Mufundi Highlands Orphanage Project
Creating Hope and Opportunities for Future Generations
The Mufindi Highlands Orphanage Project addresses a small part of the gigantic problem in sub-Saharan Africa created by the HIV/AIDS epidemic now rampaging through the region. Estimates say that 9% of the region's adult population is infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. The disease has prematurely struck down vast numbers of young parents leaving 11 million orphans to fend for themselves.
Most African governments lack the resources to provide help for these stricken children. Some governments have tried to help their orphans with the financial assistance of large international agencies such as the United Nations. However, these efforts proved little more than stop-gap measures. Actions tended to be ad hoc rather than planned. Governments and agencies differed in their respective approaches to the problem. No long-term programs developed.
There was little coordination between governments or between governments and agencies. Bureaucracy took its toll on effectiveness. Corruption drained resources and morale. Most of the efforts were city-oriented, leaving villages and remote areas in a state of neglect. There were small successes, but no real progress made toward dealing with the massive problems at hand.
Some governments refuse to recognize the HIV/AIDS/Orphans problem due to stigmas attached to the disease and its results. In these countries, next to no action has been taken by governments or agencies. Normally, governments will ask funding agencies for grants or loans to solve specific problems. However, when a government does not recognize a problem, it cannot ask for financial help. This leaves the large agencies helpless to render support.
Until a short time ago, Tanzania was one of the countries that did not recognize their HIV/AIDS problem. Thankfully, the government has now grasped the situation and holds regular meetings to discuss the issue and make plans for a solution. However, bureaucracies do take time to get moving.
It will surely take some time for the government to arrange for projects on the ground and the funding needed to complete the projects. In the meantime, there is an opportunity for the private sector to start projects that will help some orphans that now need assistance and to pave the way for the larger effort that the government intends launch in due course.
The Fox family has already established an NGO under the collective name of "Foxes' Community & Wildlife Conservation" which intends to raise US$330,000 to build a new orphanage near the Fox estate in Mufindi District.
The Mufindi Highlands Orphanage Project will expand on the work already done by the Fox family and local villagers to deal with the problems caused by the growing number of orphans in the Mufindi District of Tanzania.
The Project will harness local expertise and international private funding to embark on a three year program to build an orphanage/school/clinic complex, provide initial sustenance and care for sixty or more orphans, develop future self-funding mechanisms, provide assistance to people now caring for orphans in their homes, and conduct classes on HIV/AIDS awareness and protection for young adults in local villages.
The new orphanage will care for a small number of children with HIV/AIDS and other orphans without family or foster homes. Both infected, and not infected, children will be included in the Mufindi Highlands Orphanage program.
Visiting
The project has already built:
- 4 orphan's houses and 1 guest house
- 6 new school rooms and refurbished an additional 6 rooms;
- Completed 1 Primary Care Hospital and currently refurbishing a larger, referral hospital;
- A teaching library in Igoda and stocked with books;
- Installed the school and medical equipment kindly donated;
- 4 houses for grandmothers caring for orphans in Igoda.
Support Needed
We need your help to raise funds for the following continued developments:
- Build the remaining 2 orphan's dormitories;
- Develop the Village Outreach Programs;
- Build the AIDS Counselling and Treatment Centre at Mdabulo;
- Complete the building of Igoda Community Centre
- Sponsor key staff positions and volunteers who run our programs
- Engage in further consultation with villagers and local government; and
- Increase community involvement.