Child Protection

The Small Things was recently questioned on Facebook about its attitude to child protection. This was a timely reminder for us that we needed to clarify our Child Protection Policy and make it clear and public, so that everyone can see that we take the protection of the children we work with very seriously. This isn't going to be the most light hearted blog, but as it addresses a very important issue I would encourage as many readers as I can to keep going to the end.

We have always tried not use pictures of the children in an inappropriate way. For example, as board members we feel strongly that the image we give of the orphanage should be accurate. We have always wanted to portray the children laughing and happy because they so often are; we have never wanted to use pictures of the children when they are distressed or unhappy or to misrepresent the high quality of the care they receive in order to solicit donations. However, prompted by the fact that our social media presence has been expanding and volunteers have started to travel to the orphanage on placements arranged through us, it is time for us to openly address child protection. We want to clarify what we consider appropriate for our staff and volunteers on the ground in Tanzania, and how we aim to present our work on sites like Facebook in an acceptable and positive way.

Child protection is very important to us. Our reason for existing as an organisation is to benefit these children and naturally we want to be as sure as possible that no harm comes to them through our relationship with them. For this  reason, our Child Welfare Committee have written a child protection policy to lay out the way the Small Things approaches child protection and how it will respond to any issues. This policy is now available and can be viewed on the Media tab of our website.

It will also be available on our new website when that is up and running.

For those who might be interested, the policy is also briefly summarised below:

Child Protection Policy

The Small Things realizes and takes seriously its responsibility to protect the rights and welfare of the children it works with. We are aware that inappropriate and damaging behaviour towards children can take many different forms. Therefore, we are fully committed to protecting the security, welfare and dignity of the children with whom we work.
This policy aims to create a safe environment for both children and those who work alongside them by providing clear guidelines about what child protection is and how to behave in accordance with it.

Who does the policy apply to?

The policy applies to The Small Things' board, staff, volunteers, committee members and anyone who represents the organisation.

Who is responsible for dealing with any child protection issues?

Our Child Protection Officer Patty Harris, our 'on the ground' director Bekka Ross Russell and our Child Welfare Committee will all work to make sure that our child protection policy is upheld and applied.

What is considered important for good practice?

Volunteers and staff are not responsible for making judgements about whether or not abuse is taking place. However, they must take the responsibility for identifying poor practice and potential abuse, and take appropriate action if they have any concerns about the welfare of a child or children.

Volunteers should work with children in an open environment, treat children with respect and dignity and aim to be positive role models.

What should you do if you have a concern about child protection?

If you have a concern about a child protection issue and are unsure about whether to mention it, our policy is that you should always raise your concern as soon as possible, with either Bekka Ross Russell or by emailing our child protection officer, Patty Harris at patty@thesmallthings.org. They will be able to listen and advise you on how to proceed.

What is the policy on photos and videos?

The Small Things realizes the danger of the taking and use of inappropriate photographs of the children. Children should always be appropriately dressed in photos and videos and photos and videos of children in compromised positions should not be taken.

Where photographs or videos are distributed or used online, we have set up the following four-tier approach:
[No photos distributed in any medium should be accompanied by the child’s full name. First names alone may be used.] 

1. No photos/videos should be exploitative or potentially exploitative.
2. Personal photos shared with email/text or on a closed network (e.g. Snapfish) should fit within our guidelines and include a comment about no redistribution.
3. Photos/video for distribution via social media that could be seen by any outside viewer (Facebook etc.) should be cleared by a board member.
4. Photos/video used for any for profit or fundraising efforts should have explicit written permission from the board and a proportion of profits or funds raised should go to the benefit of the children of Nkoaranga through The Small Things.

We would encourage all usage of photos/video be accompanied by a link to the Small Things web site with a message encouraging donations.

What else?

In addition, The Small Things is committed to ensuring that the lives of the children, their families, members of their community, the staff who work and the orphanage and any volunteers should be portrayed truthfully and sensitively. Nobody we work with is someone to be looked down upon or pitied; rather, everyone is held as equal partners in the aim to learn, develop and increase welfare. This should always be respected in the use of photos and videos.

We hope that this blog has cleared up any confusion and clarified The Small Things' position on child protection. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

All that remains now is to say another Happy Birthday to Pendo and Isaac, who have turned 7 and 1 respectively over the last week.

