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LETSHEGO launches LetsGO digital academy to build future-fit communities

Andrew Okai, LETSHEGO Group Chief Executive.

Letshego is making considerable strides in its digital transformation strategy, having digitised its access channels with the launch and improvement of channels such as WhatsApp, USSD and web launching the LetsGO Digital Mall in 10 regional markets, ahead of timelines thanks to Agile Enterprise methodologies. 

“Letshego’s vision is clear, we wish to be a digitally-led organisation that remains adaptive to the ever changing environment, ensuring we remain future-fit so we can continue delivering on our promise to improve lives,” commented Andrew Okai, Group Chief Executive.

The Group’s digitisation strategy is structured to achieve broad transformation across multiple functions and includes the empowerment and upliftment of digital skills within its own staff compliment. 

“We are not only here to improve the lives of our customers, but also those of our own people by upskilling and empowering our employees with world-class digital skills ensuring the long-term sustainability and growth of our business well into the future,” added Andrew Okai, Group Chief Executive.

Letshego’s empowerment of digital skills doesn’t end there. Speaking in a private interview, Enos Banda, Letshego’s Group Chairman, announced another new avenue of digital empowerment for the benefit of Letshego’s regional communities, the LETSGO DIGITAL ACADEMY, with Botswana being the first market to benefit from this digital skills initiative, launching in the first quarter of 2022.

“The launch of our LetsGO Digital Academy is intended to build and empower more Africans with world-class digital skills and experience, but also resonates directly with the ethos of Letshego’s LetsGONation.  We are building a nation for Africans, by Africans,” commented Banda.

Enos Banda reiterated that education and skills are two key levers that brighten the minds and potential of our future talent and will ensure and secure Africa’s future as an innovative, entrepreneurial hub for a multitude of sectors, including fintechs, manufacturing, digital innovation, health, agriculture and entrepreneurship.

The LetsGO Digital Academy will initially enjoy a limited intake of 10 interns as the Group fine tunes the curriculum and internship opportunities that the Academy provides.  Qualifying applicants need to demonstrate foundational digital expertise, and a passion to expand their aptitude into digital financial skills and hands-on regional experience within the swiftly evolving financial sector.  In partnership with Letshego’s well-regarded educational institutions and strategic commercial partners applicants will go through a thorough selection process before securing a place in the Academy. 

“Letshego remains committed to achieving a demonstrable social impact by empowering individuals to use their capital and financial solutions for productive purposes. The LetsGO Academy resonates this same purpose – to empower members of our community to broaden their development horizons, so they too can play a more active role and contribution within their respective regional communities and economies,” added Banda.

The LetsGO Digital Academy may provide talent for Letshego’s longer term recruitment ambitions, but Letshego reiterates is not the Academy’s primary purpose.  The Academy is simply another way Letshego can leverage its footprint, reach, offering and expertise to empower individuals for our collective development.

Concluding on the motivation for establishing such an Academy, Banda summarised “The COVID-19 pandemic has sent extraordinary shock waves, challenges and tragic loss of lives across global economies.  From an economic perspective, it has forced us to shift into a different mindset to manage the increasingly unpredictable environments we now live in.  Resilience, Adaptability and a solid grounding in digital literacy is now no longer a unique asset for individuals, but an essential attribute for us to live and thrive in future economies. Letshego is committed to sharing its expertise and opportunities for regional knowledge to expand the horizons of Africans across our footprint.”

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Investors petition Museveni over banks, lawyers underhand dealings

President Yoweri Museveni

Investors have petitioned President Museveni over what they call a well-calculated syndicate orchestrated by commercial banks and top lawyers in town to cheat and box them out of the economy.

According to the petition, the investors also appealed for Museveni’s intervention in what they call unnecessary high commercial bank interests on loans.

The investors argue that although banks are quick to roll out sanctions on loan defaulting, they are slow to pay investors who demand them.

“The banks employ double standards and unethical behavior by employing expensive lawyers to hide them from their obligations to us yet when it comes to foreclosing our assets due to loans advanced, they are quick to act,” the petition notes.

