Location of Mbesa Mission Hospital

Mbesa is approximately 30 km north of the Tanzanian - Mozambican border, and half way between the Indian ocean and lake Malawi. Politically it belongs to the Tunduru-District in Ruvuma Province. The distance to the district capital Tunduru is about 50 km (dirt road), the Provincial Capital Songea is situated 300 km north west of Mbesa. The predominate tribes of the area are the Yao (60%), Makua (20%) and Matambwa (6%), whose religious beliefs are mostly Muslim-animistic. Christians are a small minority. Economically more than 95% are agriculturally self sufficient. The area is not industrially developed, though recently copper mining has begun in Mbesa. The number of patients per doctor in Tunduru-District is 1:45000. The national average is 1:21000 compared to 1:270 in Germany. A bus or Jeep trip from Dar es Salaam takes about 14 hours.

Eine Reise mit Bus oder Geländewagen von Dar es Salaam nach Mbesa dauert ca. 14 Stunden.