I'm not sure if, at the grand old age of 1, Isaac actually knows about his birthday, but he certainly seems excited about something!

Before we move on, a big THANK YOU!

Hi everyone!

This week, we thought it would be nice if our blog covered some of the projects which The Small Things has completed over the last two years.  We are about to move over to a new website: it's looking fantastic and we are really excited about it!  We couldn't have reached this point without all of your support, and the things we have achieved are just as much down to you: your talking about us to your friends, reading our blog, liking our facebook page, donating money towards our projects, doing crazy challenges to fundraise for us and generally being interested and supportive of what we are doing!

So, we thought we would take this time to say a massive...

THANK YOU!!

Thank you for helping us support the Mamas and the incredible work they do by raising their wages.  Since June 2011, we have been sending out booster payments which are equal to 10% of their salary every three months.  These women are the heart of the orphanage and the kids' lives and we are very happy to have been able to do this.

Mama Pendo playing with Dainessi, who has now headed off to boarding school.

Thank you for allowing us to provide the kids with the vitamins and formula milk (for babies) to allow them to remain strong and healthy and develop as they should.  The vitamins we give are iron and vitamin D, as we observed both rickets and iron deficiency in the children.  The babies get these in liquid form, and the older kids get 'sweets' (it's great that this is how they view their chewable vitamins as it makes them very eager to take them!).

Thank you for supporting our 'Project Light Up the Night', which saw the orphanage completely rewired to prevent a reoccurrence of the terrible fire in 2009 which would have killed all of the babies under 9 months had it not been for the heroic efforts of Mama Cantate, which carried all of the babies to safety.  Thank you for keeping the kids and Mamas and volunteers safer by making sure this will not happen again.  The solar lighting your donations helped us install means that the work these people do doesn't need to happen by the light of a candle or gas lamp when the power goes out, which makes life a lot easier!

Here is our appeal video from 'Project Light up the Night.' Hearing the story of the accident from Cantate herself is a great reminder of how important this project was.

Thank you for providing the kids and Mamas with fresh, clean drinking water through 'Project MAJI' ('maji' meaning 'water').  The mechanical filters you allowed us to install can clean over 5,000 gallons of water a day without electricity.  They do not need replacement filters and were placed directly into the orphanage plumbing and so were the most sustainable ones we could find.  They mean that the kids no longer need to be denied water when they are thirsty because the boiled water (the previous method of purification) is still too hot to drink.

Thank you for providing the means for us to employ Mama Linda, who came in as part of our one-to-one care programme that gives the newest, tiniest little babies all the extra attention they need. Anyone who has seen on Facebook how Peace has thrived will know how important one-to-one care can be and how much of a difference it can make.

There are many gorgeous pictures of Peace, but this has to get into the Top 10 for cuteness. He's so much bigger now - scroll back a bit on our Facebook page for proof.

Thank you for allowing us to plant a garden and provide chickens, which keep on giving and ensure that the orphanage is supplied with a plentiful supply of fresh vegetables and meat.  This helps to keep costs down and means that the orphanage is more self sufficient.  In addition, the kids get to eat lots of nutritional food which helps keep them healthy!

The Small Things has had an amazing couple of years and you have given us incredible support. We hope you will continue to do so as we move forward onto a new website and a slightly new chapter, along with a redesigned blog that will be coming soon.

Volunteer with The Small Things and prepare to have your hearts stolen by the wonderful children!

Are you adventurous, hard working, patient, an experienced traveller and looking to have the best few months of your life? We are looking for volunteers starting from September onward. Our volunteer program is far cheaper than the alternatives and 100% of the money paid towards the program goes directly either to your accommodation or to the children - none goes to administrative costs or middlemen. We have a 4 week minimum time commitment for non-peak times and would love to hear from you! Just drop us an email with your resume, a little bit about yourself, and when you'd like to come and volunteer, and we'll get the ball rolling. 

Alternatively, do you want to do more than volunteer? Do you have experience in grant writing, fundraising, volunteer coordinating or working on a sponsorship program? We are looking for 2 hard working, organized and enthusiastic interns to join us in Tanzania for a term of at least 6 months. Housing and a monthly food stipend provided, no other fees! 

Email volunteers@thesmallthings.org to get started. What are you waiting for? 