The investors accuse banks of failure to protect their customers and instead rely on lawyers to cheat them.

Some of the examples investors cite in their petition is the protracted battle between Standard Chartered Bank and Liberty LCD Group over Shs1.16 billion which has reached President Museveni’s table.

The investors argue that Liberty LCD accuses Standard Chartered Bank of allegations related to failure to pay Shs1.16b in ground rent.

The petition further notes that last year Standard Chartered Bank dumped over 600 containers on Liberty LCD’s three acre piece of land at Namanve following an undertaking that they will pay ground rent for the containers, but the bank has declined to pay the rent amounting to Shs1.16 billion.

“The bank used Liberty’s land to keep containers belonging to Threeways Shipping Services and evicted the company from a nearby plot. The bank, through their lawyers Ligormac wanted to sell the land to Mandela Group of Companies, and removed the containers and relocated them to Liberty LCD’s plot. The bank since April has not paid ground rent to Liberty LCD,” the investors noted in their petition.

In August last year, the investors said several other customers have placed demand on commercial banks to replenish their money which they said was mysteriously missing from their accounts.

The investors want Museveni to intervene so that Standard Chartered Bank pays Liberty LCD the Shs1.16b accruing from storage services the company has offered for close to a year.

The Uganda Bankers Association chairman, Mathias Katamba said investors should interface with the commercial banks for a win-win solution.

Katamba also added that he has never come across cases where banks connive with lawyers to cheat customers and pledged to investigate the matter concerning Liberty LCD and Standard Chartered Bank and lawyers.

A lawyer from Ligomarc, Rita Birungi, who represented Standard Chartered Bank in the Liberty LCD transaction that investors have reported to Museveni, told the New Vision newspaper over the weekend that due to confidentiality issues, she would not discuss client information.

Birungi however stated that some of the issues that investors tabled before Museveni regarding Liberty LCD’s transaction with Standard Chartered Bank are not true.

“Some of the information is not true but I cannot discuss it,” Birungi said.

Insolvency lawyer Kabito Karamagi and managing partner of Ligomarc, the law firm at the centre of the Standard chartered Bank-Liberty LCD Shs1.16b transaction, also declined to comment on the matter.

Over the weekend the corporate desk at Standard Chartered also declined to comment on the matter.

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Teacher arrested for raping, infecting student with HIV

Handcuffs

Police in Old Kampala is actively investigating circumstances under which an HIV positive teacher, sexually assaulted, a 16-year-old, male juvenile, at the staff quarters of Namungoona Kigobe Primary School on the 27th December 2021.

The suspect identified as Nanya Elizabeth, a 42-year-old, female teacher, lured the male victim to her room at the staff quarters.

Accroding to the Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga, while in the room, Elizabeth caused the victim to remove his clothes and indulged into an unlawful act of sexual intercourse. The suspect had unprotected sex with the victim, with the full knowledge of her HIV status. The victim was examined and immediately put on Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). The suspect was arrested and detained in custody.

“In another development, we have also charged a 20-year-old peasant with the Aggravated Defilement of a 3-year-old girl victim at Panya village, Yiki Parish, Madi Okollo district. The suspect identified as, Oleama Jackson, a 20-year-old peasant of Olali village, was given responsibility by Araka Rabeka, the mother of the victim, for him to look after, as she went to the market to buy food,” Enanga said.

Unfortunately, the suspect took advantage of the girl victim and defiled her. He was found red-handed in the act by the elder brother who informed their mother and the matter reported to police. As a result, the suspect was arrested and detained in custody.

The incidents show how both, male and female juveniles remain vulnerable and targeted by sexual predators. Many child predators are not strangers to victims. They are usually relatives to the victim or acquaintances such as neighbors, siblings, family friends, teachers, who appear to be warm, caring, loving and respectful.

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Micho summons 44 Cranes players for International build-ups in Europe, Asia

Micho during training

Uganda Cranes head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has summoned a team of 44 players in preparation for the upcoming international build up matches in Europe and Asia.

