fr Nkululeko Meyiwa OMI and myself arrived to take up ministry at the Shrine. Fr Andrew Knott OMI arrived a year later to join the team of Oblate priests ministering here. Together we re-visioned the Shrine by developing a sustained spiritual programme to assist those coming for prayer at the Shrine. Various Oblate priests spent periods of time ministering at the Shrine during this time.

In 2013, Bishop Thaddeus Kumalo, the Local Ordinary, announced that he wished that the Shrine would become the official Marian Shrine for Southern Africa. This was due to the large number of pilgrims who frequented the Shrine from the countries in the Southern African region, accompanied by priests and religious.

In May 2021, Fr Siybonga Dube OMI, began his ministry as Rector of the Shrine, upon my being moved to another ministry.

Pillars of Devotion at Ngome

The task of the Oblate community ministering at the Shrine is to assist those, who come for prayer, to make a meaningful pilgrimage, under the Motherly care of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The focus of the pilgrimage is always to lead people into a deeper Eucharistic relationship or to introduce them to the Eucharistic Lord via daily Holy Mass, Confession, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Accompanied by these essential Catholic elements of faith is a profound devotion to praying the Holy Rosary and the Stations of the Cross. A visit to the springs— in which water is collected and blessed, so that the faithful may use it in their ordinary spiritual activities, —is also a necessary part of any pilgrimage. Many pilgrims also make it their duty to visit the Chapel in which the ‘Tabernacle of the Most High’ painting initially hung and the larger chapel in which it currently remains. Prayer, praise, and worship are the central focuses at Ngome. The silence of the evenings in which heartfelt prayer goes up to God before the Blessed Sacrament within this sanctuary often captures the sentiments of a truly meaningful pilgrimage to Ngome, where heavy burdens are laid down and new trust and hope are implanted into God’s people. Noticeably, many non-Catholics and non-believers find their way to the Shrine in search of something that is missing in their lives, and so often they return home, free from the burdens they carried with them upon their arrival. These are by far the most significant pillars of devotion at the Shrine.

Spiritual experiences and conversions among the pilgrims

In my eleven-year ministry at the Shrine, I can certainly attest to countless numbers of graces received by the pilgrims who came with faith and trust in their hearts, and even for those who came out of curiosity. The Lord, through the intercession of the ‘Tabernacle of the Most High”, is most gracious to His children who seek Him in their need, just as He was at the wedding at Cana (Jn 2: 1-11). So many have felt the reassurance of God who loves them despite their weakness or faults, their distractions or shortcomings. These moments of grace are often the catalyst for many to find their way into a much deeper relationship with the Lord and, especially, with Our Blessed Mother. Sr Reinolda’s efforts and sustained witness were certainly the building blocks of what is now a robust Marian Shrine, from which many graces flow, and through which many souls have turned back to God.

No doubt, as during the time of Jesus, there are doubters and sceptics, who come to the Shrine no longer believing in a loving merciful God who cares for them or battered down by the ferocity of the world. The experience of the gentleness of a forgiving, deeply sensitive God who caresses them back through the words and the image of His servant, the Tabernacle of the Most High, brings them back from the brink of despair. Peace, hope and trust are often the fruits of a meaningful pilgrimage to Ngome Marian Shrine, and certainly a re-commitment to faith in God. Sr Reinolda expressed in the ninth purported apparition that she received this peace and consolation of knowing that Our Blessed Mother will protect and intervene in our lives so that we may receive the necessary grace and blessings we require from God. For me, what stands out most powerfully is the knowledge of Sr Reinolda May as she presented her simple, ordinary but deeply devotional life to the Lord in the Holy Eucharist and her sincere love for the Blessed Virgin Mary, the constant and loving witness of this beautiful religious sister has over the years stirred the hearts of so many giving them that push that would move them closer to God, to try to go deeper in their journey of faith. Her love for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, carefully guided by the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a story that so many are trying to emulate. The contribution of Sr Reinolda Franziska May OSB will not go unnoticed. She has done what God expected of her, and many reap now the fruits of those early seeds she planted in faith and trust. She has captured the essential elements of the mystical tradition of the Church in which she has journeyed deeply with the Lord who has revealed Himself amidst His people, the same Lord who nourishes us and heals us. Today Ngome Marian Shrine is one of the most loved and visited holy sites in Southern Africa, of which the Catholic Church has the great privilege and responsibility of being the custodian. May we remain true to that call!

FOCUS • YOUTH CONFERENCE

Created in the Image of Love

Many young people struggle with issues of identity, direction in life and a sense of security and being loved. A Youth Conference organized between Koinonia John the Baptist and the Theology of the Body Institute recently celebrated in Durban tried to give responses to these challenges faced by the youth of today

BY Sr Naomi Giuggioloni | Koinonia, Cullinan, Gauteng
Jill Williams, Candidate Landscape Architect | Pretoria

BY Sr Yadira Román Rodriguez | PHOTOS

KOINONIA JOHN the Baptist is a community which was founded in 1979 by Fr Ricardo Argañaraz, an Argentinian priest, in Camparmó in Northern Italy. Koinonia John the Baptist community—present in South Africa since 2010 and in the Diocese of Pretoria since 2017—has been working with the youth since 2021, sharing testimonies and bringing them closer to Jesus. John the Baptist, the main inspiring figure for Koinonia, shouted aloud the name of Jesus, saying that He was the Lamb of God, the One who takes away the sins of the world. The members of Koinonia community follow this path today and point the youth to Jesus, through prayer, meetings as well as workshops. Through these interactions, Koinonia connects with lay people and those who are far from the Lord.

Durban Conference on Identity

A great opportunity for presenting the Lamb of God to the Youth arose recently. A Conference was held in Durban from the 28th until the 30th of April. This event was a collaboration between Koinonia John the Baptist and the Theology of the Body Institute. So, there were lay members, from both, the community of Koinonia and the Institute joining forces to give talks to the youth. The main theme of the Conference was “Identity”. Questions which are often asked by the Youth, such as “Who am I?” “Do I matter?” and “Am I lovable?” were unpacked. The theme was based on St John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

Koinonia connects with lay people and those who are far from the Lord

St John Paull II had a special affinity with young people and the challenges faced by them. Theology of the Body (Pope John Paul II and Waldstein, 2006), contributed greatly to theological thinking about Identity and our relations with God, ourselves and with others. In the Theology of the Body, one’s eyes are opened to the multifaceted nature of God, and His having created us in this same manner. Talking about one’s Identity, be it sexual, spiritual, familiar or otherwise, is especially important because of the confusion that Youths face during their teenage years, which often leads them to partake in risky activities that can negatively influence themselves and those around them.

