The Watoto Kwanza Project has been set up to assist the work of Janet Kiwia and World-Jet Travel, Tanzania. Prior to teaming up with them, Janet and World-Jet Travel have made many significant contributions to the community of Kawe. These include building a clean toilet block with running water at Kawe Primary school, funding water tanks, feeding school children, providing vitamins to unwell children, funding medical procedures and doctors visits for unwell children, fostering children and much much more.
Disability Support Program
This is a project that Janet and World Jet Travel have been working on independently until now. The idea is that employment is offered to disabled adults. The adults, with a range of disabilities, are building and modifying bicycles for other disabled individuals. Our registered 5-year old Gerry (see 'children's stories) has just become the first recipient of a hand pedaled bicycle. Each bicycle is sponsored by a group or individual and cost $400 (AUD). We are looking for another 8 sponsored bikes. If you would like to sponsor a bike, please email:
Fiona at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it m and Janet at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Gerry pedals his bike. With workers in the workshop testing his bike.
Janet outside the workshop with staff. Gerry takes a passenger for a ride.
The Watoto Kwanza Centre. English Learning Centre / Library /Nursery School (Kindergarten)
The Watoto Kwanza Centre is going to be set-up in two stages. Initially, 2010, as a library and after-school English tuition centre: costs $12,000 per year to run. We also hope to provide sporting equipment. Stage two: the Nursery / Kindergarten can only happen when sufficient funds are found: $25,000 per year. We can only take on as many children as we can afford. So the quantity of children will be limited more by funding than space.
Background on the Watoto Kwanza Centre:
On discussing the problems of Kawe, Janet alerted us to the fact that there is no free-nursery school in Kawe. She suggested that this is what Kawe really needs. After receiving donated books and educational items we decided it was time to begin thinking about setting up a small learning centre. Our Tanzanian team members are scouting possible rental locations close to the centre of the Kawe slums and near the Kawe A Primary School. We will then employ two teacher and an assistant. Rental, electricity, water, food for the children and teachers wages will need to come from WATOTO KWANZA project funds - about $25,000 per year is required to keep this running (to donate now please see under ‘How can you support us?’).
Our ultimate goal is for the centre to run two sessions of Kinder / Nursery a day. Each session could cater for up to 50-children and will include a meal of vitamin enriched porridge (costs 50c per/serve adding up to $13,000 for 100 children over the course of a year). This will provide 100-children with early education and a daily meal. The centre will be 'English Medium' which is unheard of in the slum's. The reasoning behind this is that any well-paid job in Tanzania requires the employee to speak English. All secondary schools are taught in English and in order to enter secondary school you must pass a tough English exam (among other subjects). Yet the government primary schools teach in Swahili (the native language of East Africans). In order to get ahead, English is necessary! After school hours will utilise the centre as a library / English tutoring and homework support facility for our registered children.
The wonderful thing about a facility like this is that it could become a volunteer placement. This brings a wealth of knowledge to the project as well as financial support.
Medical Referrals and supporting Children First Foundation.
There are many members of the Kawe community in need of medical attention
Last year we referred 3-cases to Children First Foundation (www.childrenfirstfoundation.com). Two of these three children have just arrived in Australia and have commenced treatment of their medical issues. Gwen also referred another child who, we hope, will travel with the third child to Australia early 2010.
The WATOTO KWANZA project has paid for each of these children’s; Passports, Visa’s and associated courier fees. The Doctors appointments, X-Rays, Ultrasounds, blood tests and other investigations necessary to complete the passports and visa requirements. Also travel to and from these appointments and to and from the airport. Travel bags and travel clothing and any necessary items such as crutches, antimalarials, antibiotics, pain relief needed pre-departure. Transit accomodation. Educational arrangements on return to Tanzania and follow up medical costs on return to Tanzania.
In recognition of the involvement of Children First Foundation within the Kawe community, we recently donated $2000 from the profits of our event ‘Evening on the Bay 2008’ at the Frankston Yacht Club. (to read about evening on the bay or to attend a future event, please see under ‘How can you support us – events’.
Asha and Issa, 2009, outside RCH Melbourne. Tatu, 2007, corrective frames for club feet
Necessities Packs & Primary School Enrollment x 104 children ; partially completed April 2009
We enrolled 104 of the most ‘at-risk’ children in Kawe community (those school aged children registered with the project and not previously attending school) into Kawe A Primary school and issued each child with a two school uniforms, underwear and socks, stationery sets and a 'necessities pack' containing toiletries. The second installment of these packs will arrive in Jan-2010, each child will receive a mosquito net for them and their family as well as a pair of school shoes.
Janet with registered children Registered child receives a necessity pack
Wheelchair distribution
The WATOTO KWANZA Project has received 50 wheelchairs from the NGO ‘Wheelchairs for Kids’ www.wheelchairsforkids.org . This will enable 50-disabled kids to attend school. Once too heavy for their mothers to carry, these kids were left at home. The chairs are custom built for slum conditions for example the tyres are solid rubber – so not to puncture. The chairs will be shipped in a crate in late-2009 thanks to the Evening on the Bay fundraiser and Rotary’s ‘Donations in Kind’ – www.rotary.org.au.
Sewing Machine distribution
Rotaries donations in kind have donated 20 sewing machines to the WATOTO KWANZA project. These are to be distributed to single mothers to allow them to making a living whilst working from home.
Secondary School Fees
Looking into the future, we want to provide support for these children entering secondary school. Tanzanian Education system is harsh, by which only 10%-20% of primary school graduates are offered a spot in secondary school. These spots are offered to those pupils that are in the top 10-20% of the nation in the Standard 7 National Examination. However seconday school fees are about $300 per year, so many children who have qualified, but come from impoverished back-grounds cannot take their spot. We would like every orphan from Kawe who is offered a spot in secondary school, to be able to take this.
Other Completed Sub-Projects
Educational and medical welfare of Tatu sustained on return to Kawe. Tatu (see her story under 'back-ground'), is now in an English speaking boarding school for the remainder of her schooling. Costs: $1700 US in fees per year and approximately $300 is school supplies / necessities. Her first year was paid by a donation from Global Volunteer Network and Watoto Kwanza project funds. A kind sponsor has agreed to cover the remainder of her schooling. In May 2009 Watoto Kwanza Project funded her follow-up Dr's appointment and Xrays. She is going well.
50kg of donated clothing sent to Mother Theressa Sisters of Mercy orphanage in Tabata, Dar es Salaam. Collected and delivered in April 2008.
