Neema Village Tanzania, Inc.

Dear All,

In January I will be volunteering at Neema Village - a U.S registered non-profit organisation in Tanzania, East Africa.

The orphan population in Tanzania is now estimated at over 3.1 million.  Many children are orphaned by HIV, AIDS and other diseases, but there are additionally a large number of vulnerable babies who lose their mothers in childbirth (there is still a high maternal mortality ratio), or are abandoned when their families simply do not have the financial resources to care for them (e.g. children with special needs, or AIDs widows who have little or no income). Neema is used as a point of contact, by the hospitals, police and social welfare, when there is a baby in need and no-one to look after them.  These babies are brought to Neema where they are cared for around the clock.

Neema Village was originally established in Arusha in 2012 as a rescue centre for the country’s increasing number of abandoned, orphaned and at-risk vulnerable babies.  Since then, they have helped to support and care for more than 230 babies – most of whom have been adopted into a new family or returned to an extended family member. They have a strong focus on 'families, not orphanages.'


Baby Bryan (named by the Neema staff), one of their newest arrivals, was found on the side of the road with his placenta and umbilical cord still attached. He is now safe and sound at Neema.


Salha and Samia were born this summer in a small clinic in Arusha. Their nineteen year old mother died of postpartum haemorrhage in the waiting room. They were her first. The young father and grandmother came to Neema with the babies to see where they will be cared for until they are able. When the babies are a bit bigger they should be able to go home with the grandmother. 


Newborn Christopher above was abandoned in a taxi in downtown Arusha.  His mother asked the taxi driver to wait for her to get something, but she never came back.  How desperate she must have been to leave such a beautiful baby boy. He has since been adopted.


Abbas arrived at Neema when his mother passed away after childbirth and is currently being cared for by the Neema Staff.


Abandoned on a porch overnight, Neema House was called to rescue this little boy and he has since been adopted.


Caring for these abandoned and orphaned babies helps temporarily, but does not solve the problem, so Neema’s mission also incorporates a range of programs designed to help support local women with maternal nutrition, healthcare in childbirth, access to medicines and clean water.  They have also created a “Mothers Against Poverty” program MAP to help families find ways to supplement income and support women with entrepreneurial opportunities (education, training, funding and technical assistance) so that they can provide an income for themselves and their families, with improved living conditions, better nutrition, and money for education.


Halimah, a Massai mum living in a remote village in the plains, who Neema are supporting financially with starting a chicken/egg business so she can care for her baby. 


These twins - David and Dennis were brought to Neema along with their mother, who felt she could not care for them as she was alone and had no ability to make a living.  Neema have since helped her set up a used clothing business with one of the other mothers. 

This is a special charity very close to my heart and is run purely on donations. Please note that the money raised on this page goes directly towards helping care for the babies (child care/food formula/supplies, medical care, education, maintaining equipment and grounds, vehicles, etc and Tanzanian staff salaries).

Any amount is greatly appreciated and will make a huge difference in a child’s life.

Please watch this Video to gain more insight into their Story: VIDEO  

Link to their website: CLICK 
 
Thank you all in advance for your kind contributions.
 
Much Love,
Sophie
X

In November I'm heading to Arusha, Tanzania, to volunteer for a month at Neema Village, a baby rescue centre, widows home and mothering centre. After first hearing of its existence when I was working as a neonatal nurse, it has since been a big wish of mine to help out there.

I'm funding all my own expenses, this page is purely to collect donations to go straight into Neema's pockets :)   (I’ve had to set the donations in dollars as they are a US registered charity)

Neema Village is a non-profit, non-governmental charity set up by Micheal and Dorris Fortson, a couple who, after becoming aware that many orphanages in Tanzania will not accept babies (as they are too expensive to care for, require more time, staff etc.), upon retiring, made it their mission to create a place to care for these babies that no one else would.

