This is a directory of Yearly Meetings and unaffiliated Monthly Meetings and groups. For details of local meetings, visit the relevant Yearly Meeting’s website. Or you can go to the Section website which also provides contact information.
Click on the name of any entry to expand or collapse it.
Botswana
See Southern Africa YM
Burundi
Eglise Evangelique des Amis du Burundi
Contact Person: Louis Pasteur Nizigiyimana
Address: PO Box 1198, Bujumbura, Burundi
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Website: Burundi Friends Church
The Friends Africa Gospel Mission was set up in 1934 by Kansas Yearly Meeting (now Mid-America Yearly Meeting). In 1959 the first Quarterly Meeting was established and it was divided into Western Quarterly and Eastern Quarterly Meetings in 1977. In 1988 the Western Quarterly Meeting gave birth to the Northern Quarterly Meeting. The interim Yearly Meeting was established in December 1981 as the Eglise Evangélique des Amis du Burundi. It became fully independent in 1984. Four principal stations provide the base for 20 monthly meetings and 37 outposts (with a membership of approximately 7,500). The Yearly Meeting desires to meet the needs of the whole person by supporting education, health development and evangelisation.
The Yearly Meeting supports literacy programs in all monthly meetings, the teaching of religion in primary and secondary schools, and mechanical and industrial training (e.g. woodwork and welding) at various schools. It supports the hospital and pharmacy at Kibimba as well as Kibimba High School and Mweya Bible School and Seminary.
A Pastoral Learning Centre has been established at Kwibuka. It runs the Gitega Evangelical Literature program and Mweya Press in cooperation with United Methodist and Free Methodist Churches. The evangelisation program is carried out by means of cassette ministry, visitations among Friends churches and crusades (Christian seminars).
Contact Person:
Bizimana Fidele, clerk
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or Louis Pasteur Nizigiyimana - Click to Email
Contact Person:
Bizimana Fidele, clerk
Click to Email
or Louis Pasteur Nizigiyimana - Click to Email
Congo Brazzaville
Groupe Quaker de Brazzaville-Congo
Address: 9 rue Boukaka - Secteur Ecole Mansimou/Brazzaville B.P. 1424 - Brazzaville Congo
Telephone: +242 549 4O 92
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Worship Style: Unprogrammed
Members: 20
Affiliated Groups: M’Bongui Project for a culture of silence, nonviolence and peace Friends Without Borders (Action Quaker)
Address: 9 rue Boukaka - Secteur Ecole Mansimou/Brazzaville B.P. 1424 - Brazzaville Congo
Telephone: +242 549 4O 92
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Worship Style: Unprogrammed
Members: 20
Affiliated Groups: M’Bongui Project for a culture of silence, nonviolence and peace Friends Without Borders (Action Quaker)
Congo DRC
Contact Person: Bakamana Mouana
Address: Avenue Mukoso 108 C/Bumbu, Kinshasa 13, DRC
Telephone: +243 99 10 606
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In 1987 the interest of a Zairois teacher in Quakerism and the residence of Quaker Oxfam workers led to a group meeting for worship in Kinshasa. The group meets weekly for worship and supports Action pour les Jeunes Filles, a craft workshop for unemployed girls.
Address: Avenue Mukoso 108 C/Bumbu, Kinshasa 13, DRC
Telephone: +243 99 10 606
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In 1987 the interest of a Zairois teacher in Quakerism and the residence of Quaker Oxfam workers led to a group meeting for worship in Kinshasa. The group meets weekly for worship and supports Action pour les Jeunes Filles, a craft workshop for unemployed girls.
Quakers de Kamina
Contact Person: Tshibuabua Alain
Address: Societé Religieuse des Amis, BP 736, Mbujimayi DRC
People in Kamina first heard of Quakerism in 1978 through a Peace Corps volunteer, and there is now a Monthly Meeting in Kamina with about 350 worshippers from several villages. When political and economic circumstances permit they run a small hospital and centre for the handicapped and give aid to refugees from Kasai.
Contact Person: Tshibuabua Alain
Address: Societé Religieuse des Amis, BP 736, Mbujimayi DRC
People in Kamina first heard of Quakerism in 1978 through a Peace Corps volunteer, and there is now a Monthly Meeting in Kamina with about 350 worshippers from several villages. When political and economic circumstances permit they run a small hospital and centre for the handicapped and give aid to refugees from Kasai.
