Guest Blog: 10 things we have learned in Nkoaranga, by Ditte

Ditte and Christine, two of our current volunteers from Denmark, arrived in Nkoaranga in early January. This great blog is a list of ten very useful things to know about volunteering in Nkoaranga! All our volunteers leave saying what an amazing experience it was, but it's also good to be prepared for all parts of living as a volunteer in a small, rural community on the mountain slopes of Meru in East Africa, where, yes, power cuts are an inevitable part of life!

10 things we have learned being in Nkoaranga:

Soon we will have been volunteering at Nkoaranga Orphanage for 4 months and what an experience it has been. We have had the most amazing time with other volunteers, TST employees, mamas and the most beautiful children that we will really miss when we return to Denmark. However, there are some things that we had not thought about before we went away and now we have had time to look back, here’s what we have learned during our incredible trip.

1: The one thing we did not expect to miss was the liquorice!

Down here, far from home comforts, you will find small joys in little things, such as ice cream or chocolate. Though these are good, one thing we have really been missing here is Danish liquorice. You can get everything else here but liquorice is not available anywhere. We can’t wait to have it again, so we wish that we had brought some with us. The same goes for any treats from your own country.

2: Think of a hobby and use your time wisely

When you’re not working, the time here both flies and goes at a snail's pace, so a hobby that you can occupy yourself with would be a nice idea. Especially when there are long power cuts.

Kisses for Christine!

3: Contact lenses can be difficult to use in Africa

So, when you 're down here and it’s been 30 degrees for a month without rain, it begins to get very dusty. I had problems with my contact lenses and then decided to just give up with them. I wasted space in my backpack with contact lens fluid, so glasses would clearly be preferable here!

4: We wish we had taken a kindle or e-reader

We brought some books in paper form but wish that we had taken a kindle with us; it takes up less space and is easier to get new books without having to go to town. They are especially good during power cuts!

5: I should’ve brought a Swahili dictionary

I thought that my English would be OK and I could easily pick up a bit of Swahili. That's one thing I regret, because English is not enough and, though most people know a few words, not everyone speaks it. A Swahili phrasebook, both before you come and during, would be a useful idea. It’s just a great feeling putting the kids to bed and being able to say goodnight and sleep well in their own language.

Our volunteers are unbelievably useful with so many children looking for cuddles, love and someone to play with.

6: Balloons are like gold! 

I brought balloons because as a child I loved them, so it was only natural to bring them to the pilot house. I just wish I had brought more because the kids LOVED them and we had so much fun playing "balloon wars”.

7: You’ll get to experience some really unique things.

We have gone on some great trips during our 4 months. For example we went to a local church service and a wedding, (we wish we had brought some nice clothes for these type of things!). We went to some beautiful hot springs and canoeing on Lake Duluti, which were not bad also! We also visited the nice town of Moshi, which is a 2-hour bus journey away.

8: You will get ridiculously attached to the children at the orphanage

We didn’t have the faintest idea how close we would get to the children. When we think that we will soon not be the ones to wake them up in the morning or put them to bed at night, we realise what a tough goodbye it will be.

Vicky Mouse having cuddles with Ditte

9: It's not only the children you’ll miss.

We will also miss the lovely mamas. When you look at what a great job they do and see the touching, caring moments between mama and baby, you realise what an important part of the orphanage they are and just how much you can learn from them.

10: You will make new friends in the Volunteer house that you will miss when you leave

We didn’t think about how close you would get to other volunteers, but when you spend so much time with each other you really get to know them. You will definitely miss them when you go home, even their bad habits. The coolest thing of all is that they are so different and come from all over the world, so really help expand your horizons.

Ditte with our lovely Lulu!

Those are some of the things we have learned from our trip to Nkoaranga. Some things will probably be useful for you and some might not. But despite these things, this is an experience we would not exchange for anything in the world. We have come to love Africa and especially the children at the orphanage and we will definitely come back and see how they are doing. We will definitely recommend Nkoaranaga and the lovely children to our friends and any one else who might be interested in being a volunteer!

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.

Sharing the love!

Hello everyone, we hope you've all had a great week!  This week our blog features some birthdays, a guest post by three amazing girls telling you about their candy-gram fundraiser, and a little bit about some of The Small Things' committees who are looking for people to join them!

