Africa University Today- Spring 2024

New Residence Hall Opens for Female Students at Africa University

Through the generosity of laity and clergy supporting the Teach • Reach • Bless campaign of the East Ohio Conference (EOC), a new residence hall for female students is now a reality on the campus of Africa University. The Bishop Tracy S. Malone Hall of Residence was dedicated on February 26. In addition to building the first three-story dorm on the Africa University campus in the mid-1990s, the EOC has endowed more scholarships at AU than any other conference in The United Methodist Church

When Tracy S. Malone, resident bishop of the East Ohio Conference and a member of the Africa University Board of Directors, learned of increasing enrollment at Africa University and unmet demand for on-campus housing it weighed on her heart. Many students had to find, and commute from, off-campus housing putting them at risk and being subjected to untenable situations. Bishop Malone cast a vision in her

2019 Annual Conference Episcopal Address to build a new residence hall for female students at Africa University; and the Teach • Reach • Bless campaign launched in January 2020.

Four years later, about 90 young women are now living in a brand-new residence hall. “Today, we stand on the threshold of a brighter future for our students, our community, and our continent,” said Malone at the dedication. “The Bishop Tracy S.Malone Hall of Residence is not just brick and mortar; it is a testament to our unwavering commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders.”

The residence hall has six student lounges, two on each of the building’s three floors, each designed for students to gather, socialize, study together, and relax. The rooms have two beds, two private work areas with a desk and shelf, two dressers, and closets. Three rooms on the first floor of the

west wing have specially designed lower study desks and light switches ensuring ease of reach and access for all.

Celebrating the productive partnership between AU and her conference, Dr. Maggie Jackson, the EOC campaign co-chair, said, “This hall will not only provide shelter; it will foster a sense of belonging and community among students from diverse backgrounds. It will be a home away from home, where friendships are forged, and dreams are realized.”

Adapted from “Bishop Tracy S. Malone Hall of Residence for Female Students Dedicated on the Campus of Africa University” by Rick Wolcott; eocumcnews.com.

View video from the official opening and dedication of the Bishop Tracy S. Malone Hall of Residence at Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe on the EOC UMC Vimeo channel.

(L to R) International Relations student, Chikomborero J. Mapaya, East Ohio Conference campaign co-chair, Dr. Maggie Jackson, Bishop Tracy S. Malone, Resident Bishop of the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area, Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, AU Vice Chancellor, Rev. Prof. Peter Mageto, and Law student, Rumbidzo Sande, help to unveil the plaque at the Feb. 26 dedication ceremony.

AU FUND 100% SUPPORT

The Annual Conferences of The United Methodist Church with a 100 percent or more remittance to the AUF apportionment over the past two years are:

Longtime AU Advocate Introduces Lift Her Up Program To East Ohio

By Barbara Dunlap-Berg

The Rev. Dr. William ‘Bill’ McFadden of Elyria, Ohio, first heard about Africa University (AU), during the 1988 General Conference. Excited about the possibilities, he got involved. He has served on the AU Advisory Development Committee as the Planned Giving Council chair for 20+ years.

While advocating for and inviting friends to elevate Africa University to the status of family with estate gifts and bequests, McFadden learned about Bonnie Albert’s Lift Her Up initiative, created in 2016 in response to immigration and global migration issues.

“Lift Her Up,” McFadden explained, “is a response to an urgent need to get women out of a refugee camp and into college.”

Albert, a member of First United Methodist Church, Valparaiso, Indiana, launched a Lift Her Up campaign in 2017, inviting 250 people who care about refugees

to give $100 each. Within two months, she had enough for one woman’s first-semester tuition. For $25,000, an individual or group can support a young woman from the Tongogara Refugee Camp in Zimbabwe in completing a four-year undergraduate degree program at Africa University. One young woman has already graduated thanks to the Lift Her Up initiative in Indiana and another is due to graduate in 2025.