Contact Person: General Secretary
Address: BP 476, Bujumbura, Burundi
Telephone: +250 0845 6506
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Affiliation: Evangelical Friends Church International (EFCI)
Worship Style: Programmed
Work on the Friends Peace Center (FPC) and guest house is almost complete and the foundation has been laid for the Trauma Clinic Peace Garden (TCPG) and a school of peace is under construction. During the two wars in DRC (1996 and 1998), a group of 50 Friends in the high plateaus refused to take arms. They said that they cannot be dirtied with the weapons and judged it good to leave their towns and families to create the “Sayuni Shelter for Friends”. Because of their decisive faith, this Friends group was the systematic victim of plundering, rape, and theft. Their houses were burned and their fields uprooted during the wars. Many young people decided to lay down their weapons to join this Friends group.
The Yearly Meeting of Congo is still young and poor and suffers from under development on all levels. It has no schools or churches, but it does have a hospital and a shelter for the women who suffered during the wars. Congo YM needs help from other Friends to develop.
Address: BP 476, Bujumbura, Burundi
Telephone: +250 0845 6506
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Affiliation: Evangelical Friends Church International (EFCI)
Worship Style: Programmed
Work on the Friends Peace Center (FPC) and guest house is almost complete and the foundation has been laid for the Trauma Clinic Peace Garden (TCPG) and a school of peace is under construction. During the two wars in DRC (1996 and 1998), a group of 50 Friends in the high plateaus refused to take arms. They said that they cannot be dirtied with the weapons and judged it good to leave their towns and families to create the “Sayuni Shelter for Friends”. Because of their decisive faith, this Friends group was the systematic victim of plundering, rape, and theft. Their houses were burned and their fields uprooted during the wars. Many young people decided to lay down their weapons to join this Friends group.
The Yearly Meeting of Congo is still young and poor and suffers from under development on all levels. It has no schools or churches, but it does have a hospital and a shelter for the women who suffered during the wars. Congo YM needs help from other Friends to develop.
Ghana
Contact Person: Johnson Kennedy Sokpoli - Clerk; Elder Leslie Sergius Ephson
Address: P.O.Box CT1115, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana
Telephone: +233 575 27 36 38
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Members: 20
Established: 1925
For many years there has been a growing worshipping group of Ghanaian Friends, joined by sojourning expatriates from time to time. Membership of the Society was in the past through the Overseas Membership List of the then Friends Service Council of London Yearly Meeting. In 1981, following the transfer of membership responsibilities to FWCC, the meeting in Ghana, which already acted as a preparative meeting, was recognised as a monthly meeting by the FWCC International Membership Committee.
Easter gatherings have been joyful annual events in the Meeting’s life. Individual Friends take an active part in social service and in ecumenical affairs.
Address: P.O.Box CT1115, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana
Telephone: +233 575 27 36 38
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Members: 20
Established: 1925
For many years there has been a growing worshipping group of Ghanaian Friends, joined by sojourning expatriates from time to time. Membership of the Society was in the past through the Overseas Membership List of the then Friends Service Council of London Yearly Meeting. In 1981, following the transfer of membership responsibilities to FWCC, the meeting in Ghana, which already acted as a preparative meeting, was recognised as a monthly meeting by the FWCC International Membership Committee.
Easter gatherings have been joyful annual events in the Meeting’s life. Individual Friends take an active part in social service and in ecumenical affairs.