Birthdays!

Saimoni (5 years old)

Today is Saimoni's 5th Birthday!  He is such an amazing boy who has done so well to overcome the rickets he suffered from when he was younger (especially not easy when living in  an orphanage full of more mobile kids) to become the happy, laughing and extremely imaginative little boy that he is today!

Left to right: Faraja (8 years old), Baracka (4 years old) and Neema ndogo (1 year old)

It's been a busy week birthday-wise!  Last Friday, we celebrated two other Birthdays: Faraja - who was at Nkoaranga Orphanage until the age of 6, when she left to live at a nearby SOS children's village - turned 8, and it was also Baracka's 4th Birthday!  And last but definitely not least, just yesterday Neema ndogo turned 1!  We are so happy that they are all growing up safe and happy, although it is very scary how fast it is happening!!

PS. Just in case we are confusing you, 'ndogo' means 'little'!

Candy-grams

by Carly Charlebois, Amanda Roberts and Ashley Pollari

"We are students at Camosun College in Victoria, BC and our team consists of Carly Charlebois, Amanda Roberts and Ashley Pollari.  We are currently taking a Sociology course: Introduction to Africa Studies. One of the main components of our class is to come up with a service-learning project, which positively impacts an African country in a sustainable way.

"All three of us have been to Africa at some point in the past few years.  Carly and Ashley have been to Kenya and Amanda was in Burkina Faso.  Together we have developed a passion for this incredible continent and the amazing people who live there.  Having that personal connection and the experience of being to Africa are important and provide us with a strong basis for this project.  We all connected to The Small Things organization through Kristina Alexander; who we know either through the African Awareness Committee at school, or work.  Having Kristina here at Camosun has been a huge help in developing our project plan.  Since connecting with Kristina and learning more about what The Small Things is doing for the orphanage, we have taken a huge interest in their future projects.

"Two members of our group, Carly and Ashley, are preparing to start the nursing programs in the fall.  Therefore, we are quite interested in how we could create a sustainable project for medical development on the ground in Tanzania.  Our hope is for these funds from our service-learning project to help build the HIV health care facility for the new children’s village, as well as aid in the employment of a full-time nurse.  In addition, Ashley and Amanda plan to make it to Tanzania next year to see the impact of our efforts, which makes the connection much more real.

"Our first fundraiser for this project was a Valentine’s Day candy-gram service that raised awareness and funds for the Nkoaranga orphanage.  For three days, we sold handmade cards, and Fair Trade chocolates on campus for two dollars.  Then they were delivered on Valentine’s Day.   

"We had a positive and optimistic outlook from the beginning about our candy-gram fundraiser.  Despite it being a last minute decision to do this fundraiser, we feel as though we reached out to many people and fostered awareness about The Small Things and their mission.  In the end, we raised approximately $150.   

"In the coming weeks, we hope to build on this success through a penny drive and bottle drive.  As we learn more in our Sociology class, we will continue to work with Kristina and The Small Things to support Nkoaranga Orphanage.

"Our reward will come when can visit next year and meet the children that we have grown to love though photos and stories."

Committees

We are looking for passionate and dedicated people to join The Small Things's committees!  Below is an outline of the different committees and the sort of people who we'd love to join us working on them.

Stevie, Andrea and David drinking the
filtered water provided by Project Maji

Strategic planning

• What it involves: discussing in what direction to develop the charity for the future and considering factors which influence this; planning how to implement these decisions
• Looking for: Individuals who have experience starting or building a successful company or non-profit
• Commitment: 1hr per week + 1 meeting per month

'The Mosaic Ladies' - a beautiful
quilt made by Sandra to auction off to
raise money to rewire the orphanage

Fundraising

• What it involves: Working with volunteers to support their own fundraising projects, organising events to raise money and awareness and developing products such as calendars etc to sell
• Looking for: People who have experience organising events, connections to companies or experience with general fundraising
• Commitment: 1hr per week + 1 meeting per month

The kids looking delighted in beautiful
clothes donated by 'Fred's World'

Child welfare

• What it involves:Consideration of how best to support the mental and physical health of the children in our care, developing advice for volunteers in the form of manuals and development charts, coordinating in-kind donations such as vitamins and clothing
• Looking for: People with medical, psychological, or child development expertise
• Commitment: 1hr per week + 1 meeting per month

If you are interested in working on any of the above, please get in touch with us at info@thesmallthings.org - thank you!