Many young people came to the conference from different areas in and around South Africa, such as Durban, the parish of St Eugene de Mazenod in Refilwe, Cullinan (Archdiocese of Pretoria), from the diocese of Umzimkulu as well as from the missions around this diocese. Even Pentecostal churches joined the event, so this meeting became open for all the young people that wanted to attend. Some of the items on the programme included praise and worship, games, talks, and group sharing based on some questions related to the main topic. The first session was “Created for love”. The second dealt with, “What is love?” speaking about love and dignity. The third session focused on, “Truth, freedom, hope and redemption”. The fourth delved into the “Language of the body”. The fifth session was “My vocation, love and living it out,” which was followed by the closing Mass.

Meaning of Love

Identity was mainly looked at through the lens of love. Love is a big word. Many of these young people have never experienced concretely how great the love of God, of our Father is and how much He paid for us through giving His only Son, Jesus Christ. Through all these topics, touching on different characteristics of love, young people were aided to understand that this is the love that God wants us to share with others. It is called Agape, the Father’s unconditional love. This love can give up everything for the sake of others, as Jesus did on the Cross for us. Giving us freedom, giving us redemption. It’s a love that is not egoistic, nor selfish.

Further exploration of the theme was done through the subtopic of sexuality. Issues such as the importance of waiting until marriage to have a sexual relationship with a partner were looked at. Youths are encouraged to not just do things because they want to follow lustful desires. Jesus already paid the price for our sins. Through the question-and-answer sessions and moments of sharing, youth were helped to understand how much the world is influencing them, giving bad examples about sex and sexuality, and they were made aware that what is presented to them is not always real. The love that is presented through movies, reality shows, and social media is not always real. After this, there was a sharing about abuse which we may inflict and receive in our relations with others. This helped them to finally face their own reality, creating an opportunity to speak about it, aloud, and not allowing it to be a burden on their shoulders anymore. There were many moments of prayer and even a moment where sisters, brothers and priests prayed specifically for the young people. Through this prayer, many received healing and experienced concretely how much God loves them.

Vocations

Various vocations were then presented: marriage and consecrated life. God knows us, and He knows what the best way is for every one of us. Young people were helped to get better acquainted with the various vocations through sharing of testimonies on marriage and consecrated life, to understand what they are about and to try to question themselves and think about which vocation is theirs. Are they called to become a husband, a wife, a sister, a brother, or to become a priest at the service of others?

After the conference, many testimonies were received from the young people. One of them was from a young person from Pretoria:

“The experience was life-changing. It’s been so long since I felt so free and loved. The people just made me feel good about myself. I thank every sister and brother, and even the Father, for the prayers and the testimony, and for the life lessons they taught us. I thank Jesus for making sure I came to the Conference, and I thank all the young people that came for the experience. We met a lot of people that had similar problems and managed to relate and share everything together. I personally felt touched, because, after a long time of keeping things to myself, and not praying as much, this conference allowed me to start praying again.”

The love that is presented through movies, reality shows, and social media is not always real

All the young people went back home with this experience of love and were equipped with the knowledge of their Identity, that God created us for love, and to give this love to others. As He gave us this precious gift, He wants us to share it, wanting the good for others and sharing our love for them.

FOCUS • ORANGE FARM

LEARNING TO BUILD THE FUTURE

St Charles Lwanga education and training centre, situated in Orange Farm, a township in the south of Johannesburg, is an initiative to help students from a poverty-stricken area to stand up by themselves in life

BY RAFAEL ARMADA MCCJ
JOSE LUIS SILVAN SEN | PHOTOS

THE CENTRE was established in 1994 by the Missionaries of Africa and Sr Josepha English. It is located behind the parish of St Charles Lwanga which is served by two Comboni priests, Fr Kifle Kintamo originally from Hawassa, Ethiopia, and Fr Kgomotso Sebopela from Mabopane, Pretoria.

The centre that has been absorbed by the Department of Higher Education (DHE) offers two curricula for skills and academic programmes. In terms of skills, it has seven levels which comprise numeracy, communication and other areas such as health care, English, maths literacy, life orientation, small, medium and micro enterprises, early childhood development, and computer literacy.

The school is an Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) centre and currently has eighty students aged from 18 years to 50. Students, once they complete the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level four, receive a certificate for higher education and they can move up to grade 12. Others, having done Early Childhood Development, often open their own crèches, and later on, they continue studying to advance to higher levels.

If you don’t know what you want in life, you end up falling into wrong things

Mr Joseph Moloi is one of the lecturers, teaching life skills, counselling and computers and shares with us his knowledge about the school. He says that the skills programmes include baking and welding— both accredited by the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), as well as electrical training and carpentry. The school also offers a motor mechanic course, bricklaying, sewing and fashion design, computer skills, counselling and life skills.

School challenges

“We are busy with the necessary accreditations for our school; so far, we have accredited courses in computers, baking, welding, and merchandising. We are awaiting SITA accreditation for studies in wholesale and retail. Next year we will apply for accreditation in electrical studies and carpentry”, says Mr Moloi who has been working at the school for the past 21 years. “Each course needs to meet certain standards before it can be accredited. Our lecturers need to be assessors before we accredit a certain course, which is another challenge. Gauteng Community Education Training College is divided into centres, and every centre has satellite centres and we are one of them. Though we are recognized for various skills by the DHE, we want to strengthen our certificates and qualifications. When learners come and do their skills, we want them to obtain the accreditations from the DHE and SITA”, says Moloi.

He explains that the academic and skills curricula have both theory and
practical modules and at level four, the students are given the opportunity to learn how to manage a small business. “After four years in the school, we see progress in terms of human development in the learners. One of the areas we deal with is life skills, where we teach them about life in general and how to handle things. We have an impact on the learners’ behaviour through counselling” comments Moloi. “In South Africa now, if people don’t find jobs they must try to create them for themselves; that is why in this school we teach them how to build a company and the requirements for it. We teach learners how to be creative, to be an employer and how to treat employees, training them to be both employees and employers at the same time”, adds Moloi.

Faith practice

“This is a Catholic school, even though the lecturers have been hired by the DHE. There are certain occasions, such as Ash Wednesday when the students go to the parish and celebrate there together” comments Moloi.