Kenya
Clerk: Daniel Ole Siakati
Contact Person: Daniel Ole Siakati, Presiding Clerk
Address: PO Box 179–40400 Suna – Migori, Kenya
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Members: 7,524
Meetings: 60 Village Meetings, 32 Monthly
Schools: 13 Secondary, 18 Primary, 1 Youth Polytechnic, 4 Special Unit Schools, 3 Health and Dispensary
Affiliated Projects: Training pastors and empowering them for missionary work
Contact Person: Daniel Ole Siakati, Presiding Clerk
Address: PO Box 179–40400 Suna – Migori, Kenya
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Members: 7,524
Meetings: 60 Village Meetings, 32 Monthly
Schools: 13 Secondary, 18 Primary, 1 Youth Polytechnic, 4 Special Unit Schools, 3 Health and Dispensary
Affiliated Projects: Training pastors and empowering them for missionary work
Contact Person: Presiding Clerk/General Superintendent
Address: 1510 Kakamega 50100, Kenya
Telephone: +254 713 845 884
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Members: 11,000 Members
Meetings: 70 Village Meetings, 28 Monthly, 7 Quarterly
Established: 1992
Schools: 14 Secondary, 32 Primary, 2 Youth Polytechnics
Address: 1510 Kakamega 50100, Kenya
Telephone: +254 713 845 884
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Members: 11,000 Members
Meetings: 70 Village Meetings, 28 Monthly, 7 Quarterly
Established: 1992
Schools: 14 Secondary, 32 Primary, 2 Youth Polytechnics
Clerk: Abineah H. Chavangi
Contact Person: Stephen Mutange – General Secretary
Address: PO Bpx 102, Chavangi, Kenya
Telephone: 0726829774
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Members: 7,920
Meetings: 58 Village Meetings, 15 Monthly Meetings
Established: 1997
Schools: 12 Secondary, 27 Primary, Nursery 30
Other Centres: Youth Training, 2 health centers
Other activities: Promotion of HIV/AIDS awareness and home-based care women’s self-help groups
Contact Person: Stephen Mutange – General Secretary
Address: PO Bpx 102, Chavangi, Kenya
Telephone: 0726829774
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Members: 7,920
Meetings: 58 Village Meetings, 15 Monthly Meetings
Established: 1997
Schools: 12 Secondary, 27 Primary, Nursery 30
Other Centres: Youth Training, 2 health centers
Other activities: Promotion of HIV/AIDS awareness and home-based care women’s self-help groups
Coming soon.
Clerk: TBC
Contact Person: TBC
Address: PO Box 428, Chwele, Kenya
Telephone: +254 735-462-922
Email: TBC
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Contact Person: TBC
Address: PO Box 428, Chwele, Kenya
Telephone: +254 735-462-922
Email: TBC
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Clerk: Lucas Mudoga
Address: PO Box 35, Tiriki, Kenya
Telephone: +254 722-920-503
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Address: PO Box 35, Tiriki, Kenya
Telephone: +254 722-920-503
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Clerk: Henry Mukwanja
Contact Person: James Mugalavai, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 544, Kitale, Kenya
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
EAYM (North) held its first meeting in August, 1987. Twenty Friends from our yearly meeting participated in the Fifth World Conference of Friends and the Yearly Meeting was formally welcomed into membership of FWCC in 1992. There is a mission meeting in Turkana.
Contact Person: James Mugalavai, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 544, Kitale, Kenya
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
EAYM (North) held its first meeting in August, 1987. Twenty Friends from our yearly meeting participated in the Fifth World Conference of Friends and the Yearly Meeting was formally welcomed into membership of FWCC in 1992. There is a mission meeting in Turkana.
Clerk: John Kitui
Contact Person: Philip Musungu, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 2322, Kitale, Kenya
Telephone: +254 733-230-979
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Contact Person: Philip Musungu, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 2322, Kitale, Kenya
Telephone: +254 733-230-979
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Clerk: Amos Dodo
Contact Person: Amos Dodo
Address: PO Box 4, Lugulu via Webuye, Kenya
Telephone: +254 735-954-985
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Contact Person: Amos Dodo
Address: PO Box 4, Lugulu via Webuye, Kenya
Telephone: +254 735-954-985
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
As well as its church extension and outreach work, the Yearly Meeting is involved with health care in one hospital at Lugulu, one health centre and 15 clinics. The Yearly Meeting’s educational programmes include many primary, polytechnical and secondary schools in an area covering five districts: two in Western Province and three in Rift Valley Province.
Clerk: Jared Waudo Wangia
Contact Person: Wesley Harun Sasita, Administrative Secretary
Address: PO Box 465, Kakamega 50100, Kenya
Telephone: +254 723-422-347
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
The Yearly Meeting sponsors primary and secondary schools and is involved with evangelism and church extension programmes in Anjego, Bware, Chavakali, Chavavo, Gianchere, Lotego, Kigama, Mbale, Vihiga and Vokoli regions. It also runs short courses for pastors, as well as rural service programmes and health care clinics.
Contact Person: Wesley Harun Sasita, Administrative Secretary
Address: PO Box 465, Kakamega 50100, Kenya
Telephone: +254 723-422-347
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
The Yearly Meeting sponsors primary and secondary schools and is involved with evangelism and church extension programmes in Anjego, Bware, Chavakali, Chavavo, Gianchere, Lotego, Kigama, Mbale, Vihiga and Vokoli regions. It also runs short courses for pastors, as well as rural service programmes and health care clinics.
