Simon's Orphanage & Children's Centre

CONTACT US

If you are here it means you are looking at ways to impact the lives of children and youth. And maybe change your own life too? Whether you sponsor a child, or take a self-funded trip with us to Simon's Orphanage & Children's Centre, you can be assured that you will be effecting meaningful change. We are a grassroots, volunteer organization based in Summerland, B.C. We been working in Kahama, Tanzania since 2007, and started to build and operate the orphanage in 2013.

Volunteering

As a volunteer at Simon's Children's Centre & Orphanage your most important task will be to interact with the children and youth. The orphans will really enjoy having you there and nothing can compare to making them smile or seeing how happy they are to play or practice their English with you!

• Other tasks will include physical work such as painting, yard-work, shopping, and unloading resources from the shipping container. There may also be opportunities to volunteer at the Royal Academy School.
• Duration: You can choose how long to stay but we recommend a 2 week minimum. Brenda takes a team once or twice a year and stays for around 6 weeks. Some volunteers have taken the trip on their own. (We have many contacts in Kahama, including our One Person Agent, Emmanuel.)
• Fees: We do not charge you to be a One Person volunteer.
• Costs: You will pay all your own travel, food, accommodation and associated costs (as we do).

 For more information Contact Brenda

Sponsoring the Orphanage $30 Per Month

It takes just a few minutes to set up your sponsorship. You can set up a monthly Direct Debit of $30 payable to the Summerland Credit Union. If you currently bank at the Credit Union, go in and they will set up the payment. If you bank at another institution, we will supply you with the PAD agreement form to fill out and sign. They also require a blank cheque and two pieces of ID. The ideal amount is $40 but we are unable to issue tax-receipts for sponsorship at this time, so One Person will fundraise the difference, an amount that will more than cover the tax rebate you would have received.

Your on-going donations will help to:

• Pay for maintenance of the buildings, and the development and maintenance of the grounds
• Feed and clothe the children
• Pay for medical expenses
• Pay school fees, and school uniforms and supplies
• Provide further education and vocational education for youth who leave school
• Pay a wage to a matron and patron to live with, and care for the orphans
• Pay for a live-in Social Worker and our Agent
• Provide emergency funds
• Provide project aid for the Royal Academy School
• NOTE: All One Person members are unpaid volunteers. 100% of your donations go to our projects in Kahama

 For more information Contact Brenda

Giving Hope

We cannot guarantee that all the children at Muvuma will do well, or even that they will stay at the orphanage; but we do know that they are receiving the chance of a hope for a better future. 

 Team members Susan, Kayla and Rylee 

hanging out with the kids. 

Many of the children have been living on the streets, or have lived with relatives who are already facing the struggle of having to survive in extreme poverty. And, as is the way with many children and teenagers, the orphans often do not realize that they have been given an extraordinary opportunity, and may rebel against suddenly having to work hard at school or follow rules at Muvuma. Some children may run away, back to the familiarity and freedom of the streets, or they might not settle well into their new life, but while they are under our roof they will be safe and fed and clothed. 

While some of the children may not apply themselves at school, others are just not academically inclined and have other strengths so we provide the opportunity for the youth to receive vocational training when they leave school. Thanks to everyone who makes a donation, attends our fundraisers or sponsors a child we know that we are making impactful changes to young lives. 

Julie is already trying to work out 

when she can come back to Muvuma!

Each visit Brenda and the team deliver 

school supplies and small gifts from the sponsors.

The boys especially appreciate Kelly

being around as the orphans rarely get to interact 

with male role-models

 Visit our facebook page for more photos and stories. Thank you for your support. 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

Muvuma: Sponsor Children New Year's Party

Our Agent, Emmanuel hands over money sent from the sponsors to each of the children at the orphanage. We do not usually give money directly like this but the sponsors thought it would be fun for the children to go out and buy something for themselves or have the opportunity to buy a gift for someone else. This is the first time the children have ever had their own money. 

Brenda (Lowe, One Person President) and a few of the sponsors participated in the party via Skype in the early hours of January 1st, Canadian-time. 

Emmanuel emailed later: “the children said they have never had a day like that ever since they were born, a lot of food, drinks, music gifts giving {money} and speeches, they couldn't believe their eyes, they prayed to God that OPP continues to exist and operate on Earth, They pray to God that l stay safe so that they continue benefiting, they spoke a lot, l can't write each and every thankful word they spoke...other information will be communicated by the photos themselves."

THE DANCE COMPETITION!