“The chairperson of the school board of governance is the parish priest, who is a Comboni missionary. The ethos and values of the school are those of the Church. The classes start with a prayer and when the learners and teachers come to the school for the first time, they receive an induction whereby they are told what is expected from them and told about the nature of the school and its rules and regulations”, concludes Moloi.

We teach learners how to be creative, to be an employer and how to treat employees

Hopefully, schools such as St Charles Lwanga will develop in providing skills to help students in facing the challenges of a digital era.

FOCUS • DIOCESAN RESPONSE

WHEN DREAMS KNOCK ON THE DOOR

The Archdiocese of Pretoria is trying to respond to the cries of migrants and refugees who come to the capital searching for peace and a dignified living. However, the reality that they often have to face at their arrival is rather the opposite

BY TEXT AND PICTURES BY SR. M. MARTA VARGAS CMS | OFICER FOR PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES, PRETORIA

THIS IS a story of longing, of cries for freedom; a story made up of stories, each one of them real. It began unexpectedly in the last week of September 2022, when the Office for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees of the Archdiocese of Pretoria was established. Since it was the first week, we did not expect a large turnout, but shockingly in the first three days, over 500 people lined up at the door.

Encountering reality

Truly, we were taken by surprise; we had not announced the Office’s opening
because, as it is often said, in the beginning, it is better to go slowly but this was definitely not the case. Looking back, I see it all as a sign from heaven: a clear indication of the migration crisis that the country is going through, or rather, of the crisis that migrants are going through in the country and that we, as Church and society, have to take on board.

I ask myself, how did this happen, how did so many people arrive in such a short time and without previous notice but the real question is why? Why do hundreds of people line up under the sun looking for a place of help and comfort? Why do they stay and wait, even when there are no promises?

Due to situations such as unemployment, xenophobia and precarious living conditions, despair might be the first response, but that is only part of the reality. The truth is that beyond their needs, lie dreams and longings for happiness. Migrants and refugees knock at the door because they are not tired of dreaming. When dreams come and knock at the door, who can deny them their way, or ignore them?

Faces of migrants

It is impossible to forget them, much less when they have concrete faces—in my case, the faces of migrant and refugee brothers and sisters who have visited the Office in recent months.

For example, the mother and widow who escaped with her children from an attack on her village; who lost everything but the strength to fight; and so today she dreams, she dreams of living in peace, as a family, raising her children without hearing them cry. Or the face of the young girl who wants to study and who suffers seeing her parents going out to look for work every day because, like any good father or mother, they just want to see their children progress in life.

How can I forget the pregnant woman with belly pains, unable to pay the high fee demanded at the hospital to be treated? I can still see the fear on her face for what might happen to her baby. I remember the anguished expression of her husband, dismissed from his job even with valid documents, worried about her and the future of their children.

It is the same expression of the mother of a 13-year-old girl with a terminal illness, without a roof over her head and suffering because they do not want to treat her daughter either in the clinic or in the hospital.

The office intends to be a source of light where migrants and refugees can experience God’s care and guidance

It is impossible not to be distressed when a family waits for years for their documents to be approved and, suddenly, one or two decades later these are denied and they are forced to return to a war reality from which they had initially escaped.

I could go on listing cases: unemployed people with sick people at home (or homeless) and children with disabilities; elderly people in vulnerable conditions; victims of abuse, attacks and robberies which have gone unpunished; people persecuted or under constant threat; people who want to work—people who, in the end, want nothing more than a normal life.

I know that not everyone is perfect; there are also criminal or fraudulent cases, but one cannot generalise and much less label them. Perhaps this is the most beautiful lesson from the whole process: migrants and refugees are first and foremost people, human beings who have the right to dream of a life in peace, a stable home and simple wellbeing, leaving behind the traumas of the past, with a possibility of starting over.

Right to dream

When we dare to look further, we discover that we are not talking about impossibilities, but about dreams of humanity. However, it seems that labels have won and we have given more power to borders and nationalities than to solidarity.

Listening and sharing with migrants, not only in South Africa but also in Mexico and Egypt, I have seen the great labyrinth of limits and walls that we have built as a society. Walls of refusals and rejections such as the ones I hear every day: ‘Sister, they don’t give us documents, we can’t work, they don’t take care of us at the clinic, we can’t study, we can’t afford food or rent, let alone medicine or anything else, we are not safe here, we have no peace’.

It is in this context that the Office for Migrants began. On Sunday 25 September 2022, coinciding with the occasion of the World Day for Migrants and Refugees (WDMR), this Office was blessed and inaugurated during a Eucharist presided over by the Vicar General Fr Amos Masemola.

This experience reminds me of the importance of joining forces as Church and society

Joining the Universal Church’s desire to accompany our brothers and sisters, we opened the doors on the 27th of the same month. The office, located in St Martin de Porres Parish in SunnySide, echoes Pope Francis’ invitation for the WDMR, to “build the future together with migrants and refugees”.

Promoted by Archbishop Dabula Anthony Mpako, it responds to the Church’s pastoral mission of caring for those who suffer most, those in vulnerable conditions. As a local Catholic Church, in the Archdiocese of Pretoria, the office intends to be a source of light where migrants and refugees can experience God’s care and guidance.

However, as we look around, we may be desolate: the reality overwhelms us and there is very little we can contribute but, in discovering our limited humanity, we remember where the light and salvation really come from: ‘In Him was life, and that life was the light of humankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’ (Jn 1: 4, 5).

Faith and community

Our limitation helps us to turn our gaze to the pierced Heart of Jesus who, as St Daniel Comboni said, beat on the Cross for all humanity. In Comboni’s time, this meant that Jesus saves, regardless of race and colour, in our time we have to add that His heart beats for all, regardless of their nationality.

Looking at the Cross and the Mystery of Nativity which we celebrated a few weeks ago, we regain hope. The Office is not the solution to all problems, but rather a Bethlehem to welcome those who suffer rejection, a place of comfort and understanding, a shoulder to lean on in situations of frustration and, when possible, a guide or contribution towards a solution.

Above all, it is a voice which calls to build more human and Christian communities, as Jesus dreamed them to be. At the same time, it is a bridge, a place of union with other people committed to the common good. In these first months, I have met many people and come to know many organisations of good heart and goodwill: Catholics and people from other denominations who offer their lives, their time and their work to support our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters in the different areas where there is need for healthcare, legal assistance, basic needs, education, among others.