Clerk: Elfas Ganan
Contact People: John Keya, Administrative Secretary/Enos Mwangale, Reading Clerk
Address: PO Box 483, Turbo, Kenya
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Telephone: +254 725-152-937
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Contact People: John Keya, Administrative Secretary/Enos Mwangale, Reading Clerk
Address: PO Box 483, Turbo, Kenya
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Telephone: +254 725-152-937
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Clerk: Andrew M. Khayisie
Contact Person: Ben M Shitemi, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 26, Malava, Kenya
Telephone: +254 722-275-066
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Contact Person: Ben M Shitemi, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 26, Malava, Kenya
Telephone: +254 722-275-066
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Clerk: Stephen A. Magwilu
Contact Person: John Davis Webere, Superintendent
Address: PO Box 8321-00300, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 722-892-871
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
This yearly meeting was established by East Africa Yearly Meeting (South). It brings together Friends who have moved from the original home of East African Quakers in the Western Province of Kenya to the towns and cities of Thika, Nakuru, Nairobi, Mombasa, Malindi, Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Naivasha, Gilgil and Nyahururu. The Yearly Meeting is involved in outreach, evangelism and service.
There is a community centre in Nairobi at Ofafa and an international centre also in Nairobi. In recent years the yearly meeting has extended its services to new Districts of the Coast Province: Kilifi, Tana River and Taita Taveta where members from the Giriama, Pokomo and Taita tribes have been received into the Friends Church and new village meetings established.
Nairobi Yearly Meeting runs Quaker Peace Initiatives Kenya - contact Director Hanningtone Mucherah here or here.
Contact Person: John Davis Webere, Superintendent
Address: PO Box 8321-00300, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: +254 722-892-871
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
This yearly meeting was established by East Africa Yearly Meeting (South). It brings together Friends who have moved from the original home of East African Quakers in the Western Province of Kenya to the towns and cities of Thika, Nakuru, Nairobi, Mombasa, Malindi, Kericho, Molo, Londiani, Naivasha, Gilgil and Nyahururu. The Yearly Meeting is involved in outreach, evangelism and service.
There is a community centre in Nairobi at Ofafa and an international centre also in Nairobi. In recent years the yearly meeting has extended its services to new Districts of the Coast Province: Kilifi, Tana River and Taita Taveta where members from the Giriama, Pokomo and Taita tribes have been received into the Friends Church and new village meetings established.
Nairobi Yearly Meeting runs Quaker Peace Initiatives Kenya - contact Director Hanningtone Mucherah here or here.
Clerk: Don J Mulama
Contact Person: Hezron L Kiganiri, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 343, Kapsabet, Kenya
Telephone: +254 722-423-984
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Contact Person: Hezron L Kiganiri, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 343, Kapsabet, Kenya
Telephone: +254 722-423-984
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Clerk: Hezekiah Atsyaya
Contact Person: Lam Kisanya Osodo, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 160, Vihiga, Kenya
Telephone: +254 735-120-406
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Contact Person: Lam Kisanya Osodo, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 160, Vihiga, Kenya
Telephone: +254 735-120-406
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Clerk: Gerishom Lumasia
Contact Person: Ephraem Ludeki Mudoga, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 266, Wodanga, Kenya
Telephone: +254 721-731-098
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Contact Person: Ephraem Ludeki Mudoga, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 266, Wodanga, Kenya
Telephone: +254 721-731-098
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Clerk: Kennedy Wakoli
Contact Person: Kennedy Wakoli
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Address: PO Box 2659-30200, Kitale, Kenya
Worship Style: Programmed Evangelical Friends of Kenya is an active member of FWCC. It was started in 1991.
Contact Person: Kennedy Wakoli
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Address: PO Box 2659-30200, Kitale, Kenya
Worship Style: Programmed Evangelical Friends of Kenya is an active member of FWCC. It was started in 1991.
Lesotho
See Southern Africa YM.
Malawi
See Southern Africa YM.
Namibia
See Southern Africa YM.