Vicky (2 years old), loving her new nappy
donated by 'Baba and Boo'

Thanks for reading!

Guest Post: Claire, Stine, Peter

Claire and Gracie

Coming to Tanzania as three privileged people has made us more appreciative of everything we have, and allowed us to recognize our good fortune and focus on what is truly important. Straight away we all felt a sense of connection and love between everyone at Nkoaranga orphanage.We take for granted all the necessities that the orphanage so strongly depends on - we don't realise how lucky we are to  have access to the basics whenever we want in our countries.

Nkoaranga orphanage offers a community and access to education, which is vital for these children in their process. Education is extremely important for the children and they are so lucky to have the school house and access to our own wonderful teacher. We volunteers look back to our home towns and recognize many younger individuals that abuse the opportunity of education, which can change lives here. It's not something we will take for granted again!

Peter and Shujah

The most important factor the orphanage offers is their home. The passion and hard work of everyone involved in the orphanage (and The Small Things!) is the reason for the success and happiness of the kids. This success comes from the pure love and attention that the kids receive from the mamas, volunteers, and each other. They all want to please, and all depend on this nurturing to thrive.

The orphanage offers good nutrition, medical care, and a healthy environment for these children, which in this society is nothing to be taken for granted. They are bathed and changed continuously, and all the children are very well fed - don't let the fact that they chant "CHAKULA!" or "FOOD!" before each meal trick you into thinking they aren't! The children have a strong bond with each mama, and it's heartwarming to see these relationships. The mamas are extremely hardworking, and the orphanage could not function without them.

We each have our own personal memories of the orphanage - below, we will each write about some of our favorite moments.

Ester shot by Claire

Claire: My name is Claire Wyatt, I'm sixteen years old, and coming to Tanzania has completely changed my perspective. I encourage any young people to do something like this when the opportunity arises, because it puts your priorities in order and makes you realize what's truly important. I come from a big family - I have two brothers, two sisters, and three step-sisters. Before I came here, I was always grateful for having such a big family, but now I appreciate it even more. The orphanage feels like one big family, with all of the children (and their big personalities!) forming strong bonds with each other. Pendo is definitely the little mama, and Simoni is everyone's cautious grandfather. My fondest memory comes from a day when I was sitting in the house, which looks onto the orphanage. I watched little Ester (2 years old), who had wandered outside on her own, and started to cry. I was about to go comfort her, but before I could act, I saw Loveness (age 4) walk up to Ester and wipe her face, pick her up, and take her inside. This moment brought home to me how deep the bonds are between these kids, and how they look out for each other. It made me realize that while they may not have parents, they do have a family in each other. 

Stine and Ebenezer

Stine and Peter: Our names are Stine and Peter, we come from Denmark and we chose to volunteer over a year ago. We didn't have the slightest idea what to expect - we were totally overwhelmed by the love and the trust the children put in our hands from the first moment. This alone would have made the trip worthwhile!

Our greatest moment was to see the development of baby Ebenezer, who suffered from a bad bout of pneumonia when we first arrived at the orphanage. Stine in particular felt drawn to him from day one. He is over three months old but his size is similar to a newborn, despite how much he's grown since first coming to the orphanage. We noticed straight away his trouble breathing, and after a short period of time, Stine felt a strong passion and responsibility and passion to act as his mother would have. She spent most of her time at the orphanage caring for him, and she felt a strong connection whenever their eyes met. After just a few days she could tell he recognized her as well, and felt safe. During our stay, though, he was extremely ill and struggled to keep weight on, as he was also having stomach trouble from his antibiotics - we felt very worried for his health. However, we and the mamas took him to the hospital to be treated, and we are confident he will make a full recovery. We know he is in very caring and capable hands to monitor him as he recovers. We are also very grateful to The Small Things for allowing us to stay involved in his journey to recovery, and to continue to watch him grow and thrive.