This experience reminds me of the importance of joining forces as Church and society. We have already started to work in direct collaboration with Caritas, as well as with other organisations. The road is still long and complex, we need everyone to build a future without exclusion and marginalisation, not only for migrants and refugees but for all of us who live together in this land which we call home.

After this first period of opening, I think the invitation to all is clear and concise: it is time to build together the dreams of humanity, it is time to open the doors and let dreams come in.

FOCUS • DRAMA

Performance arts and social media

Art can be used as a tool for expressing all that lies within your heart. It aids in pursuing your passions, and can sometimes be the best way to face the harsh realities of life in a rather whimsical manner. Theatre is one way of doing this and can prove to be quite an adventure.

BY Mathudi Ralekhetho | University of Pretoria Student and Youth Leader

Debut in theatre

One example of this is the young 22-year-old aspiring actress, Kgajane Ralekhetho. She landed her very first role in the play Sleeping Beauty as the wealthy, theatrical and regal Queen Gertrude. This theatre production ran twice a day between the 26th of March to the 2nd of April 2022. Although it was quite demanding, she enthusiastically continued to perform. Kgajane recounts that she did not even think she would get the part during the auditions, as she was surrounded by many teenage performers who were more experienced in theatre productions. “It was so nerve-wracking! There were so many young, talented actors and actresses there and they all seemed to know each other very well. I felt a little out of place, but still excited,” she recalled. She was thrilled to show her own unique way of expressing the character during the audition.

Then, when she received the news that she got the part, she was taken aback.

She saw this as a blessing from God. “It was unbelievable! Many emotions were flowing in at once: utter shock, joy, gratitude and even pride. This was my first big break in the industry. I was proud that I got the role of a main character. Father-God really blessed me!” she said happily. She had been praying about becoming an actress ever since she was in high school. This was her dream for the longest time, inspired by watching acclaimed performers on the screen.

A unique experience

The moment she got into art school—doing a B.A. in Live Performance—she knew that it was where she was meant to be. The fact that she thrived in the environment proved this. “There was no Plan B for me. It was this, or nothing. I had to give it my all!” she said passionately. The rehearsals for the play went well. They did many amusing and beneficial exercises to help them break out of their shells and explore various ways of presenting their characters. The young actress managed to also make a few friends. However, a few of the performers were not that comfortable with her, because it appeared as if they had already formed bonds amongst each other prior to the play. “Although we weren’t all friends or close, we managed to remain civil and professional. As a performer, you have to remember that not every person, or group of persons, will like you. God granted me the love and patience to try to deal with it,” she said.

The cast as a whole never allowed awkwardness, or any negative emotion to get in the way of their performance, thankfully so; the play was a brilliant success and had audience members of all ages laughing merrily.

Kgajane enjoyed being on stage and felt right at home. It was a marvellous experience. She learned a lot from her co-stars, who assisted her in improving a few of her skills. Moreover, she learned about how theatre productions work, all the technicalities such as creating sets, placing the props in just the right position and angle for the best visual appeal, and wearing a lot of expressive make-up! It was quite different from TV productions. The actress felt she could have made it more enjoyable for herself, as she was a little too focused on giving a more than satisfactory performance. “Oh my word, I took it way too seriously. Finally, it kicked in that it’s okay to make mistakes and to just have fun. I’ll try to remember that next time,” she laughed.

Beneficial usage of media

Paying attention to some of the local and international stars in the media resulted in a positive influence on my dear sister that lead to a rewarding outcome. Being on social media does not always have adverse effects, I realised. Potentially becoming a “struggling artist” is not just a stereotype. It is a reality that all artists face at some point in their lives, however, it does not have to be like that forever. Using media to find opportunities as well as using it as a platform to present yourself, can steer you in the right direction. It is important to just remain resilient in any field of work or art form, and when it is your time, God will provide. Kgajane is extremely passionate about the performing arts; telling stories that may teach and inspire others. She discovered that God will grant you the strength you need to continue fuelling your passion. You must just keep pushing forward. Therefore, keep holding onto and pursuing your dreams, my amazing fellow artists!

FOCUS • SECOND SYNOD OF ARCHDIOCESE OF PRETORIA

Pretoria Unfolds Her Vision As Church

The Archdiocese of Pretoria has made an exercise of listening and discernment, calling for a Second Synod and inviting her faithful to reflect upon their ecclesial realities

BY Fr Patrick Rakeketsi CSS | Director of the Synod, Archdiocese of Pretoria

THE SECOND Synod of the Archdiocese of Pretoria was launched by His Grace, Archbishop Dabula Mpako on the 28th February 2021 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Pretoria. It is based upon the New Pastoral Plan of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), the theme being Evangelising community, serving God, humanity and all Creation.

This Synod is aimed at applying locally the SACBC Pastoral Plan for the Archdiocese of Pretoria. At its launch, the Archbishop commissioned the Steering Committee to assist him in facilitating and co-ordinating the process. He also mandated the Deans of the Six Deaneries of the Archdiocese to oversee, monitor and ensure that the Synod achieves its purpose in all the parishes.

Synod logo

The logo symbolises the flame of the Holy Spirit given to the community gathered around the Lord. The Archdiocese, listening to the Spirit, intends to empower its faithful to be a true evangelising community, serving God, humanity and all Creation.

Synod workshops

In November 2020, during the preparatory phase, many foundational workshops were conducted for the clergy, religious and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. The Synod received a welcoming response.

In March 2021, Sodalities were invited to workshops in which they were able to respond to some questions regarding their reality. Each Sodality selected a group of facilitators in their respective deaneries to form the co-ordinating teams. These teams facilitated workshops for the rest of their members in the parishes.

Synod parish facilitators

In March 2021, workshops were conducted by the Synod parish facilitators—co-ordinating teams in the parishes who helped the parish priests to run the Synod in their respective parishes. The workshops led to a better understanding of the vision of the new SACBC Pastoral Plan and the purpose of having the Second Synod of the Archdiocese.

