The Centre is a joyful place. It shows in the happy faces, the chubby cheeks, the bright eyes and the sheer joy of being a normal child in a loving home.
Ursuline nuns are the ‘mothers’ of the children. They see that the children are clean, well-dressed and fed and are surrounded by plenty of love as well as necessary care and discipline. The nuns make sure they are taught right from wrong and encouraged to be considerate of others.
The children are given plenty of time to play but they also go to kindergarten at the Centre and when they reach 7 years they go to boarding primary school where they are taught in the English language.
During school holidays these children return to the Centre if there are no relatives to visit.
Outings to church and nearby markets, daily routines such as assemblies and prayers are opportunities for the children to become community members.
Because the children’s lives are so secure and they are surrounded by friends and people who love them, these children are joyful. One visitor to the Centre commented:
‘The biggest difference about this orphanage was that the children are treated so normally and are absolutely smothered with love and attention. There are a dozen nuns who work at the Centre and all they do is love, feed and play with the kids all day long. And it shows. These children are absolutely sparkly-eyed and happy’.
It is also possible for children to be fostered/adopted or returned to relatives if they are known and willing to take good care of them. We recognize that it is desirable for a child to be brought up in a loving Tanzanian family if possible.