Nigeria
Contact Person: Shima Gyoh
Address: 111 Captain Downes Road, Gboko, Benue State, Nigeria
Telephone: +234 803 435 2505
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Worship Style: Unprogrammed
Address: 111 Captain Downes Road, Gboko, Benue State, Nigeria
Telephone: +234 803 435 2505
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Worship Style: Unprogrammed
Contact Person: Abi Alabo Derefaka
Address: c/o Department of History, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, PMB 5323, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Telephone: +234 803 342 2133
Members: 6
Established: 1995
Address: c/o Department of History, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, PMB 5323, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Telephone: +234 803 342 2133
Members: 6
Established: 1995
Rwanda
Eglise Evangelique des Amis du Rwanda
Clerk: Cécile Nyaramana
Contact Person: David Bucura
Address: B.P. 1689, Kigali, Rwanda
Telephone: +20 250 584293
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Affiliation: Evangelical Friends Church International (EFCI)
Clerk: Cécile Nyaramana
Contact Person: David Bucura
Address: B.P. 1689, Kigali, Rwanda
Telephone: +20 250 584293
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Affiliation: Evangelical Friends Church International (EFCI)
Southern Africa
(Also known as Quaker Community in Southern Africa)
Including Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Clerk: Justin Ellis
Contact Persons: Heath White; Nancy Fee
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Website: www.quakers.co.za
Members: about 800
Meetings: 9 meetings, and some isolated Friends
Affiliation: Independent
Worship Style: Unprogrammed
Publication: Living Adventurously: Quaker Faith and Practice Central and Southern African Yearly Meeting
In the eighteenth century, Nantucket whalers introduced Quakerism into South Africa and had a Quaker meeting room in Cape Town. During the nineteenth century visits were paid to South Africa by James Backhouse, a noted Quaker botanist and traveller. He established a school under the care of Friends for the local children in Cape Town. Roughly half a century later Isaac Sharp travelled around the country for some months encouraging missionaries and Christian workers of all denominations.
The Quakers helped Emily Hobhouse with her work in the concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer war. Visits from Friends after the war, in connection with relief for war victims and the return of family Bibles, resulted in drawing together some of the Friends scattered through the country. Early in the twentieth century meetings were started in Cape Town and Cradock and later in Johannesburg and Durban. South Africa General Meeting was established as a Quarterly Meeting of London Yearly Meeting in 1918 and for the next 30 years gatherings were held at irregular intervals and at different centres.
In 1948 Southern Africa Yearly Meeting was formed as an independent body. The name was later changed to Central and Southern Africa Yearly Meeting which consists of the following meetings: Botswana (Gaberone); Bulawayo; Cape Eastern Regional (Port Elizabeth & Grahamstown); Cape Western (Cape Town); Harare; Johannesburg; Lesotho (Allowed); Maseru; Malawi; Namibia (Allowed) Windhoek; Natal Regional (Pietermaritzburg & Durban); Soweto; and Zambia (Regional in the other years). The Regional Meetings meet as and when they can.
Because of the relatively small number of Friends and the large distances between most meetings, the Yearly Meeting has to rely mainly on the Monthly and Regional Meetings for such corporate life as there is. Some of the meetings have a high percentage of visiting (sojourning) members and valuable contacts with overseas Friends have been made because of this.
Friends are actively working, jointly and as individuals, in the fields of nonviolence, mediation, peace education, AIDS, community help and refugee care as well as against discrimination and conscription. Quaker Service in Cape Town and the Valley Welfare (near Port Elizabeth) assist local communities and give aid to needy individuals. South African Friends are represented on the South African Council of Churches.
The Quaker Peace Centre in Cape Town (established 1988) works for peace education, community and economic development and conflict management as well as supplying resources. As the Peace Centre has an independent organisation and is no longer under the care of the Yearly Meeting, it was agreed in 2018 that the “Quaker” name would be removed. A number of members of Cape West Monthly Meeting remain on the Peace Centre board.
SAYM has a rural centre at Hlekweni and is involved in feeding schemes, low cost housing and, via Zambian Friends, in the Gwembe River project. Bulawayo and Harare Meetings help administer bursary funds from the UK and USA for African secondary school children.
Southern Africa Quakers are looking forward to welcoming Friends to the region during the FWCC Global Gathering planned for July 2023, to be held in South Africa.