We have so many wonderful memories and we are very motivated to go home and take action on some of these critical issues. We feel a strong responsibility to find a way to help. We have met so many wonderful and welcoming people on our trip. Even though they have their own struggles, and most have far less than anyone from our home country, Denmark, they are so happy and generous. We could and should learn from their example. We want to take their attitude and apply to our own lives, wherever we are. The kids will always be in our hearts - there is nothing like hearing them shouting your name in excitement when you enter a room!

While we are here, though, there are some projects that we and The Small Things would really like to take on, that we can't currently afford. These will be continuing into the future, but here is a brief summary.

• English classes: The mamas have thrived in their English studies, and it has made a big difference in their ability to communicate with the volunteers. They have asked us to extend the courses for another three months. To pay for 14 mamas' classes for three months, including all transportation, costs approximately $1,000 dollars. 
• School uniforms: The kids have been out of their adorable school uniforms now for a while, because they have been worn to pieces. To purchase new material and sweaters, repair existing uniforms, and pay for tailoring, will cost approximately $500. 
• Chickens, rabbits, garden: While Marie and her mom financed the building of a new (amazing!) chicken coop and food for six months, there is still some more work to do to make the entire area optimally productive. The new building requires new fencing, and the replanted garden needs fertilizer. Baba Nicky, our resident expert on agriculture and raising animals, also wants to create a small rabbit area and buy a few rabbits, which will, in time, be a great source of nutrition for the kids (and a lot of fun for them in the meantime). These projects together will cost approximately another $400. 
• Micro Grants: as you know from our last post, the Micro Grants project is going incredibly well, but still needs support. Every dollar helps deserving families in the community to support themselves and become self-sufficient business people. 

Please consider donating if any of these seem like worthwhile projects to you!

Special focus?

Wherever the need is greatest English classes School uniforms Chickens, rabbits, garden Microgrants
You will enter the amount you'd like to contribute on the next page.

Guest post: Priya from MedOutreach

First year medical student Priya spent a chunk of last summer in Tanzania at the orphanage and hospital. Bear in mind that during this time, we had only just started our projects with the kids. Since then, with your help, we've installed water filters, rewired the orphanage, fixed all the washing machines (and are buying a new dryer in the next few weeks), hired one new mama (with another to come this summer), redone the playground, and are so close to reaching our goal in order to install solar lighting in the orphanage and hospital - not to mention started three amazing kids in school already and are more than halfway towards getting full sponsorship for four more! Take a look at the Nkoaranga of last summer through medical student Priya's eyes:

Last summer I travelled to Tanzania with a group called MedOutreach. Our university (The University of Western Ontario, Canada) sends medical, dental and nursing students through MedOutreach every year on a medical mission. We spend most of our time working in clinics in Arusha with Dr. Mhando and at the Nkoaranga Hospital with the doctors there. As a first year medical student, I had an incredible eye opening experience while working in the Nkoaranga Hospital. I saw intense piki piki (motorcycle) accidents with such severe road rash and mangled bodies, I scrubbed in on crazy abdominal surgeries and helped deliver beautiful babies. It was such a shocking experience, seeing end stage diseases, complications of HIV, cerebral malaria, so many retained products of conception from young women aborting their pregnancies (done unsafely because abortion is illegal in Tanzania). I saw many cases that I would have never seen working in North America, I had a lot to learn from the doctors and nurses in Tanzania, who with so little technology and equipment were able to save lives and help cure disease.

As much as I learned from the medical experience in Nkoaranga, my most favorite memory and the thing that is bringing me back to Tanzania this summer is the beautiful children at the Nkoaranga orphanage. Each day after finishing work at the hospital, we would run up the hill to visit with these kids. When we first arrived, we saw that there were kids, toddlers, and even babies all about unsupervised. Some were half dressed, some looked quite unclean, some couldn’t walk, but they all were so beautiful and needed love. When you stopped to pick one of them up and give them a hug or a big kiss, how their faces would light up and how they would laugh and giggle. These children had a way of making a long day at the hospital, seeing sick patients suffering from incurable diseases, seem like nothing. Whether you had showered that morning or ate proper meals, whether you had electricity or whether you had talked to your family at home, none of that mattered. These children showed me love and happiness like I have never seen before.

Although these children did not live in the best of conditions, sometimes lacking clean water, balanced diets, and clean clothes, they still had so much life in them. The way they danced and sang made it seem like they had not a worry in the world. These were the strongest people I have ever met in my life. Each child had their own personality and style and as time went by I grew attached to them.

