Mafinga is a town in the southern part of Tanzania. In the midst of mountains, forests and tea plantations you will find the Mafinga Lutheran Vocational Training Centre (MLVTC) that has been built out of self baked bricks. The MLVTC boarding school is operated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT). The School has room for about 150 students. Since 1967 young people get their vocational training here for the following professions:

• Carpenter (2/3 years)
• Mason (2/3 years)
• Electrician (2 years)
• Locksmith (2 years)
• Motor car mechanic (3 years)
• Tailor (2/3 years).

Since 2002 there also is a Department for "Renewable Energies" (RE). Within two years interested and talented young men and women learn to create, install and handle products for the use of renewable energies, using mostly domestic materials. Examples are:

• energy saving stoves
• windmills
• sun collectors for water heating
• photovoltaic systems and many other things
• biogas plants

The students shall also be trained and be enabled to successfully set up and manage their own small enterprises in their villages and hometowns. The RE department and its students are supported by NSI's Arved von Breitenstein Fund and by volunteers sent by Deutsch-Tansanische Partnerschaft e.V.

Mr. Onesmo Maseleka is director of the Lutheran Vocational Training Centre (MLVTC). Since 2011 Mr. Winfred Nyambulapi acts as head of the RE department.

Address: P.O. Box 15, Mafinga, Phone +255 26 2772013.