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| www.theonepersonproject.org |
As an organization we strive to ensure that the support we provide
leads to self-sustainability for the communities and organizations we have
connected with and I am delighted to report that we are extremely successful in
this, but being there confirmed that sometimes a quick-fix is also essential;
and thanks to your donations we are able to offer both short and long-term
solutions to families affected by poverty.
We visited with Philomena and Flora who run the Amani group, a social support group for children who attend a clinic at the Kahama Hospital for treatment of HIV/AIDS.
We always meet with staff, officials and organizations to ensure that we are providing what is actually needed and to monitor progress. The funds we raise allow us to ship donated items such as a TV and video recorder, toys and books, which make the waiting and treatments more bearable and will also encourage children and adults to attend for testing, education and treatment. We also ordered tables, chairs and shelves for the room – or clubhouse as the children call it!
We hope in the future to provide funding towards food for children who attend the clinic to receive antiretroviral (ARV) drugs as the highly-toxic medications cause severe side-effects if taken on an empty stomach.
In keeping with our belief that one community can help another at all levels, the wonderful staff from the Summerland Ministry of Children & Family Development have created the Friends of Amani Group, and write to the children and send gifts and supplies in the shipping container!
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| We held a party for the children and their mothers/grandmothers/aunts. Most of the children are from women headed households or are orphans.  Flora holding a camera donated by the Friends of Amani Group. Read Mary's account of the trip |
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Erin chats with Lucas and Ibrahim as they sign a poster for the Friends of Amani Group Read Brenda's account of the trip |
Fun with bubbles!
The children were delighted with the skipping ropes and soccer balls!
Further long-term support examples:
After discussions with the dedicated and resourceful
Philomena and Flora we left US $200 to be used to create a women’s
co-operative, where six or so of the mothers of the most vulnerable families
will chose a project – poultry for example – and will work together to purchase
and rear the chickens, which will provide both food and income for the
families, who will eventually be able to donate a little money to the Amani Clinic
and also pass on chickens to another group of mothers to create a second
co-operative.
We have donated a sewing machine from the shipping
container and will provide more so that the older youth can create sewing
co-operatives. We hope in the future to provide funding for scholarships for
school leavers to attend a nearby Sewing and Training Centre.
Short-term example:
We discreetly gave 30,000 Tanzanian shillings
(US $20) to one mother whose children were very sick; her husband had left and
she was unable to earn even the less-than-a-dollar-a-day that most Tanzanian
families survive on. We were able to help her through a month or so, and with
your help we can work towards creating a strong community, which will come up
with strategies and solutions to eliminate extreme poverty.
With so much fun and laughter it was sometimes hard to remember why we were there.
A bitter-sweet day.
With so much fun and laughter it was sometimes hard to remember why we were there.
A bitter-sweet day.
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