How The Tumaini Fund Helps

Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world and Kagera, in the North West, is one of the poorest regions within the country. It is estimated there may be over 100,000 orphans in this area alone because of the HIV crisis.

The Tumaini Fund have offices in 5 districts – Ngara, Karagwe, Muleba, Chato and now Biharamulo . The care for widows and orphans  is co-ordinated from these offices by a team of social workers and co-ordinatorts.  A team of 200 parish workers work in pairs to provide practical, emotional and spiritual support for those in need.

 

         In Kagera :

        The Tumaini Fund :

               Tumaini in action :

  • Over 30% of the population are HIV positive.
  • There were over 250,000 orphans when The Tumaini Fund started in 2003.
  • It is hard for families to access HIV medication.

  • Encourages and facilitates HIV testing for all widows and orphans.
  • Provide practical care through the team of parish workers.
  • Supports access to medication.

  • Approximately 7% of children are able to access secondary school.
  • Primary to Secondary 4 are free but most orphans do not have uniform or compulsory daftari school books.

  • Provide uniforms, books, bikes & solar lamps.
  • Are supporting school, college and university students.
  • Have built 6 vocational tailoring and 5 carpentry schools.

  • 12% of children die before their first birthday with gastroenteritis.
  • This is largely due to families having to drink from dirty water.

  • Have sunk over 100 shallow and deep wells.
  • Work with local village water committees and local authorities to maintain these wells.
  • Ensure community ownership.

  • 1 in 5 children under the age of 5 will die because of malaria.
  • This preventable disease is still one of the biggest causes of death.

  • Provide mosquito nets to all families in their care – each net sleeping up to three children beneath.
  • A £4 net can save three lives.

  • Most people are subsistence farmers who can expect to earn around £55 a year to provide for their families.
  • The rains are unpredictable and so drought and crop failure are common.
  • Farmers are often paid poorly for their crops.

  • Are passionate about equipping families with sustainable and income-generating skills through vocational training and micro-enterprise as an alternative to farming.
  • Widows basket making is one of the most successful micro-enterprises. 

  • Many orphans and widows are found in very desperate conditions with derelict homes which are not safe.
  • Heavy rains often destroy what little belongings families have.

  • Have built hundreds of new houses for widows like Leokadia, a grandmother caring for her orphaned grandchildren.
  • Usually with a “shamba” – a piece of land to farm alongside.

Having read a little about how The Tumaini Fund supports families in Kagera, please click on the button below to find out how YOU can get involved too.

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

These images portray some aspects of the work of The Tumaini Fund in Kagera in NW Tanzania, giving a broad overview of some ways that the Fund is supporting widows and orphans in the region.

The video on our home page also gives an introduction to the work and our partnership from Scotland.

Find out more about the effect of Tumaini’s work by reading stories of how lives are being changed.

 

Changed Lives