Have you been looking for a way of helping out the kids but
not sure how?
Well, this could be for you.
How about challenging yourself this April by taking part in the Taunton half
marathon? There are also options for a full marathon or a fun run.
Shujah says you can do it!
Bethan Crisp, Charlotte Foster, Emily Hayman and Jake Fuller are the first four
registered runners, racing on behalf of The Small Things. They are looking for
anybody else to join them in what is going to be a very gruelling but also VERY
rewarding day!
Peace (11 months) and Shujah (13 months) are two little guys who have only been with us for a short time, but have made a big impression on everyone they've met. Shujah literally means “hero” in Swahili, and these two are definitely a double act, so I've started referring to them as Batman and Robin. They are just two months apart and completely inseparable – not to mention painfully cute!
Sweet Shujah
They had very different starts in life – Shujah was born full term and healthy, while Peace was very premature and had us all worried for a long time. Shujah has been incredibly sweet and smiley since day one – when I was here in December he would sit in his baby chair and flirt with everyone who walked by. Peace has taken a little longer to get there, although he has always been an extremely laid back baby. In fact, his original name was Daoudi (as you might remember), but the mamas renamed him Peace because it fit his temperament so well. It was several weeks before I even heard him cry!
The boys in December
Since then both have gained weight at an astonishing rate – they are just the cutest little butterballs that you can imagine. They're both also supremely cheerful kids nowadays, impossible to ruffle, thrilled to play with anyone who will come hang out with them. Shujah is now crawling, although only if baited with an appropriately exciting toy, generally someone's cell phone. Peace is up on his hands and knees and rocking, but doesn't seem to care if he ever moves beyond that. I think it's part of his laid back style – he's generally pretty happy wherever he is, so why go to so much effort to move? Both are babbling, although without recognizable words – we frequently come into their room to find them talking to each other through their crib bars, so they seem to have an understanding!
Big fat Peace today
I wanted to write about these two today for a few reasons. First, of course, they're beautiful and a joy to be with, photograph, video, or write about. More importantly, though, Peace was the very first baby we implemented our one-to-one protocol with, where we pay for an additional mama to be one-on-one with premature babies until they have reached a healthy weight and size. Peace didn't gain an ounce his first month before this was implemented – he doubled in weight his second month and has been growing almost as fast ever since. I wanted to show what a difference that policy has made, and how incredibly lucky we are to have this gorgeous boy with us. It's also a bit of a bittersweet moment, as we look back at Reziki and Rehema and other children that we've lost along the way, and think of how big and beautiful they might have been. However, I'm confident that we're doing the right thing with this program, and that we are doing everything we can to give these kids the start in life they deserve. Employing a mama full time for one-to-one care costs just a few hundred dollars, and it gave us this incredible kid. Thank you to all of you for being part of that.
Now on to the fun stuff:
Peace blowing kisses
Batman and Robin chatting to each other
Peace blissed out over his favorite toy
Shujah crawling
Peace playing peekaboo
I can't wait to write a post like this when little Ebenezer has come this far. We're so proud of you both, little guys!
It's amazing how fast time flies at the orphanage... sometimes, history repeats itself, and some things never change!
Frankie 2010
Frankie 2012
Frankie's cheeks are still for the ages!
Me holding Pray and Simoni 2010
Me holding Pray and Simoni 2012
I still adore this funny little pair, who couldn't be more different from each other if they tried, despite being just a few months apart in age...
Baracka (left) with bubbles 2010
Baracka with bubbles 2012
Baracka still loves bubbles, but has moved up the totem pole, and now gets to blow them rather than just pop them!
Simoni grinning 2010
Simoni grinning 2012
Simoni still has the world's best happy face...
Eman 2010
Eman 2012
Eman is still way cooler than I will ever be, and he still likes chilling on the trampoline...
Stevie (far right) as a baby with volunteers (thanks Amy for the photo!)
Stevie (far left) 2012 with volunteers
Stevie's mouth still exerts its own gravitational pull...