Uganda will play five international build up matches against Iceland, Botosani and Moldova in Turkey.

Two other build ups will be held in Asia; against Iraq in Baghdad and Bahrain in Bahrain city.

The team has two foreign based players, both goalkeepers Charles Lukwago (based in Ethiopia) and Ismail Watenga (South Africa).

According to the programme, the players will converge on 9th January 2022 and hold a training session in the evening.

The travel date for Turkey is 10th January 2022 ahead of the first match against Iceland on 12th January 2022 in Turkey.

The second match will be played on 15th January 2022 against Botosani and the third match shall come on 18th January 2022 against Moldova. All matches in Europe will be played in Antalya.

Uganda Cranes shall then face Iraq on 21st January 2022 in Baghdad city, and finally Bahrain on 27th January 2022 in – Bahrain city.

The team returns home on the 28th January 2022.

The matches in Europe are organized by Global Sport Management.

The Full Summoned Squad:

Goalkeepers: Charles Lukwago (Saint George, Ethiopia), Isima Watenga (Chippa United, South Africa), Joel Mutakubwa (Express), Benjamin Ochan (KCCA), Nafian Alionzi (URA), Jack Komakech (Vipers)

Defenders: Gavin Kizito Mugwer (SC Villa), Innocent Wafula (KCCA), James Begisa (UPDF), Geriga Atendele (Arua Hills), Abdu Aziizi Kayondo (Vipers SC), Eric Senjobe (Police), Herbert Achai (KCCA), Juma Ibrahim (KCCA), Halid Lwaliwa (Vipers), Denis Iguma (KCCA), Livingstone Mulondo (KCCA), John Revita (KCCA), Enock Walusimbi (Express), Fesali Najib (URA), Kenneth Semakula (Sc Villa), Joseph Bright Vuni (Arua Hill), Benjamin Nyakojjo (URA)

Midfielders: Bobosi Byaruhanga (Vipers), George Kasonko (BUL), Mahad Kakooza (Express), Ashraf Mugume (KCCA), Shafik Kagimu (URA), Bright Anukani (Vipers), Saidi Kyeyune (URA), Martin Kizza (Express).

Forwards: Kaddu Patrick (Unattached), Milton Karisa (Vipers), Ibrahim Orit (Vipers), Sadat Anaku (KCCA), Travis Mutyaba (SC Villa), Muhamed Shaban (Onduparaka), Rogers Mato (KCCA), Musa Esenu (BUL), Alfred Leku (Arua Hill), Steven Mukwala (URA), Cromwell Rwothomio (URA), Kirya Amos (Gaddafi), Sentamu Yunus (Vipers), Sematimba Titus (Wakiso Giants).

Detailed Programme:

9th January 2022: Team converges in the morning & Training in Afternoon

10th January 2022: Traveling to Turkey

12th January 2022: Iceland Vs Uganda – Antalya, Turkey

15th January 2022: Botosani Vs Uganda – Antalya, Turkey

18th January 2022: Moldova Vs Uganda – Antalya, Turkey

21st January 2022: Iraq Vs Uganda – Baghdad

27th January 2022: Bahrain Vs Uganda – Bahrain city

28th January 2022: Return to Uganda

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Kakwenza to be charged for insulting President Museveni and the first son

Kakwenza Rukirabashaija

Ugandan novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija is set be arraigned before Court for allegedly insulting President Kaguta Museveni and the first son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The development has been confirmed by Charles Twiine, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) Spokesperson.

“Kakwenza Rukirabashaija will be arraigned in Court at 10am tomorrow on a charges of offensive communication for allegedly insulting President Kaguta Museveni on 24th December 2021  and first son Muhoozi Kainerugaba on 26th December 2021, here on Twitter,” Charles Twiine said.

Earlier Today, Kakwenza’s Lawyer Kiiza Eron told this website that security personnel conducted a search at his client’s home in Iganga. “A search is ongoing at Kakwenza’s home. He is urinating blood, vomiting, swollen legs, and blood stains. He was clearly tortured. He needs urgent medication and counseling,” Kiiza said.

