ASP sponsors cultural exchange youth trips to Ailanga and donates funds for school operation. Ailanga Lutheran Junior Seminary is a private boarding secondary school including “forms” one through six, similar to US grades 7-12. Ailanga Lutheran Junior Seminary is one of the schools owned by the Meru Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania. It was the aim of the diocese to establish
a seminary so as to provide credible education to youth as future leaders of the church and the state who are well nurtured spiritually and professionally. The majority of the students come from the Meru area, but some travel great distance to attend the highly competitive and rigorous program. Through our partnership, we have provided a direct cultural connection for many Seattle area high school students with high school students in Tanzania. With each trip, we have strengthened the bonds between our congregations and the people of the Meru Diocese. Through contributions from our supporters, the Ailanga School Project has provided funds that Ailanga has used to improve their facilities and support their program, including addition of science laboratories that enabled Ailanga to obtain accreditation for advanced level science. Youth and adult delegations continue to travel to Ailanga every two or three years. Many returnees have said that this trip has been a life changing experience. We have been blessed to be a part of that mission with significant support for almost two decades. We look forward to years of friendship, exchange, and travel between our communities.