Procedure of the Synod at the parish/pastoral districts

opted into the facilitators’ team. A good number of the faithful attended the workshops in the deaneries (see table on the right). Facilitators met with their respective parish priests and PPC members, to share on the feedback of the workshops and to plan the work ahead at parish and pastoral district levels. Each district had to consider its own situation and context. Facilitators were introduced formally by the parish priest and their role was explained to the parishioners. Various methods for meetings were adopted according to the structure of each parish; i.e. either Small Christian Communities (SCCs) or family groups. All meetings followed COVID-19 protocols. When meetings at homes were impossible, SCCs met at the parish on Sundays. Many parishes and districts used the social media platforms (facebook, whatsapp etc) to communicate the Synod questions.

The facilitators and the parish priests collated all the responses from the parishioners and summarised them. The Synod Steering Committee was tasked with co-ordinating all the summaries and drafting the Pastoral Plan.

Focal areas of the Synod

Nine focal areas were determined from the Pastoral Plan (see table on the right). The Synod helped the faithful to understand that the parish is at the centre of the Pastoral Plan. “The parish is the presence of the Church in a given territory, an environment for hearing God’s Word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration. In all its activities the parish encourages and trains its members to be evangelisers. It is a community of communities, a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey, and a centre of constant missionary outreach.” (Evangelii Gaudium #28).

Evangelisation

Through the Synod process, many of the faithful understood that their encounter with the Lord is generally facilitated by their participation in the celebration of the Sacraments, sharing of the Word of God, other liturgical activities and personal and communal prayers. The faithful must be given opportunities to cultivate a personal relationship with God, to learn how to pray and discern spiritual matters at a deeper level and to witness their own faith, so as to become a truly evangelising community.

Laity formation and empowerment

The Synod brought to the fore the important role of the laity. Empowered by virtue of their baptism, they participate in the pastoral work of the Church with a sense of belonging and ownership. Laity “are in their own way made sharers in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly functions of Christ; and they carry out for their own part the mission of the whole Christian people in the Church and in the world” (Lumen Gentium #31). Their role and leadership need to be recognised and valued. The Synod brought to the fore the important role of the laity. Empowered by virtue of their baptism, they participate in the pastoral work of the Church with a sense of belonging and ownership. Laity “are in their own way made sharers in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly functions of Christ; and they carry out for their own part the mission of the whole Christian people in the Church and in the world” (Lumen Gentium #31). Their role and leadership need to be recognised and valued.

They are called to listen to God, to be led by the Holy Spirit and actively participate in the various activities of the Church. Each parishioner is encouraged to take up roles in the various ministries and to participate in the decision-making and leadership positions in the parish.

Life and ministry of the clergy and religious

The faithful reflected on the life and ministry of the clergy and religious during the Synod. Priests serve the Church by administering the Sacraments, teaching the faith and engaging in the spiritual, human, and social welfare of the people. Deacons serve in the ministries of the Word of God, altar and charity and in other ministries entrusted to them by the archbishop.

Religious are also committed to charitable and social justice activities according to their various charisms. Some are active in the pastoral ministry, while others are engaged in community projects outside the parishes.

Marriage and family life

Marriage and family life stand at the centre of Christian life. The Synod reflected at length on both. The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant of love between a man and a woman for their whole life and, by its nature, it is ordered towards the good of the spouses, procreation and the education of their children.

The Synod reminded the faithful of each one’s responsibility to work for healing and reconciliation

The vocation to Sacramental Marriage is promoted and encouraged in the parishes mainly through homilies, wedding days, anniversaries, and any other special occasions dedicated to marriage and family. They both form part of the catechetical contents given to children and youth, especially during Confirmation preparation and the RCIA (Right for Christian Initiation of Adults) classes.

Married couples are involved in promoting the Sacrament through various programmes and events. The faithful respond positively to them. Some Sodalities also play an important role in promoting marriage and family life by teaching and encouraging the youth. Permanent deacons promote them by virtue of being married. Religious sisters also help the youth to know about married life.

Youth

The Synod also focused on the crucial role that the youth play in the Church. “Youth is a time when genuine and irrepressible questions arise about the meaning of life and the direction our own lives should take. [Therefore, they] need witnesses and teachers who can walk with them, teaching them to love the Gospel and to share it, especially with their peers, and thus to become authentic and credible messengers”
(Africae Munus #61).

Youth realise that they can evangelise. They are active in the life of the parish as altar servers, members of the choir and of youth movements and groups. They participate in liturgical, spiritual and formation programmes, attend catechesis and are involved in social outreach and charity projects.

Justice, peace and non-violence

The Synod dealt with the social action of the Church, focusing mainly on justice, peace and non-violence. Parishioners pray for justice, peace and non-violence, promote unity and strive for forgiveness and reconciliation when differences arise. They promote social cohesion by listening and supporting one another.

“Justice is a virtue which guides the human will, prompting us to give others what is due to them by reason of their existence and their actions. Likewise, peace is not the mere absence of war, or the result of man’s actions to avoid conflict; it is, above all, a gift of God which must be implored with faith, and which has the way to its fulfilment in Jesus” (Pope Benedict XVI, Private Audience, 13 January 2012).

Healing and reconciliation

Due to its past history of oppression and apartheid, South Africa is a country always in need of healing and reconciliation. The Synod reminded the faithful of each one’s responsibility to work for healing and reconciliation.

Healing is a process towards recovery at physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual level. It starts by acknowledging personal wounds at various levels and allowing the light of God to shine on those wounds. Through this process the person reaches a state of wellbeing and is made whole again.

The Synod reflected on various ways that the local Church can take care of Creation

Reconciliation is the coming together of aggrieved parties in mutual understanding, pardoning each other. It culminates in the restoration of peace, rebuilding the relationship with God and with others. Both healing and reconciliation involve elements of faith and prayer and openness to the action of the Holy Spirit.

Care of Creation and the environment

Following the call of Pope Francis, in Laudato Si’, on the care of Creation and the environment, the Synod reflected on various ways that the local Church can take care of Creation. Pope Francis, in Laudato Si’ has highlighted the awareness that everything is inter-connected and he has helped us to appreciate nature more and to see God in Creation and every individual as part of nature. Humans are uniquely created and called to exercise responsible stewardship on behalf of the loving Creator.

Parishes generally promote the care of Creation by maintaining in good condition the churchyard. Some have flowers and vegetable gardens, plant trees, save water and electricity, while some do recycling activities. Some parishes conduct workshops on the care of Creation and the environment.

Sustainability

The Synod also focused on the sustainability of the local church, as self-supportive, self-reliant, self-ministering, self-propagating and financially independent. A sustainable Church invests in her spiritual, pastoral and economical dimensions to ensure her growth, using available resources, initiatives and pastoral programmes to meet the needs of the parish and the Archdiocese.

