Since we have not yet been to Tanzania, it’s hard for us to say very much about what life is like. In Tanzania, social relationships are very important, and greetings often take half an hour. Religious life is important to the people of Tanzania, which is about 1/3 Christian, 1/3 Muslim, and 1/3 indigenous religions, according to the CIA World Factbook. Worship is vibrant and full of music, and Sunday services often go on for 3 hours or more!
However, there is much need as well. Most people in Tanzania support themselves by farming, mainly subsistence farming. The per-capita GDP in Tanzania is 1,500 US dollars per year, compared to $48,100 in the United States. In the central region where we will be living, low rainfall makes farming difficult and leads to severe food insecurity. Diseases such as malaria and HIV are prevalent, and the average life expectancy is 53 years.
Visit the CIA World Factbook at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tz.html for more information.
Posted in: Tanzania