Meet our Women!! Classes begin Sept 3rd

I am pleased to introduce you to our very first group of women in the "Believe in Me" program. Classes are set to start on September 3rd and will be taught by two very talented Tanzanians, Reuben and Rehema. Reuben and Rehema both have experience teaching business, English and computer classes in Tanzania. The class will last for 5 weeks and every women will get an individual meeting once per week so we can address any problems that she is having and help her to be as successful as possible. After the women attend 5 weeks they will each have a business plan ready to go. We will help the women to start up their small businesses by providing all start up costs,capital for the first month and a lot of advise. After the business is up and going we will visit once per month to make sure that everything is running smoothly and to help out in any way we can. We will continue to meet with the women once per month for the first year as well as offer a variety of educational classes including English, healthcare, computers, business, agriculture, etc. that will be lead by guest speakers and professionals.

The cost to send one women through this program is $150 and we are currently looking for sponsors for all the women in the first class. This donation can be paid every month, every three months or a one time donation. To sponsor a women you can use the donate button located on left side of this page or visit my website www.walkinlovetanzania.com and use the donate button under the how to help tab. Please specify which women you will be sponsoring.

Thank you in advance for changing the life of your sponsored woman their family!

Please follow the link below and Meet Our Women!


http://walkinlovetanzania.com/how-to-help/sponsor-a-womans-education/

My friend, Zulfa

My friend Zulfa is sweet, funny, outgoing, compassionate, optomistic and for reasons I cannot understand, happy. Zulfa is 8 years old and has been through more in those 8 years than most of us will go through in our entire lives. She has been traumatized, victimized and treated like no more than dirt found on the bottom of a shoe.

I met Zulfa a couple of weeks ago when I first started working with Golgotha, the school she attends. Zulfa hung out the weekend we were painting the classrooms as well. She told Jason that she loved him! The teachers and volunteers told me that she was normally terrified of men but she was really comfortable with Jason. It was so sweet!

The next week I was invited to take a field trip with the kids from Golgotha to Lake Manyara National Park. One of the volunteers had arranged and paid for all the kids from class 2 and 3 to go. On the first stop when we all got off the bus to see the hippos Zulfa came up to me and took my hand, the way she was smiling at me I already knew whatever she was going to ask I was going to say yes to, she asked me if I would call her up to sit on my lap when we got back on the bus. Of course, I did this immediately when we got back on the bus. How could I resist that sweet smile! Over the next 5 hours Zulfa sat on my lap. She took pictures, the ones above and below, we listened to music, pointed out all the animals, and drew all over my arms. She wrote “I love Aubree” on her arm and “I love Zulfa” on my arm.  About half way through the trip I had decided, and told the other volunteers, that I wanted to be a bigger part of Zulfa’s life than just the occasional visitor. I am in love with this girl!

Zulfa has only one living family member, her mother, Anna. Anna has done what she has had to do to make a living for herself and Zulfa. Unfortunately, this path has been a very traumatizing and dangerous one for both of them. I requested that Anna meet with me the day I was meeting with the widows. She came, much to my delight! I sat and spoke with her for some time trying to figure what Anna wanted to do and how we could help her and Zulfa have a bright future. During the interview Anna told me that she was taking classes to become a tailor before she got sick. I suspect the “sickness” is related to HIV/AIDs, but unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to being diagnosed and Anna has so far refused to get tested.

With your help, I would like to send Anna back to school and take care of her and Zulfa’s basic needs while she is attending school. Anna has one year left of tailoring school and once she finishes WIL will hire her to make our products. It will cost $100 per month for Anna’s tuition, rent and food for her and Zulfa. Anna wants to change her life and make a better future for Zulfa, but Anna has not had the opportunities in life that most of us have. She has no family, no education, and has been on her own for most of her life.

If you would like to sponsor Anna or contribute to her education please email me at walkinlovetanzania@gmail.com and/or use the donate button that is located on our website www.walkinlovetanzania.com and on the blog walkinlovetanzania.blogspot.com. WIL is in the process of registering as an NGO in the USA and all donations are tax exempt for this years taxes.

A family in Need - Mt. Meru

On a recent visit to a village on the side of Mt. Meru I met a family of seven. Claire had visited the village a few days earlier and she asked about each of the children individually, it was not until later she realized they were all from the same family and needed some kind of support. That is when she called me to see what I could do to help this family.

The father goes into town every morning and tries to find work carrying luggage or other goods for people. This pays very little and is a very inconstant source of income. The mother stays at home to take care of the children and takes care of the small amount of crops they grow for the family. The oldest child, Barracka, does attend school but is sent home frequently because his uniform and shoes are old and ripped.  Happiness has never attended school because her parents could not afford the school uniform and books required to go. She is now two years behind but if we can find a sponsor by September she can begin with her best friend, Glori, whom Claire is finding a sponsor for. School uniforms and text books cost $75 per year. If you are interested in sponsoring Happiness or Barracka please contact me at walkinlovetanzania@gmail.com

We will also be working with Elisamia, the father. I would like to buy Elisamia a large bag of charcoal that he can separate out into small amounts and sell at the market. One large bag of charcoal is around $50. Along with the bag of charcoal I believe the family would greatly benefit from a couple of chickens to provide eggs for them to eat or sell at the market. A chicken coup plus chickens will be around $200. If you are interested in sponsoring Elisamia and/or the chicken coup project please contact me at walkinlovetanzania@gmail.com

Parents- Elisamia & Mary

Boy, Barracka, 12yGirl, Happiness, 8yBoy, Praygod, 5yBoy, Godlove, 4yGirl, Furahini, 18months

Bibi Mary and the Mt.Meru widows

Last week Claire invited me to meet a group of widows and a family in need that lived in a village up the side of Mt. Meru. When we arrived we were introduced a lovely group of widows. There were around 20 to meet us but I was informed that the group has around 70 members. After we introduced ourselves to the widows they began standing and introducing themselves to us. They all had very touching and sad stories but one stood out to me. 

Bibi Mary was in the front row and was obviously very tired. She let her head rest on the shoulder of a women next to her and most of the time she had her eyes closed. Right when we were about to leave she stood up and introduced herself. She is an 82 year old grandmother whose eldest son passed away last month. When her son passed away he left 5 children for Bibi Mary to look after. The oldest three children all went to school up until Standard 7 (around 12 years old) then were forced to drop out because the father could not pay the tuition. They are all late teens and early 20's so unfortunately they are too old to return to school. I will be meeting with them to speak about employment opportunities and the possibility of attending a vocational school. 

The two youngest children are currently not attending school because the Bibi cannot afford school uniform, shoes and the necessary text books.  Patrick is 16 and will have to pay school tuition for him to go back. I do not have the exact information on how much the school closest to him charges for secondary school but it will be around $75 per term or $225 per year. The youngest girl named Queen, age 6, has never been to school. Education will be free for Queen until she reaches standard 7, around the age of 12, but in order to attend primary school she still needs uniform, shoes and text book. These expenses add up to $75 per year! If we can get a sponsor by September she can be enrolled in the next term. If you would like to sponsor Queen or Patrick please email me at walkinlovetanzania@gmail.com

I am also looking for someone who would like to sponsor Bibi Mary's basic needs. She is 82 years old and right now provides food for her grandchild and her self by receiving a small collection from the church congregation. This is a very small amount of money and Bibi Mary has recently been forced to go around the village asking for money food from her neighbors. If you would like to sponsor Bibi Mary and her family's food expenses for $50 per month then please contact me at walkinlovetanzania@gmail.com