Including Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Clerk: Justin Ellis
Contact Persons: Heath White; Nancy Fee
Click to Email
Website: www.quakers.co.za
Members: about 800
Meetings: 9 meetings, and some isolated Friends
Affiliation: Independent
Worship Style: Unprogrammed
Publication: Living Adventurously: Quaker Faith and Practice Central and Southern African Yearly Meeting
In the eighteenth century, Nantucket whalers introduced Quakerism into South Africa and had a Quaker meeting room in Cape Town. During the nineteenth century visits were paid to South Africa by James Backhouse, a noted Quaker botanist and traveller. He established a school under the care of Friends for the local children in Cape Town. Roughly half a century later Isaac Sharp travelled around the country for some months encouraging missionaries and Christian workers of all denominations.
The Quakers helped Emily Hobhouse with her work in the concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer war. Visits from Friends after the war, in connection with relief for war victims and the return of family Bibles, resulted in drawing together some of the Friends scattered through the country. Early in the twentieth century meetings were started in Cape Town and Cradock and later in Johannesburg and Durban. South Africa General Meeting was established as a Quarterly Meeting of London Yearly Meeting in 1918 and for the next 30 years gatherings were held at irregular intervals and at different centres.
In 1948 Southern Africa Yearly Meeting was formed as an independent body. The name was later changed to Central and Southern Africa Yearly Meeting which consists of the following meetings: Botswana (Gaberone); Bulawayo; Cape Eastern Regional (Port Elizabeth & Grahamstown); Cape Western (Cape Town); Harare; Johannesburg; Lesotho (Allowed); Maseru; Malawi; Namibia (Allowed) Windhoek; Natal Regional (Pietermaritzburg & Durban); Soweto; and Zambia (Regional in the other years). The Regional Meetings meet as and when they can.
Because of the relatively small number of Friends and the large distances between most meetings, the Yearly Meeting has to rely mainly on the Monthly and Regional Meetings for such corporate life as there is. Some of the meetings have a high percentage of visiting (sojourning) members and valuable contacts with overseas Friends have been made because of this.
Friends are actively working, jointly and as individuals, in the fields of nonviolence, mediation, peace education, AIDS, community help and refugee care as well as against discrimination and conscription. Quaker Service in Cape Town and the Valley Welfare (near Port Elizabeth) assist local communities and give aid to needy individuals. South African Friends are represented on the South African Council of Churches.
The Quaker Peace Centre in Cape Town (established 1988) works for peace education, community and economic development and conflict management as well as supplying resources. As the Peace Centre has an independent organisation and is no longer under the care of the Yearly Meeting, it was agreed in 2018 that the “Quaker” name would be removed. A number of members of Cape West Monthly Meeting remain on the Peace Centre board.
SAYM has a rural centre at Hlekweni and is involved in feeding schemes, low cost housing and, via Zambian Friends, in the Gwembe River project. Bulawayo and Harare Meetings help administer bursary funds from the UK and USA for African secondary school children.
Southern Africa Quakers are looking forward to welcoming Friends to the region during the FWCC Global Gathering planned for July 2023, to be held in South Africa.
Tanzania
Clerk: Pius Chacha Makena
Contact Person: Daniel John Kitentani, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 151, Mugumu/Serengeti, Tanzania
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed Members: 1834
Local Meetings: 23
Contact Person: Daniel John Kitentani, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 151, Mugumu/Serengeti, Tanzania
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Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed Members: 1834
Local Meetings: 23
In 1952, following a Royal Commission Report, people from the densely-populated areas of Kenya were invited to settle in parts of Tanganyika, now Tanzania, and Uganda. Some members of East Africa Yearly Meeting settled in Ikoma Location of Musoma District of Tanzania where they started meeting for worship.
In 1958, East Africa Yearly Meeting established a monthly meeting at Manchira which is about eight kilometres east of Mugumu, the headquarters of Serengeti District in Mara region. There were eight village meetings. The church was under Kenyan leadership until 1968 when it was registered under the Tanzania government.
This area is remote from Musoma and there were no facilities for education and no medical centre. With financial assistance provided by World Neighbors Inc. (USA) East Africa Yearly Meeting provided a health centre. A permanent meeting house was built, also a primary school.
In 1984 Tanzanian Friends decided to form their own yearly meeting with, at that time, two monthly meetings. The headquarters of the Tanzania Yearly Meeting of Friends Church is at Kisangura Friends Church. It is located in Kisangura village, Kisangura location, Rogoro Division, Serengeti District, Mara/Musoma Region Northern part of Tanzania. The Quaker church in Tanzania began in this part of Tanzania.