The parishes sustain themselves through participation and involvement of the laity in pastoral ministries such as Extraordinary Ministry of Holy Communion, Proclaimers of the Word, Choristers and Funeral Ministers. They are also active in Sodalities, groups/movements and in formation programmes as catechists. Some serve as leaders in Parish Pastoral Councils and Parish Finance Committees.

FOCUS • ZIMBABWE

Navigating sustainable food security in the face of climate change

Despite regional challenges, Zimbabwe needs to recover its former condition as the bread basket of southern Africa, and become a nation capable of feeding its entire population

BY Moeti Dominic Maumbi | Farmer, Environment Activist, Pretoria

ZIMBABWE IS a landlocked country of about 16 million people, located in southern Africa. As in the Garden of Eden, it has vast and diverse natural resources, that God put under His children’s control (Genesis 1: 28). It has an agro-based economy that strongly relies on rain-fed agriculture, and is highly sensitive to the vagaries of nature. At independence in April 1980, the government of the Zimbabwe African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) put its thrust mostly on agricultural, educational, health, mining and infrastructural development. Donors and well-wishers from across the globe came and fully supported the nascent nation. Indeed, progress was bubbling and evident at both individual and societal levels. An air of hope, peace, unity, stability, tolerance (reconciliation) and prosperity enveloped the once divided nation. Great strides were made in agriculture, and Zimbabwe was referred to as the bread basket of southern Africa, from its consistent exports of cash and grain crops and livestock. In education, a compulsory primary and secondary education policy led to one of the most educated and literate populations in Africa; and equity in health and primary health care policy led to increased child survival rates and life expectancy.

Economic, political and social distress has consumed the nation

Today, Zimbabwe is a shell of its former self. Economic, political and social distress has consumed the nation. Climate change, environmental degradation and loss of diversity have compounded the mix of challenges that have brought general strife to its citizens. A strong agricultural support network—consisting of key government institutions; the academia; the private sector; farmer representative organizations; and the NGOs—all work collaboratively to improve agricultural production, and hence ensure food security and its sustainability.

Agro-ecological zones

The country is divided into agro-ecological zones, which combine similar soil, landform, climatic and vegetation constraints and potentials for sustainable land use. It is on this basis that recommendations for suitable agricultural production systems are made for each zone. The seven recently revised zones include the following:

Region 1 (with over 1000 mm of rainfall / year, low temperatures and steep slopes) is suitable for specialized agriculture; 

Regions 2A and 2B (medium rainfall of 750–1000 mm /year, moderate temperatures and good soil), is suitable for intensive farming, including horticulture and dairying; 

Region 3 (low rainfall of 650–800 mm/year, mid-season dry spells and high temperatures), is suitable for semi-intensive farming for field crops such as maize, soya beans, tobacco, cotton and livestock; 

Region 4 (low rainfall of 450–650 mm/year, with severe dry spells during the rainy season and frequent seasonal droughts), is suitable for semi-extensive farming, including livestock and drought-tolerant crops such as sorghum, millet, cowpeas and groundnuts; 

An estimated three million people may have needed humanitarian assistance for the period Jan.–Mar. 2022

Region 5A (very low rainfall of less than 650 mm/year and highly erratic) is suitable for extensive farming, including wild-life management, bee-keeping and non-timber products;

Region 5B (the driest part of less than 450 mm/year) is suitable for extensive farming only, and no rain-fed cropping.

Counteracting climate change

Climate change has been notable at the farmers’ level through variations in the onset and length of the rainy season, the amount and distribution of the rainfall throughout the entire growing season, increased temperatures, dry spells and incidences of droughts, floods and cyclones. Key decision-making and timing of production processes are important for effective and successful farming, and are affected by these changes. 

Food security is said to exist when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (World Food Summit 1996). These climatic changes ultimately impact negatively on the food production systems. Abject poverty, hunger, malnutrition, high unemployment, high inflation, displacement and political intolerance, have now become part of the vocabulary of conversations on Zimbabwe. An estimated three million people may have needed humanitarian assistance for the period Jan.–Mar. 2022.
(www.fews.net)

Zimbabwe has an extensive repository of technical knowledge and agricultural practices that have been effectively used in the past to mitigate against adverse weather, for example droughts, especially in drier and rapidly expanding marginal regions. Many appropriate agricultural intervention programmes to reduce the vulnerability to climate change have been introduced by various stakeholders, including the Government of Zimbabwe. Drought-tolerant crops (e.g. sorghum, millet, rapoko, cassava, sweet potatoes and yams) must be produced on a large scale to meet the country’s food requirements. Although maize has been the main staple diet, shifts to embrace other foods will be required by the general public. 

Training farmers in conservation agriculture, incorporating minimum soil disturbance, maintaining permanent soil cover and crop rotations, all have the added benefit of increased yields, labour savings, improved soil health and its sustainability to hand over to future generations, even in the face of climate change. Introducing improved and diversified livestock production systems, plus building irrigation schemes, river catchment rehabilitation and restoration (from soil erosion and land degradation), will all ensure food security and ecosystem protection. 

We need to use the land wisely and efficiently—then leave it in a better state for future generations to inherit, for their own sustainable use

In conclusion, a delicate balance must be struck between population growth, consumption patterns (including food), land availability and maintaining and sustaining healthy ecosystems. Climate change is here to stay, and so are we. Food is required for our sustenance yesterday, today and into the future. We need to use the land wisely and efficiently—then leave it in a better state for future generations to inherit, for their own sustainable use. Perhaps, in our life time, the phoenix of Zimbabwe will rise again to its former glory, and produce bumper food harvests and exports despite its current challenges. If our plans are aligned with God’s intentions, nothing is impossible, including restoration.

FOCUS • SCHOOL SUPPORT

A Grain of Sand for a Better World

The Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family arrived at Charre Mission in 2006. Currently the community consists of three sisters from Colombia. One of them shares their experience in the field of education

BY Sr Carmen Revelo | Charre, Mozambique

I HAVE lived, during the last three years—together with Srs Sandra Morales and Senid Bermudez—in the mission of Charre, a small community in the district of Mutarara, in Tete Province.

