Paying-it-Forward

Joseph

Brenda (One Person co-founder and President) used her own funds to help Joseph receive training and set up his own business in Kahama, Tanzania.  

Summerland School in Lugunga Village.

The team delivered much-needed educational supplies. 

Joseph has now set up a preschool in his village, which they have called the Summerland School; this fills our hearts as we are based in Summerland, British Columbia. 

Joseph and others volunteer their time to teach the children the pre-academic skills that they need before attending primary school. 

In 2008, the then Summerland Mayor, David Gregory signed a Friendship Agreement between Summerland & Kahama, and Joseph's actions are another binding thread in the BC - Tanzania connection. (No financial funding is given, but the City of Summerland promotes our organization on their website.)

Here are our other blogs on what we have done to assist education in the Kahama region. 

Visit our facebook page for more photos and stories.

Contact us to find out how to sponsor the orphanage, volunteer or to make a donation. You can also donate online. 

Asante Sana - Thank You! 

Julieth: A hand-up not a hand-out.

Our Agent Emmanuel and Julieth

Julieth is an orphan at Muvuma. She did exceptionally well in school and has been accepted for a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Finance course at the  University of Dar es Salaam. 

Julieth will be receiving a scholarship but needs funds for application fees, initial travel and food. We are delighted to be able to use your donations to ensure that Julieth can accept the invitation to earn a degree!

Thank you!

UPDATE: October 2017. Julieth sent us a letter to thank you, and her extremely dedicated sponsor Marjorie W.J. 

Dear mama and other supporters!

      I hope you are all doing well, I am also doing fine with my studies. In November l will join the second year of my studies of university. For sure I am glad to have you because, you are here and there to support me in any situation, Thanks a lot!

      The aim of writing you this short letter is to give you much thanks , l received 537,000tsh from Mr Emmanuel which you sent for me, for the academic purpose. I feel much love from you, because l see your much support whenever I need your support. And you have never left me alone with any problem...

  May God bless you all,

    Yours,

 Julieth

Why we send books written in English

A fraction of the books we have shipped to the Teacher
Resource Centre in Kahama. 

Although there are around 125 languages spoken in Tanzania, the country officially operates under a bilingual system. While Kiswahili is the language of instruction in primary school, students are required to read and write in English to complete their secondary school education. English is the dominant global language of communication, business, diplomacy, entertainment and the internet, and understandably, the Tanzanian Government wants to level the playing field.

There are problems with this bilingual system – the difficulties that children face switching from Kiswahili to English at Secondary school for example, especially in rural areas like Kahama where the teachers and children do not hear English spoken or have access to English books. We are taking steps to ease the transition. Just by visiting the area each year and conversing with officials and families in English we are making a difference.  In 2012 we ran a week-long English workshop for teachers and will do so again in 2015 or 2016.

We will be sending our current shipping container this year and one more in 2016; the Teacher Resource Centres will then have a wide selection of library and text books.

For more information, to volunteer 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).  

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

Sponsoring Further Education in Kahama

www.theonepersonproject.org

When One Person first started in 2006, co-founder and President, Brenda Lowe asked family and friends to sponsor World Vision children in the Kahama District. In the end we found sponsors for over 50 children in the area, plus more in Muhanga, Rwanda. W.V. is due to leave the Kahama region in the next few years so some families are continuing to sponsor through One Person - a great decision as we will visit the children on our trips and will deliver and bring back photos, reports and personal messages!

Brenda is also providing funding for a young man's education. His name is Joseph and I met him on my trip in 2012. He is an amazing young man who has been acting as an unpaid guide and interpreter whenever we visit Kahama.

Joseph translating and passing on information about the photos from Summerland B.C.
to the children of the Faraja orphanage on our 2012 trip.

This is an excerpt from Brenda's Planet Ranger entry earlier this year.

"I met with my friend Joseph for a trip to the bank to deposit $900 I’d saved for him. I first met Joseph on my trip in 2009. He’s waiter at the Pineridge and has been our salvation on these trips. Joseph is one of the most resourceful, thoughtful, caring, generous people I’ve ever met. He helps us with everything we need and would never ask for anything in return.

 I made a decision on my last trip here that I would like to help Joseph get a better education so he can find decent employment. Joseph works long hours as a waiter and makes less than $100 per month. He supports his family with anything he has left over after he pays his living expenses and will never be able to change his situation without some help. He’ll need two years of upgrading and then will be allowed to attend a vocational school for training to work at the mine.

When we visited Joseph’s parents yesterday, they thanked me for helping him saying that they never had enough to pay for him to get an education and are so grateful for him to have this chance. They said that the whole family depends on Joseph and when he has a good job, he’ll be able to help them."

Brenda with Joseph's parents Grace and Sampson in their village hut.

Strengthen one person - strengthen the family - strengthen the community

Contact me today if you are interested in supporting a child or young adult's education.

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

Filling the Third Shipping Container

We are hugely indebted to Wal-Mart Penticton

for welcoming our container in their parking lot!

Our Board, Committee and a dedicated team of volunteers work for many hours, in all weathers to pick up, sort and pack the many tons
 of donated items.

One Person Vice President (2011/2012) Mary-Jeanne

and volunteer and website design & maintenance Brian.

 

We just could not do this without our volunteers!

