AFRICA/TANZANIA - Prevention from contagion: the Bishops activate catechism for children via radio

Monday, 15 June 2020 coronavirus   childhood   children   catholic radios   mass media   catechists  

Dar es Salaam (Agenzia Fides) - A new program dedicated to catechism for children, to be listened to via radio in homes: is the initiative launched today, June 15, by the Catechetical Office in the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference (TEC), through Radio Maria Tanzania. As reported to Agenzia Fides, the project aims to better face the challenge of gatherings of children in Catechism classrooms and to respect social distancing, in times of coronavirus. Fr. Liston Lukoo, Director of the TEC Catechetical Office, said that the program, launched today, will begin to be broadcast on Radio Maria Tanzania from Saturday 20 June 2020.
"Despite the commitment this initiative entails, we believe that the program will be sustainable and will help children at home continue to deepen their faith", said Father Beno Kikudo, coordinator of the catechetical office of the archdiocese of Dar es Salaam. "We also believe that it can also be a useful tool for children living in families whose parents are unable to raise their children in faith", he added.
In the Bishops’ note sent to Agenzia Fides, it is stated that the initiative was promoted during a recent meeting between the Catechetical Office and the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam: catechists will lend themselves as teachers during the broadcast via radio, becoming promoters of this innovative proposal for education in faith.
"This program will allow children to ask questions and catechists to answer all kinds of children's curiosities. We are also organizing an awareness program with some children who are aware of the topic of that particular day, in order to facilitate and bring other peers closer together", explains Fr. Kikudo.
Meanwhile, the number of people infected by Covid-19 in Africa continues to grow: to date, there are 200,000 confirmed cases recorded in all 54 countries of the continent. According to data collected by the "Covid-19 Africa" platform, the most affected country remains South Africa, followed by Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Ghana, Morocco, Cameroon and Sudan. Tanzanian President John Magufu said Covid-19 in his country "has been defeated thank God". However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern about the government's strategy, far from adopting the restrictive measures imposed by other countries in the region and beyond. Another Tanzanian peculiarity was the suspension of public updates on coronavirus cases, starting from April 29, when the country registered 509 cases with 21 deaths. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 15/6/2020)


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