When it was time to leave, I did not even know how to say good-bye. I did not know how to say thank you for all they had taught me. They showed me an appreciation for life I will never forget. They showed me love as I have never seen before. I am truly blessed to have met these children and it has been my mission since I have been back in Canada to fundraise for these children and to be their voice. I hope to put my fundraising efforts towards The Small Things Projects and I cannot wait to return this summer and see their gorgeous smiles, see how they have grown and see the many improvements The Small Things have made for these beautiful children of Nkoaranga orphanage.

We can't wait to work with Priya this summer as she returns to Nkoaranga, and we hope she'll be thrilled with the progress made so far! One of the things she mentions is the most crucial - the constant need for more hands and more attention. The volunteer house is full for the summer - but if anyone is interested in volunteering in the fall or winter, please get in touch. To volunteer directly with the orphanage with the assistance of The Small Things, we require you to have fairly extensive experience living and travelling in the developing world. Alternatively, we can direct you to some wonderful volunteer agencies in the area! 

Nani's Guest Post!

Guest post from Nani, another fantastic volunteer we were lucky to encounter during our trip, who we hope will stay involved with the kids through The Small Things for many years to come! 

Nani with the kids and Mama Ayo!

Over my summer holidays I decided to take on Africa for 3 months, a month of which I would be spending at Nkoaranga Orphanage. I guess we’ll start at the beginning then: I reached the orphanage in one piece after what would become one of many interesting dalla rides up the hill to Nkoaranga, being only slightly concerned by the amount of coffin makers along the way. So anyway, as I got closer to the orphanage the cries and screaming became audible, and for a moment I stopped and asked myself what I had gotten myself into, but took another breath and stepped into a world of babies, kids, nappies, endless laundry and constant play-time. On my first tour of the orphanage, I made the mistake of picking little David up and subsequently having to put him down to his great disappointment, making it very clear and audible. I also said hi to the babies, and one of them grabbed onto my hands, pulling herself up and walking with me for a little while, as I looked around and asked the others there if she could walk they said no. Looking back it must have been Vicky or Gracie because both are keen on walking and are known to get quite upset when put down, which of course I had to do to continue my tour. In due time I would spend many hours with them walking up and down the halls, and even tackling stairs on occasion.

Peace (left) and Shujah

The next day I arrived at 8am at which time the 6 babies (Franky, Filipo, Gracey, Vicky, Ebenezer and litte Maureen) were getting changed and the other kids stood atop the counter while the Mamas cleaned the floor. The kids were bouncy and very happy to have a new face there, and I was suddenly jumped on, trying not to drop any of them, as well as not have any of them fall off the counter. But miraculously most of the time the kids don’t hurt themselves, not seriously anyway and normally recover pretty quickly. I never knew how resilient little kids were until coming to the orphanage. It’s cute watching the kids interact with each other, especially with Shujah and Peace who seem to be the toughest of them all- being carried around, bounced up and down on their little chair, fed solid foods as the older kids just want to share but don’t understand they can’t eat it yet. Those two were the sweetest babies I have ever come across, they never cry if something is not really wrong, are very patient with feeding, smile and giggle just when you come up to them- it’s the nicest reception and made my heart melt. Thinking of Shujah now with his amazingly soft and curly hair and his adorable grin makes me miss him so much, but I’m gone knowing he’ll bring that pleasure to many other volunteers.

Shujah's short lived mobile

Often, because he demanded so little, it would be possible to leave him in the chair, or on a mattress to look out onto the world but I realised after a while that he was understimulated. So one day I   decided to make a colourful mobile for him, out of bits and pieces from around the orphanage- he loved it! But so did the other kids and it didn’t last much longer than a couple of hours! But nonetheless, that was an easy thing to do, and could easily be made again. Also something the kids really need are walkers or play toys that help them walk, because The 6 who were all around one a half years old while I was there were not walking yet, and only Vicky and Gracie were bothering to attempt this big milestone. I think the main problem is that if no one is willing or able to walk with them, they can’t practice, so it would be great if something like this could be found for them as I looked all over Arusha and couldn’t find anything like it. Also a little support which I’m not sure what it’s called (jumping joey maybe) allows babies to become comfortable with the idea of standing, which is what the kids desperately need! Also the baby bouncer broke while I was there, and now Shujah and Peace, the Two Tinies as I call them, have nowhere to lie down but the mattresses.