I feel always grateful when I see so many children, adolescents and young people of school age in our surroundings. However, the sad part of it is that most of them do not have the possibility of enjoying the gift of learning and sharing knowledge with other students in the different schools of the area. In the zone where we live there is a widespread lack of awareness of the importance of education in the various stages of every human being’s life, of the significance of the formative process in every person. That is why there are very few children integrated into the educational system, who regularly go to school and do not abandon it.

Low educational level

One of the great challenges is that the majority of the population is illiterate; the level of the few who go to school is also quite low and that becomes a hindrance in the continuation of their studies or in the advancement to higher levels of education. There are various factors that contribute to it. Among others we can cite the following:

First of all, the lack of school structures that guarantee quality learning and conducive environments for teaching. In small rural schools, most of the children do not have classrooms or the minimum conditions that guarantee them to remain in the school and to obtain a good academic performance. Lessons are given outdoors. There is also a high rate of poverty among the population, who live in subhuman conditions, including child malnutrition. Many students go to school without eating, a condition that sometimes lasts for several days.

Moreover, the quality of education continues to be an area of great concern. Due to a lack of continuity in the educational process, quality education cannot be implemented, not allowing an effective mastery of contents provided in the curricular plans, which don’t seem to address the needs of the population.

The initial children’s learning is done in their mother tongue, Chesena, until grade three. The following year they continue in Portuguese without having the minimum basics of this national official language. This causes a high dropout; children do not manage to overcome this challenge and prefer to stay at home. Those who continue in the school are automatically promoted, even though they have not learnt to read and write, neither in Chesena nor in Portuguese. Few of them reach grade twelve, but have a knowledge at primary school level.

Lack of commitment

Another challenge is the lack of teachers assigned to the area, and their constant absenteeism. They do not take teaching as a vocation, but as a job done only for the sake of the payment received. Children go to school and, not finding their teachers, they spend their time playing and staying on the roads, sometimes engaged in aggressive games or inappropriate activities.

There is also a lack of commitment of most parents in the education of their children. There is no teamwork among the parents—most of them are illiterate—and little family support in the learning and teaching process of their children. These are some of the existing challenges. The commitment of all is necessary in order to achieve a better, quality education. We need to believe that it is possible to accomplish it and to seek new alternatives and different processes to obtain it.

The commitment of all is necessary in order to achieve a better, quality education

A grain of sand

Facing this educational reality, and present in this mission area for several years, the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Family started a project of school support or escolinha, (in Portuguese language), that provides academic assistance to those who are willing to remain in the formal school. This project includes a commitment on the side of the parents and the support of the school teachers.

The school support began in 2009. When the children start, in the first year, they usually do not understand the Portuguese language, only Chesena, so we teach them with playful activities, games, crafts, stories focused on strengthening human values; we also give them small tips on personal care.

It must be mentioned that this is not a school, but a school support. The children study in the school of Nhanpane, located in the mission of Charre, during morning hours, and the assistance is done in the afternoon.

In the last three years, continuity has been given to a group of 25 children enrolled in this programme. We have seen their progress; they understand when Portuguese is spoken. We use phrases, stories, objects, actions, games, songs. We ask them to write small phrases or words, such as names of animals, school supplies and to interact among themselves with short dialogues.

Those who remain in this project are those who really show interest in studying. Sometimes during the last two years, classes were suspended due to COVID-19, but in general we were able to give continuity to our escolinha. The learning is bilingual, with the help of a person who does the translation; it is a slow process, because of the language. Children need to get habituated to study schedules, gradually becoming aware of the desire and passion for learning, how to read, write and speak.

This process has been facilitated and achieved through different pedagogical strategies, such as games, contests, dramas, painting, reading, educational outings, so that learning becomes meaningful to the children, taking into account the needs of each student.

We have also implemented few changes in our escolinha. Its physical space has been adapted, educational and playful materials have been acquired, to strengthen the learning process of the children.

Parents’ involvement

The involvement of the parents in this educational process consists basically in the following commitments:

Enrolment of their children to study in the official school and not only in the school support programme.

Supporting their children to attend school regularly and punctually, not taking them to work or sending them to other families. Care for the children’s health by taking them to the hospital when needed, so that they can recover quickly and not miss classes. Participate in training meetings for parents and guardians. As much as possible, to help the children at home to carry out complementary activities. To take care of the feeding, hygiene and personal appearance of their children

Evaluation

Our objective with the support programme is to strengthen the learning process of the children, using pedagogical strategies, so that they learn to read, write and speak in Portuguese. Our goal is to continue the process, started in 2019, with the same group of students, from grade one to grade five, to help them to overcome difficulties in their reading comprehension, written production and verbal expression, so that they can proceed, without difficulties, to secondary school. If we look at the results obtained so far, we have identified that those who are in the programme, have a lower dropout rate in the official school. Out of the group of 25, only one has dropped out each year, and who do not have the support of their families. Instead, most of the group continues.

Among the group of the parents of these 25 students, 15 of them have shown interest and commitment to their children, participating in the meetings, being responsible in sending their children to school and assisting them, caring for them when they are sick, which is very frequent, due to malaria.

These attempts represent our efforts towards the wellbeing of these children— a grain of sand in the construction of a happier world

Today, we are grateful for this group of happy children and parents who try to give the best of themselves; everything has been a continuous, slow and humanizing process. These attempts represent our efforts aimed towards the wellbeing of these children—a grain of sand in the construction of a happier world.

FOCUS • ENVIRONMENT

A CRUDE OIL PIPELINE IN THE HEART OF EAST AFRICA

A massive oil project in western Uganda is putting at risk the sustainability of the region’s rich diversity and the wellbeing of its inhabitants

BY NADINE ATUGONZA | HOIMA, UGANDA

UGANDA IS described as the Pearl of Africa. Its plains, gently rolling hills and mountains that are all dotted with the greenest green make this country so spectacularly beautiful that it is described as a pearl. While all of Uganda is beautiful, the western part is particularly so; with its rift valley, blue lakes and majestic mountains, that part of the country bedazzles. It looks like the stuff of which beautiful movies are made.

Biodiverse Albertine Rift

Uganda is also a biodiverse country. Western Uganda and particularly the Albertine Rift are not only beautiful, but important to humanity in their outstanding biodiversity. The rift is home to eight out of the 15 nationally and internationally recognised forests present in Uganda, 70% of Uganda’s national parks, 12 wildlife reserves, 13 wildlife sanctuaries and five wildlife community areas.