The Yearly Meeting has 23 local meetings: 5 in Kyela Mbeya; 2 in Tunduma; 3 in Sumbawanga; 1 in Dar es Salaam; 1 in Kahama Shinyanga; 3 in Mwanza; 2 in Tarime; and 7 in Mugumu Serengeti. It is great news that, through evangelism, our local meetings have increased from 13 to 23 local meetings. There are 1834 members, 12 trained pastors and 11 untrained pastors.
Most of local meeting churches have over 2.5 acres of land. The meetings differ in their approach to building construction. Most of the meeting houses are halfway built, e.g. Nyamisangura B’’at Tarime, Borega at Tarime, Buhongwa village meeting at Mwanza, Kebosongo at Mugumu, Kyela town at Mbeya, Nyangwe at Mugumu, Kisangura is the only meeting that is 80% finished through the help of mama Maria John. At other meetings like Makware, Ngereka, and Mwaya they have purchased plots but not yet started to build the meeting house due to lack of materials support. The remaining, Kijereshi, Kahama, Chanji, Muhama, Utengule, sebe two, Maporomoko, Majengo mapya, Wigarule, and Dar es Salaam, are new churches that have no place of their own.
God in his creation had a plan for the creation to live life that impresses God by 1. Listening from God; 2. Giving attention to God; 3. following Him step by step; 4. Working for Him. Therefore as we know mission is about reintroducing the gospel and preaching to the unreached. Jesus Christ came in the same sense to deliver man from sin and in his return he gave an assignment to his disciples that is the Great Commission (Matt 28; 19–20). From there mission and Evangelism were born and because of this command Tanzania Friends have a task to go out to preach, evangelise and bring back the lost and unreached.
Therefore due to this command Tanzania mission is to reach every corner of Tanzania that has not yet been reached by Quakers and even extend to Malawi and Zambia where we have our Churches near the border of these two countries. As per now were are very far to reach all over Tanzania because in Tanzania we have 30 regions. As of now, you can see we need more effort to reach the remaining Regions. Here we need:
- To train our members with skills about mission work so that we may have a strong Evangelism team that will move with the mission outreach.
- To establish leaders training center/Bible school to train leaders for mission work.
- To seek a good way of nurturing our new young Churches and members with trainings about Quaker faith and practice, and pray to not take long to get plots and construct meeting houses.
- To have good infrastructure about communication tools as we know evangelising is through: media (television, radio, computer, phones, and film); written materials (newsletters, pamphlets, and magazines); visual aids (e.g. showing pictures with Christ message).
- To have instrumental music which is very vital to the church — especially within towns where outside sounds can interfere with worship. Music is a vital part of our worship, especially for our youth who want to dance, sing, and preach.
- To have strong support of our pastors, insuring that they receive basic family needs and to free their minds and hearts so they can more fully minister to their church. Supporting them with means of transports so that they may reach their respective place of work rested and on time.
- Equipping the head office with sifficient equipment and supplies and providing a means of transportion for meeting visitations in order to provide encouragement to the meetings.
- To seek good ways of funding to pay the general secretary so that he may operate fully in the office and be able to connect with our churches scattered over long distances. This will enhance our unity as a church and also make the work of the mission easier.
- To seek good ways of aquiring resources to generate the needs of the mission and evangelism; to rescue members of the church who run away from the church for multiple reasons.
- To seek good ways to help our young women by educating them, advising their parents to overcome traditional cultural process of forced genital mutilation. Though genital mutilation is not happening in the entire country, it still occurs in areas where there are Friends churches. We wish to encourage our young women to concentrate on education rather than solely on the traditional path of marriage.
- To reach every corner of the country, especially those not yet reached by Quakers and plant churches.
- Strengthen our meeting houses by insuring we get plots to construct the planted churches, and to make way for plans to complete the meeting houses that are not yet finished; e.g. Buhongwa village meeting in Mwanza, Tarime Village Meeting, Borega Village Meeting, Kyela Village Meeting, Kebosongo Village Meeting, Bonchugu Village Meeting, Nyangwe Village Meeting, and Kisangura Village Meeting.
- To ensure that more pastors are sent to Kaimosi to go through pastoral training so that they may come back to help the planted churches by teaching the word of God, nurture the younger Christians, and care for the church.
- To train many leaders, in both villages and cities, with different skills to help the church prosper and reach higher goals.
