Bethlehem Centre For Mentally and Disabled Children
Life for mentally retarded children can be particularly tough in Tanzania. They are often stigmatised and even abused. Bethlehem Centre offers them a chance to learn and integrate into the community and also guides other children to integrate with them.
HISTORY The Centre was founded in 1979 by the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference under the patronage of the then Bishop Iteka of Mahenge. Brother Edwin Moos was tasked with building and developing the centre on twelve acres of land. It opened on 19th March 1986 with just ten children. The objectives of the centre then, as now are to provide: Residential care and quality education services for mentally retarded and normal children.
Mentally retarded children and youth with practical craft skills.
Sensitization of the community of the rights of mentally retarded children.
Integrated education and practical training. THIRTY YEARS LATER Today (2019) the Centre operates a Kindergarten for 84 normal local children and 96 students with special needs from all over the country. Capacity of the Centre is 120 with enrolment age of 8 – 14 years. The Centre is co-educational with the Special Needs part being boarding. We try to self-sustain as much as possible and the Centre has a further 90 acres of agricultural land at Idete 21 Kms away. We have 6 qualified special needs teaching staff with 12 assistants. Eighteen “house parents” do a two year in-job training course completing a total staff strength of 52. KINDERGARTEN - Although the Kindergarten teaches normal children separately, all children mix happily together at play and at meal times
GET CONNECTED
-Mentally Retarded Children’s Centre (Bethlehem Centre)
P.O.Box 641, Ifakara, 023 -2625175
Director Fr. Mpinge : 023 -2625175
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