Although the nuns are able to manage the workload of caring for the children, having the support of outsiders such as the volunteers and visitors to assist in feeding and entertaining the children is always viewed as a great help to these permanent caregivers. Also the different people who interact with the children in many different ways assist in enhancing the life of these children.
Sr. Hildegard preparing children for the classes & Geoff Gaskell & Sr. Christine playing with the children
Among recent volunteers were four students from the University of Dar es Salaam who are training in Early Childhood Development. The young volunteers brought along their cultural knowledge of child care and may also gain some parenting skills which are important for their own future lives as parents.
Easter season was celebrated in style. Karen Webster, a volunteer from Australia organized the painting of Easter eggs assisted by Anju and Hannah and some of the nuns from the Centre.
As the Centre becomes better known to people within the country and abroad, we continue to have more visitors and volunteers who have all contributed to the welfare of the children.
From left: Mwanaidi Said, Nuru Lwaho, Sophia Samila & Lucy Kiria from the University of Dar es
Salaam; and Hannah Schurmann from Australia
THE CENTRE’S PROJECT ACTIVITIES
While the Centre continues to benefit from the dairy cows, the new addition to the Centre’s animal
kingdom are the pigs. The piggery is supported by the Dutch Foundation and began operation in April
with 11 females and 5 males. One of the sows has just produced a litter of 7 piglets as seen in the picture below.
Volunteers Anju Lavina and Hannah Schumann busy preparing Easter eggs for the children.
FOSTERING AND ADOPTION
The Centre continues to look for parents who are interested in fostering and adopting children from the Centre. One of the first children to be legally fostered is living happily with a family in Arusha. Another child is in foster care and the process of adoption is under way.
EDUCATION OF CHILDREN FROM THE CENTRE
The Centre has opened an Education Trust account to support children whose relatives are unable to pay for their education. So far, the Dutch Foundation and the Ursulan Order of Sisters are the main donors in supporting the education of the Centre’s children but we look forward to hearing from other interested people or groups who may want to donate specifically for education including those children from the Centre who have returned to their families.
MAINTAINING CONNECTIONS WITH THE CENTRE
The Centre has had volunteers who some have been good ambassadors abroad for the Centre. Geoff Gaskell who is the Secretary to the Centre’s Board of Trustees and also assists with fundraising and Frederica Gaskell who is the Coordinator had the opportunity to catch up with some of the Australian volunteers and donors while on their holidays in Australia recently.