Gohechi Orphanage

Jambo!

I am so happy! I have finally found what I've been searching for - an orphanage in a remote area that direly needs my help. Though I wish i could have been there to help earlier, I think that my experiences living in Arusha and teaching at the primary school have better prepaired me for this placement. The orphanage is really struggling, with no constant donors or considerable donations. But I will give what help i can and hopefully enable them to function and survive.

Kweka, who i met through TVE(tanzanian volunteer experience), found the placement for me. I've visited orphanages in the Arusha area, where there are volunteers already and by wandering around unfamiliar area. But either they had enough support, or i couldn't use my resources to help them. when kweka led me to Gohechi, tucked in a maze of dirt roads a mile from a main road, they orphanage was closed. I returned early this morning to find the painted gate wide open.

As i stepped into the yard, a man in a suite was already striding towards me across the grass. I walked up to him and introduced myself, shaking hands, as Peter led me to his office. He seated me very professionally at a chair a small distance from his desk, as i explained who i was and what i was doing. He looked more and more amazed as i explained some of my resources and volunteer work. He later confided in me that he believes Gd led me to his orphanage, and expressed such gratitude before I'd even begun to do anything.

The founder works as a preacher and founded the orphanage, which is also a school, two years ago with charity funds. they recently lost their housing and had to move because of rent increase, and are not only able o provide schooling for the orphans. an orphanage in tazania serves a different role in tanzania than in america - it is a place where children who do not have financial support or available gardians can get free education, medical attention and food. many of them have a place to stay with a grtandparent or uncle, but they do not get the proper attention, and their living conditions are terrible. an orphanage aims to feed the children, house those who dont have acceptable housing, and give them hope for a btter future. unforutunately most orphanages do not have the facilities to accomplish all of these tasks. currenlty, gohechi is only able to provide schooling for the orphans. Everyone who works there is a volunteer, and each month they struggle to pay the rent. I've offered to help them with this month's rent, since Peter said that is their top priority. from this morning i've identified other priorities i hope to address:

building chairs and desks for the children
getting running water to the orphanage (they have to carry buckets from down the street)
buying a blackboard
getting some publicity for the orphanage by publishing an article in the paper, by word of mouth, and trying to connnect them with TVE (tanzania volunteer experience)
Helping create a website for the orphanage
helping with the curriculum and teaching strategies and topics in the classes
helping them build housing for the children
providing them with meals (they send the kids home for meals which disrupts the schoolday since many of them live quite far. many of them probably don't get a meal when they get home anyway)

since my placement only lasts two more weeks, what i need to do is get help to continue after i leave. I'm already quite taken by the orphanage after just one morning - i said hello to the forty children, busy in class, and they were absolutely adorable! Peter is a very honest and welcoming person, and i immediately felt an affection for him. the teachers all were happy to greet me, and besides the ugly cement classrooms, the property is very welcoming, with a small field and planted gardens. With the proper ongoing support, Gohechi could change the lives of many unfortunate children from the surrounding areas. and i can't wait to give all of my help and resources to such a deserving project.

yours,

ariel

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