Kahama - Faraja Orphanage - 2013 Trip

www.theonepersonproject.org 

Scholastica, Mary and Faraja children with the items sent by The Friends of Faraja -

The Summerland Montessori School (B.C. Canada.)

The wonderful ladies who run the Farja Orphanage

Faraja isn’t a typical orphanage as we in the West would understand it. The children are housed with families and a volunteer committee looks over the welfare of the children, providing a place for them to come together each day and supplying shoes and clothing to the children and giving them food to take home to the struggling family that has taken them in.

In developing countries a child may be classed as an orphan even if one or even both parents are alive but are unable to care for the child due to sickness and/or extreme poverty or some children are just abandoned.

The Faraja Orphans Group is made up of a small group of women, headed by Scholastica (pictured). Using their own money, the village committee also provides funds for school and medical fees. The women also grow vegetables to sell and are able to make money from the herd of meat goats provided by the Friends of Faraja (Summerland Montessori School).

Click on Farja in the labels on the right for more pictures and details or read Brenda’s Planet Ranger Travelogue.



 

 Our dear friend Joseph looks through the photographs with Mary and Scholastica

Miss Sheena and the children and families of the Summerland Montessori School send photographs, letters, funds and resources for the children and their foster families.

I cannot find a figure for the number of Faraja-style orphanages but there are currently around 52 traditional orphanages in Tanzania caring for about 3,000 orphans – it is difficult to give an exact figure as many orphanages are forced to close their doors because of costs. In fact the Faraja ladies have been forced to rent out the building they use to keep the program going, so the children meet outside.

Out of a population of 44 million, there are more than 3 million orphans in Tanzania alone, many of whose parents have died from AIDS.  According to UNICEF There are 53 million children living without parents in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 Strengthen one person - strengthen the family - strengthen the community

To make a donation send a cheque to The One Person Project, 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z5, donate on-line or email me. 



Kahama District - Distributing the Shipping Container Resources / 2013

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Dr Andrew and Athanis happy to see the shipping container arrive at the Kahama District Hospital. The leaves on the Kahama Friendship tree were purchased and signed by our supporters in Canada;  we raise around $16,000 to purchase and ship each container. See the Nov. 9th 2012 blog for a list of contents.

Beds and other medical resources were carried in to the hospital and a further160 barrels and boxes went to the Amani Clubhouse at the far end of the compound. Classroom and teacher resources were taken into the Teacher Resource Centre, and library and text books were transferred to the previous shipping container to be stored before processing. Both beautifully decorated containers have been donated to the hospital.

LeAnne, Brenda and a team of helpers from the hospital spent a 12 hour day visiting 11 schools in 11 remote villages to distribute soccer/netball uniforms and pumps and balls.

The children hold messages thanking Iron Man Canada for the donated shirts

A decent soccer ball costs $50 US, about as much as many Tanzanians earn a month in a full time job!

One Person believes in the concept of sport for development – that sport is not just an end in itself, but also an effective tool to help improve the lives of children, families and communities. Participating in sports allows young men to have a sense of pride and something to strive towards and allows girls to have status and opportunities they do not usually receive. Even the presence of one soccer ball can increase school attendance, which is doubly important as most schools and sports teams have HIV Prevention Programs.

Next the truck headed out to the men's woodworking co-op in Llomelo. We passed on donations of hand/power tools and a much needed generator.

The delivery team were entertained with food, and traditional dance and music. The woodworkers then presented Brenda with this beautiful wooden map of the Shinyanga Region (North Tanzania) with the district of Kahama in the middle.

 We have supported the Llomelo men's co-op for a number of years, donating tools and commissioning desks and tables for the Kahama Teacher Resource Centre.  The photos below are from the 2012 trip.

Before

And after

 Strengthen one person - strengthen the family - strengthen the community

For more information or to make a donation contact me , mail to The One Person Project, 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z5 or donate on-line  

Muvuma Orphanage and Albinism

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At present there are two children with albinism at the Muvuma Orphanage Centre. Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited condition occurring in both genders regardless of ethnicity. There is a large albino population in the Kahama area who suffer from the stigma and prejudices of being different but more alarmingly, in Tanzania (as in many developing countries) there is a ‘trade’ in albino limbs as they are believed to have magical properties.

In 2011 Kulwa, a 15 year old girl with albinism was attacked in her village home by three masked men. They hacked off her arm above the elbow. This was only one of the 76 reported attacks since 2007, from which there are only 14 mutilated survivors. Even once buried, the victim's graves are desecrated.

UPDATE: In 2014 The Tanzanian government outlawed witch- doctors. 

Kahama District Council donated space for a new, larger orphanage (see April 12th blog) choosing land next to a school so that the children are not at risk of being abducted on their way to lessons.

People with Albinism (PWA) also suffer from widespread social discrimination, have poor vision and are extremely prone to skin cancer. The Tanzanian government and local bodies are trying to address the myths and discrimination, you and I can provide reading glasses, hats and sun block.

Flora (Amani Clinic nurse) and Brenda (One person President)

play with the children

The new, larger orphanage will be home to up to 50 children, including children with albinism.