Frankie with the older kids

Now to move on to all the wonderful people who work at the orphanage, the Mamas and the volunteers; amongst them Frankie. The orphanage without Frankie wouldn’t be complete- he is a wonderful 18 year old local who is wonderful with the kids, often taking the bigger ones out for a walk or game of football, and he also happens to be deaf. It’s funny to see how the kids act differently around him when trying to explain things to him they do it with more exaggerated hand movements but in complete silence! The mamas love his help, especially with putting the kids to bed! The mamas are amazing women who mostly have their own families and work together to raise this big family of orphans together with all the love and attention they can manage amongst their other jobs of cooking, cleaning, feeding the kids, nappy changes, laundry, bathing and cleaning reusable nappies without complain or disgust as far as I can tell. They have amazing jobs, and really seem to enjoy their work, and always get on with whatever needs to be done with smiles on their faces!

Frankie and Frankie blowing bubbles together

I had some really amazing moments with the kids- three kids stacked onto my lap while on the swing, having the kids come to me with open arms waiting for me to dump laundry in to them, feeding 6 kids at once with 6 separate spoons, bringing out my huge Australian blow up ball and watching them chase it and aim it at a cow which they found hilarious as it was so shocked! The list could go on forever…It really is a great place to be, if only for a month, surrounded by babies. It’s also great the freedom with which you can work there and what changes you can make, your time there is whatever you make it!

Guest Post by Beth, Nathan and Cara

Beth, Nathan and Cara are three fantastic volunteers who got in touch with us through the website in December and overlapped briefly with our stint in early January - the kids adore them and it's a pleasure to hear that they've returned to the orphanage! Below, their updates on the kids' development. 

Cara cuddling with Neema in January

Children change so quickly, even in just two weeks!

Big girl Gracie!

We are three volunteers from Wales, and yes we can happily admit we have fallen madly in love with the children in the Nkoaranga orphanage. So much so that after being here for a month in January and having to leave for another project (planned stay a month), but ended up returning to the children within 10 days as we missed them so much! It is crazy to think about how much you can miss the children when you have bonded with them in such a special way.

We have been back in the orphanage now for a few days and we cant believe how much the children have changed in only a fortnight! Shujah and Peace, the two small babies of the orphanage have grown a lot in the time we were gone. Shuja has almost doubled in size and now happily sits in the high feeding table, even though he does not yet take solids he just likes to sit there and watch the other children munch away. Peace has also grown and is starting to show such a happy personality, with laughs and giggles all most throughout the time he is awake.

Another nice thing to see is the slightly older babies beginning to walk, when we left Gracie she was standing on her own with a little wobble here and there...we have returned to a very stable Gracie who loves being praised when she stands for a rather long time on her own two feet. And we are so happy to announce that we watched the first three steps on her own, with only the bribe of a teddy! Vicky is also getting very confident with her walking and we are sure she will be following in Gracie's footsteps any day now. She also loves showing off her pearly whites, as four new teeth have grown in what seems over night.

Ebenezer (left) and David playing in t

Some more great reports and developments are that the smaller toddlers are attending the Nkoaranga orphanage school, Maureeni Kubwa, Baracka and Miriam. At first they were a bit wary about going, but with the encouragement of the other children they put on their adorable uniforms and trooped off to school. Its such a big step for the three of them, and they look so grown up in their uniform. They are now all enjoying attending the school every morning and need no encouragement from anyone!

As you can see its hard to believe how much children change in such a small space of time, we are so happy we came back to the orphanage to see them develop and grow. We cant imagine how much they will have change when we return in the future! We have been so lucky to meet such amazing children and are going to miss them so much when we have to return home, something none of us want to think about!!

So from the three of us, Beth, Nathan and Cara; Thank you for your support to these amazing children!

Climbing Mountains to Save Lives

Working with The Small Things, I never cease to be amazed by all of the brave and slightly crazy things that people are willing to do in order to help those in need. There are many wonderful people out there, who work unbelievably hard every single day to help people they haven’t even met, care for those who need them the most, and take part in ridiculously courageous challenges to try to raise money for charity.

