Of Christmas trees and calendars...

The New Year is starting to look very close right now. January 2014 will be an important time for The Small Things, as we will be opening the pilot house of our children's village where Loveness, Pray, Anna, Queen, Isaak and Auntie will be living as they start school. This is a huge thing for them, so a massive thank you to all those who have signed up to sponsor them. The response to the appeal from the Girl's Gone Child blog post has been wonderful, so thanks also go to Rebecca Woolf for all her help getting the word out.

Opening the pilot house to the school-starters is also a huge step for us, as we branch out from the orphanage. It should be a very big year for The Small Things - hopefully we will have lots of successes to look back on this time next year as we move towards setting up the children's village.

We'd like to take the opportunity to celebrate the success of our Holiday Sponsorship drive and to thank everyone who has signed up as a sponsor. There is no way we would be able to continue our work without your support. The 'small things' that you are all doing are going to make a huge difference. 

Look how much our tree has filled up since November, when there were only a few children its branches! The picture is actually looking even better than this, thanks to the sponsorship that has come through for Isaak just in the last couple of days. 

It's not too late to get Shalom, Irene and the twins on the tree, and we would love to get the full set!

Calendars 2014

You may know already that our 2014 calendars have been on sale for a while on the website, but we now have a couple of previews for you so that you can see just how much you want one in your home! If you haven't got your calendar for the New Year sorted yet, then we can definitely help.

Coming up in January, we have Peace looking happy and warm in the ball pit, with little Neema on the trampoline:

Then in May we have the wonderful Mama Pendo, who holds the orphanage together. Loveness is really showing how much the children love her, but the rest of them seem to be a bit more interested in her birthday cake! We also have Brighton at the top and Big Maureen showing us her strength with that chair:

Finally, my personal favourite has to be October, which features a happy Isaac, a standing Shujaa, and babies with bubbles:

The calendars are selling for $20 in the US, £12 in the UK and $25 elsewhere in the world, and there should still be time to order before the New Year! Go to http://www.thesmallthings.org/helpprojects.html and scroll right to the end to order.

For those in the UK there is also another option - the desk calendars. These are new for this year and we're interested to see how they go. They will be £6 plus delivery and we won't be able to sell them through the website, so please drop me an email on megan@thesmallthings.org with your address if you would like one. Or, just maybe, you could win one on Facebook!

Again, here is a little preview:

The front cover

March pictures Loveness looking very beautiful and reflective as she hold Isaac.

Thank you all for reading and Happy Holidays!

Board Bio: Bethan Crisp

My name is Bethan Crisp. I am 21 years old and I am currently studying Anthropology at Brunel University in West London.

In the Amazon!

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to pursue my studies and career in Law. That was until I began planning some time out of studying in order to travel to Tanzania. Suddenly, my head was filled with adventure, spontaneity, getting ‘out there’ and experiencing the world, (as cliché as that may sound!)

I visited a few universities  and it was during one visit that the realization fell upon me that spending the next, however many years in a dull, brown bricked classroom, (which is how this one particular Law department looked!) was just not for the person I was becoming.

I changed my course and I could not be happier with my decision. I have been on an inspiring placement to Ecuador where I lived in an indigenous Quichua community in the Amazon for 6 months and the confidence it has given me is brilliant and extremely encouraging.  

Anyway, how did I get to Tanzania? I originally went to Tanzania through the organization “Oyster Worldwide” in September 2010 as part of my gap year between college and university. I taught English at a primary school to a class of 70 students for 6 months, until meeting some amazing volunteers in Nkoaranga, also there through Oyster, who took me on a visit to the Orphanage. I fell in love with the children and from that moment, I just knew it would be impossible for me to keep away.

Big Franky with Pray and Fillipo during music class

Such happy faces make working for The Small Things and being a volunteer at Nkoaranga so rewarding!

