Alexander Harvey

At Equipping Hope International, we often say: we are not just building programs — we are building people.

We believe that transformation comes through more than skills training or language lessons. It comes through the power of the Gospel, through the presence of Christ, and through the faithful prayers of His people.

If you’re wondering how to support the work we’re doing in the Nyarugusu refugee camp in western Tanzania, start here: pray.

This isn’t a small ask. In fact, it’s the foundation of all we do. Below are specific, timely ways you can pray for the people we serve, the work we steward, and the hope we carry together.

Why Prayer Matters in a Refugee Camp

The challenges faced by refugees in Nyarugusu are not just logistical or economic.  They are deeply spiritual.

Families have endured war, violence, and separation.  They have fled their homes, often with nothing.  Many have lived in legal limbo for decades, unable to leave the camp, work formally, or pursue full citizenship elsewhere.

Humanitarian efforts often stop at material aid.  But we are a Christian nonprofit in Tanzania — and that changes everything.  We believe in the power of prayer to sustain, heal, direct, and transform.  We’ve seen it time and time again.

We invite you to pray with us for the hearts and lives behind every name, every class, and every step forward.

1. Pray for Our Students

We currently operate two major initiatives in the camp: Teaching Hope and Business of Hope.

Teaching Hope offers semester-based English classes to help refugees gain access to further education and work.  Many of our students are young people who have known nothing but life in the camp.

Pray that they would:

        • Stay motivated through long days and limited resources
        • Retain and apply what they’re learning
        • Begin to see themselves as capable of a future beyond current limitations
        • Grow not only in skill, but in spiritual hunger 

Also pray for the teachers, who are all refugees themselves, who lead these classes with integrity, despite facing the same daily challenges.

2. Pray for Our Apprentices

In Business of Hope, we train vulnerable adults, especially widows, single mothers, and those living with disabilities, in vocational skills like tailoring.

Many of our participants are at a breaking point.  For them, learning a trade is not a hobby, it’s a survival tool.

Pray that:

        • Apprentices would master their craft
        • Graduates would find success in launching small businesses
        • Participants would be protected from exploitation
        • Hope would be restored where despair has long lived 

One of our tailoring graduates, Claire, has been a refugee since 1996.  Through the program, she’s now able to sew and support her family.

3. Pray for Protection

There are many kinds of danger in refugee camps both physical and spiritual.  We ask for your prayers over:

        • Women and girls, who are especially vulnerable to trafficking, forced marriage, and survival sex
        • Children, who may face child labor or be pulled from school
        • Families, who are at risk of separation or ongoing trauma
        • Our staff, who face health concerns, resource shortages, and spiritual attack 

We have seen first-hand that prayer provides not only peace, but also protection.  Lift up those we serve that they may be covered and strengthened each day.

4. Pray for the Launch of Seeds of Hope

Food insecurity is a daily struggle in Nyarugusu.  While families receive maize and beans from humanitarian aid sources, the rations are insufficient and often arrive without the fuel, tools, or micronutrients needed for full nourishment.

That’s why we’re preparing to launch Seeds of Hope, our agricultural initiative designed to provide food security and biblical land stewardship in non-traditional spaces.

Please pray for:

        • Wisdom as we prepare and plan the launch
        • Provision of local partnerships, tools, and land
        • Community buy-in from refugee families
        • Favor with camp leadership and UNHCR officials 

We believe this program will not only grow food, but will also cultivate community and purpose.  One seed at a time.

5. Pray for the Spirit to Move

Everything we do — every sewing lesson, every English class, every loan application — is rooted in our desire to see the Gospel made known.

We are grateful that our work gives us natural entry points to share about Christ through prayer, conversation, and our own example.  But hearts are softened and changed only by the Spirit.

Please pray:

        • That students and participants would be open to the Gospel 
        • That lives would be transformed from the inside out 
        • That the camp would experience spiritual awakening 
        • That our team would remain humble, faithful, and Christ-centered 

We believe God is moving in Nyarugusu.  Thank you for praying that His will would be done here as it is in heaven.

6. Pray for Provision

Equipping Hope is a small organization doing big work, and we can only grow as the Lord provides.  Our funding supports teachers, apprenticeships, classroom supplies, materials, microloans, and more.

We aim to steward every dollar wisely and transparently.  Pray that God would:

        • Stir the hearts of donors and partners 
        • Provide for the needs of the upcoming quarter 
        • Multiply each gift for maximum impact 
        • Open doors with churches, foundations, and individuals who share our vision 

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” – Proverbs 3:27

Whether you’re able to give or not, your prayers are a form of provision, and we are so grateful.

7. Pray for Endurance

This work is good, but it is also hard.  Our local team in Tanzania, led by Country Director Alexandre Chawatu, serves faithfully in the midst of difficulty.  Our U.S.-based team seeks to communicate, coordinate, fundraise, and plan across time zones and limited resources.

Please pray for:

        • Unity and encouragement among the team 
        • Protection from burnout and discouragement 
        • Discernment as we plan and make decisions 
        • Joy and gratitude in the midst of the mission 

We know that God equips those He calls, and we rely on Him every step of the way. 

Join Us in the Work

At Equipping Hope International, we don’t just believe in prayer, we depend on it.  Your words spoken in faith over this ministry matter more than you know.

If you’re looking for ways to support a Christian nonprofit in Tanzania, we invite you to start here:

        • Pray daily or weekly using this guide 
        • Share this post with your church or small group 
        • Reach out and ask for a printable version for your prayer team 
        • Consider becoming a monthly donor so we can continue equipping hope 

Let’s not just care from a distance.  Let’s lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ, believing that change starts on our knees.

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