Update: What has Joyce been up to?

Joyce came home very excited last Friday! It was finally her turn to get her hair done by the other students. They will practice on each other for a long time before taking on clients. She looked so beautiful and she knew it:)

Joyce is also at the top of her English class. She got a 98% on her last test and consistently gets 100% on her homework. Joyce has been working very hard and has been very busy. She wakes up early in the morning to do some cleaning before her 3 hours at English class. She comes home grabs a quick lunch, does more chores then leaves for 3 hours of afternoon classes at the salon. When she comes home she always comes by the house to show me and Jason her recent English lessons and homework. Then she is off to her room to study for the rest of the night. Joyce is a great example of a woman who just needed someone to believe in her. She is determined to work hard so that she can bring her children home and give them good life. We are so proud of Joyce!

A letter from a WIL supporter

Written by Alicia Vail Studna:

Why am I so passionate about Walk In Love Tanzania? Let me count the ways! 

First, I was a single mother for 9 years, just me and my baby girl Lexi.  Not so little anymore and now I have 2 other beautiful little boys, however, I will never forget the challenges, sleepless nights and the what if’s of being a single mother and I live in the wealthiest country with a lot of opportunities! I can only imagine what the women of Tanzania go thru with less opportunity and less of a support system.  My heart goes out to them and I commend them for everything they do to keep their family together and fight to support their beautiful children! They say there is nothing that compares to a mother’s love and that is 100% correct! To hear that some of these mothers are willing to put their children in an orphanage in hopes of giving them a better life and to find someone who can give their child everything they deserve, that’s got to be the most heartbreaking decision and one only the most loving, unselfish mother could make! Unless you are a mother, it’s truly hard to even comprehend that kind of love! 

Second, I was diagnosed with a debilitating nerve condition called RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) in early 2008 and I am one of the lucky ones, I am not in a wheel chair, yet.  This condition started in my left thigh after a minor surgery on my vein to remove blood clots.  The doctor hit my sciatic nerve on accident with the laser and changed my life for good! Now legs, hips and back suffer from this condition of raging pain, burning and basically the worst pain imaginable 24/7 thru out my entire body! There is no cure, nor one in site, for this condition.  My RSD makes walking or sitting for periods longer than a few minutes very, very difficult! Daily tasks such as taking a shower or even sitting on the floor with my 1 year old typically put my body into a massive flare of nerve pain that no medication can take the edge off of.

With all that said I’d like to answer why I am so passionate about WIL and why I am asking you to participate, sponsor me or to simply make a donation whether it be $5 or $5,000,000.  I am a mother, I have a debilitating disease that makes every day life a challenge, I can sympathize with the women and children of Tanzania. I AM WALKING with 2 bad legs, 2 bad hips and a bad back because I sympathize with the women and commend them for everything they do! If they can do it, so can I! I want to help give them the same chances they deserve as human beings, the same chances we in the USA take for granted every day!  If you are a parent and have ever had the flu, you know how difficult it can be to take care of your kids when you’re too sick to get out of bed, right? Now imagine that on a daily basis! A minutely basis, that’s what these women go thru yet they press forward in some of the worst conditions. Could you?

Please give this wonderful program a chance to thrive and reach its fullest potential! Sponsor, donate, walk beside me, you really can’t imagine the difference you WILL make! Take your lunch to work this week, skip one “happy hour” and let that money go toward the best cause on the planet! 

I thank you in advance for your support and love you for the difference you ARE making!

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deeds”  Proverbs 19:17

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give then receive’” Acts 20:35

Thank you Alicia for your heartfelt letter and everything you are doing to support WIL!! We can do not do the work in Tanzania without people like Alicia. If you would also like to share why you are passionate about WIL then please email me at walkinlovetanzania@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you!

