About us
Why Ifakara of all places
At Ifakara, in 1955 the surgeon Dr. Karl Schöpf, born at Zams, Tyrol, started building a new hospital in place of the old, former missionary hospital at Ifakara, in the valley of the Kilombero river. Ifakara then was a place of some 3000 inhabitants. From 1931 onward, the old hospital had been run by Swiss Baldegg Sisiters. 1960, one yaer ahead of Tansania's independence, Dr. Schöpf could open the new hospital, he directed it up till 1969, when he returned to Austria. Ever since there have been close ties between Zams and Ifakara.
In 1995 again Dr. Schöpf took the initiative to intensfy the old links with Tansania. Being aware of the hospital's distress and the precarious economic situation of Tansania, he eralized that the hospital had fallen back compared with 1969 standards. Initiated by a small group of engaged people, several transports could be organized in aid of the hospital, and support for improvening the trtaining and education of doctors and nurses was initialized. After many a visit to Ifakara and much engagement of numerous minds and hands success becomes visible, and St. Francis's Hospital emerges as something like an "Tyrolean Spital" in Tansania.
In 1998 a partnership was begun between the Roman Catholic parishes of Zams and Ifakara.
By 2004 intensified cooperation activities made it imperative to start a legally registered association of the Friends of Ifakara with memberes in Austria, Switzerland, Germany und Southern Tyrol (Italy). All memberes work in an honorary capacity, bearing their expenses themselves (including aviation and travelling costs), so that all donations will go exclusively into aid programms.
2009 The Seelsorgeraum Pius – Neu Rum – Rum, where Fr. Anno serves now, decided to join in the partnership with Ifakara
In may 2009 as from now, the two sections Parish Partnership and Hospital Partnership will be run as two independent Associations.