Tumaini with Zawadi 2009
Tumaini with Peace 2012
And you still can't keep Tumaini away from the babies. Ok, so a few concrete updates on the kids - Peace is out of the hospital and back home with us, missing only a little of his belly chub. Big Ebenezer has taken his daredevil antics to the next level and smashed out his front teeth - poor boy! Little Ebenezer is doing much better and should be discharged from the hospital tomorrow (yay!), so our whole little family should be at the orphanage together as of tomorrow! Thank you so much to everyone who donated for his care - he was in about ten days altogether, so his bill will be high. We continue to gratefully accept contributions towards his hospital bills.
And as a final bonus, a lookalike feature:
Which of these pictures shows our gorgeous boy Shujaa, and which shows a Japanese Kabuki crab ? Both are surprisingly fuzzy on top.
I have always loved the serenity prayer, whether or not one connects it with religion or God - I think it's a really beautiful and powerful way to think about life, especially the difficult and raw parts that this type of work exposes you to.
"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
Serenity
I never fully got the chance to honor and memorialize Rehema, a beautiful little angel who was with us for just a few short days. I am sorry I never got the chance to meet her, though Jasmine, Dora and Anna have given us a glimpse of her days at the orphanage, and assure us she was taken care of and loved. It appears her mother was unable to get to the hospital and gave birth in unsanitary conditions, then passed away - leaving little Rehema, already premature, with infections she was not strong enough to fight. Her name meant compassion, and I hope we gave her that at least. We will remember you, little girl, and strive to be compassionate to honor your memory.
Courage
We couldn't help Rehema - but there are parts of her story that echo things we can help. Her birth was unsafe - we have made huge strides with Light Up the Night, and are over 80% of the way towards our goal. That means we've already raised enough to rewire and install solar lighting in the orphanage. Now we are just over $2000 away from being able to install solar lighting in the maternity wards as well. This is crucial - electricity is out several nights a week, and the incredibly hardworking hospital midwives cannot do their job properly if they can't monitor the laboring mothers and summon more help from the doctors when necessary.
I also am thrilled to deliver an update on our beautiful boy Peace. As you may remember, he struggled badly to gain weight during his first month - he remained just two kilos. However, thanks to your donations, we were able to fund 24/7 care for him during his second month, and he more than doubled in weight! He's kept up that progress since then - take a look at him below with baby Shujah, who was not premature and is several months older than him. Same size! And Shujah is NOT a small baby! We're so proud of how beautifully they are both growing, and were thrilled to hear from Jasmine and co. that they would never have guessed on their recent visit that he had been so premature if they hadn't already known.
Shujah (left) and Peace (right)
Wisdom
Asimwe cuddling baby Ebeni
a few weeks ago
Little man giving a sly
smile yesterday
Because this intervention worked so well with Peace, we have been able to help out another gorgeous boy who has been struggling, little Ebenezer Ndogo. He has been lucky to have some of the school kids home for a break from boarding school, giving him lots of extra loving - but we were still worried about his lack of weight gain, vomiting and diarrhea. So in concert with Mama Pendo, we decided to fund four weeks of one-to-one care for him as well - and the results already seem to be showing. Friend of The Small Things Steffi was at the orphanage this weekend, and sent along these pictures of Ebenezer Ndogo already smiling, and looking healthier by the day. We're thrilled that it's helping!
Hope
Beautiful girl Neema Ndogo
Luckily, sometimes we are blessed with babies who are healthy and happy from day one. That seems to be the case with beautiful Neema (who will have to be Neema Ndogo since we already have a Neema, now Neema Kubwa!) who came in over the weekend. She's only a few weeks old, but already looks wise beyond her years, with a beautiful, thoughtful little face. Neema means hope, and she is ours - we hope that soon all our beautiful babies will thrive as she seems to be doing already. We hope that they'll all get as big, and beautiful, and sweet, and funny as our Neema Kubwa, two and a half and with dimples that can slay you from a mile away. I personally can't wait to meet both of our new arrivals, to see how Peace has grown, to try to catch the running toddlers that I held on their first days in the orphanage, just a few days or hours old. It makes everything worth it.
Maureen, who I met on her first day, comforting baby Peace.
Keep paying it forward, little girl.
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!
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!
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.