I was nervous at first to meet the children. Before Tanzania, I had never really been a ‘children person’ or very natural with babies. The children at Nkoaranga completely changed me. They were so welcoming and full of love that I had no time to be shy. They were just such brilliant characters and made an immediate impression and I suddenly felt like I had come to the place that I was destined to go to since arriving in Tanzania. Something had always been missing and until I met these children at Nkoaranga, I didn’t know what that missing thing was.

This year whilst I was back in Nkoaranga, I saw the arrival of baby Hope. It is a very bitter sweet situation to witness the arrival of a new resident of Nkoaranga Orphanage; to be able to hold and interact with such an amazing form of life but to have to wonder about the tragic circumstances that have brought him or her to us. It was fascinating looking at such a small bundle of 'Hope' in her blankets with her eyes closed and thinking about her future. It was very emotional for me as I stood in the baby room looking over at all of the small, sleeping little people. I can only be glad that they are in a safe place surrounded by love and people who will be there for them for years to come.

Baby Hope in her bundle of blankets, the first day I met her. 

I didn’t expect to become so involved and connected to the orphanage. I think that may have been due to every time in England if I was given a baby to hold, he or she would immediately cry their eyes out! Here, at Nkoaranga, a baby would stop crying and feel content if put into my arms. I felt needed. I felt infinitely responsible to care for them and ensure I could be a part of their lives and a part of giving them a future they deserve; a future that any child deserves.

This is why I now work for The Small Things. It gives me the opportunity to do just that – have the ability to contribute to the livelihoods of these beautiful individuals from England when I can’t physically be there with them. I was first in Tanzania for 10 months and I returned for the Christmas and New Year of 2011. This year, after 18 months, I made my third return and saw such a wonderful difference. Such big, gorgeous, healthy children! I had the opportunity to visit the older school children at USA River Academy who had been at the orphanage on my previous visits. How amazing to see them as such flourishing individuals, learning, happy, running around on the grass together and absorbing life.

Visiting the older children at USA River Academy this year. I first met them in 2011 in Nkoaranga Orphanage. It is so great to be able to see such wonderful, physical changes and pure proof of development.

Life at Nkoaranga Orphanage is tough, to say the least. The mamas and, not forgetting, big Franky, do outstanding work. I'm sure many parents would say that looking after one or two children is hard enough. But imagine two mamas a day with over 20 babies, toddlers and young children craving their attention, not enough toys to go around, or not enough of the same toys to prevent any arguments! Sounds challenging, right? 

Loveness taking care of Isaac. The older children can be so helpful when there aren't enough hands to feed a hungry mouth or to sooth a crying baby.

I grew very fond of big Ebenezer. It seems so ironic for him to now be named 'big' Ebenezer (now that we have another little Ebenezer in the orphanage too,) considering he was so tiny and so sick when I first held him back in 2011. I feared for his life. So to see him again this year was indescribable. He is such a funny boy who absolutely loves a cuddle and although he seems relatively sweet and innocent, he definitely has his cheeky moments! He certainly knows how to win your heart, even after you send him to bed and wait for an apology after he has misbehaved, he quickly makes it up to you with a kiss on the cheek!

A tiny, premature baby, Ebenezer,  who became so sick that it was touch and go as to whether he could pull through. 

....But he did! And he is such a fun, lovable, beautiful and, most importantly, healthy little boy today! 

I love a good challenge and what better motivation to complete one, than to do it for the kids? Upon return from Tanzania my first time, I conducted 'Project Maji' which raised over $1,000 for water filtration systems for the orphanage and hospital. 
Then, I went a step up and in December 2011, planned for myself and 4 other previous Nkoaranga volunteers to jump out of a plane and skydive! I still to this day have no idea how I managed that. I not only have a fear of planes, but also of heights! So if THAT wasn’t a challenge, I don’t know what is!
This April, I also took part and completed a sponsored half marathon in aid of The Small Things. I’m not a huge fan of running, especially a run that goes on for more than 2 hours! But I did it and I would do it all over again for the children.
I am of course now thinking and planning my next challenge; something bigger and better. Ideas are on the cards so you will have to keep a look out to see what I plan to get myself into next time!