In addition, the Albertine Graben, which extends to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is an important biodiversity hotspot. It is home to 39% of Africa’s mammal species, 51% of Africa’s bird species and 19% of Africa’s amphibian species. The graben is also home to 79 threatened vertebrate species, according to the Red Data List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Oil activities

Uganda’s oil and gas activities are ongoing in this biodiverse and ecologically sensitive place. Uganda discovered commercial oil deposits in the eco-sensitive Albertine Rift in 2006. Currently, the country has confirmed oil deposits of 6.5 billion barrels. Of these barrels, between 1.4 and 1.7 billion can be extracted from the ground. The rest cannot be taken out due to limitations in technology, among others.

Currently, the Ugandan government, alongside the oil companies operating in Uganda, Total-Energies (U) B.V. and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), have set 2025 as the year in which oil production in Uganda will commence. The oil in Uganda is to be produced under two upstream projects, namely, the Tilenga and Kingfisher oil projects.

Under the above-mentioned projects, oil will be drilled from Murchison Falls National Park, one of Uganda’s largest and oldest national parks, as well as from Lake Albert, which is shared between Uganda and the DRC. Part of the drilled oil will be transported to export markets via a planned 1 443 km pipeline called the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). The EACOP, which is expected to transport 216 000 barrels of crude oil per day at peak production, is set to be constructed from Hoima District in the Albertine region to the port of Tanga in Tanzania.

If constructed, the EACOP will be the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world. The EACOP has to be heated up to a temperature of 50ºC because Uganda’s oil is waxy. It needs to be liquefied through heating, in order for it to be transported. Oil production in the ecosensitive and biodiverse Albertine Graben, particularly in Murchison Falls National Park and the transboundary Lake Albert, have raised controversy—so have plans to build the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world, the EACOP.

EACOP project developers

Why is the EACOP project controversial? What risks does it pose? Before we answer these questions, let’s first speak about the EACOP project developers.

The EACOP is set to be developed by France’s Total Energies, who have 62% shares in the project. The Ugandan as well as Tanzanian governments are also shareholders. They each have a 15% share in the project. China’s CNOOC is the other shareholder with 8% shares in the project. The financial advisers to the project include South Africa’s Standard Bank, Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) as well as the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China.

EACOP project risks

The EACOP project poses environmental, biodiversity, social, climate change and economic risks. These are briefly discussed in this article.

Environmental risks: the oil that will be transported by the EACOP will be mostly extracted from protected eco-sensitive areas, namely Murchison Falls National Park and Lake Albert. These protected areas, which are of great biodiversity and social and economic importance to Uganda, stand to be degraded due to the oil extraction projects. As was earlier indicated, Murchison Falls National Park is not only one of Uganda’s oldest national parks but is also its second largest. According to information from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the park is home to 76 mammals as well as 451 bird species. In addition, the park is also home to the UNESCO-designated Ramsar Site, the Murchison Falls-Albert Delta Wetland System. Extraction of oil from the park to be transported via the EACOP is controversial. Further, WWF says that the EACOP itself will affect nearly 2 000 km2 of the protected area including zones in Tanzania.

Biodiversity risks: environmental destruction puts biodiversity at risk since habitats, breeding grounds, food sources, and others that biodiversity needs to survive will be destroyed. The environmental risks posed by the EACOP make the project concerning. Even more concerning is the fact that the EACOP is going to impact four forests in Uganda; particularly of concern is Wambabya Forest which is a migratory corridor for chimpanzees. The animals use the forest to cross into various surrounding forests in order to breed, access food and others. With the EACOP affecting the forest, there are fears that the forest connectivity needed for the chimpanzees’ survival will be broken. Chimpanzees are listed as one of the endangered species by the IUCN. Every effort must therefore be made to protect them.

Water access risks: Lake Victoria is a magnificent lake on which an estimated up to 40 million people in East Africa rely to access water. The lake, which is shared by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, is the second biggest freshwater lake in the world. The lake has been affected by the EACOP as nearly a third of the pipeline will be constructed in the Lake Victoria basin. There are fears that in case an oil spill occurs, the lake which serves millions could be contaminated. The EACOP is also set to affect various wetlands that are Ramsar sites in Uganda.

Climate change risks: the EACOP is being developed at a time when scientists have said that in order to meet the Paris Climate Change Agreement goal, no more new oil and gas projects should be initiated. However, the EACOP is set to be developed and at peak production, the oil transported by the EACOP will result in the production of over 34.3 million metric tonnes of carbon per year. These are more emissions than Tanzania and Uganda produce at the moment.

Social risks: over 14 000 households in Tanzania and Uganda have been affected by the EACOP. Their land has been compulsorily acquired for the project. The householders were stopped from growing perennial food and cash crops on their land in 2018 and 2019. They were also stopped from setting up new developments on their land, including those who reside in towns. As a result, the affected families suffered food scarcity. Men in towns also abandoned their families and stopped providing for them. Family incomes were also reduced as families could not grow and sell perennial cash crops. Today, the EACOP-affected householders are yet to be compensated.

Economic risks: Tanzania and Uganda are relatively poor countries. To invest in the EACOP, the countries alongside Total-Energies and CNOOC need to invest $5 billion. Most of this money will be borrowed. Already, Uganda has borrowed heavily to invest in the oil and gas sector. Uganda’s 2020 Debt Sustainability Analysis Report indicated that Uganda’s debt to GDP ratio would rise to nearly 50% by June 2021 and to 54.1% by 2022/23 due to borrowing for the oil, gas and transport investments. While money is being borrowed, the revenue collected by the Ugandan government keeps declining, especially because of the economic constraints caused by COVID-19. With Uganda borrowing for the oil sector amidst declining revenues and energy transition efforts to clean energy by various countries, the risk that Uganda will not be able to pay back its debt is heightened.

Repressed civic space

Civil society organisations (CSOs) and campaigners have vigorously campaigned against the project because of its risks. Because of these campaigns, they have been targeted and have been arrested, detained or had their organisations closed. On 20 August 2021 for instance, the Ugandan government halted the activities of 54 organisations, many of which are critical of oil projects. It has become hard for CSOs and communities to speak up because of the repressed civic space.

In conclusion, it can be said that God created a beautiful world. He charged man with looking after this world. All people of faith, and our secular brothers and sisters, therefore ought to speak up and convince those who are intent on destroying nature for their own profit to stop doing so. Profits can be made and there are several opportunities for making these profits such as investment in clean energy which can save both the planet and help those who are seeking a livelihood.