MOP

History

The Marilynn Orphans Projects Foundation (MOP), is Orphans Africa’s field partner. MOP was established in 2004 in the United Republic of Tanzania, East Africa, and is headquartered at the capital city of Dar Es Salaam. It is a grassroots organization founded by the late Mr. Raphael Filli Mwaji. Mr. Mwaji, from Zambia, completed university seminary training in Zambia, graduating as a pastor, after

being influenced as a child by Christian missionaries from North Carolina. Raphael started MOP in Zambia to provide educational assistance to orphans and empowerment to widows. As the AIDS epidemic raged through East Africa, people in Tanzania who heard of his work in Zambia asked him to come and begin his work there. (In 2005 Tanzania had 2.5 million orphans out of a total population of 36 million.) In 2005 Raphael left behind three teenage sons in Zambia to work his farm and to continue going to school. He, his wife Aisha, and his youngest son, Joseph, moved to the outskirts of Dar Es Salaam to begin establishing MOP in Tanzania. Raphael passed away on August 6, 2008, due to complications from diabetes. For eighteen years he dedicated his life to the welfare of others. Orphans Africa honors Raphael, our beloved friend, and seeks to carry on his legacy.

Vision

The aim of MOP is to provide a continuing process of total transformation of people and society. They desire to enlighten the people and bring them into the modern age, to act as an instrument for social and economical transformation, to hasten the establishment of a just society and to generate positive attitudes in the people toward orphans, in addition to providing survival skills.

L to R: Mwazo Chaula, Interpreter, Wilfred Batakanwa, OA representative, Monika Kwilasa Farru, MOP Project Coordinator, and Mary Rweeza, MOP Treasurer

Programs

Children’s Programs: MOP concentrates on aiding vulnerable children, such as orphans. Currently there are 2.5 million orphans in Tanzania due to the AIDS/HIV epidemic, malaria, and other diseases. MOP usually does not have orphanages, but houses and cares for the children in the homes of widows, who in turn receive benefits. MOP identifies area orphans and vulnerable children who are without educational means, builds schools, and provides basic needs such as school fees, school materials, books, uniforms, transportation costs, and health services.

Some of the MOP members and supporters visiting the Majohe School, one of MOP’s sponsored schools.

Women’s Programs: MOP has recognized the urgent needs of women, most especially widows, who are the primary caregivers in their communities. MOP believes that through the empowerment of women, many of the problems that now hamper human development can be alleviated. MOP has plans to assist the women in the development of economic empowerment programs. Such programs include tailoring, batik-making, embroidery and knitting, secondhand clothing and shoes, creative and handcrafts arts, poultry and piggery projects, soap-making, water (shallow well) projects and sales of food and soft drinks.

A few of the many widows who are members of MOP. They are the caregivers of the orphans.

NOTE: MOP is legally registered by the United Republic of Tanzania as of August 16, 2005 under the Non-Governmental Organization Act, 2002. Registration number OO NGO/0915. It is a charity foundation with a governing constitution and a Board of Directors consisting of seven directors.