Two representatives from a German handcraft promoting organization, Handwerksförderung Ost-Afrika e.V. (HOAV) have arrived in Tanzania to conduct a three-week visit in four handcraft production workshops in Lushoto, Morogoro, Mpwapwa and Singida.

Vice-President of Handwerkskammer company in Lüneburg, Heidulf Masztalerz and an independent Civil Engineer, Rolf Dieter Sievers, both Members of HOAV Board, arrived on 19th February 2004 and have already visited Usambara Technology Centre (UTC) in Lushoto and had a brief talk with Bishop Dr. Stephen Munga and a few related personnel.

According to Sievers, HOAV is a Lutheran church oriented organization which aims to promote local crafts people in East Africa, particularly Tanzania, at sharpening their productivity skills.

“The objective of this visit is to assess the situation of the past years; to see what happened during those years and look for the future of these projects and see how we can help”, says Sievers whose organization (HOAV) was introduced in Tanzania 20 years ago.

Masztalerz and Sievers are leaving today for Morogoro; later on to visit Mpwapwa and Singida workshops respectively.