SBVP Grant Shines Light on Shangani Clinic in Southeastern Tanzania

In the Shangani area of Tanzania’s southeastern Mtwara region, a small health dispensary is becoming a beacon of hope and healing. Since its founding in 1997, the Shangani Dispensary has served its rural community with unwavering dedication, offering compassionate care to those in need. Now, through God’s grace and the support of a generous grant from Strathmore University Business School’s Sisters’ Blended Value Project (SBVP), the dispensary is undergoing a remarkable transformation. With the arrival of life-saving surgical equipment, this humble facility is expanding its mission of mercy, bringing critical medical services to a community that has long prayed for such blessings.  

Sr. Grace Benard Hitu, a nurse midwife is the facility’s overall in-charge and a member of the Congregation of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing—a Catholic order founded in Germany in 1885. Sr. Grace sees her work as more than a profession; it is a divine calling.    

“Our mission is to save lives and to proclaim the love of Jesus Christ, especially to those who do not yet know Him,” she said, standing in the dispensary’s triage. “Here, we do that by caring for the sick, the vulnerable, and those who have nowhere else to turn.”  

For years, Shangani Dispensary has operated as a low-level health facility, providing essential services like maternal care, general consultations, and emergency treatments. However, without surgical capabilities, critical cases—such as complicated childbirths or abdominal emergencies—had to be referred to distant hospitals, often with life-threatening delays.  

Thanks to the SBVP´s grant, the dispensary has acquired vital theater equipment, including an operating table, operative light, suction machine, caesarean set, laparotomy set, and pulse oximeters. These tools, once only available in larger hospitals, will enable the dispensary to perform surgeries on-site, drastically improving healthcare access for the community.  

“When we start operating, we will be able to serve more patients and provide more comprehensive care,” Sr. Grace explained. “This will reduce the need for costly and difficult referrals, while also increasing our revenue to sustain and expand our services.” 

In rural Tanzania, where poverty and distance often prevent families from accessing health services, clinics like Shangani Dispensary are a lifeline. The SBVP grant is more than a financial boost—it is an answer to prayers, empowering the dispensary to save lives and strengthen its mission. For Sr. Grace and her team, the new equipment is a testament to the power of faith in action. The Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing have long been committed to serving the marginalized, and the dispensary’s work continues this legacy of love and service. 

“We are here to save lives, both physically and spiritually,” Sr. Grace said. “With these new resources, we can do both in even greater measure.” 

The SBVP initiative, which seeks to transform social ministries into sustainable social enterprises, is creating a profound impact across Eastern and Central Africa. Shangani Dispensary stands as a shining example of how sustainability can be achieved within Catholic sister-run institutions, demonstrating the power of faith-driven innovation and community-focused solutions.