We are fortunate enough to be able to help out certain causes every so often. It is always good to step back and not only appreciate what we have but to be able to give to the less fortunate.
The Msamaria Center for Street Children is a registered Tanzanian NGO, which provides support and care to street children, orphans, families and communities. Currently, there are around 100 children in Moshi (ages 8-18) with limited access to food/water and exposure to dangers of the streets. Most of the kids have lost their parents to disease.
The Msamaria Center for Street Children started in 2007 by a group of social workers and a church organization. The foundation for the work is the UN’s “Convention of Right of Children” (adopted by Tanzania in 1991). The children are provided:
• Protection (safe place to grow up)
• Food
• Accommodation
• Education
Most children are under 11, but can be taken care of until age 18. There are 58 children in care currently. They value education and focus highly on it.
GRIDWORKS
We had the luck to know a volunteer that was physically traveling to the center to help out. We donated funds for him to take and we are so proud of the outcome.
Kevin Gault is a former cruise ship audio technician that decided to take some time off to teach French and English in Tanzania. He worked very hard at the center digging gardens and planting vegetables. He was even able to convince the directors to let him dig up the parking lot and expand the garden! He went into town to the food market with Mama Machuwa (Msamaria coordinator) and bought rice, corn, and beans to last for months. Buckets of cabbage, tomatoes, green peppers, onions and dried fish were also purchased. His fund raising results were so great that they managed to sponsor 3 more kids that had lost theirs. Some of the funds raised will also contribute in building a new library.
Kevin said the children were very appreciative of it all and chanted “chakula! chakula!” (food, food!) when he arrived with the goods. They all hugged Kevin and posed for a photo. Kevin made sure to somehow get Gridworks in the shot and it truly warmed our hearts.
If you are interested in helping this cause, please visit msamariakids.org
Share this:
