Alexander Harvey

In humanitarian work, it’s tempting to measure success by short-term wins: how many meals were served, how many shoes were handed out, how many tents were raised.  These are critical acts of mercy, and they meet very real needs.  But when crisis stretches into decades, as it has for refugees in the Nyarugusu camp of western Tanzania, short-term relief cannot carry the full weight of human dignity.

At Equipping Hope International, a Christian nonprofit working in Tanzania, we believe in more than relief.  We believe in restoration.  We believe in transformation that comes not only from food and shelter but from education, opportunity, and the hope of the Gospel.  That’s why our core philosophy is simple, but powerful:

We don’t just feed people. We equip them.

From Crisis Relief to Long-Term Rebuilding

Nyarugusu refugee camp, located in the Kigoma region of western Tanzania, has existed for nearly three decades.  It is home to over 150,000 refugees, primarily from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.  Many have lived there since the 1990s, with entire generations born and raised behind the camp’s borders.

While emergency aid plays a crucial role in saving lives during the early stages of displacement, it is not designed to sustain flourishing over the long haul.  Refugees in Nyarugusu are legally restricted from living or working outside the camp, unable to seek employment or access national services.  The average adult survives on about $13 per month, with food rations that include only a few bowls of maize and beans per week — often without the tools or fuel to prepare them.

In this environment, people are not just hungry for food.  They are hungry for purpose, autonomy, and the ability to shape their own futures.

The Call to Equip — Rooted in Christ

As a Christian nonprofit in Tanzania, our nonprofit organization is not only strategic, but spiritual.  Jesus didn’t only meet physical needs — He called people into a new kind of life.  He taught.  He trained.  He equipped people for purpose.

At Equipping Hope, we follow His model by meeting practical needs with a long-term lens.  Our work is built around the belief that the Gospel is not just good news for the soul — it’s also good news for the daily life of someone in need.

This belief led us to launch two core initiatives in the Nyarugusu refugee camp: Teaching Hope and Business of Hope.  These programs are designed to break the cycle of dependency by giving refugees the tools they need to educate themselves, earn income, and lead their communities with dignity.

Teaching Hope: Educational Programs in Refugee Camps

One of the first barriers refugees face — especially those from French-speaking nations like DRC — is language.  Tanzania’s national language for education and business is English.  Without access to English instruction, many refugees are shut out of local education systems, economic participation, and future resettlement opportunities.

Teaching Hope was born from this gap.

In late 2018, Equipping Hope hired six fluent English-speaking refugees to serve as instructors for semester-long English language courses.  Over 350 students enrolled in the inaugural session, eager to gain a skill that could change their trajectory. 

As a leading example of educational programs in refugee camps, Teaching Hope demonstrates the power of knowledge to build confidence, expand access, and affirm a person’s God-given potential.

Business of Hope: Vocational Programs in Refugee Camps

When income is hard to come by and opportunities are few, many refugees are forced into heartbreaking choices — especially widows, orphans, and people with disabilities.  Survival sex, child labor, early marriage, and exploitation become devastatingly common forms of economic coping.

We believe there is a better way. That’s why Business of Hope exists.

This program focuses on vocational training and entrepreneurship.  We’ve partnered with experienced tailors in and around Nyarugusu to provide six-month tailoring apprenticeships — hands-on training that leads to real earning potential.  These are followed by Phase II, in which graduates will be able to apply for microloans and submit business plans to launch their own small enterprises.

How You Can Be Part of the Work

If you’re looking for a Christian nonprofit in Tanzania that values dignity as much as delivery — that equips instead of enables — we invite you to walk alongside us.

        • Pray for our students, our staff, and our vision to expand
        • Give — even a small monthly gift helps fund a class or a sewing machine
        • Share our story with your church, small group, or network
        • Partner with us as a donor or organizational ally

Our mission is built on partnership — with the people we serve, and with people like you who believe in restoration over relief.

Conclusion

In a world where crises seem never-ending, it’s tempting to keep handing out band-aids.  But we believe that even in the most challenging places, God is still writing stories of healing, purpose, and joy.

At Equipping Hope International, we don’t just feed — we equip.  
 Because when you equip someone, you give them the power to feed themselves, teach others, build a business, grow a garden, raise a family — and share the Gospel in the process.  

That’s a mission worth investing in.  

Want to equip hope today?
Visit equippinghope.org to learn more or support the work.