Check out our website as www.walkinlovetanzania.com

Getting registered in Tanzania

My dear friend, Isaac Kirunda, came to Arusha for a couple of days to visit and to register Walk In Love in Tanzania. Isaac registers NGO's as a side job and has successfully registered many NGO's in Uganda and Kenya, but he did not know what he was getting into when he came to Tanzania! The process in Kenya and Uganda takes only 4 days and very little hassle as long as your paperwork is all correct. Not here! We have been told it can take anywhere from 2-10 months and that includes a week in Dar Es Salaam. Isaac was a little discouraged but I let him know that I fully expected there to be delays and many hiccups along the way. Isaac worked for 2 days and completed 20 pages worth of the Walk In Love Tanzania (my official Tanzania registration name) constitution. 
I am thrilled that I was able to get a fantastic board of directors together. Myself and Jason will be on the board along with Cecile, Johan, Adam, Mama Musa and Isaac. I really wanted a board from all different walks of live and backgrounds. We have a very well rounded board and I look forward to brainstorming for upcoming projects. I could not be happier! 
I have an appointment with a lawyer on Monday. The lawyer will be able to tell me exactly what, if anything, else needs to be done before filing. I am happy that I have found a very qualified lawyer but I am a little worried about what the fees will be. I am worried about how we will pay the lawyer fees but I know that we must go forward. Registering in Tanzania is a crucial step to make sure that WIL as well as donors are protected. 
I could not be happier how everything with WIL has been going. Things are progressing very fast and I am very thankful to everyone who has supported us.  We couldn't do the work we do with you! This is only the beginning and I can not wait to see where the following months and years can take us!


If you haven't checked out our new updated website, please visit us at www.walkinlovetanzania.com.


If you are in the Kansas City area we would love to have you as a participant in the first annual Walk In Love 5K. For details go to www.walkinlovetanzania.com and look under the events tab!

Update: Mama Teddy

We went to visit Mama Teddy (Aurea) and the girls yesterday. Teddy was full of big smiles while Irene tends to not look directly at us. We are probably the first white people that she has been in very close contact with and seems a little unsure of us! Mama Teddy is a little shy around us but this time she was smiling instead of crying during our visit. She is a very strong women and I am so happy we are able to help her keep her family together. It is very obvious that the girls are her world and she loves them so much!

Teddy and Irene in their new clothing! Most people here have only one set of clothing that they wear every day. It has gotten very cold recently and we were happy to deliver some nice, warm, and clean clothing to the girls. We also brought a nice pair of shoes for Teddy! Its obvious Irene will need some next visit. The shoes she was wearing we several sizes too small and its must be painful for her to walk around in them.

 The day we met Mama Teddy and the girls.

We delivered some much needed clothing that was donated by Cecile, the owner of Cicada Aviation, and Jason's boss. We also brought  the donation, provided by a sponsor, that will go towards the capital of Mama Teddy's mandazi business and rent. Mama Teddy is our first women in the small business loan program. We have found a sponsor that is helping to pay for Mama Teddy's capital on her business every month so she has enough profit left over to provide a food, clothing, health care and education to Teddy and Irene. We are willing to make an exception for Mama Teddy and that exception is that her monthly donations will not end. Most women in the program will only receive the monthly donations until they have saved enough to run the business and make enough profit to provide for their families. They will attend business classes to learn the most profitable ways to run a business. The women will also learn how to  put a savings plan in place for the future. Mama Teddy is an exception because she is HIV positive and as the time goes on she will not be able to work as much and will probably never be able to save money or run the business without the monthly donation. On our next visit we will be sitting down with Mama Teddy and looking over her business plan to see where she could cut cost and increase profits, but the assistance will probably not end. Thanks to a wonderful friend and sponsor,  Mama Teddy will not have to put her children in the orphanage before it is absolutely necessary.

Press the play button and once the video has loaded it will play or you can press play once it has fully loaded.

By sponsoring a women like Mama Teddy you break the cycle of poverty in her family. She will be able to support her children and send them to school. Her educated children will then find good jobs and send their children to school. You can be the first step in breaking the cycle for a family and the generations to come.