Peter puts in many hours collecting donated items

and stacking the boxes and barrels!

 

Thanks to families, businesses and organizations in B.C we filled the container with:

 

Entrepreneur

21 sewing machines, 18 boxes/rolls of fabric and sewing accessories.
Generator
Power tools, hands tools, screws, nails etc.
 

Education & Training

4 boxes of sports equipment

 

57 boxes of sports uniforms

 

150 boxes of library/text books

 

23 boxes of teacher resources

 

49 boxes of school supplies

 

49 units chalk board, notice boards, chairs with fold down desks

 

Medical

1 large ultrasound scanner

 

15 hospital beds & 13 mattresses & 1 pressure mattress

 

1 operating table overhead cover

 

1 microscope

 

2 physiotherapy tables

 

1 examination table

 

1 medication cart

 

67 boxes of medical supplies

 

20 boxes of medical text books

 

80 boxes of operating room drapes

 

1 defibrillator

 

1 blood pressure cuff

 

6 walkers

 

20 crutches

 

3 wheelchairs  & accessories

 

4 commodes

 

1 box of eye glasses

 

17 boxes paediatric ward toys

 

15 boxes of bedding & towels

 

1 box of scrubs

 

1 whiteboard

 

4 boxes of soap

 

Family

22 boxes of clothing

 

8 boxes of bedding and towels

 

21 boxes of shoes

 

32 boxes of family supplies including school supplies

 

4 boxes of soap

Gardening equipment

 

2 shelters

 



THANK YOU!

 

Full list of items needed here

 Become a One Person Volunteer!

 

 

 

 

2012 Trip / Kahama / Train the Teacher Pictures

www.theonepersonproject.org

Our Train the Teacher week was extremely successful!  30 Primary teachers from schools in and around Kahama attended the five-day course.

Heike and participants. Some of the classes took place outside the Teacher Training Centre (TRC)

Heike spent months putting together eight sets of 30 books, pens, pencils, rulers, crayons etc. so that each teacher went away with resources to use in their otherwise empty classrooms. A major aspect of the week was that teachers were shown how to create their own resources.


Erin shows the participants how to use a calendar as a teaching tool

This seemingly simple activity is the perfect way for the Kahama teachers to build a system for teaching English and understanding of concepts to their primary school students; days of the week and months of the year songs were incorporated, children can practice counting in English and have an understanding of today/yesterday/tomorrow and by adding colours and shapes the children can learn about patterns.

Sheena demonstrates Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes for the Parts of the Body teaching theme

A fun class!

Heike, Sheena and Erin had a game plan before leaving but it very much depended on how many teachers actually attended and their level of understanding and speaking English. (Generally low.)  The first day went well and they were able to refine the structure for the rest of the week and present a series of activity based workshops where each unit built on the knowledge and skills of the one before to provide the participants with the tools (as well as the resources) to teach English in a way that will engage their students and ultimately lead to higher literacy levels for each community in our district. (Over time, with future Teach the Teacher Programs.)

Our donated books at the Kahama TRC.

There are 120 schools in the Kahama Region. The Tanzanian Government has provided 5 Teacher Resource Centres for the area. Funds do not stretch to stocking them - or the schools.

Thank you to all those who sponsored a teacher - teacher photos and sponsor names are on previous posts. We received more sponsors than teachers so the remaining funds were used to purchase supplies for the teachers - many thanks to Jan & Al, Carol & Tom, Philomena, Angela and Chris & Leah.

Contact us for further details or to donate educational supplies or if you would like to make a donation towards education in Kahama.
Donate on-line

Train the Teacher / Award Ceremony 3

Mary N. Sponsored by Krista

Leticia. Sponsored by Angela M

Laurent. Sponsored by Cheryl & Vern


 

Katunzi. Sponsored by Andrea




 

Kasoma. Sponsored by Gordon

Isack. Sponsored by Shelly

Herbert. Sponsored by Val

 

Halima. Sponsored by Tom

Ester. Sponsored by Cassandra

Martina. Sponsored by Pam & Michelle

Train the Teacher / Award Ceremony 2

Mary M. Sponsored by Bev & Paul

Thomas. Sponsored by Jane
 

Stella. Sponsored by Sarah

Sarah. Sponsored by Gail

Robert. Sponsored by Raja

Philipo. Sponsored by Marion & Frank

Mwashi. Sponsored by Lee

Mwanaidi. Sponsored by Cherrie

Masenya. Sponsored by Jeanette & Randy

Mwaigomole. Sponsored by Richa

Train The Teacher / Award Ceremony 1

Emmanuella. Sponsored by Naomi

Ekarist. Sponsored by Courtenay

Daria. Sponsored by Lois

Daniel. Sponsored by Holly

Charles. Sponsored by Charleen

Blandina. Sponsored by Traci

Baihaki. Sponsored by Janice

Adam G. Sponsored by Heidi 

Adam K. Sponsored by Patricia

Ashura. Sponsored by Angela B

Thank you to all those who sponsored a teacher - do leave a comment!
We received more sponsors than teachers so the remaining funds were used to purchase supplies for the teachers. One person (you!) can indeed make a dramatic difference!

Certificates presented by co-founder and President, Brenda Lowe.

Contact us for further details or to donate educational supplies or if you would like to make a donation towards education in Kahama.
Donate on-line