One such person is Danielle Carr, a 19 year old student at Manchester University, who is willing to push her body to the limits and attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in order to raise money for the Meningitis Research Foundation- a brilliant cause.

Here, Danielle tells us more about this incredible project:

“Hi, my name is Danielle, I’m 19 years old and from Newcastle. I currently live in Manchester and am in my second year at the University of Manchester studying Management, specialising in Marketing. This year I wanted to do something different and help to raise money for charity, which is why I’ve taken on the challenge of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The charity I’m raising the money for is the Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF), which helps to fund research to prevent meningitis and septicaemia in order to improve survival rates and outcomes. It promotes education and awareness to reduce death and disability, and gives support to people affected. This disease can kill people within hours and those who survive it can be left with problems that can dramatically affect their lives. I’m sure you will agree that MRF is a great cause and the work they do really does make a difference. The money I raise will go directly to the charity in order to help them with their research and in return they will fund the costs of flights to get there. I have a target of £2500 to reach and I would love to be able to exceed it.

The reason that I’ve decided to do this project is that I wanted to achieve something that was challenging. The climb will be in August this year so I’ve got a lot to do in preparation such as raising the money and doing some training so that I am fit enough. I’m nervous, but very excited. It will be such an amazing experience and so rewarding to know that I’ve helped raise money and awareness for Meningitis as well. To sponsor me or to find out more about how my fundraising is going then please click here. Thank you so much for anything you can donate and for supporting me along the way- I really appreciate it."

I really admire anyone who is willing to face such a challenge in order to raise money for people who really need it. Climbing to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the rooftop of Africa, is an incredible achievement and I can’t think of a better reason to raise the money. Every year thousands of children are affected by meningitis, including some of the children at Nkoaranga Orphanage.

Please join us in supporting Danielle in tackling this mountain of a challenge (Get it? Mountain? Oh dear...). Thank you so much for anything you can give.

As a thank you, please enjoy this beautiful video of our gorgeous boy Ebenezer - who was desperately ill last year with malaria, pneumonia and meningitis all at once - showing us just how far he's come. Give these kids a chance and they will move mountains.

Guest Post by the lovely Amy Summers!

Amy is a great friend of Nkoaranga orphanage who is in the process of finalizing her adoption of Pray, a gorgeous five year old who lived at Nkoaranga until he was three. She has graciously agreed to write a guest post (hopefully one of many!) to keep us updated on the kids! You can read more about her journey at Kusali-To Pray. Thanks also to Amy for letting us use her gorgeous photos here and elsewhere on the site.

Amy and a grumpy Zawadi

Maureen Ndogo

Gracie pushing around Amy's son Pray!

Oh wow, my first post on The Small Things! I feel honored.

After almost two months (school starting, moving, etc. A busy time of year!), Pray and I finally made a much-needed visit to his old home. I, of course, had to take photos of Zawadi for Bekka! The kids are doing well. Frankie and Filipo were in the hospital with malaria, but the rest of them were running around as usual! Zawadi was being changed when we got there and seemed a bit grumpy. Probably because of the diaper changed--no one likes those! I managed to get a few photos, then she waddled off to play with the kids. I only saw her once more in the next hour--busy girl! Gracie is practicing her walking skills. 

She almost has it! Maureen mdogo is proudly crawling and is more beautiful than ever. I didn't think it was possible! Frankie was almost crawling when we visited in late July, so I imagine he is a pro by now. Vicky was being held and then put to bed, so I didn't see much of her.

Ebenezer and his proud Baba

David is so big!

Ebenezer's baba (father) was there visiting! He seemed very proud of his son. I pulled up some pictures of Ebeni from his first week of life and his baba was amazed and said he forgot Ebeni was so small! Ester is running everywhere. She politely asked for a banana and proceeded to stuff it all in her mouth. She was another one that was so little. Thanks to Annette and Miriam takinig her home every night, she thrived and you all know how precious she is now! David mdogo is another walker/runner now. He was glued to the TV and Faraja was nicely sharing her lollipop with him. Neema has lost some of her chubbiness now that she runs everywhere! I don't think I saw her walking at all, just running. She still has her gorgeous dimples and has turned into such a little helper.

