| dc.description.sponsorship | This thesis seeks to explore how the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, East of the Lake Victoria Diocese’s mission work addresses the challenge of elder abuse and witchcraft accusations. Furthermore this study looks at the strategies and their implementation in regard to elder abuse, in the form of killings and witchcraft related in Sukumaland. The study wants to alert the Lutheran church, government and the community in general to join together and put more effort in the fight against elder abuse. This study uses a qualitative approach for relevant data collection and accessibility to the correct information by hearing, talking and discussing direct with the informants. Data collection about elder abuse, its factors, how elder abuse is done in Sukumaland, how it became a challenge to ELCT and the response of the Lutheran church, were done through interviews with the church leaders, affected families, government leaders and other community members. The materials in this study are thematically analyzed and more of the discussion in chapter four, five and six which I concludes and give recommendations. I found that the Lutheran Church in Sukumaland, does not only help to encounter the occurrence of elder abuse (and often killings of the elderly) but also have played a negative part unknowingly. The preaching and testimonies about the existence of witches have made people believe that those who are accused of being witches are enemies of society, and hence church teachings contributed to elder mistreatment in the form of killings that continue in certain places in Sukumaland. Also the church has been self-limited that many people from outside the church got no access to services like diakonia. This study calls the church to make self-assessment of its teachings and services, also the government to put more effort in fighting elder abuse. | nb_NO |
