Korogwe Orphanage Centre(KOC)

Korogwe Orphanage Centre(KOC)

Korogwe Orphanage Centre(KOC)

PO Box 96

Tanga

TANZANIA

korogwecentre@yahoo.com 

Committee Members:

Chairman - Mr. Juma Mhina (Village Chairman)

Secretary - Musa Twaha Kitonge (Swahili and Culture teacher)

Board member- LIBERARTHA HUSSEIN MASHIMBA-Co-ordinator

Coordinator - Benjamin Kinyamasongo (Swahili and Culture teacher)

Board member - Maimuna Hussein

Board member - Mwanaisha Kallaghe

Board member - Salehe Mzige (Accountant for the Municipality of Korogwe)

Teachers:

Rhoda Chedi

Mwajabu Athman

Rukia Mwasimba

About Korogwe Orphanage Centre(KOC)

Korogwe Orphanage Centre(KOC)operates in Korogwe District, Tanga region, Tanzania. Korogwe is located in one of Tanzania’s poorest regions, which is often overlooked by NGOs because of its limited infrastructure and service provision. The area is badly affected by HIV/AIDS and lacks the resources necessary to provide assistance to AIDS victims or to develop effective prevention strategies. Many children in the area have been orphaned as a result of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and are themselves infected with the disease. Many of these have no relatives to which to turn, and must stay with already poor families in the nearby villages of  Kwa Msisi,Msufini, Madumu, Chekelei, and Kwakole. Others are forced to wander the streets due to lack of resources and parental guidance.

Most of these children do not attend school. All suffer because of lack of family discipline, inability to access skill-building programs or education, and insufficient nutrition, clothing, and health care. The lack of these basic needs in turn makes the children even more vulnerable to sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS infection, illness, and labor exploitation.

KOC was formed in 2005 to combat the situation of local children and youths. The Korogwe Youth Vocational Center, an offshoot of KOC, was established in May 2006 and is well positioned to support orphans identified by the parent organization as at-risk. Together, the organizations seek to support the orphans of Korogwe District in gaining access to education, health care, and daily interactions necessary for the development of healthy children and youths. To this end, the KOC presently provides daytime nursery education and limited medical care. In addition, KOC seeks to develop an arts cooperative of local widows who currently serve as caretakers and who wish to market their goods online to raise operational funds for the new school, increasing the project’s likelihood of sustainability,  teaching the women how to be self-reliant by training them in tailoring, pottery making, etc.

             

The Children:

In Korogwe District there are more than 500 orphans. The Centre currently supports 97 boys and girls between the ages of 2 and 18. Of these, 10 are fully supported by the Centre and the rest live with grandparents or other people in the local community. With funding, by January, 2013 we expect the number of youth we are supporting to increase to 200. The goal is to be able to support at least 250 youth at the Centre.

Besides giving the children clothes, food, and shelter, Korogwe Orphanage Centre(KOC)provides supplementary lessons for the children in its care as well as children from the local community. International volunteers teach classes in English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science twice a day.

Overseas funding is being sought for the development of the site. The Centre has its own building now. Some of the land has been converted to a vegetable garden, the produce of which will be used and sold by the Centre.

Pre-School Project:

KOC has just finished the building of two classrooms and a teachers' office, which is serving as a base for its activities and as a Pre-School centre.

The two classrooms are large, accommodating 45 children per session, and each contains a blackboard. There are two toilets available conveniently as well(One for Children and the other one for adults).

The Pre-School opened its doors to the public in March, 2012. Already there are 200 children registered with KOC, and 97 of them are able to attend the Pre-School every weekday. Another 45 (of this 200), ages 7 to 15, receive limited financial support from the Centre for tuition fees, books, uniforms, etc.

Future Aims:

1       To build and facilitate a small primary school to accommodate children completing basic education at the Pre-School centre and also older children.

2       To build and facilitate a small secondary school to accommodate children completing education at the KOC primary school and also older children.