If you would like to sponsor a women like Mama Teddy please email me at walkinlovetanzania@gmial.com and we can connect with a women that needs your support. You can also make a general donation through our donate button. Please visit our website at walkinlovetanzania.com to find out more about our women's programs!

Children's clothing available now!

Mens and Women's items coming soon!!

Blankets and baby slings coming soon!

Please place your orders under the merchandise tab at www.walkinlovetanzania.com!

All the clothing that you see and order are hand made on a treadle sewing machine. Treadle sewing machines do not have a motor and its does take a longer time to make each item. Every item is also made to order. We do not have items on hand so that means nothing is made until you order it. Please
consider this when looking at the prices of each piece. The Masai shuka material is heavier and warmer than the regular kitenge which is fairly light weight.

Boys and girls robes are available in all sizes and materials.

$20

For sizes 1 yr and smaller $15 

Boys and girls PJ's are available in all materials and sizes.

The top is a button up with a pocket and collar. The pants have an elastic waist and hemmed at the bottom.

$25

For sizes 1 yr and smaller: $20

Order code: PJ

These lounge pants have an elastic waist was well as elastic around the feet. Top coming soon!

Pants $10

For sizes 1 yr and smaller $7

Order code: LP (lounge pants)

 This one piece girls outfit comes in all sizes, materials and has elastic around the waist.
$20
For sizes 1 yr and smaller, $15
Order code: JE (jumper with elastic)

This is a girls one piece outfit without elastic at the waist. It comes in all sizes and materials.

$15

For sizes 1yr and smaller $10

Order code: JNE (Jumper, no elastic)

 These one piece outfits have snaps on the bottom and decorative buttons on the shoulders. Come ins all sizes and materials.
$15
For 1 yr and smaller, $10
Order code: SOP (small one piece)

This picture does this adorable pair of overalls/dungarees no justice!! The detail is absolutely amazing. There are 3 decorative pockets with flops and loops for belt. There are buttons on the top and the sides. I promise to get a better picture up soon! This is one of my favorite little outfits! This also comes with long pants, in all materials and sizes

$25 ( a lot of detail goes into this piece)

For 1 yr and smaller

$20

This very cute little dress comes in all sizes and materials.  There is ruffle on the bottom of the dress.

$15

For 1 yr and smaller $10





All proceeds go directly back to the women of WIL!

A home for Helena, The future of WIL

A home for Helena, The future of WIL

I have been thinking  a lot about the future of Walk In Love and before I could come to any conclusions on my own, I was inspired yet again. This happy little girl is Helena. I have actually known Helena for quite some time but when I was sitting on the floor playing with her the other day something occurred to me: Helena will never go home. The future for Helena and children like her is still up in the air. Helena is very lucky to be in a place like Neema House where she is cared for and loved but one day she will have to move on to a big kid orphanage (unless Neema decides to expand into an children's home). An orphanage where she does not know anyone and they do not know her. Imagine how scared she will be. Imagine how scared you would be. With no one to tell her how much her grandparents did love her and tried for 10 months to keep her alive before making the loving decision to place her in an orphanage.I decided right then and there that I wanted to build a home for Helena. I do not want to build an orphanage for older children but a home. A home with a mama, siblings, pet goldfish named Rainbow, a back yard to play in, a kiss good night and the gentle touch of a loving mother in to wake up to. I want those things for Helena and for all the children who cannot go back to biological relatives. 

The first step to making this dream come true is getting Walk In Love registered in the United States. If I have to hire a lawyer then it will cost around $3,000. I am currently looking for a lawyer that would be willing to donate their time to register WIL. This is crucial to get the project up and running. If you know a lawyer could you please ask if they would be willing to help us. I have learned that if you never ask the answer is always no. Thank you for your kindness. Lets get this home build for Helena and children like her!