(Founder, Dorris, with some of the babies)

It is not uncommon in Tanzania for babies to be abandoned, or lose their mother's to childbirth. Neema is used as a point of contact, by the hospitals, police and social welfare, when there is a baby in need and no-one to care for them.  These babies are brought to Neema, where they are cared for, nurtured and loved until it is possible to either return them to a extended family member or find them a new adoptive family. They have a strong focus on 'families, not orphanages.'

(Baby Bryan (named by the Neema staff), one of their newest arrivals, was found on the side of the road with his placenta and umbilical cord still attached. He is now safe and sound at Neema)

(Tiny baby Maxine, who Neema was called to pick up from hospital after being abandoned. She has since been adopted)

What first started as, 'Neema House', the home for rescued babies, has recently been expanded into 'Neema Village', with the building of a widows home and mothering centre. They acknowledged that stood alone, the rescue centre was solving a need, but not the problem. Mothers who had been so desperate, penniless, that they felt the only option was to abandon their baby; pregnant women who were undernourished, had poor access to medical care etc. lead to motherless babies. In recognition, a huge part of the work they do now involves focusing on programs supporting women and mothers, before and after childbirth.

(A set of 3 week old triplets who Neema collected from hospital, along with their mum, after being discharged, so that she could be supported with nursing 3 small babies until strong enough and able to care for them herself. It was suspected that, if sent home, these 3 would not have all survived.)

(Halimah, a Massai mum living in a remote village in the plains, who Neema  are supporting financially with starting a chicken/egg business. Helping women to work themselves out of poverty and provide an income for them and their families is a huge part of Neema's work)

(Little David and Dennis, who were brought to Neema, along with their mum, who felt she could not care for them as she was alone and had no ability to make a living. Neema have since helped her set up a used clothing business with one of the other mothers)

I wanted to set up this page, as Neema run solely on donations, and, other than the permanent tanzanian nannies, (the only staff they employ), volunteers. They are a non-profit charity and ALL the donations they receive are used directly on formula, food, nappies, medical expenses, bills, petrol, salary for the permanent tanzanian staff etc. (The directors and founders are all supported through their own, separate fundraising). It would be so amazing if through this page I could collect some donations which would contribute towards the costs of running the village.  

Equally, if anyone would like to donate some items, they have a list of their 'most needed' including: nappies (small-large), baby wipes, baby shampoo, soap, vaseline (preferably non-scented), food grade coconut oil which is solid at room temperatures (they use this in their homemade baby formula!), shoes (easy to slip on and off) UK infant/child sizes (6-12). I'm planning on filling some luggage with these, so if anyone would like to donate eg. a few packs of nappies/wipes, towards this before I go let me know :) (I'll be popping back to England before I leave)

Any amount/form of contribution will be greatly appreciated!

You can read some more stories of babies they have saved here: http://www.neemavillage.org/neema-babies/  and their programs for mothers here: http://www.neemavillage.org/mothers-against-poverty-map/.

Here is their blog: http://www.blogneemahousearusha.org/

AND lastly, a video about the work they do! https://vimeo.com/165286845

Thank you!!!

This Summer, we will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary.  We have long wanted to go to Africa for a wildlife viewing safari and decided that the occasion of our anniversary would be a good time to do that.


We also decided that we didn't want this trip to be just about us, so we started looking for opportunities to either serve others while we are there or participate in an established mission work in the area.  Through a series of unrelated events, it became clear that God was pointing us toward Neema House, an orphanage in Arusha, Tanzania that cares for orphaned and abandoned babies.  Check them out at www.tanzaniaorphanhelp.com.

We have now signed up to volunteer there for a week in early July.  They ask all of their volunteers to engage in a fundraising effort on their behalf, so that is the purpose of this page.  It costs them $300 per month to care for one child.  We would love to be able to provide them with enough funds to care for a child for an entire year -- hence the $3600 goal.  Please consider giving to this worthy cause.

NONE OF THE FUNDS YOU GIVE WILL BE PAYING FOR OUR TRIP.  WE ARE COVERING ALL THOSE COSTS OURSELVES.  100% OF ANY CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THROUGH THIS PAGE WILL GO DIRECTLY TO NEEMA HOUSE.

Thank you and may God bless you.

Kent & Joan