For more information or to make a donation contact me , mail to The One Person Project, 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z5 or donate on-line  

Strengthen one person - strengthen the family - strengthen the community.

Kahama - Muvuma Orphanage 2013

www.theonepersonproject.org

The current Muvuma Orphanage Centre. 17 children live in this 4-roomed house with the orphanage head, Lucia. As in every country there are people who become deeply involved in their community, and in Kahama a volunteer committee of  20 women work to raise funds to support the orphanage.

The new Muvuma Orphanage Centre.  Construction started two years ago. In developing countries many people and organizations save to buy bricks, build and save again. The process can take many years. The top five rows of bricks were added with a $1,000 donation from one of our trip volunteers, Nancy C.

Brenda presented the funds at the Amani Celebration at the Kahama Hospital.

We are considering supporting the orphanage long-term. Due in main to HIV/AIDS there are a large number of orphans in the Kahama region, and tragically, numbers will only rise in the future. As well as an increase in the number of orphans, HIV related adult illness and deaths mean that there are fewer adults to take children in to their homes.

There is no reason that the orphans in the Kahama Township should suffer twice. We have the ability to ensure that they have as safe and healthy a childhood as possible.  By establishing a strong foundation for a productive life for all children in Kahama, we are strengthening the community.  Strong communities strengthen the country.

Happy children appreciate the gifts donated by Okanagan communities. At present there are two children with albinism at the orphanage. These children are more vulnerable than most. More details on the disturbing facts in the next blog.

For more information or to make a donation contact me , mail to The One Person Project, 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z5  donate on-line or make a payment into our account at the Summerland Credit Union (Summerland, British Columbia). 

APRIL 2014 - We urgently need to finish the orphanage by November of this year so that the orphans who are there now - plus an additional 30 or more can be given food, shelter and education.  To see how urgent this is please read the following blogs about the children who have albinism - it really is a life or death situation. Thank you in advance for helping us to protect vulnerable children.

Strengthen one person - strengthen the family - strengthen the community.

Kahama Hospital - Amani Clinic & Chicken Co-op /2013

www.theonepersonproject.org

In the Sept. 4th 2012 blog I spoke of how we met with the Amani nurses Philomena and Flora and set in motion a plan to fund a poultry cooperative for the clinic's most vulnerable families. An initial group would be selected from women- headed households.  At that time we donated $200, and on this trip we have donated a further $1,100.

Philomena has retired and Anna has taken over. Thank you Philomena for your helping us to set up a workable program. We so admire your total dedication to the children and your role in the Amani Clinic & Clubhouse!

A cooperative of 15 women has been formed, with the help of a member of the community who has experience in setting up poultry cooperatives. The women will have on site training and will in the future, pass on their skills to a second cooperative.

 



Kahama Hospital nurse Anna, Brenda and Chicken Co-op participants.

As well as being able to support their children, these women will be learning and sharing entrepreneurial and marketing skills.



The new chicken enclosure will be similar to this one in Kahama.
 

As usual, we held a celebration day with the Amani children and their families/caregivers, and delivered donated gifts and resources for the clinic and the families. We have a Friends of Amani Group here in Summerland who keep in contact with the children and also donate resources. This party was larger than usual as many of the doctors, medical officers and staff also attended the formal presentation of  $1,100 for the Amani Chicken Cooperative as well as a further $1,000 for the new Muvuma orphanage!  We usually provide snacks for the children, but the importance of the occasion called for a full meal for everyone!

 The chicken co-op ladies prepare and cook for around 200 people.

An interesting half-day of shopping for Brenda and the team at the local markets!

 

 

Anna and LeAnne help keep the children entertained!

 Brenda, One Person President and co-founder with two of the chicken co-op members

who are holding thank you messages for everyone who has donated towards
the formation of the first cooperative.

 

 

To make a donation send a cheque to The One Person Project, 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z5, donate on-line or email me.

Kahama Hospital - Amani Clinic/ Food Program

www.theonepersonproject.org

 

Children washing hands before eating at the

One Person Celebration for the Amani children and caregivers.

One Person helped set up the Amani Club, a social support group for children who attend a clinic at the Kahama Hospital for treatment of HIV/AIDS. We funded the refurbishment of a small building, purchased shelves chairs and tables and we deliver donated toys, books and other resources such as a video player & TV and videos.  (More details and pictures in the Sept 4th 2012 blog.)

OUR GOAL IS TO RAISE $200 a month to subsidise the cost of providing meals for the (almost) 200 children so that we can reduce the impact of taking antiretroviral medication (ARV'S) without  food. ARVs increase appetite and can lead to intolerable hunger, and medication side affects such as extreme stomach pain are exacerbated in the absence of food. Also, due to the nature of the condition, children with HIV/AIDS are malnourished to begin with, and without adequate nutrition are more likely to succumb to common childhood illnesses and opportunistic infections.

CONTACT ME if you would like to make a regular or one-off payment towards the Amani food program. We will post pictures and updates.



  We met this young girl in July 2012. At 2 years of age she is the size of a typical 6 month child.

The father abandoned the family when he learned that the children were also HIV positive.