3       To partner with local businesses to provide the opportunity for vocational training.

4       To build a pool for keeping fish (approximately one hectare)

1       To build two more classrooms as part of the Pre-School.

2       To establish a Pre-School centre in each of the wards of Korogwe Town.

3       To establish a partnership with an overseas volunteering agency, enabling foreign volunteers to help physically and financially with future development projects under the guidance of KOC.

It is the greatest desire of KOC to gradually establish such projects within each of the wards of Korogwe Town, thus giving stability and a prosperous future to each and every child living in difficult circumstances with no hope of living a decent life. Every one of KOC children are valued as growing individuals and know that they have people to turn to when they are in need.

Friends who have contributed so far:

1       Local government by providing 1 hectare of the 5 hectares that we have

2       Board members - all board members make regular financial contributions to the needs of the Centre and in particular the ten children that are fully within its care.

In addition:

(a)   Mr. Mhina (Village Chairman) - by organising and monitoring all day to day activities;

(b) Musa Twaha Kitonge (Swahili and Culture teacher) - by promoting KOC, looking for volunteers and donors;

(c)  Benjamin Kinyamasongo (Swahili and Culture teacher) - by promoting KOC, looking for volunteers and donors;

(d) Maimuna  Hussein - by helping chairman;

(e)  Mwanaisha Kallaghe - by helping chairman;

(f)   Salehe Mzige (Accountant for the Municipality of  Korogwe) - by helping KOC with accounts

3        Friends from Australia by doing local fundraising to help with purchasing uniforms, books, etc. (Sheree Lette, Miranda Wilkson, Katie Melinda from the organisation Friends of Korogwe)

4       Professor Lene Buchert, Copenhagen, Denmark

5       Kelly Conneen, Point Pleasant, New Jersey, USA

6       Alice Kells, Greenfield, Massachussetts, USA

7       Leigh Hubbard, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

8       Professor Herb Kells, Washington, DC, US

9       Laura Kells, Washington, DC, USA

10  Larry Leigh, Washington, DC, USA

11  Isobel Pelham, San Clemente, California, USA

12  Rachel Trego, Washington, DC, USA

13  Jelanie Wilkins, Washington, DC, USA

14  Friends from Scotland by paying teachers' salaries since we started (Priscilla Webster from the organisation LoadsaWeeminsinging)

15  Some good Samaritans - interested local community members who help as they are able

International volunteers:

16   Jesca Smith from UK.

17   Caleb Cottier and Jack Turner from Canada.

18   Kay Mitchel from Scotland.

19   Alison Colvin from Scotland.

20  Kristen Rau from America.

21   Albert Van de Ploeg and Evelyn De Kam from Holland - multiple visits over the course of several years;

22  Priscilla Webster from Scotland - multiple visits over the course of several years;

23  Shree Lette, Miranda Wilkson and Katie Melinda from Australia  

24   Kerry Rush and Sarah O'Hanlon from England

25  Various local organizations by contributing money and in kind donations (e.g. clothing,food)

VOLUNTEERING FROM $10  A DAY.

 Give yourself the fascinating gift of helping people, just by being who you are, and bringing them into your heart.

 Korogwe Orphanage was set up by local people using their own money which is now exhausted.   Income from volunteers is used to help meet the costs of their care, food, education and health needs.

All the volunteer fee goes to the kids.   Unlike many programmes volunteers book their placements and pay their money directly to the orphanages.   There are no expensive intermediaries whose administrative and marketing costs have to be taken from the fee before the children benefit. 

Korogwe Orphnage Volunteering  promotes volunteering to help 102 children living at the Korogwe,Tanga  in Tanzania.   They are about 500 children in Korogwe who have lost their parents as a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. 

Volunteers improve the life chances of the children through teaching pre-school and primary school English and Maths, organising recreational and sporting activities and helping with building and decorating.   In return they make many friends and experience what life is like in a semi-rural community in one of the poorest countries in the world. Over 50 volunteers, from ages 18 to 67, have helped at the orphanages in the 5 years since volunteering first began.   They have come from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, many European countries, UK and USA.  