For a first hand account of what it is like to be a volunteer in Nkoaranga through The Small Things, read the following piece by one volunteer, Sarah, and try and come up with a reason as to why you shouldn't volunteer!

 

"When I was a young girl I knew that I wanted to do two things when I got older. I knew I wanted to visit a country in Africa (preferably Tanzania because that was where my pen-pal was from), and I wanted to volunteer in an orphanage. In 2010, both of those goals merged into a month long trip that changed my life. Through a large volunteer headquarters, I was placed in Arusha, Tanzania to volunteer in a baby orphanage. The job description was, to put it simply, heaven: feed, play with, and snuggle the babies. But that was it. After a week of doing this with 5 to 10 other volunteers, my presence felt slightly insignificant and I never really felt that I was part of the orphanage. However, I bonded very closely with a small, one year old girl named Miriam.

Sarah and her girl, Miriam, blowing some bubbles

I left Tanzania feeling unsatisfied and incomplete. I knew that I wasn't done with the country, I knew I wanted to stay involved in Miriam's life, and I wanted a volunteer experience that I felt I made a difference through. After months of unanswered emails to Miriam's old orphanage and another unsatisfactory volunteer experience in Vietnam, I finally got a short response telling me that Miriam had been moved to Nkoaranga orphanage. I contacted Nkoaranga and, within 1 DAY, I received a written update, a photo, and a video of Miriam. I immediately inquired about volunteering and easily arranged a two month stay for the summer. I could immediately tell, through quick and thorough communication, that I was on the right track to fulfilling the volunteer experience I had been looking for. 

Sarah brought over these 4 beautiful princess dresses which the girls LOVED!

I am nearly at the end of my volunteer journey here at Nkoaranga and couldn't be happier with my time. I am completely immersed in the everyday jobs of the orphanage. All of the mamas and children know my name and depend on me as an important member of the staff. My observations and thoughts are encouraged and valued, and I am just as much a part of the orphanage as the Mamas. I live in the community at a volunteer house where I can be independent but still have the opportunity to become close with other volunteers. Because I chose to go directly through Nkoaranga rather than a volunteer headquarters, my trip has been extremely affordable and still dependable. Most importantly, I have seen my donations being put to use, my presence has been appreciated and necessary, and I feel that I have FINALLY found the volunteer experience I've been looking for. Now, if I could only find way to fit 23 little children into my suitcase and back to America!"

Thank you to Sarah for these honest and insightful words about the reality of volunteering through The Small Things. Since writing this piece, Sarah has made her departure from Tanzania and is safely back home in America after some tough goodbyes at Nkoaranga!

An African Adventure!

This week we’re hearing from another recent volunteer: Romany Stott, who has just spent 6 weeks in Tanzania meeting and getting to know the kids.

She's decided to use her guest blog to introduce a few of the children and the characters she discovered as she got to know them. For those of you who haven't met the kids, it's nice to hear a bit about their personalities but, equally, for those of you who know them well, it's good to hear how they're growing up and turning out. I last saw Angel as a baby at Christmas when she was so young her personality was still a mystery; it's good to hear about how it is gradually being discovered. It's only through listening  to the stories of those who are there that we can experience the kids grow up when we have to be so far away.

"Chance is described as the unknown and unpredictable element in happenings that occur without planning or design. It was chance that I found myself at Nkoaranga Orphanage, which I heard about through my friend and The Small Things' board member, Bethan, who I had met just a year before. Like all other occurrences, being in Tanzania was an unlikely one…but when I think of the non-profit organisation I went with, which provides education, medical and emotional support to the children, and the Mamas who fold, cook, change, wash and play from the dawning day until the rising moon, I can’t think of a more worthwhile way I could have spent my time. It was unlikely that I ended up there, but I’m jolly glad I did! 

So, the orphanage! Situated on Mount Meru, through criss-crosses of laundry, ascending hills and trees that moult avocados for fun, you arrive at Nkoaranga Orphanage. Now, I’ve met kids in the UK and they have that whole ‘playing it cool’ attitude. Likewise, I expected to arrive to a group of shy children, feigning disinterest, whom I would have to charm into friendship. My first day at Nkoaranga Orphanage an army of little ones run over, cheering, laughing, and hanging monkey-style off every limb. That was it; I was hooked.

