Kilimanjaro Children's Project
Have you "liked" or "followed" us yet?
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Khuba Nursery
  • How can you help?
  • Contact
  • KCP Blog
  • Artwork!!!
  • Store

Why Tanzania?

5/15/2013

0 Comments

 
This is a question I often have to answer and at first I didn't have one. Ultimately, it was a process of elimination and where I felt led to go. But now that I really think of it, it's perfect. It's exactly where I needed to start this school for the kids. 

Tanzania is not the poorest country in Africa. It is not war-torn and desolate. There are children in other countries that are terribly malnourished and will never have a chance at an education. So why didn't I go there? Don't they need us more than the kids in Tanzania?  Here is my take on it: I am one person. Where can I go where the little amount I can give will have the biggest impact?  Where the money goes to feed starving kids or where it goes to give kids an education where they can in turn impact hundreds of lives? The answer is easy for me. Obviously, feeding starving children is essential and a great need. However, there are really, really large organizations where their sole focus is that. They have a network of people on the ground to get food there, they have money going into advertising and PR and huge events and can have kids writing you letters telling you they are doing this or that and it's awesome. Making sure children across the world are fed is a huge project, where huge organizations are to fill that need.  What can I do where I can have a direct impact?

Education is life. Moshi, Tz has the infrastructure to empower women and youth. There are public schools that start when they are about 6 or 7. There are farms and food and tourism. It's a peaceful country where Muslims gets along with Christian and vica versa. The structure is there for poor families and orphans...they just need a boost. There is no public school for nursery age, only private, so by the time they are 7 they would be really behind already if they didn't have the opportunity to start learning at an early age. Also, they still need to purchase school uniforms and learning materials and backpacks and eat lunch. They still need to be able to get to the school so if they live in a poor village far from town it would be difficult. Also, some of the single parents need the kids to stay home to babysit the younger siblings or help out around the house.  Food is available but not always affordable. And with young kids at home, a single parent can't go out and get work.

If we can provide a safe place for 3-7 year old kids to come play, learn, eat twice a day, nap, and meet volunteers from other countries, it could actually change their lives. A world of possibilities would be opened to them. They wouldn't have to leave their families to become street kids in order to find a better life like Frank did. Single parents would be able to go out and find work. Orphanages would be less burdened to supply kids with uniforms if we can find sponsors for those that graduate our school. The kids would learn to paint and read and speak a little English. The money I help raise to get this school up and running can really have an impact. Even if one of them went to school, got a degree and came back to start their own school or project, it would in turn impact hundreds more lives. That's why I believe I was led to Tanzania. A little bit can go a long way. Give the kids a boost so they can take advantage of the infrastructure already in place.  Help them understand that the sky is the limit and that they can dream!  Plus...it's a beautiful place for volunteers to come visit (wink, wink) Will you join this journey with me?
0 Comments

Check out this very special message from Christine

2/1/2013

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

Through our challenges, we find our strengths.

10/7/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
I hesitated to post about this, but after some reflection, I believe our supporters need to see the the positive as well as the negative. My heart is heavy due to what happened over the weekend. Our gardener, the man Frank entrusted to take care of the land on the school property, broke into the office and stole many valuables of Frank's. I would have to say, most of his valuables. His laptop, ipod, speakers, money, a flash drive, some clothes and receipts that were in the bag he used to take everything...all gone. Frank filed a police report but it's unlikely he will see any of his belongings again. There are a few things upsetting about this. The obvious being the theft itself. The laptop was not only Frank's main way of keeping track of the project and keeping in touch with us, but he also had personal items on there and items saved to his hard drive that he'll never get back. Also, electronics are way too expensive in Tanzania to just send him money for a replacement and besides, right now all of our money is going directly to the project itself. But the other thing upsetting is that we gave this man a job in an area that has so much unemployment.  We would have employed him for years and he was willing to throw that away for a one time theft.  We don't know his situation... maybe he had a family member in need and he was desperate. Maybe he didn't trust he would be paid and he saw an opportunity he couldn't pass up?  Whatever his reasons, I'm a firm believer in the karmic law, or what goes around comes around...or we reap what we sow.  Whatever you want to call it, things have a way of taking care of themselves.  I just wish him luck on his journey and I can pray for him, as he has made a choice that has changed the course of his life.

I also believe there are no accidents. There are things both Frank and I will learn from this, I'm sure. And maybe this theft will protect us from a potentially much more devastating theft in the future because we now take precautions against it. We will need to invest in a locked cabinet or safe of some kind. We will make sure and hire security and be more cautious in vetting our help.  So... it's a minor bump in the road. It makes us stronger. It brings us all closer.