Volunteers' principal role is to teach English and Maths to pre-school and primary school children.   Although the older children attend Korogwe primary schools, near the orphanage, there are insufficient classrooms and teachers and children can only be taught for half the school day.   Volunteers teach at the orphanages for the other half of the day and throughout the school holidays.
Few volunteers are trained teachers or intend to become them.   Lessons are prepared from school books which follow the government syllabus.    Each volunteer teaches one class in the morning for about an hour and another in the afternoon.   This leaves plenty of time for lesson preparation.    Classes are taught in English although the language of the children is Kiswahili.   They will be happy to teach you their language in return for what you have taught them.

MAINTAINING CLASS DISCIPLINE IS NOT A PROBLEM

Unlike in many western schools.   The children are very keen to learn.

 Helping the children to become fluent in English. not only in formal lessons but through engaging them in conversation, provides them with a skill which will benefit them greatly when they begin their secondary education.

 Recreational and sporting activities are organised in the early evening and at weekends.   These have included card and singing games, football, cricket, volleyball, ten-pin bowling and even a cut-down Olympic games with sports such as the 3-legged sprint and the stone and spoon race (eggs are too precious for an egg and spoon race!) to teach

Volunteers have also undertaken repairs and maintenance tasks including repainting rooms and building bunk beds, benches and tables for the classes.

VOLUNTEER ACCOMODATIONS

Volunteers stay in houses in a walled compound about a 10 minutes’ walk from the classrooms.   The windows of the houses have louvered windows, mosquito netting and are burglar-proofed.   A decorative grill with a gate secures the small veranda area outside the front door of each house.   At night a watchman is employed.

The houses are connected to the mains water and electricity supplies but fragility of local infrastructure and maintenance skills mean that cuts to both services are a common occurrence.

One house has been equipped for cooking with a fridge, electric hotplates, a kerosene stove and a supply of cooking pots, plates, mugs and cutlery.   Meals used to be prepared by local staff but volunteers have found that their needs have been better met by preparing their own. 

 Bread,rice, eggs, beans, meat, vegetables and fruit can be bought in Korogwe town Market, a 15 minutes’ walk from the compound, In Korogwe town there are some supermarkets stocking a range of branded tinned and packet foods.   Bottled drinking water is cheap and available everywhere, as are soft drinks and beer.

Bedrooms are lockable.   There are single bedrooms and larger rooms with two single beds in each house.   Each bed has a mattress, two sheets, a pillow and a mosquito net.  There are built-in cupboards for storage

The house has two cold water showers, two wash basins and two toilets, one of which is western and one Tanzanian.

 GETTING TO KOROGWE

Getting to Africa

Most volunteers will arrive by air and should make for Kilimanjaro International Airport or Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).

From Kilimanjaro/Dar es Salaam to Korogwe

Travel from both arrival points to Korogwe can be by bus. It takes 6 hours by bus from Dar es salaam to Korogwe and it also takes 6 hour by bus from Kilimanjaro Airport to Korogwe

 VISAS

Nationals of most western countries are required to have visas to enter Tanzania.   Costs vary and you should check on the website of the Tanzania High Commission or Embassy in your home country.  These should be obtained before leaving home although it is possible to get them at the border crossing.   Tourist visas last for 3 months only, beginning on the date of issue.   These visas do not permit working.   Since volunteering is regarded as working, volunteers are required to get a work permit on arrival in Korogwe(we will help you to get one).

Those arriving at Nairobi airport and travelling on immediately by air to Tanzania do not require a visa for Kenya. Those travelling by coach require a Kenya transit visa.   This can be obtained at Nairobi airport or, if you wish to avoid queuing in Nairobi, prior to departure from the Kenya High Commission or Embassy in your home country.   It covers you for your return journey into Kenya from Tanzania.  

