Orphans Foundation Fund

With every project that Orphans Foundation Fund takes on we make sure that our goals are S.M.A.R.T.(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Replicable and Time-bound) Some goals we have set for ourselves are the following.

• Specific: New lives for Tanzanian AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children in care centers.
• Measurable: 100 additional vulnerable children receiving, shelter, clothing, care and education.
• Achievable: Following the successful role model of Rafiki Orphan Care Center.
• Replicable: Three new orphan centers, each for at least 30 children.
• Time-bound: Until the year 2011.

Our most recent and ongoing projects include: A Goat Breeding program for sustaining orphan households, Kikatiti Farm as an Orphans Foundation Fund income generating activity and a future site for a Vocational Training University for orphans and vulnerable children. The Rafiki Orphan Center,  A Orphans Foundation Fund Hostel  providing accommodation for volunteers and visitors and as an income generating activity, and Micro finance support to poor members of  local communities in Tanzania.

Facilities

Orphans Foundation Fund (O.F.F) support the local community outreach centers that care for vulnerable and orphaned children with all kinds of help.

The O.F.F fosters a dignified and sheltered life for children who have fallen victim to the scourge of destitution, solitude and are at risk of AIDS. When our mission has been fulfilled our Tanzanian children will have become successful, responsible citizens contributing to a better, brighter future for their society

Projects and Programs

Rafiki Child Care Center ( Funded by Children of Oakville  and Dr James Lace of Oregon State in America )

The existing center in Simanjaro district in the Manyara region was a small, dark and damp mad hut not fit for human habitation. The project involved construction of a new facility featuring a multi-purpose hall for teaching, training, two separate dorms to accommodate a total of 35 Tanzanian Orphans, Including two wash room facilities, a kitchen, storeroom, caretaker dorm, lounge, and medical care room, Also provided was a container full of school bags, educational material, pencils and artwork created by the 3,000 Canadian children of Oakville Canada who together with Catharine Mulvale organized the “ Hope and Seek” Kids Helping Kids Project, who raised the money to fund our new Rafiki Child Care Center.The completion of the project which includes building ,drilling bore well  and power installation was made possible through collaboration of Catherine  Mulivale of Canada and Dr James K . Lace of USA.

Rafiki Sewing Project ( Funded By Catherine Mulivale of  Canada )

Local women of the Manyara region are provided with sewing machines and materials.  On arrival at the center for employment women are provided with the supplied equipment and materials and offered training and support in  making clothes and accessories using the local fabrics and material in order for the final products to be sold to support and sustain the Rafiki childcare center and also as means of employment /cash generator  for the women to support themselves and their families.

The program has been funded exclusively by Cathrine Mulvale and remains tremendous success since it’s launch, and continues to support and empower women everyday.

Ekiindim Masai women group sewing Project

The project is funded by Daniella Blyth to support the Masai Women of Lengasti to help them support their community. The initial funding capital went to purchasing sewing machines, fabrics and other material the Masai women of Lengasti to purchase and craft traditional Masai clothing and Jewelery that can be sold as an income generator to establish sustainability for the Masai women of Lengasti, so to support themselves and their families and the Legasti community on the whole.

Orphan Games 2009 ( Funded by Vodacom Foundation)

This year Orphans Foundation Fund collaborated Wheels of Action and the Vodacom Foundation to establish the Orphan Games 2009. This event, created and organized by Wheels of Action and sponsored by the Vodacom Foundation and the Embassy of The United States in Copenhagen, Denmark are a wonderful effort to encourage the local participating NGO’S and Orphanages in Tanzania to network and learn form each other’s work and experiences. At the same time this event will bring together the children in the orphanages and local centers together helping establish friendships, learning on healthy lifestyles, encouraging positive thinking, respect and understanding for oneself and others through competitive sports. We hope this event will also send a message to the local street children on the benefits of life in a childcare center, such as education, better health, a supportive community offering prospects to a brighter future. The event also aims to raise public awareness on the amazing work being done at the local centers and orphanages,  in an effort to generate public support for the vulnerable children and Orphans of Tanzania. Significantly the Orphan Games will create a fun day for the children and to meet those in similar circumstances. This brilliant event was funded and supported by Vodacom foundation.

Zaire ward (Mererani) Water Sanitation Project-2010( Funded by IDRF- Canada )

This project will see that the Muslim community of Zaire in Mererani be empowered with the supply of a water system and sanitation project that will provided the ward of Zaire and it’s surrounding villages access to clean undemanding, trouble-free water. The lack of clean practical water system for the local community and surrounding villages creates a great impact on everyday lives such farmer’s livestock, vegetation, and everyday household basics needs such as cooking and cleaning. The project will take approximately 1 year to complete. On completing the construction of the water system a local committee made up of a sample of the local community of Muslims, Christian, Men and Women, will be implemented to run and sustain the Bore water system. The committee and the community together will also be provided with basic training in water sanitation and hygiene, to decrease the risk and spread of disease and infection, and to empower the people of Mererani to become a strong sustainable community.

The funds for this incredibly simple but life changing source has been provided by International development relief funds (IDRF).

Community managed water systems and sanitation programs

O.F.F is continuously involved in developing, implementing and maintaining various community managed sustainable water systems and community managed sanitation systems.

Previous Water Sanitation Projects ( Funded by Senator Jackie Winters and Dr James K Lace  both from Oregon State of America .)

In 2008 O.F.F executed and successfully supplied three water systems to three separate communities. The first was in February 2008 was the Kakatiti village 37km east of Arusha center funded fully by Senator winters and Dr James Lace.

The second was in December 2008 at the newly constructed Rafiki childcare center, gratefully funded by Cathrine Mulvale, Senator  Jackie Winters and Dr  James K.Lace.

