Since its establishment in 1964 until 2006, TCRS used to be the Tanzania Field Programme of the Lutheran World Federation Department for World Service (LWF/DWS), carrying out a programme of humanitarian relief and development activities with refugees and marginalized poor people in Tanzania. As part of the LWF/DWS strategy for local empowerment, TCRS became an autonomous and independent Tanzanian registered NGO in January 2006. TCRS is registered as a Trust Association and continues to be engaged in humanitarian, relief and development work in Tanzania on behalf of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, the Christian Council of Tanzania and the global ecumenical network.

The programs and initiatives that are implemented and supported by TCRS would not be possible without the tireless efforts of its dedicated staff and associates. From the local volunteers who are so integral to the success of our Community Empowerment Programmes to the engineers, social workers, administrators, medical professionals, and program staff who work to improve and protect the lives and situations of countless refugees, TCRS has been blessed with a staff of more than 576 individuals and a Board of Trustees who all share its commitment to advocating for the rights and well-being of the thousands of poor and marginalized men, women, and children living in Tanzania today.