 HEALTH & SAFETY

Health

 Volunteers need to check with their doctors the current recommended vaccinations and anti-malarial tablets.   A complete course of vaccinations, depending on what the doctor recommends, can take 6 weeks. The children have been tested and found not to have HIV/AIDS.   The most common illnesses experienced by volunteers arise from failing to take precautions common to all tropical countries - ensuring that water is boiled before drinking (unless from sealed bottles, which are readily available), eating only food that has been freshly cooked, eating fruit only after checking that the skin has not been punctured and then peeling, and adopting standard anti-malarial precautions such as taking tablets as prescribed, limiting the amount of body uncovered after dusk and always sleeping under a treated mosquito net.   Bathing in settled water and rivers is not recommended due to the presence of Bilharzias.

 SAFETY

Tanzania has been one of the most peaceful countries in Africa since acquiring independence over 40 years ago.  Korogwe and Tanga is off the tourist track, where criminal gangs tend to focus their activities, and away from any places which might be considered targets for international terrorist attacks.   The Christian and Moslem communities in the town co-exist and volunteers have never felt inhibited from wandering around the central areas of the town in daylight.

 As with health, the safety precautions which volunteers should take are common to most low-income countries.   "Mzungus" (white people) are considered to be wealthy in a country which is one of the poorest in the world.   The vast majority of Tanzanians you will come into contact with are friendly and will be concerned about your welfare.   Should they observe undesirable people showing an interest in you (typically pickpockets) they will chase them away or warn you.

However, it is incumbent on volunteers not to place themselves at risk by keeping money and valuables in secure places, not holding large sums of money where they can be seen, taking care if walking around with expensive cameras and not walking around after dark.   It is bad manners to take people's pictures without their consent and their permission should always be asked to avoid any confrontation.   Market traders will usually give permission if you have purchased something from them.   Others may ask for a small payment.

 Tanzanians dress very conservatively.   In public places women should not dress in the more revealing fashions common in their own countries.   Skirts should be below the knee and trousers are acceptable.   Shoulders should be covered and bare midriffs avoided.   In public, men most commonly wear long trousers rather than shorts.

 You may wish to read your government's advice on travel to Tanzania eg. UK, US,Canada, Australia and New Zealand.   This advice is commonly followed by commercial travel agencies and insurance companies in deciding whether it is safe to operate tours to Tanzania and provide travel cover.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

 Travel insurance, which provides adequate cover for sickness and injury whilst you are away from home, is essential.

 It is standard practice in volunteers' home countries to check that applicants for jobs which involve contact with children have no criminal record which indicates that they might pose a threat to the children.  This is done through carrying out a police check.   It is the belief of Korogwe Orphnage Centre that Tanzanian children are entitled to be treated in the same way.    The procedures for obtaining the check vary between countries.

 United Kingdom:     An enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check is required.   This is normally carried out by a CRB umbrella organisation and requires sight of original copies of documents which identify you (e.g. passport or driving license) and which provide evidence of your current address (e.g. utility bills).   Your local volunteer bureau should be able to provide you with the address of an umbrella body in your locality.      There is no charge by the CRB for a check for a volunteer, but the umbrella body will make a small charge to cover its own costs.   Checks currently take around 4 weeks. 

Republic of Ireland:    The procedure is operated by the Garda Siochana.  It costs 6.35 Euros and takes up to 40 days.

 Australia:    The procedure is operated by the Australian Federal Police .   It takes 5 days and costs$32.73.   The fingerprint option is not required.

 New Zealand:   The procedure is operated by the Ministry of Justice.   It takes 20 working days and is free.

 United States:    The procedure is operated by the FBI.  It takes 16-18 weeks and costs $18.

 Canada:   The procedure is operated by the RCMP.   It takes 120 days .   We can supply the letter required to obtain a free check.   Note the requirement for applications dealing with vulnerable people.