Now McFadden is using Albert’s model to share Lift Her Up with the East Ohio Conference. Recently, 12 women residents of the Tongogara Refugee Camp, were granted admission to AU, but lacked financial support. McFadden hopes to raise enough so four of the 12 women can enroll in August 2024 and be housed in the new East Ohio-funded women’s dormitory. His Lift Her Up goal is $26,000 per year for four years, with the additional $1000 going to essentials such as a laptop, books, clothing and toiletries.

Dunlap-Berg is a writer and editor in Carbondale, Illinois.

Ending Malaria: Africa University’s Zimbabwe Entomological Support Program

In 2016, Africa University’s then Dean of the College of Health, Agriculture and Natural Sciences Professor Sungano Mharakurwa dreamed of finally eradicating malaria from Africa.

Manicaland, where Africa University is situated, was experiencing a surge of the disease. In 2022, the World Health Organization reported nearly 94% of malaria cases and 95% of malaria deaths occurred in Africa.*

Africa University is deeply thankful for the extravagant generosity of local congregations. Thank you for living out a mindset of abundance and shared mission. To the 16 conferences that achieved a 100% investment in the AUF in 2023, thank you for your faithfulness in sharing your blessings so that lives and communities are transformed.

With funding from the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative, a US government initiative for diminishing malaria deaths, and USAID, a malaria reference insectary unit opened at AU, a first of its kind at any higher education institution in Zimbabwe.

Seven years later, the operation is a major hub for mosquito research, feeding into the Zimbabwe Government’s Ministry of Health and Childcare’s National Malaria Control Program, collecting and breeding mosquitoes for malaria research.

AU’s Zimbabwe Entomological Support (AU/

ZENTO), reached another milestone in August 2023, becoming the first private institution in Zimbabwe to enter its data into the global District Health Information System. This invaluable knowledge hub trains, educates and contributes to the global discourse on malaria, and has already received 10 international awards on the strength of scientific merit.

Today Mharakurwa, Chief of Party of AU/ZENTO, said, “On the strength of our program delivery, we have recently been further supported to expand our technical and geographic scope to now include regular entomological surveillance and systematic vector insecticide resistance monitoring in Manicaland and Mashonaland East provinces.” He remains hopeful that his and the team’s work not only mitigates the impacts of malaria in Zimbabwe and beyond, but leads to the realization of the ultimate goal—eradication.

*Source: www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria

Gloria Nyirarukunda, current Indiana Lift Her Up scholar at AU

Cleodice Juru, first Indiana Lift Her Up scholar, 2021 AU graduate

AU Grads Playing Vital Roles in the Upcoming GC

More than 50 Africa University graduates, representing conferences in Africa, will participate in the postponed 2020 General Conference scheduled for April 23May 3, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina. About 30, representing clergy and lay, will be among Africa’s delegates; other graduates will serve as alternates, marshals, translators, and media crew.

This General Conference’s 862 voting delegates were elected to serve and reflect the diversity of The United Methodist Church. Attendees will be from the U.S., Africa, Europe, Asia and concordat churches from The Methodist Church of Great Britain, The Methodist Church of Mexico, The Methodist Church of Puerto Rico

and The Methodist Church of the Caribbean and the Americas. Overall attendance is anticipated to be around 5,000 people. (umc.org)

From the North Katanga Episcopal Area, Rev. Betty Kazadi introduced herself: “I am Kazadi Musau Betty, a delegate to the General Conference. I am an alumna of Africa University, where I was trained to love and lead in the Wesleyan way of building relationships and loving without measures. I am what I am because of Africa University. Forever, I will treasure and protect United Methodist assets.”

Rev. André Cassule Zundo Vieira, an elected delegate for the Angola East Conference, studied at Africa

University from 2006-2009. He explains, “I am now an ordained clergy since 2009. I served in five churches as a local pastor. I am also serving as a lecturer in the Faculty of Theology of Quéssua, where I was the Dean from 2012-2018. From 2019-2023, I served as the Bishop’s Assistant.”