Kakwenza was arrested after a three days twitter feud with supporters of UPDF Land forces commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Kakwenza averred that Muhoozi’s supporters were allegedly bullying him for criticising President Museveni’s government.

“Good morning Muhoozi bum-lickers. Dare attempt to bully me again and I show you fire. I have more verbal artillery in my toolkit to bludgeon your empty heads and dirty mouths that spews hocus-pocus and balderdash. You’re all bankrolled chamchas! Nonsense just,” Kakwenza said on twitter.

“Imagine you steal money from the national purse and use it to bankroll idle idiots on social media to market your presidential ambitions when you are intellectually bankrupt. These Muhoozi project fools think that we shall replace a thief with an incompetent pig-headed curmudgeon,” Kakwenza said in one of the tweets.

Rukirabashaija is the author of the novel The Greedy Barbarian, which takes on themes of high-level corruption in a fictional country. He was arrested on 13 April 2020 in Uganda, and held for seven days, during which time he was interrogated about his fiction and subjected to torture and later released. Rukirabashaija details this treatment in his latest work Banana Republic: Where Writing is Treasonous.

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Gov’t releases new opening dates for schools in Kampala metropolitan area

Pupils of City Parents at their school.

In President Museveni’s New Year address to the nation on 31st December 2021, he tasked the Ministry of Education and Sports to come up with a detailed plan to prevent and mitigate against road traffic congestion in the Kampala metropolitan area during re-opening of Schools on Monday January 10th, 2022.

The Ministry of Education and Sports engaged stakeholders from KCCA, Wakiso, Mukono, and Mpigi, district local governments, Security, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Works and Transport among others.

They resolved that all learners in Day Schools shall report on Monday the 10th of January 2022 for Classes.

All learners in Boarding Schools in the districts of Wakiso, Mpigi, Mukono, and Kampala shall follow a staggered reporting plan with effect from Monday, 10th January 2022.

No Boarding Students in the concerned districts shall report for School earlier than Monday the 10th of January 2022.

Students in International Schools whether offering Day or Boarding School shall also comply with re-opening that is NOT any earlier than Monday the 10th of January 2022.

Reporting dates for Boarding Students in Mpigi and Wakiso Districts are as follows; A level students and pupils in Lower Primary will report back on Monday, 10th January 2022 while O Level students and pupils in P.5, P.6, and P.7 will report back on Wednesday, 12th January 2022.

Boarding Students in Kampala and Mukono Districts: A level students and pupils in Lower Primary shall report back on Tuesday, 11th January 2022 while O-Level and pupils in P.5, P.6, and P.7 shall report back Thursday, 13th January 2022

“Schools which have already communicated to parents a staggered reporting plan that goes beyond 13th January 2022 may retain such a Plan provided no learners report before Monday the 10th of January 2022,” the permanent secretary Ketty Lamaro noted in a statement.

The ministry said it is the responsibility of the learner’s respective parents or guardians to ensure that the learner is provided with a mask to wear when travelling to school while using public transport means.

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Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigns after mass protests

Sudan's Prime Minster Abdalla Hamdok

Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has resigned after another day of mass protests rocked the capital Khartoum.

Thousands marched against a recent deal he had done to share power with the army, who staged a coup in October.

Chanting “power to the people”, protesters called for a return to full civilian rule. But military forces again responded with force, leaving two people dead.

Mr Hamdok’s decision to quit leaves the army in full control.

It is another blow to Sudan’s fragile attempts at a transition to democratic rule after a popular uprising led to the overthrow of Sudan’s long-term authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

In a televised address, Mr Hamdok said the country was at a “dangerous turning point that threatens its whole survival”.

He said he had tried his best to stop the country from “sliding towards disaster”, but that “despite everything that has been done to reach a consensus… it has not happened”.

Civilian and military leaders had made an uneasy power-sharing agreement after the army staged a coup on 25 October and initially placed Prime Minister Hamdok under house arrest.

The country was just one month away from transition to a civilian head of state when the army seized power.