Baracka has been one of my favorites since I met him at two months old. He was such a difficult baby. He spit up every ounce of every feed and would scream within 10 minutes because he was hungry again. I love watching him grow. Despite his many days of crying and fussing (even now), he was in a great mood on Wednesday and kept asking me to turn my camera off and on. It has a little picture on it as it turns on. Maureen mkubwa was outside most of the time, so I didn't get to see much of her. She had a very serious face on when she finally came inside (against her wishes!). Pray is as ornery as ever. He went straight for Claire so she would hold him. He still seems a bit behind, but he's much healthier than we ever thought he'd be! He was another sickly newborn that I often worried about. 

Andrea (left) and
Baracka holding hands

Simoni offering to share his candy

Saimoni, oh Saimoni. His unusual gait from the rickets is hardly noticeable now. You would never know he struggled so much! I love that smile and his happy attitude. David mkubwa was helping Gracie walk. I am always relieved to see how sweet he has turned out. Besides his physical battles, he went through a period when he would just walk up and bite even the tiny babies. And with a smile on his face! He now prefers to hold them and help the mamas. What a mini adult! Andrea was my second favorite before Baracka came along and still has a big part of my heart. I will never forget the night when he was 14 months old and sick with pneumonia and malaria. I watched his little heart beat and I thought it would beat right out of his chest. Ironically, after that hospital stay, he lost weight and started walking! He talks up a storm and had no interest in the TV--yay! Loveness sat and watched over the volunteers who were holding the babies. She's still such a little mama! 

Pendo was also outside most of the time, but seems to have settled in. She gets along with the other kids (mostly). Back in July, every time I heard someone crying, it would be her. Of course, our visit was only two hours, so maybe she was just having a good morning - but we hear good things from the mamas. Dainessi has three missing teeth! It makes her look SO much older and fits her new mature personality. She can't wait to start school. Stephen was busy watching a movie with Ericki, Faraja, and Aroni. He obliged when I asked for a photo and gave his big ol' trademark Stepheni smile! Ericki is just so 

Proud Dainess

Stevie is way too cool

handsome! He was watching a movie and then playing with pictures. I often wonder about him and his history of headaches, but he seemed well and happy during our visit.

Farajah and Aroni *should* be going to SOS on Monday. The twins from Cradle of Love are going on Monday and they have been waiting since April, too. I asked Mama Andrew, but she said she hadn't heard anything and Mama Upendo would know better. Unfortunately, Mama Upendo wasn't there. Wema, an older Nkoaranga kid, will also join them, along with two older kids, Allan and Vumilia. HeavenLight is supposed to go, also, but he recently went to live with an aunt and last I spoke with Mama Upendo, everyone was very happy with the arrangement. Hopefully we will hear something soon about the kids going to SOS. It is past time for Faraja to be in school! And I don't know why Aroni stayed behind after the summer holiday. His English had been progressing so quickly and he loved school. I hope SOS ends up being the perfect place for all of them.

Abduli is still Abduli. Pray was often in tears asking to leave because Abduli pulled his hair, pinched him, or punched him. I remember the days when Abduli's father and other family members would visit every weekend. I wonder if they stopped because of his obvious delays? It breaks my heart, because we all know how hard life in TZ is for people with disabilities. (Hopefully we can find a school that will help him to thrive for next year -Bekka)

In related news, there are two new babies. Shugya (I need to check her file for the correct spelling, but it sounds almost like "sugar" but with a "ya" at the end) is about two months old. I don't know her story, as the mamas were very busy and we didn't have much time to talk. She looks very healthy, though. The other newbie, Daoudi ("Dah-oo-di" Swahili for Davidi, said Mama Andrew), turned two weeks on the day we met him, making his birthday October 12th. He weighs all of two kilos and is very skinny. He is not as small as Riziki, quite a bit longer, but looks very unhealthy. I hope he will get the love and nourishment he needs to grow
. 

New baby Shugya

I will try to go back this Wednesday or Thursday now that Pray's midterm break is over. Hopefully Zawadi will be smiling and Mama Upendo will be around to get more updates! 

Until then,

Amy

Daoudi

Little Daoudi

Without a huge amount of attention and care, premature babies like Daoudi and Ebenezer don't make it - as we learned the hard with with gorgeous little Reziki. Please consider donating to help us hire more staff to care for these incredible children.