Participating in a General Conference is a remarkable opportunity to witness a unique gathering of United Methodists from all over the world who have accepted the responsibility to come together to pray, worship, and make decisions in support of the denomination’s global mission—to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Located at Old Mutare, Zimbabwe, Africa University is an accredited United Methodist-related educational institution in Africa, established by action of the General Conference. The university offers degree programs in four colleges and one school: Health, Agriculture and Natural Sciences (CHANS); Business, Peace, Leadership and Governance (CBPLG); Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS); Social Sciences, Theology, Humanities and Education (CSSTH&E); and the School of Law.

Africa University continues to be the evidence of faith, hope and belief in the visions of dreamers. Thank you for investing in changed lives and communities! Encourage your church to keep its investment goal for the Africa University Fund at the figure set by the 20216 General Conference and strive for a 100 percent apportionment remittance. Sending a portion of your goal each month makes it easier to reach full remittance by year’s end. Your church’s generosity ensures support of Africa University’s operational costs such as utilities, equipment, and faculty salaries.

Consider these additional ways of helping the university educate new leaders for the nations of Africa:

Planned Gifts are the foundation for the long-term survival of Africa University. As you make your estate plans, consider leaving a gift or bequest to Africa University in your will. If you have already included the university in your estate plans, please let us know so we may welcome you to the Richard E. “Dick” Reeves Legacy Society.

Usahwira—This word in the Shona language means “a beautiful friendship.” Encourage your local church can become a partner with Africa University by supporting one student for four years. The annual cost of supporting one undergraduate student is just $6,500. Local churches and individuals may provide full or partial scholarships.

Endowment Fund—Give to the Africa University Endowment Fund (World Service Special Gift #03-01-88). The interest income from the endowment provides scholarships for our students.

For more information about giving opportunities or to make a gift, visit us at https://support.africau.org. To learn about Africa University and its impact, visit africau.edu. Let’s work together to continue the transformation of lives and of Africa. To download resources to help tell the story of the Africa University Fund apportionment, visit: ResourceUMC and/ or the resources page at support.africau.org.

Africa University Development Office

P O Box 340007, Nashville, TN 37203-0007

(615) 340-7438; Fax: (615) 340-7290

audevoffice@africau.org

https://support.africau.org

Equip yourself for the work of social transformation rooted in biblical foundations and cultural significance across the African diaspora! Access training and exposure that strengthens your ability to engage in advocacy, social justice, global leadership, and collaborative partnerships Join us for this inaugural event, online and in-person at:

To learn more, visit: tglc.africau.org

African delegates and alternates to the upcoming General Conference gathered at the Catholic Tanzania Episcopal Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Jan. 4-7 for an orientation organized by the advocacy group United Methodist Africa Forum.

Africa University Development Office

Africa Univeristy (TN) Inc.

P.O. Box 340007 Nashville, TN 37203-0007

Latest News from Africa University

Dale and Elizabeth Otto

Dr. Dale Otto’s fascination with how people live in and connect with one another around the world set the foundation for his contributions to education. It found expression in volunteer teaching assignments in five countries, including China, Japan, and Zimbabwe.

In 1996, he and Mrs. Elizabeth Otto spent a year at Africa University helping to launch the Faculty of Education and the Intensive English Language Program. He served as a volunteer visiting professor in English and Second Language Learning from 1996 – 1997, and subsequently in the fall semesters of 2000 and 2002.

Mrs. Otto, an accomplished artist (painting and printmaking), shared her skills with the children and students in the campus community. She created and donated fine works of art depicting the beauty and rich biodiversity of the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. Much of her work was sold in the university bookstore during her time on campus.

The Ottos embarked on a journey in the early life of Africa University, and they are excited to extend their involvement, now 20 years later, with the establishment

of a $10,000 endowed scholarship. They appreciate the life-long relationships that developed with former students and retired faculty, and they maintain a keen interest in the university’s evolving impact. “The changes since we first worked at the university (1996-97) are remarkable and gratifying,” they said.

The Dale and Elizabeth Otto Endowed Scholarship will support undergraduate students.

The AU Today is published by the Africa University Development Office. For more information, contact the Africa University Development Office P.O. Box 340007 Nashville, TN 37203-0007

Tel: (615) 340-7438

Fax: (615) 340-7290

Email: audevoffice@africau.org

https://support.africau.org