Mr Hamdok, an economist by training, is widely respected in the international community having previously worked as an official with the United Nations. He helped negotiate a deal to forgive some of Sudan’s debts but this involved removing fuel subsidies, leading the prices of many basic goods to rise, and to anti-government protests.

Under the agreement reached with Mr Hamdok in November, the reinstated prime minister was supposed to lead a cabinet of technocrats until elections were held. But it was unclear how much power the new civilian government would have, and protests against the military resumed, which were often violently suppressed.

Protests continued even after Mr Hamdok had returned to office, with some demonstrators saying that his reinstatement was helping to legitimatise the military takeover.

Reacting to Mr Hamdok’s resignation, the United States urged Sudan’s leaders to end violence against anti-military demonstrators.

More than 50 people have been killed during protests since the coup, including at least two on Sunday, according to the pro-democracy Sudan Central Doctors’ Committee.

The resignation of Mr Hamdok showed the military was losing their leverage to get international recognition and popular support, according to a spokesman for the opposition Sudanese Congress Party.

Thousands of people were on the streets of the capital Khartoum and the city of Omdurman on Sunday, chanting and calling on the military to leave politics.

On social media, activists have said 2022 will be “the year of the continuation of the resistance”.

Coup leader Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has defended last October’s coup, saying the army had acted to prevent a civil war. He says Sudan is still committed to the transition to civilian rule, with elections planned for July 2023.

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Absa Bank offers customers two month loan repayment holiday to allow parents pay school fees

School Children

Absa Bank Uganda will offer a two-month repayment holiday on salary loans to customers as schools reopen next week. The offer is available on salary loans with competitive interest rates for sums between Shs1 million to Shs250 million.

“The pandemic has created economic pressures sending many into financial distress. With the impending school reopening, we are aware that parents will face challenges meeting school fees obligations. With our salary loan offering, we will be able to provide support to our customers by providing a two-month repayment break valid for all salary loans with zero arrangement fees. Customers can also apply for loan top-ups online using our robust digital platforms,” said Musa Jallow, Retail Banking Director, Absa Bank Uganda.

Education institutions have been closed since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic adversely affecting both learners and parents. According to the Ministry of Education, the new school calendar will resume on 10th January.

“We are hopeful that this offer will support a smooth return to school as learners resume their education journey. As a bank, we believe that education remains a key driver supporting positive social-economic development in our communities and we are happy to provide financial support to ease the burden many parents are facing,” Mr. Jallow added.

To take advantage of the offer, customers can visit any of the bank branches countrywide.

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2022 Africa Cup of Nations preview

Afcon trophy

The 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations-AFCON will be hosted by Cameroon across five cities in a 24-team tournament that will play out over four weeks, from Sunday 9 January to Sunday 6 February 2022.

Originally scheduled for June and July 2021, the tournament was rescheduled twice due to ‘unfavourable climatic conditions’ in the host nation and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The biggest African stars in the world will be competing for their national teams. A number of fine Premier League players will be on show throughout the Africa Cup of Nations. Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will be the most prominent.

Egypt’s chances of success will be improved with the inclusion of Salah, who has scored 45 international goals in 71 appearances. Meanwhile, Senegal’s international scores throughout the competition will be improved with Mane in the squad, who has scored 25 international goals to date. Nigerian soccer chances will be improved with the inclusion of Kelechi Iheanacho. The Leicester striker has been in excellent form over the past 18 months, with his name constantly being on the scoresheet when studying football live scores today.

Further Premier League quality can be found in the Nigerian squad with Foxes teammate Wilfred Ndidi and Everton winger Alex Iwobi also likely to make the squad.  Senegal will also have Champions League winner Edouard Mendy in their squad, while Naby Keita and Hakim Ziyech will be playing for Guinea and Morocco, respectively.

Arsenal captain Pierre Emerick Aubameyang will also have a part to play in the competition for Gabon, as they look to improve on their best performance in the Africa Cup of Nations when reaching the quarterfinals in 2012.

