Orphans Africa

Last year, the Tanzanian government donated 80 acres in the Mbozi District of Western Tanzania for the development of a secondary boarding school and vocational training center for orphans. (Approximately one-third of the children in this remote region of Tanzania are orphans.) Because the land grant is so large, orphans will be able to raise their own livestock and farm the land, learning animal husbandry and sustainable farming practices in addition to their regular school studies. Orphans will be able to sell farm products, such as eggs and milk and produce. Any unused land can be leased out to farmers to provide additional income for the school. Other vocational skills will be offered as well, such as tailoring and carpentry.

Although the least developed of OA’s projects, significant strides have been made:

Demarcation and the planting of 1000 trees around perimeter.

A water well has been dug and is fully operational.

Erection of permanent signs on the property.

Funds provided for the development of a master plan for the Secondary Boarding School and Voc-Tech Training Center complex.

Construction on a caretaker’s cottage is well underway and is now ready for roofing.

The community is committed to making the red-mud bricks themselves and contributing their labor toward construction. Still, this is OA’s most ambitious project, and will require an estimated $200,000 for completion. It is OA’s belief that the school/training center will positively impact the lives of thousands of orphans in the years to come, providing them with a quality education and vocational skills.