Without further ado, I would like to present just a few of the interesting characters of Nkoaranga Orphanage…

Angel

‘Too Cool For School’

A tiny girl, with one big poker face!  She is such a  sweet baby who you just have to cuddle – but don’t expect her to look impressed about it! 

Isaac

'The Buddha'

Well, I have to confess, no one actually calls him Buddha apart from me, but in person I think it is uncanny! Isaac has some health issues but, despite everything, he is an extremely happy baby with a beaming face and hands which he claps down on the nearest surface (earning him another nickname - The Judge) whenever you enter the room. I am hoping to sponsor Isaac through school once he is old enough.

Neema

'Little Neema'

The younger of the two Neema’s in the orphanage; she has quite a personality! She has an older sister, Anna, who is being sponsored through The Small Things to go to school. Neema is very vocal and loves attention and cuddles above all else (well, apart from maybe uji*)! She is learning to walk and currently uses ‘The Neema Walk’ (a crab-like movement, in which one leg walks and one leg crawls, used to drag herself across the floor), which probably requires more energy than just crawling or walking! Another Neema special: ‘The Neema Dance’, a term I use to describe her habit of standing in her cot, moving from foot to foot and crying until she get attention. Success Rate – Very High!

*Uji is a porridge-like mixture with peanut butter which the toddlers all drink twice a day

Peace

'The Deep Thinker'

Peacie! This is a classic Peace pose, which makes him constantly appear to be contemplating life. Peace was in the one-to-one care program with Mama Linda and is now healthy. Peace is a very chilled and independent little baby who loves playing with balls and toddling about. Note: The Mohawk.

Shujaa

'Mr Happy'

Babe of joy!  Shujaa is a very content little man who gets even happier if you pick him up and swing him upside down singing ‘The Okee Kokee’ with ‘Shujaa’ interjected. His other favourites include being pushed on the roundabout and tickled relentlessly. He will often lift his arms and request ‘mimi’ to let you know that you should pick him up and randomly sings the words ‘ee-ii-ee-ii-oo’ throughout the day. Top Tip: Touch his button nose. It is the cutest thing on Earth (you don’t know until you try!)!

Filipo

'The Man'

Filipo is just like a little man already and another who is ‘too cool for school’. Note: Singing ‘Filipo’ repeatedly can produce an awesome dance including moonwalking and finger pointing – but it has been rarely seen.

Vicky

'Yoda'

The Yoda reference is far clearer from a head shot! Vicky can definitely get a mood on, but can usually be pulled out of it. Trait: The Vicky Face – includes downcast eyebrows, wide eyes, her trademark pout and a telling pointed finger. It is often accompanied by the word ‘wewe’ meaning ‘you’.  It is just one of her many hilarious expressions! Her older sister, Queen, lately entered the orphanage and we held a birthday celebration for her.

Okay, so I lied, that wasn't ‘just a few’ of the children but they are all so lovely! There are so many more of them and that was just a taste of the sweet and funny characters at Nkoaranga Orphanage. However, regardless of all the playing and the children and their quirky ways, it is worth noting that they still face a lot of problems. Malaria is common in the orphanage and the children must be treated often. Furthermore, some of the children are still affected by their past and are upset, distant or antisocial so need lots of love and care from volunteers. The great thing about volunteering with The Small Things at Nkoaranga Orphanage is you know you are definitely helping and work there goes far beyond spending hours sat with a baby on your lap. You often start the day as the sun rises, walking through the orphanage gate to hear the first murmurs of the babies and from there it is: nappy changing, drying children from their bath, finding clothes, finding shoes, feeding uji, cleaning, putting out laundry, potty training… and then repeat. The Mamas who work there have a lot to do and there is always a way to help them and make their job easier, even just by entertaining the children.

If you are interested in volunteering with The Small Things and helping a more than worthwhile cause, I couldn't recommend it more. Also, they are flexible and encouraging of you to really experience Tanzania during your stay, so your visit could include climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or going on safari (like mine!) as well as getting to volunteer with the beautiful children. 

