LOVING
Essex Church Community concerts
Celebrating the gift of music in Community Concerts
Essex Community Church Sunday School
Coming to understand love and family through Sunday School studies
CARING
SEGA Girls School in Tanzania
Essex Community Church (ECC) contributes annually to the US-based nonprofit Nurturing Minds in Africa in support of the SEGA Girls’ Secondary School in Tanzania. The school is located near the town of Morogoro in rural Tanzania, at the foot of the Uluguru Mountains, 118 mi (190 km) west of Dar es Salaam.
Essex Community Church shares a special link to the SEGA Girls School. This residential school was co-founded in 2007 by Essex summer residents Polly Dolan and her sister, Tracey Dolan. They provide annual updates on the school to the church community. Also, Tracey’s cousin Lin Houghton currently serves as ECC treasurer.
The SEGA school was established to help bright, motivated girls who are otherwise unable to attend secondary school due to extreme poverty or personal hardship. Tracey now serves Nurturing Minds as board emeritus; Polly also serves as a non-voting member of Nurturing Minds and is a voting member on the SEGA board.
Polly Dolan
Tracey Dolan
SEGA Graduation ceremony, October 2024: Nurturing Minds board members on left; SEGA Director Liani Mwandoloma speaking; SEGA Headmistress on right.
Procession of SEGA graduates, October 2024.
SEGA students on break
Two young SEGA students.
Students sponsored
by Essex Community Church
Aneth Medadi
Azimina Mbilinyi, SEGA class of 2017, received a certificate in teaching in 2020 from St. Aggrey Teachers College in Mbeya and is currently teaching in a private school.
Sophia Fredy Mbata, SEGA class of 2020, attended A-levels at Sanje Secondary School, graduating in May 2023. She received an IT certificate from the National Institute of Transport (NIT) in July 2023 and is awaiting job placement.
Aneth Medadi graduated in October 2024. Her exam results will determine her next educational opportunity (advanced secondary, a certificate or diploma program) which is funded by NM/SEGA.
Polly Dolan and SEGA Director Liani Mwandoloma
High Peaks Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc
High Peaks Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc.: members of Essex Community Church regularly visit the sick and donate funds to help people and their families during their final days on Earth.
HELPING
Essex Community Church Women’s Organization
The ECC Women (ECCW) are active in many charitable and community efforts, making annual contributions to High Peaks Hospice and Nurturing Minds/Sega School in Tanzania, and assisting with all church-sponsored special events.
SHARING
Sharing Meals
The people of Essex Community Church have a long tradition of sharing meals and fellowship with members of the greater Essex community.