There were various rounds in the younger and older age group

The lady having fun in the middle is Nurse Flora from the Amani Clinic at the Kahama District Hospital, which we also support. (They had a party too - we're just waiting for the photos!)

Congratulations to Medard who won the the final round 

of the children's dance-off! (And if you were wondering - Deodatha won the youth competition. She is pictured in a photo above, 
with the yellow headscarf.) 

We cannot thank Emmanuel enough for arranging the party and ensuring that the children had 'party food' and games - a first for all of them.  We are also incredibly grateful to the 20-plus sponsors who have stepped forward to help finish building the orphanage and provide for the children's education.

Precious letters from the sponsor-families

My husband and I sponsor the little guy on the right in the light-blue shirt; his name is Mengi and he is one of the three children in the orphanage who have albinism. We write to him and receive letters back, translated by Emmanuel. He is going into Grade 6 this year and has just passed his annual exam - which is a really big deal! He enjoys science and hopes to be a doctor one day.  Whether he achieves this particular dream or not, Mengi and these children know that they can at least dare to believe that they have a hopeful future.

Contact me if you would like to sponsor an orphan, 

or the orphanage as a whole. To learn more about the Muvuma Orphanage or our other programs scroll through the blog - or click on a label on the right. Check us out on facebook for the latest news and pictures.

You can donate on line www.theonepersonproject.org or at the Summerland Credit Union or mail to The One Person Project 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, V0H 1Z5 

Asante Sana!

Thank you!

Muvuma Orphanage receives support from their own community

We receive frequent updates from the Muvuma ladies:

"The MUVUMA group has not been idle since Brenda’s last visit. We have knocked from one donor to another and this has produced some results, I am happy to let you know that 3 metal safety doors for the external doors have been installed. Other contributions include

• Sofa sets- 6 pieces
• Cooking pots- 8
• Refrigerator- 1
• Wardrobes- 6
• Bicycles- 3
• Mattresses- 11
• Electric cooker- 1
• School uniforms
• School equipments
• School fees(January to June 2015)
• Tables small size- 10
• Clothes
• Food
• Kahama Town Director provided Tshs 4,800,000  ($3,000 CDN)


So the work for The One Person Project has attracted other people to put their hand at the Orphanage Centre. The place looks really wonderful. We thank you a lot."

Contact me if you would like to sponsor an orphan, 

or the orphanage as a whole. To learn more about the Muvuma Orphanage or our other programs scroll through the blog - or click on a label on the right. Check us out on facebook for the latest news and pictures.

You can donate on line www.theonepersonproject.org or at the Summerland Credit Union or mail to The One Person Project 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, V0H 1Z5 

Asante Sana!

Thank you!

Like us on facebook to see all the latest pictures

Great Progess on the Muvuma Building!

www.theonepersonproject.org

Thanks to donations and fundraising events here in the Okanagan (BC) we were able to send funds for a roof for the new Muvuma Orphanage in Kahama.

Twenty children and youth currently live in this rented 4-room house, which will not be available for much longer. The Kahama District Council donated land for a new orphanage, which will house up to 50 children. The small group of local women, who donate their time and limited funds to running the orphan-group, raised enough funds to start the building, a difficult task in a rural area struggling with the effects of extreme poverty. Check out the previous Muvuma blogs (click on the Muvuma link on the right or scroll through the blog) to see how the orphanage will be transforming lives.

It took two years of hard work for the building to get the first five levels of bricks around the 7,000sq ft base; a great testament to the Muvuma ladies' determination and dedication. The 2011 One Person Volunteer team visited the orphanage and Nancy C. donated $1,000, which provided the top 4,000 bricks and soon translated into an exciting surge of progress.

And now - thanks to our supporters - the roof is up!

One Person Kahama Representative, Emmanuel, with the security guards who are monitoring the precious building supplies.

We are thrilled at the progress being made, and know that with your help the building will be ready to provide a safe home for the children by Christmas. Please do contact me if you are able to make a donation towards the costs of finishing the orphanage: floor, internal walls, doors, windows, plumbing, electrical and so on.

A third of our forty-foot shipping container is dedicated to resources for the orphanage; it will arrive in Kahama early next year to coincide with our February Volunteer trip. 

Contact us if you would like to:
Donate towards finishing the orphanage.
Sponsor the orphanage or an orphan.
Volunteer in Kahama, or in the Okanagan, B.C.

You can also make a donation towards any of our programs by mailing a cheque to The One person Project, 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, British Columbia, V0H 1Z5, Canada. Donating on-line or making a donation at the Summerland & District Credit Union.

