Here are a selection of our childrens stories....

 MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL

TATU 

 
Tatu was born with talipes-equinovarus (club feet). At one-year old she had an operation in a local Tanzanian hospital to release some tight tendons in her feet. Unfortunately this failed to assist her so that when Tatu began walking her feet faced inwards and backwards (see image). Because of this disability Tatu attended a local ‘handicapped’ – (African title) school rather than normal nursery school. The disabled school was where quite a few volunteers had started helping. Tatu certainly stole the hearts of many volunteers including Gwen Jones – Wkproject team and later Fiona Daniel – Wkproject team.

Gwen, as a Physiotherapist, had a good understanding that Tatu’s condition was treatable and that her quality of life could be much better than walking barefoot on cracked feet through slums and deemed ‘handicapped’ because of an orthopaedic issue. So Gwen visited the local hospitals to see if she could find assistance locally. The local surgeons were not willing to try to a potentially risky operation, and with wards of three-children per hospital bed, surgery on this level was quite off-putting given the high rate of infection post operatively. So Gwen referred Tatu to Moira Kelly’s Children’s First Foundation (CFF) in Melbourne, Australia.

After a year, finally the exhaustive process of obtaining a visa and passport was over and Tatu was ready to depart to Australia (May 2007). It was months of time with Moira Kelly’s team at the CFF Children’s farm that saw Tatu become fluent in English, beat the chest infection that she arrived with, begin school, make many friends and finally understand the process of surgery ahead of her. She had a successful operation that placed metal fixators on her legs to straighten them. Tatu coped incredibly well and rehabilitated beautifully.  A year after arriving, Tatu was ready to go home.

After a teary farewell to the Children First Team, Tatu and Gwen boarded a plane home to Tanzania (April 2008). Tatu was so excited to see her family again! They were amazed at her new feet – there was bearly a dry eye in the house! Over the next 10-days Tatu was re-settled, with some funds raised we were able to find her a spot in an English speaking boarding school. The matron there was most happy to keep an eye on Tatu’s feet and to communicate regularly with Gwen.  Tatu is loving boarding school and is progressing really well. She see’s her family often. She has a sponsor to further fund her boarding school fees ($1,500 US per-year). Thanks to all those who have supported her and a huge thanks to Children First Foundation for transforming her life!

2009 Update: Gwen caught up with Tatu - she looks great. She is loving boarding school and had many a tale to tell of her boarding school antics. Tatu is coming top of her class and is a straight 'A' student. Her legs are looking great, she is running pain-free. Good on Tatu!
   

ASHA   

Asha just arrived in Australia (May 2009) for live-saving surgery. Asha, 8-years, has a life threatening bowel/bladder condition. On top of this she has a serious problem with one of her legs. Her surgery, like Sophia’s, will be a long road to recovery. However, Asha is a very strong child and her parents are very supportive, loving and understanding. We have no doubt in our mind she will cope with the challenges ahead.

On completion of Asha’s surgery we will be looking for an educational sponsor. We would like to be able to place Asha in an English medium day-school with a school bus transport. The sponsorship would be all or part of around $1500 per year commencing in the later half of  2010.

GERALD   

Gerald at 5-years is incredibly bright but was born with malformed legs, deeming him unable to walk. Abandoned by his father at birth, his mother struggles to care for him and earn enough money at the same time. Hence he was registered in the WKProject. We matched him to a sponsor and consequently Gerald has started Nursery School. He is able to read and do mathematics already. We have arranged for him to receive a wheel-chair once sufficient funds are found to ship our crate of equipment over to Tanzania. He will also travel to Australia for sugery in 2010 funded through Children First Foundation.

ISSA

Issa, not only has a club-foot like Tatu, but comes from severe poverty. His father died leaving Issa's Mum the sole provider for a large family. When Gwen collected Issa in May this year he was suffering from numerous ailments such as malnourishment and skin issues all related to living in poverty. His house in Kawe is made from a few corrugated iron sheets, sacks and fabric drop sheets. There are no mosquito nets despite living in a high-malarial zone. 

Since arriving in Melbourne, Issa has begun to flourish. He no longer looks malnourished and he is a cheerful boy who loves to dance, play on the trampoline and sing. Of all our children, we have never needed a sponsor more urgently than for Issa. We anticipate that Issa will be fluent in English on return to Tanzania. We hope that he will pass an entry exam to Tusiime Boarding School, where Tatu is studying. This will require a sponsor of around $2,000 AUD per year. When you look at this as providing all the food, shelter and education a child needs for a year, its cheap!  We are looking to commence this sponsorship in Term 2 of 2010. Please contact Gwen at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are interested in being Issa's sponsor.

ZANURA

Zanura is suffering from a spinal problem so severe that she has cannot control her bowel and bladder and struggles to walk. We are hoping to be able to help Zanura medically. In the meantime, there is a wheel-chair waiting to be shipped over; we are needing to fundraise to get our crate to Tanzania. The WATOTO KWANZA Project has been supplying Zanura with nappies. We hope that Zanura will be able to attend school and have some of the same opportunities disabled children recieve in the Western World.

EDUCATIONAL

Here is a selection of 8 of the 109 children currently registered with the Watoto Kwanza Project for educational support.

DELPHINA                                                  HAWA                                                  

PUDENSIANA                                         SOPHIE

Delphina, Hawa, Pudensiana and Sophie were registered into the Watoto Kwanza project in 2008. None of them were attending school because the cost of enrollment, uniforms, school books and stationery far exceeded their family earnings. All four girls started schooling in 2009 thanks to the Watoto Kwanza Project. Each of these girls had art work displayed at the 2009 Evening on the Bay fundraiser, the profits have gone back into supporting their education. On a typical day, on top of attending school, these girls will collect water for their families, assist in cooking, sweeping and caring for their younger siblings. Hobbies include skipping, art, sewing and hair braiding.

IDDI                                                       ANDREW                                                

THOMASI                                              RICHARD

Just like the girls, Iddi, Andrew, Thomasi and Richard were identified as being 'at-risk due to poverty'. They were not attending school despite being of school age. In 2009, thanks to the Watoto Kwanza Project, they commenced an education. In a community like Kawe, an education is everything. Educations create work and the ability to support ones family. Education breaks poverty cycles.