The third of these life improving water projects  was constructed in the Masai ward of Lengasti in June 2008 funded by the ever supportive Senator Winters and Dr James Lace These projects all aim to develop, implement and maintain a hygienic and practical water supply to the local communities and surrounding areas.

Rehabilitation  & Drug Treatment for Street Children in Arusha Municipal 2009-2011 (Funded by CORDAID Netherlands)

The Street children rehabilitation is a 3-year project (2009-2011) targeting 150 street children with a solvent drug abuse problem in the Arusha Region of Tanzanian. This project aims to provide drug treatment, rehabilitation and HIV/AIDS prevention and offer of education and work opportunities, by altering their behaviour, altitude, and practices towards drugs abuse to ultimately improve their quality of life. Currently we have a total 50 children, 20 girls and 30 boys from the streets that have been rehabilitated and have enrolled on various vocational training of their choice. 18 children have enrolled in Cookery, 5 in Tailoring, 3 in Electrical, 1 in Carpentry, 1 in Art, 12 in Mechanics and 2 in a Welding course. The project started in January 2009 and is being funded by CORDAID- Netherlands and childhood Health Associates Oregon USA. (For more information on CORDAID and other project funding please see Donors) Other members and collaborators include Social welfare department (Arusha Region), Community development department, Children of the street welfare department (CHISWEA), Vocational educational and training authority Tanzania (VETA).

Grandmothers and Orphan Support Project 2007 - Present (Funded by Anna Katharina Krista,  Daniella Blyth)

The Grandmothers and Orphan Support Project run by Orphans Foundation Fund has supported those grandmothers who specifically care for orphans in their community. It is truly a foundational community project focused on sustainability through micro-finance and subsidized through generous contributions.  The following are being helped through this project:

- Bibi Asha who has 4 grandchildren who are all attending school. She has a home to live in with one of her granddaughters; Rehema. Anna came up with the idea of Grandmothers helping Grandmothers and the first to join was her own! She was very happy to help Bibi Asha continue her Business and help to pay the school tuition, food and other items for her grandchildren.

- Mama Agape died of AIDS but left behind her living daughter Agape with caregivers. Mama Nora took care of Agape and then Orphans Foundation Fund heard about her situation. To help Anna bought her a  baby coat, mattress, baby diapers, soap, powder milk, and millet flour so Agape could have a sleeping place, and good nutritional food while being taken care at Mama Nora’s Center. Anna sends monthly support through O.F.F for food. Agape  is now 2 and half years old, and is much healthier. She is staying with her extended family in the Makumira Usa River area.

- Mama Wisdom has 5 children; Wisdom, Ibrahim, Gonzalez, Charity, and Comfort. Her husband Douglas was very sick and disappeared in 2007, likely he died of kidney failure or TB. After her husband was gone life became very difficult to financially support herself and all the children. She came to Orphans Foundation Fund and met Anna in 2008. Anna was touched and decided to support the family with; house rent for a year, electricity, new bed, capital to start a business,  food, water and tuition for the children! In 2009 Anna came to work with O.F.F  again and to oversee this project, generously renewed her donation to the family. The kindness of Anna’s heart is overflowing into the lives she touches.

- Mary Adam Mkinda has 4 children; Florence, Dastan, Frank, and Edina. Mary’s husband, Mr. Augustino Kaema, suffered a long and severe illness that caused the family’s economic collapse before he died. The situation caused fear and the loss of peace and hope of living. Mary took a number of part time jobs to feed her family and to make it possible to take the children to school. But now Mary has be diagnosed with AIDS and things worse. She wanted to start a Chicken business to sell eggs which can support the family with money to pay the school tuition and other expenses. Then Mary could nourish herself with a proper diet, and ARV drugs to combat the effects of AIDS. Anna supported the family but in 2009 Mary died of AIDS. Anna didn’t give up but continued supporting the family with what she had. She bought food for the family, payed school tuition, added 20 new chickens to the chicken
project, bought chicken feed and initiated a new vegetable garden project for the family to increase the income!

- Mama Yustina  Hamadi’s family lived in tiny house with very little to live on. Sophie Mengiest managed  to  connect with a  family and  raised  money  to support the family through small micro-finance business. They received $150 to start a selling food items and each week the profits are deposited in a special account. Improvements to the store are needed to boost the profits and thus the livelihood of the family. Anna’s vision of compassion is an inspiration.

Sustainable Livelihood Project (Funded by Rotract Club, Daniela Blyth and Family , Wendy   and Anna Katharina Krista)

Since the early days of the AIDS orphan crisis there has been a rush by on site NGOS to build orphanages. Of course, it would be preferable to have orphans cared for in family units through extended family networks, foster families and or adoption. Unfortunately that simply is not always possible due to the enormous scale of the problem.

The responsibility of orphaned children in Tanzania most often falls to the Grandmothers as the caregiver. Not only have these elderly ladies in most cases lost their own children through HIV/AIDS but also have to burden the constant worry over how they will manage. Extended families, especially grandmothers can still serve as part of the solution for orphans if they are adequately supported by the state and other sectors of society. OFF through the sustainable Livelihood Project for Grannis introduced (IGAs) Income Generating Activities as one of the ways of alleviating the almost insurable burden of care, born by grandmothers. Funding for this incredible program came from Daniela  Blyth abd Family , Anna-Katharina Krista, and Wendy. The money raised gave the capital for grannies to start businesses in poultry, candles ,used clothes, rope making, and basket making among others. Since the project began 35 grandmothers have benefited from this scheme.

Housing Project- Funded by Jessica Burkart–more information coming soon >