help2kids is growing!
07.01.2012
Dear help2kids’ supporters, this week Francesca is back on the blog. And this time we have great news for you all: we have welcomed 5 new children at our Children’s Home here in Mbezi Beach, Tanzania. The total number of kids living at help2kids Children’s Home is currently 26.
The new children are: Angela (6 years old) and Francisca (5 years old), coming from Moshi where they were both living in poor conditions without parents. Selma (6 years old), Riziki (8 years old) and Constantine (9 years old) were living in little barracks in our neighborhood, only with aunts or grandparents looking after them but without any possibilities to take care of them. We are happy to welcome kids from our area in order to improve our commitment and impact on the community we are living in.
Finally the help2kids family is getting bigger! But of course this means a lot of work in order to prepare everything for our new little friends. The dormitories are almost ready to receive and accommodate them; we are still working on the bathrooms that need to be fixed. All the new kids have already been brought to the Hospital for a total check-up and the best news is that they are all HIV- negative. Some of them are suffering of lack of iron or vitamins, but we are sure that after few weeks at the Children’s Home they will do better (thanks to Mama Anna’s great food). They are now monitored by the Mamas in weight and health. Monday they will be all enrolled in School, primary and nursery.
The kids are simply amazed by the new accommodation, they are curious to explore everything. The Mamas are showing them the rules of the Children’s Home and our volunteers are introducing them to the daily schedule of play-time and lessons. We are glad to take care of them now, they look all happy about the new place and they are starting to get into the normal life at the Children’s Home.
Of course the new children will take some time to start calling Home this place, they all come from difficult situations. We are monitoring their behaviors: with new kids it might often happen that at the beginning they feel a little lost and home-sick. So far our 5 new children seem to be fine, but we are still keeping an eye on them so we can help them to fit in the best way possible in this new environment.
Talking about volunteers: a warm goodbye and thank-you to Monika and Corinne who are done with their volunteer service with help2kids and now back home. Their support and love for kids is mostly appreciated. And then, a big welcome to Patrick from Switzerland, Laura and Delphine from France, our new volunteers. After a week of orientation, now the volunteer team is compact and ready to offer the kids great time, both in playing as well as putting lots of efforts in improving their academic skills.
Life is smooth and my favorite soundtrack down here, the laughs of these amazing children, is playing and playing day after day! We deal with everyday problems with a big smile upon our faces, even if sometimes is not easy. For example, in the past month we have had to call a truck to empty the septic tank 6 times. Every time costs us TSH 150’000 (more or less $ 100). We hope now this big work is done and for some time, also in prevision of the forthcoming big rains, we won’t have this problem anymore.
Before greeting you, all help2kids team wish to send a big ASANTE SANA to Blue Financial Service for a donation of furniture, such as tables, desks, chairs, cabinets and water dispenser. The Chairman of this company and some employees have visited this week the Children’s Home and spent great time with all the children, offering them a little snack and visiting the premises. We are grateful for their kindness.
For this week is all…stay tuned: more and more news are coming soon! In the next blog you will find more updates and pictures especially about our new 5 little friends, to inform you about their progresses!
All our little sweeties in one picture 🙂
Francesca,
Director Tanzania