Success of Project Maji! Stevie, Andrea and David drinking safe, clean water.

High up in the air! A terrifyingly amazing experience.

At the finish line! My first half marathon which I plan to do again next year and beat my time.

  

There are too many amazing memories of the children and Nkoaranga Orphanage for me to go into here. This is why I would tell you to go to Nkoaranga and experience it for yourself and to make your own memories!

 
I am very grateful to be a part of The Small Things because it allows me to play a part in the continuing development of the present and the future of these children. I am a member of the communications, fundraising and volunteers committees and I love being able to assist and help prepare new volunteers who are set to travel out to Tanzania. I am thankful to have met such devoted people and to work as part of a team where our strength grows immensely due to the support of all of you who take the time to read our blogs, keep updated on the children, provide feedback and donate to our projects.

Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement to The Small Things but also to the steps of my past that led me to where I am today. 

Consider the Night Lit!

Consider the night officially lit!

We are thrilled to announce that all the solar lighting is fully installed in the orphanage and maternity ward. There's not a lot to show in pictures, since the panels are on the roof and the wiring is in the walls, but the solar lighting has already been used for several deliveries and been extremely helpful with our newest tiny guy, who eats every hour.

Isaac

Speaking of which... welcome to our gorgeous new little man, Isaac. He's just two weeks old but doing beautifully – healthy at 3 kilos and with a gorgeous head of hair. He loves to be held and is currently eating once an hour, which is great for him if slightly less fun for the mamas!
 

Do I HAVE TO walk? 

Litte Ebenezer and little Neema are doing great, both healthy and happy – Neema in particular has developed a belly that would make Buddha jealous. Big Ebenezer is much improved after the attempt at flying that knocked out his front teeth – he's fully healed and extremely smiley again. In fact, that whole age group is doing great. Frankie is finally WALKING, after taking a million years to decide it was worth the effort. Maureen just turned two, and is talking in full sentences and can count to ten in Swahili and English (CRAZY). Filipo has been going through a major developmental growth spurt, and is now talking his little head off and has gotten infinitely more cheerful and interactive.

Vicky's serious face

Grace is moving up to the big kids' room to make room for Shujaa to move into the toddler room – he has started standing up in his crib, so it's time for something with higher walls! Peace said his first word yesterday – “Acha,” or “Stop it,” quite common choice for the orphanage kids (if you had 23 brothers and sisters it would be your first word too)! Vicky continues to be gorgeous and sweet and make hysterical faces.

Big Maureen kissing her BFF, Miriam

Moving on up... Ester continues to test everyone's patience by refusing to use the potty and using her pants instead, but she's so cute it's difficult to stay annoyed for long. Neema, big Maureen, Baracka, and Miriam are all healthy, happy, and enjoying school.

Simoni with his great grandparents

This week Mama Pendo and I took two trips to visit Zawadi and Simoni's families... and after great visits, they have agreed to let me move forward with their adoptions! I could not be more thrilled or honored.

Loveness and Pray are happy and healthy, no significant news about either of them. Andrea, David, and Pendo have all learned to write their names and are practicing that new school on every surface! They are ready to start school in January and are absolutely raring to go. Abdulli has been trying very hard but still isn't quite there – we're still trying to find a specialist to come out and test him so we can make concrete school plans, at which point we will need to find him a sponsor! The big kids are now back at school, although we had a fantastic day painting with them (along with volunteers from Speranza Tanzania, check out more pictures on their post, although Google Translate will be your friend!).

Painting with the school kids

We also have a bunch of great new volunteers, welcome to Emma, Tess, Christina, Sophie, and Ashlee. The kids are really benefiting from all the extra attention. Even the chickens are thriving – we have eight new chicks and more hatching every day.

Basically, life at Nkoaranaga is hectic but wonderful, as usual, and I am loving it, and dreading having to leave in a few weeks! In the meantime, I'm going to get back there and hug some babies. Thank you again to everyone who donated to Light Up the Night, including everyone who participated in Kristina's event and the MPA's fundraising – we couldn't be happier!