By Anni Vase & Hanna-Mari Pulli
One of the orphanages Art in Tanzania supports in Dar es Salaam is an orphanage in Bunju. The Sifa Group Foundation’s orphanage houses 32 children of various ages, ranging from 1 to 16 years old. Some of the older children have the opportunity to attend school, but the rest of the kids rely on the teaching of the volunteers and a local man named Erick. Erick is 22 years old and has worked in the orphanage for one year. He does not get paid but hopes his efforts will be noticed one day. He would like to study engineering, but he would need a sponsor to cover the fees. Erick speaks English quite well, as he spent two years in South Africa. Besides Erick, a few other people are responsible for the daily tasks in the orphanage.
At the beginning of June, we had the opportunity to visit one of the morning lessons, which Art held in Tanzania, with the help of volunteers Kathleen and Maria. The lessons take place in the mornings, usually starting at nine o’clock.
During the lessons, the kids learn English, math, games, and drawing. At the beginning of our visit, the sleeping area was converted into a play and teaching area, and the children were seated at the desks. The class started with learning the months of the year in English and Swahili. The teacher called months in English, and the class repeated them in Swahili and vice versa, followed by a month-long song that everyone sang together. After half an hour, the older kids wrote the months down on paper while the younger kids practised numbers. All the pencils and notebooks are shared since there are not enough for everyone. When the older kids returned from school, we had a chance to talk with them. For example, Monica (12) and Glory (13) can speak some English but prefer to communicate by writing.
On the same day, the kids were also checked by two Art in Tanzania medical volunteers, Andy and Cody. The children’s heartbeats and breathing were monitored, and minor injuries, such as cuts and scratches, were treated. Luckily, most of the kids were healthy, and only two were. Andy and Cody would like to check again after a couple of days.
After the class and health checks, it was time to play! The children wanted to showcase their skills with a skipping rope, and we joined in with them as they jumped. Then we gave the children balloons and candy, and they were welcomed with huge smiles and joy. The children kept the sweets as their little treasures and wanted to show them to us before eating them. Before we left, the kids also sang a song in Swahili for us. The song was well-rehearsed and almost brought us to tears.
Donations such as notebooks, pencils, toys, and clothes are needed in the orphanage, and some older children require sponsors to cover their school fees. Art in Tanzania is always looking for new volunteers to make a difference!