My vision is to get a laptop donated for Frank. One that is solid with a good battery (because of constant power outages) and wifi.  One that will allow Frank to get his work done faster (the last one was slow as molasses with a chinese keyboard haha). One that will allow us to get some face time in with video conference (assuming there is a fast enough connection). We have a small window of time- Frank has a friend traveling in the US and can take a laptop back with her. If you are reading this and have a laptop you would like to donate, or know of someone that could find it in his/her heart to help out... please contact me so I can get transportation worked out.  Let's come together and make this happen!  I'm sad that Frank has lost all of his valuables, but I'm certain someone will step up to help. Thank you in advance!

UPDATE 10/9/12: We have a laptop donation!!!! Thank you! If anyone has old ipod/speakers/hard drive etc that they would like to donate, these items were also stolen. Not necessary to run a nonprofit, but they were taken from the school property and I would like to help replace if possible. thank you so much. This is such a blessing. It means that the funds we have raised can go back into getting the school ready rather than on a new computer. This is fantastic news...

0 Comments

October 04th, 2012

10/4/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Woohoo! We have raised enough money to fix all three bathrooms and get started on the kitchen. This is so exciting! I've been doing the accounting for KCP in the last couple of days, tallying what we've raised since this all began in February (prior to my trip)...and I'm just overwhelmed with gratitude. We have a long way to go, but the generosity and encouragement that I've received in the last few months is so incredible. We are all in this together. I'm honored by each of you who have donated because I realize there are so many projects and fundraisers and causes...and you chose us. You chose to help the little children in small Kilimanjaro villages in Africa. You chose to trust in me and my vision.  I am grateful.

0 Comments

The artwork is up! Beautiful, and only $100 donation

9/26/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
I am in awe of these kid's work. Such colors, such maturity.  We commissioned some artwork from the Hard Life Artists in Tanzania. They are street kids that are artists and have created a company that holds workshops to teach other kids art. They are truly giving back to the community. Many of these children can't even afford pencils, let alone paint and canvas, so being able to learn to paint is such a light in their difficult lives.  We believe in these kids and Frank asked them to paint the alphabet and murals on the inside of the school. We bought the supplies and they donated their time.

And now we have these incredible pieces available to YOU! I want to plaster my apartment with them, but that wouldn't really help our cause any, would it? hahaha.... instead, I've created a page here on the website showcasing all of the art we have left. For $100 donation, you pick which one you want.  We have a variety of artists and styles. We even have art made from banana leaves- each detail being a separate piece of leaf. Amazing.  Six donations for these paintings will cover the costs to fix all three bathrooms at the school. Fifteen more and we can build the kitchen that will feed up to 80 children, two meals a day. I know there are so many fundraisers and so many causes and we are constantly bombarded with give here, donate there.... so what can I say to make you want to help get this school up and running?  We are not a big organization. We don't have the manpower to hold large fundraising events.  But we do have beautiful paintings. :) If you cannot take us up on this offer, please send to all art lovers, Africa lovers, children and animal lovers (we have two dogs!)... we desperately need your help to spread the word in order to keep the project going.

With deepest gratitude.

Christine

0 Comments

September 25th, 2012

9/25/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Did you just upgrade to the iPhone 5? Do you want to get a tax write off for your old phone? Electronics are very expensive in Tanzania, so it would be a great way to help us raise money for the school. That goes for ipods, laptops...anything you have that is still in decent shape we would take for donations as long as we could fit it in a smaller sized shipping box (shipping is quite costly to get to Tz). You could write off the total value! Please contact us. Thank you.

0 Comments

September 11th, 2012

9/11/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
The website is up and we are getting our first donations!!! woohoo! I am so excited about this as it feels we are finally moving forward. As we will continuously be updating the pages, please leave comments about what you would like to see more of, what you would change or any suggestions that may help. We need a team of people to get this off the ground, and that means YOU.  Please repost, share, tweet...get the word out about our project, the school and the kids in need.  Thank you!

0 Comments

Bathrooms need a fixin!

9/10/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Frank has done some really great work at the project with very little money. However, we are in great need of getting the bathrooms (3) up and running.  A Fundrazr page will be set up soon so you can donate and start your own Fundrazr campaigns to help!  We also need to build an outdoor kitchen. Gas is terribly expensive in Africa so most families cook using charcoal or firewood in an outdoor kitchen. This kitchen will enable us to feed up to 80 kids, two meals per day. This may be the only food they get.  Please be on the lookout for the Fundrazr. We are close to getting it set up with Paypal.

0 Comments

    Author

    Christine Dunn, Founder

    Archives

    May 2013
    February 2013
    October 2012
    September 2012

    Categories

    All
    Africa
    Challenges
    Children
    Education
    Nonprofit

    RSS Feed


Proudly powered by Weebly