- To have a good way of mobilizing resources and management, investing in different projects and generating funds to assist our evangelical team venture the unreached places.
- To enhance the unity of the church by planning events that bring us together in learning and knowing each other. This will lead to a stronger church in Tanzania.
- Equip our pastors with tools for effective work.
- Strengthen the church sustenance programme.
- Welcome experienced Friends in mission work from different parts of the world to come and partner with us so that we may have a strong team to move the mission work in Tanzania.
Uganda
Contact Person: George Walumoli
Address: PO Box 2354, Uganda
Affiliation: Independent
Worship Style: Programmed
Address: PO Box 2354, Uganda
Affiliation: Independent
Worship Style: Programmed
Clerk: Kuloba Paul, contact +256 772 839679
Contact Person: Wasike Alfred, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 162, Mbale, Uganda
Click to Email
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Headquarters: Mbale Tororo Road 5kms Bumbobi
USFW Clerk: Kimono Sylivia
Youth Clerk: Kutto Peter
Quakerism entered Uganda gradually. In 1948, the outreach of Johnstone Namufweli and a group of Kenyan Quakers from East Africa Yearly Meeting (EAYM) brought into being a Quaker meeting in Kampala, which later became a monthly meeting of EAYM. From 1952 to 1957 the Colonial Government invited people from the densely populated areas of Kenya to settle in parts of Uganda. Some Friends from Kenya settled in Northwest Uganda and established two monthly meetings in the Bunyoro district, while others went to Eastern Uganda and monthly meetings were started at Sibuse, and later, Nang’oma.
Johnstone Namufweli stayed on as a pastor of Ugandan Friends until 1965. The life of the meetings flourished in these areas, and the growth of Friends led to all the Ugandan meetings becoming a quarterly meeting of EAYM in 1969.
During the tragic years of the Amin regime, many Kenyan Friends were forced to leave Uganda. Kampala Meeting suffered badly. Two families only were left to pray and worship in the privacy of their own homes, and all the Friends’ meetings were cut off from each other and the outside world. The meeting houses were burned and their contents taken by local people.
The 1980s were not easy years for Uganda either, but Friends, having decided to become an independent Uganda Yearly Meeting, have sought during the years of political unrest to develop their Quaker life again. As the country has become more stable there has been increasing emphasis on outreach, and the establishment of new churches in various parts of Uganda is in progress.
There continues to be steady progress in Pastors training, programmes to strengthen women and youth, projects promoting sustainability, and ongoing opportunities for church members and community.
Contact Person: Wasike Alfred, General Secretary
Address: PO Box 162, Mbale, Uganda
Click to Email
Affiliation: Friends United Meeting (FUM)
Worship Style: Programmed
Headquarters: Mbale Tororo Road 5kms Bumbobi
USFW Clerk: Kimono Sylivia
Youth Clerk: Kutto Peter
Quakerism entered Uganda gradually. In 1948, the outreach of Johnstone Namufweli and a group of Kenyan Quakers from East Africa Yearly Meeting (EAYM) brought into being a Quaker meeting in Kampala, which later became a monthly meeting of EAYM. From 1952 to 1957 the Colonial Government invited people from the densely populated areas of Kenya to settle in parts of Uganda. Some Friends from Kenya settled in Northwest Uganda and established two monthly meetings in the Bunyoro district, while others went to Eastern Uganda and monthly meetings were started at Sibuse, and later, Nang’oma.
Johnstone Namufweli stayed on as a pastor of Ugandan Friends until 1965. The life of the meetings flourished in these areas, and the growth of Friends led to all the Ugandan meetings becoming a quarterly meeting of EAYM in 1969.
During the tragic years of the Amin regime, many Kenyan Friends were forced to leave Uganda. Kampala Meeting suffered badly. Two families only were left to pray and worship in the privacy of their own homes, and all the Friends’ meetings were cut off from each other and the outside world. The meeting houses were burned and their contents taken by local people.
The 1980s were not easy years for Uganda either, but Friends, having decided to become an independent Uganda Yearly Meeting, have sought during the years of political unrest to develop their Quaker life again. As the country has become more stable there has been increasing emphasis on outreach, and the establishment of new churches in various parts of Uganda is in progress.
There continues to be steady progress in Pastors training, programmes to strengthen women and youth, projects promoting sustainability, and ongoing opportunities for church members and community.
Zambia
See Southern Africa YM.
Zimbabwe
See Southern Africa YM.