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

Susan and Morgan in Kahama, Tanzania

Susan George at the current Muvuma Orphanage
www.theonepersonproject.org 

We regularly take teams of volunteers to Kahama but Susan and her granddaughter Morgan couldn't wait for the next planned trip, so travelled to East Africa on their own to visit our friends in Rwanda and Tanzania. 

Susan has had a long-term plan to help out in an orphanage so was delighted to be able to spend time with the Muvuma children and the dedicated local women who donate their time to supporting them. The current small building houses 20 children and youth, click the Muvuma link on the right to learn more about the children and the new building, which will be home to 50 at-risk orphans. 

Muvuma shelters street-kids and children with albinism. We will be shipping a forty-foot sea container to Kahama at the end of the year, which amongst other essential supplies, is crammed full of educational resources, medical equipment and items to help furnish and finish the new building.

Morgan enjoying a few minutes of downtime

Soccer balls are always greatly appreciated!

Susan and Morgan visited with a number of families and assisted in our other programs too! We greatly appreciate all our volunteers; whether you help in BC or on the ground in E.Africa you are truly making a difference in the lives of vulnerable women and children.

Contact us if you would like to:
Donate towards finishing the orphanage.
Sponsor the orphanage or an orphan.
Volunteer in Kahama, or in the Okanagan, B.C.
You can also make a donation towards any of our programs by mailing a cheque to The One person Project, 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, British Columbia, V0H 1Z5, Canada. Donating on-line or making a donation at the Summerland & District Credit Union.

Muvuma - Help us Raise the Roof!

Almost there! The 20 children in the existing tiny orphanage building (which is only available until November) will soon have a new home. And 30 more vulnerable children including those surviving on the streets will soon find a safe-haven. We have recently sent a further $500 towards purchasing materials for the roof and are holding fundraisers to complete the building. Check out the other Muvuma posts to find out about the importance of a safe place for the children.

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

www.theonepersonproject.org

Follow your passion and make a difference

www.theonepersonproject.org

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”  Margaret Mead

Invaluable incubator in the Muhanga Hospital, Rwanda 
Oxygen saturation machine donated by Kamloops Hospital B.C

Most of us want to make a difference in the world but with so many great causes, knowing how much to give and what charitable vehicles to use can be daunting.  First - work out what drives your giving-engine.

ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT EMPOWERING WOMEN & CHILDREN?

The One Person Project supports two orphanages in Kahama, Tanzania. The Faraja Orphanage, which is sponsored by the Summerland Montessori School (B.C. Canada) and the Muvuma orphanage, which is in the process of expanding from 18 to50    orphans. We need funding to finish and furnish the new building and welcome volunteers to visit in the future.

We also provide you with the opportunity to feed children who attend an HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Clinic; their life-saving drugs cause devastating side-effects if taken on an empty stomach.

We are fundraising to finish building and equipping a poultry cooperative for women-headed households in Kahama.

DO YOU WANT TO BATTLE INJUSTICE?

Read about the brutal treatment of children and adults with albinism in Tanzania. One Person is helping to provide safe shelter and school education for orphaned children with albinism. The Tanzanian Government and local organizations are working on eliminating the traditional belief that the severed limbs of people with albinism contain magical properties.

IS EDUCATION YOUR THING?

We ship classroom and teacher resources and have held Train-the-Teacher workshops in Kahama – more workshops are planned for the future.  

SPORTS DO IT FOR YOU?

We believe 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. We collect and ship matching team shirts (from soccer, baseball etc.) and soccer balls and cleats as well as other sporting equipment.

DOES MEDICAL CARE CONCERN YOU MOST?

As the Kahama District Medical Officer Dr. Andrew has heavy administrative and public health responsibilities, leaving little time for direct patient care. (Update 2014 Dr Membe is now the DMO.) The hospital is staffed by too few doctors, nurses and Assistant Medical Officers. They are forced to care for two or three patients per bed and lack basic equipment. We are making strides in this area, as hospitals and organizations in B.C have donated supplies and equipment, but we intend to offer long-term support and help Dr. Andrew create a fully functioning hospital for the district. On each One Person trip we recruit professional and non-professional volunteers to ensure that we are on track, to identify needs, distribute items and meet with families and organizations.

WHATEVER YOUR PASSIONS AND INTERESTS ARE we welcome your involvement. Everyone has something to give, be it a donation of time, skills, items or funds. Whatever your contribution is, you can be sure that you are impacting the lives of women and children in Kahama and Muhanga. Thank you!

Learn more

Volunteer

Donate

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. 



Muvuma Orphanage and Albinism

www.theonepersonproject.org

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.