Then there’s Algeria who have an attacking line-up that’ll give defenders waking nightmares, led by Mahrez and West Ham winger Benrahma with Adam Ounas (Napoli, Italy) and Islam Slimani (Lyon, France) ones to watch too.

For many the reigning champs are top of the pile: Algeria have arguably the most complete team and lifted silverware in December at the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar.

But in 2019 Algeria defeated Senegal by a single goal in the final, and now Koulibaly, Mane and co. are more motivated than ever to take that final step up to a first ever AFCON title.

Senegal have a stability brought by coach Aliou Cisse who’s been with The Lions since 2015, and during his tenure they have qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and made that AFCON final a couple of years ago.

Morocco too, a young hungry side are aiming for a first podium since 2004 when they were runners-up to Tunisia.

Comoros and the Gambia qualified for the first time, increasing to 44 the number of countries who have qualified for the premier African national team competition.

AFCON groups:

Group A: Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde

Group B: Senegal, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Malawi

Group C: Morocco, Ghana, Comoros, Gabon

Group D: Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau

Group E: Algeria, Sierra-Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire

Group F: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Gambia

Road to Final

Group stage: from January 9 to 20, 2022

Round of 16: January 23-26, 2022

Quarter-finals: January 29 and 30, 2022

Semi-finals: February 2 and 3, 2022

Final: February 6, 2022

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Bible Seminar on “What Jesus Told is Achieved in Today’s World”

Amid a global decline in the religious population, a clear explanation of the Bible has drawn more than 140,000 believers to the church and the attention of millions.

“Shincheonji Online Seminar: Testimony on the Parables of the Secrets of Heaven and Their True Meanings” is held by Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. This round of seminars focusing on understanding parables written in the Bible in the New Testament will be on Youtube live-stream on every Monday and Thursday on 10am(GMT+9) from January 3rd to March 28th.

“Parables are the key element to understanding the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. The prophecy of the Old Testament was fulfilled at the time of Jesus in his first coming. Now Jesus left his prophecy of the New Testament to be fulfilled “when the time comes” (John 16:25). We are heading towards the true meaning as the prophecy is revealed,” said an official of the church.

The previous seminars on the book of Revelation for the last three months on YouTube were released in 24 languages and reached 7 million views in 136 countries including 16,000 pastors as participants. Shincheonji Church of Jesus said that 1,200 global church leaders in 57 countries have signed MOUs with the church to boost international cooperation and exchanges for educational support.

As for the signing,  Pastor Jerry Hagerman of Wayside Mission Church in Virginia, USA, said, “I want to be able to grow in the word and I want to teach out congregation … and help bring them from death to life. I want to be one with God’s kingdom and have open communication.”

In a recent report in December 2021 from Peu Research Center’s National Public Opinion Reference Surveys, 3 out of 10 adults in the United States are now religiously unaffiliated. The most affected in the fall in the religious population is the Protestant among Christian denominations that has shown steady decrease from 52% in 2007 to 40% in 2021.

This trend is also reflected by another investigation from Lifeway Research in Nashville that says most Americans consider Jesus as a historical fact but religiously have no biblical knowledge about why he came. According to the report, only 9% of the 1,005 respondents knew that his mission was to give open words (fulfillment) of the Old Testament.

On the other side of the globe, an increasing number of people are affiliated with religion. Contrary to the decrease in traditional denominations, over 140,000 people have joined the Shincheonji Church of Jesus after the Bible education course since 2019 and the subsequent COVID-19.

The official of Shincheonji Church of Jesus said, “Across the world, more and more people are experiencing diseases, disasters, and hardships due to COVID-19, thinking deeply about the meaning of life and suffering. Religion must be able to provide answers to these people. In the religious world where face-to-face activities are limited, education should reach out to every individual in local communities.”

“What the Shincheonji Church appeals to people is the clear explanation of Jesus’ mission in the New Testament,” he continued.

(You can watch the seminar by searching “Shincheonji Online Seminar: Testimony on the Parables of the Secrets of Heaven and Their True Meanings” on YouTube or through the link https://www.youtube.com/c/ShincheonjiChurchofJesus)

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