TANZANIA VOLUNTEERS

Right now we have one on-going project. We are currently collecting money and in the planning stage.  In January 2010, the project will start in Moshi.

Kids’ jail in Moshi is our most important voluntary work placement. The jail is a temporary placement for kids who have committed petty crimes. Many of the kids come from the streets and after their stint in jail, they return to the streets.

Because our chances to work in the jail are limited, we have started a project to establish a support house for these kids. The house will continue to support these kids following their time in jail. This means that after their release from jail, the kids can move into the support house and live there temporarily.

One of the support house’s activities will be discovering the kids’ background and making contact with their respective families. Together with a local social worker, we will find out the chances for the kids to return home and what kind of support families need in order to be able to take the kids back. The child can stay in the support house until the family is ready to take him/her back. When the kids are living in the support house, we will arrange for all of them to go to school. For those children who are not the right age to enter the school, teaching will be arranged at the house. 

Some of the kids aren’t going back to their families.  For these children, the support house will teach them basic skills so that they can support themselves. We will also help them to find a place to live. The support house will also find apprentice placements for these kids in different firms or workshops so that the kids can support themselves.

The support house will give all the kids a place to sleep, food, bathing facilities, education, a safe place to live, the help and support of professional adults, and a chance to learn important skills.

We need a lot of help to run the house. We need to hire a social worker, guard, teacher, housekeeper and interpreter. We need a lot of voluntary workers to run the day-to-day tasks and, for example, to teach the kids. We also need financial support to run the house and to pay the salaries of the local workers.

The support house also offers internships for those who are studying in the social sector.

You don’t need to give big amounts to help these kids. Later we will start a ‘godchild’ program where you can choose a child to support by donating a monthly amount to support this child. You will receive a newsletter and photos from your godchild so that you can see how his/her life is developing.

What is the best way for you to help?   

 KIDS SUPPORT HOUSE- PROJECT