Community work

Education

Over the last three decades Dr. Mengi’s efforts in this area have included setting up scholarships to encourage students to do well in their studies and to assist those who do well but are unable to pursue further studies due to monetary constraints, and funding schools which target disadvantaged sections of the community. For example, Dr. Mengi has part financed the running of a boarding secondary school for the daughters of nomadic Masaai who had no access to education and were destined to become child mothers and live in poverty. Now hundreds have been educated and through a scholarship programme which he sponsors some of those who passed have gone on to receive university education. In his capacity as a United Nations WFP “End Hunger” Ambassador in Tanzania Dr. Mengi has also successfully supported a national scheme to provide free meals to school children. This has enhanced school enrolment and attendance.

Some of his donations
Ilboru Secondary School. (22nd Jan. 2011)

• 55m/= construction of a new dormitory
• 20m/= to boost Walimu Vicoba fund
• 2m/= for each student who will be among the top 10 student in the national examination result.

Wazo Hill Secondary School in Dar es salaam (24th September 2011) 2nd form four graduation.

• 20 desk top computers
• 2m/= school afforestation project.
• financial support of the laboratory construction
• Luncheon for 94 graduands ( oct.18th , 2011).

Bethel Sec. School Sanya juu- Siha district, Kilimanjaro region ( 3rd September 2011.

• 100m/= for school development

Education Development Funds for Hai District, Kilimanjaro region.

• 100m/= to boast education development fund as pledged during President Jakaya Kikwete tour of the region.

Azania Secondary School graduation (22nd, Jan. 2010).
Mengi attended as a guest of honor. He inspected displays mounted by students and addressed students.

• pledged 20 pairs of sports jersey
• 1m/= top-up school fees for each finalist who will pass by ‘A’ grade in national form six exams.

Patandi College of Education (Special Education) in Arusha. Graduation ceremony of teachers for special education. Mengi upon arriving inspected works displayed by various specialized departments before giving his address.

• 10m/= to boast school feeding fund ( shule ya msingi mazoezi)
• Mini bus for the college

St. John the Baptist Secondary School in Boko Dar es salaam ( 23rd, Oct.2010). Graduation ceremony of a girls sec school of which he was a chief guest.

• Pledged 100m/= for the construction of a school’s dormitory block in its initial stage.
• Pledged to award 2m/= each student to score 1st, and 2nd, class in the national examination.
• Offered a special luncheon to the 43 students.

In 2009 Dr Mengi toured Singida Region under invitation of UWT Regional Chairman and MP Hon. Diana Chilolo. He addressed A UWT regional meeting and pledged 100m/= for UWT Saccoss. Visited an orphanage centre and pledged 5m/=, Talked to a Group of women living with HIV and pledged 20m/= to support their entreprenureship fund, and visited a workshop owned and managed by group of the disabled people and pledged 25m/= to boast their working capital.

Health

Dr. Mengi has taken part in many health initiatives including publicly championing the use of condoms as a way of combating the spread of AIDS despite criticism and opposition from many quarters of society including the Christian faiths. He has also been actively engaged in the fight against fistula which is not a widely known health problem. This illness has now been brought to the forefront of public awareness. However, Dr. Mengi is probably best known for his sponsorship of children to undergo lifesaving heart surgeries in India.

In 2011 Dr. Mengi lead a Charity Walk by Moshi Rotary Club within Moshi municipality to raise funds for polio eradication campaign:
He donated. 50m/= for polio eradication drive.
He donated a Bajaj for a physically challenged person Elimringi Ngowi.

Environment

Reginald Abraham Mengi’s initiative in the area of conservation has included initiating and funding a campaign to reforest Mount Kilimanjaro in order to reverse the melting of its famous snowcap due to global warming and deforestation. This campaign which he has been funding since it started in 1987, has led to over twenty four million trees being planted on the slopes of the mountain.
Religious tolerance
Tanzania’s needs religious tolerance so as to develop. Reginald Abraham Mengi has for years been advocating for it publicly and privately. He has participated in development activities of diverse religious groups within the country over the years.

People with disability

For many years Dr. Mengi has contributed his time and resources to helping improve the lives of disadvantaged sections of society especially those with disabilities. As a result he has consistently participated in setting up development projects which focus on people with disabilities and has stood up to speak out against the discrimination which they face. For example, he was one of the first persons to publicly condemn the barbaric practice of attacking and mutilating the limbs of Albinos and played a significant role in creating public awareness of this atrocity and promoting the Government to address the matter more seriously. Another example is the luncheons which he has been hosting for the last eighteen years for people with disabilities. These annual events which are attended by over five thousand people have become an important stage for raising awareness of the challenges which face people with disabilities.

In 2009 Under the Same Sun invited Reginald Mengi to attend an opening ceremony of Tanzania branch office at Mikocheni. Mengi pledged 10m/= for a starting a saccoss of people with albinism.

Msewe Community Development Group ( 12th,Feb. 2009) invited Dr Mengi to look over their activities especially special primary school of the disabled children of which they said among other things the school lacked a dining hall, water, and stairs leading to classrooms. He paid 7.5m/= for the construction of a bore hole and a tank.
At a special Luncheon with the Disabled Person, Dar es salaam ( 22 January 2012), attended by over 4,000 people with different disabilities, he pledged to help to establish a Disabled VICOBA Saccos ( pledged 100m/=when he paid them a surprise visit at Uhuru Mchanganyiko Primary School.

Poverty eradication

For many years he has financed youth and women based economic groups and community development projects through various grassroot programmes including Village Community Banks and Savings and Credit Co-operative Societies (SACCOS).
On 31st, March, 2012) at a VICOBA function at its HQ at Sinza Dr Mengi
donated. 100m/= to boast its revolving fund.

Champion for justice and transparency

Dr. Mengi’s ethos has always been that we all have a moral obligation to expose and fight social injustice and for this reason he has been an outspoken campaigner against social injustice and in particular corruption. In this regard he has taken every opportunity to denounce corruption and those who perpetuate it at public rallies, public events and press conferences and organised and participated in symposiums, meetings and conferences to debate and sensitize the public about corruption and social injustice. In March 2005 Dr. Mengi went further and started two investigative newspapers called ThisDay (English) and Kulikoni (Kiswahili) with the primary objective of focusing on social injustice and corruption. These newspapers have had a significant impact on the fight against social injustice in Tanzania.

In 2011 he donated 100m/- to Chama Cha Wafungwa Wastaafu Mkoa wa Kilimanjaro after advising them to reform and lead a decent life by engaging themselves in entrepreneurship. The money was channeled through ELCT Northern Diocese account.