I think over my six weeks in Nkoaranga and remember the days we spent outside, when the sun would come out and the morning was wearing a sky of blue. Happy children would dance in a mist of bubbles blown by volunteers, Isaac would clap his hands as he was pushed the swing and Shujaa’s laugh could be heard echoing across the orphanage as he was tickled for the third time. I plan to be very involved with both Nkoaranga Orphanage and The Small Things in the future, and happily wait until I can return. It wasn't chance that brought me to the orphanage, it was luck."

Thank you so much, Romany, for that lovely, fresh insight into the different personalities of all those kids!

When you meet these kids, you'll know...

Over the next two weeks we get the chance to look at Nkoaranga through fresh eyes. These two guest posts from Olivia and Romany are full of great insights into what life at the orphanage is like, given by people who are still glowing from their first experiences of it.

This week we start with Olivia's guest post. I think she puts the messiness and frustrations of the orphanage into balance with its joys and its surprises perfectly. She really captures the way volunteers grow to love the children and how quickly they can worm their way into your heart; reading it transported me back to Tanzania.

"When you meet these kids, you’ll know. You’ll know why you came. Why you spent so much money, why you left behind whoever it is that you miss already, why you collected all your vacation days carefully and then spent them all at once. You’ll know why you’re taking cold showers and walking around with some toddler’s pee on your pants. You’ll know that you made the right choice. You’ll know that the governments that make the adoption process so difficult, at both ends, are your newest enemies. You’ll know that your capacity to love is greater than you thought it could be. When you meet the kids, you’ll know that you’ll never be the same again.

I had no idea what to expect in Nkoaranga, but the orphanage, hospital, dirt road, dukas (shops), piki-pikis (motorcycles), and fresh fruit and vegetable stands that make up Nkoaranga quickly became my new M.O. The beautiful children, with their runny noses, wet pants, fighting, happy hugs, and general confusion, quickly became my new home. 

I guess Brighton finally lost his fight with naptime, halfway through his struggle with his pants!

Like any home, it wasn't all fun and games. There were moments when it seemed like every single kid in the orphanage was crying. I couldn't blame them. They all get bored or sad or lonely, just like the rest of us, and when they do, there aren't many comforting laps or arms to go around. There are two to three mamas in the orphanage at all times, but they’re usually busy with the cooking, laundry, cleaning, changing diapers, etc. And sometimes we all just need a cuddle… but especially if you’re a baby or child. I was inspired by how adaptable children are; but there are some things a child can never adapt to. Not having a lap to call their own—that’s one of those things. A child needs the love and attention a parent gladly gives and nothing can change that. For me, this was the most heartbreaking thing I saw.

There were funny moments. SO MANY funny moments. There is a local volunteer names Franky who is deaf, and we all love him! He would help us so much, was so good-natured and so good for the kids. It was funny to glance at him during those moments when the cries echoed off the walls and bounced off the floors (often right before bedtime, when every kid was just knackered), because he was just smiling along as always, watching the bedtime movie, oblivious to the sanity-stealing noise surrounding him. Another one of my favorite moments happened during a crazy crying session as well. That day, all the kids were dressed up in loads of plastic rings, necklaces and bracelets that had been donated, so the other volunteers and I started singing Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” and waving our hands to show off our imaginary diamond rings. Soon about 15 kids were dancing and singing around us, and showing off their own ringed fingers. They were all ridiculously cute. The funniest were definitely the boys, especially the more tough and wild ones, dancing around waving their hands like girls and trying to sing, “If you like it then you should have put a ring on it!”

Each kid has an incredible personality, an intricate mix of fun and beautiful and vulnerable, sometimes spiced with mischief, in another kid seasoned with nurturing, in yet another with impulsiveness, in another with curiosity. Each kid is so unique that when one of us volunteers would tell a story about something funny or frustrating or crazy that happened at the orphanage that day, the rest of us could guess which kid the story was about. As a volunteer, you can’t help but fall in love with the kids. When we weren't at the orphanage with the kids we were talking about the kids. And now that I'm home I try to vicariously introduce the kids to people who ask about my trip. As I knew before I ever bought my ticket to Tanzania, they've changed my life a hundred times more than I've changed theirs."

Thanks to Olivia Lee Lessard from the US for this great contribution to our blog.

Next week we follow on with the impressions of Romany Stott from England, who went out to Tanzania with her friend Bethan, one of our board members and regular bloggers. It looks like she too has caught the Nkoaranga magic and really got to know the kids well in a short space of time.