Our Volunteer Notes additionally contain a Code of Conduct which should be followed.   As well as protecting the children, it is also important in protecting volunteers from any unfounded accusations of child abuse

DATES, CHARGES AND BOOKING

There are no set dates for arriving and departing.

  If you want particular dates the earlier you apply the better.   Preference will be given to those who wish to stay the longest because it is important to the children that there is some stability in the volunteers they come into contact with.   Normally the minimum period is 4 weeks, but some volunteers stay for 3 months or more.

Charges are set by the Director and  begins with US Dollars 300 for a month.   

This money covers accommodation and includes a contribution to the orphanage running costs.   Volunteer income is a major part of the money used to pay for the care, clothing, feeding, health and educational needs of the kids.   All volunteers are encouraged to raise aditional money for the orphanages before they come because their needs outstrip what the basic cost provides.  Whilst you may see particular needs whilst you are there,and wish to take some spare money with you, major cost items such as secondary education, buildings and building maintenance rely on funds built up over time by Donations towards such things can be made directly through our website in UK pounds, Euros, and US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand dollars.   Information is also available on how donations from UK and US tax payers can be made tax efficient through

The payment does not cover travel to Korogwe, travel and health insurance, police check, visas and living expenses in Korogwe (other than the cost of accommodation and the utility and security services provided)

LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL ORIENTATION

In Tanzania ,Swahili Trainers and Translators Co.Ltd (SWATT) www.swahilitrainers.com offers one week of Language and Cultural orientation in Dar es Salaam or Korogwe . This week long intensive language and cultural immersion program includes: Swahili language training, lessons on history, culture, ways of life, visits to local villages/towns/markets, guided city exploration of Dar es Salaam and Tanga and local tourist attractions. This SWATT  program aims to submerge you in Tanzanian culture, history and ways of life to vastly improve your time as a volunteer in Tanzania . When you understand the life and culture around you, your experience is richer and more rewarding.

If you choose to participate in this one week Language and Cultural immersion course, your volunteer program will begin the Monday following this one-week of Language and Cultural Immersion taught in and around Dar es Salaam/Korogwe. This experience should not be missed! So many international travelers wish they could have an opportunity such as this to receive a briefing on customs, language and history.

 Language fee covers Language and cultural training, food and accommodations for 7 days, training materials (books, paper, papers), cost of local sight seeing/tourist sites, recreational activities, cultural programs and additional activities, travel related expenses (one week orientation),for more information visit www.swahilitrainers.com

For further information on volunteering at the orphanages, and how to apply, email us at korogwecentre@yahoo.com and we will send you our Volunteers Notes.

Volunteering Adventures

Many of our volunteers choose to combine their volunteer projects with some form of adventure travel enabling them to make the most of their trip to Africa whether it is climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania or visiting Serengeti. Many of our volunteers return saying how much the trip has changed their lives for good. They never could have imagined the things they would see and the experiences they had. This kind of trip also sets you head and shoulders above the rest with job prospects enhancing your CV. Our volunteer projects and adventure trips are extremely worth while as they give you a one of the best opportunities to see the rest of the world.

Our Mission:

Korogwe Orphnage Centre(KOC) serves to give disadvantaged children in and around Korogwe an opportunity to learn, grow and develop their talents within a safe, nurturing and dynamic community.

It’s difficult to attend to the needy in our communities if we don’t know exactly what our GIVING status and attitudes are. What do we perceive in the word GIVE? KOC strongly believes that everyone has something to give to the needy; If not cash maybe time, expertise, material or experience.

KOC is opening doors by working with both loneliness and poverty simultaneously. Many organizations dealing with orphans only serve their basic needs, but not their broken hearts. Upon losing parents or relatives, plenty of psychological problems may arise when orphans mature; it’s a time they feel most the absence of their parents, and we feel it’s the right moment to think of their future and take them closer by putting their interests, needs and aspirations into consideration. We urge our community to focus on creating opportunities for the kids to succeed. It is well understood that education is a necessity in the world today. How does the community create enough opportunities for the needy to pursue? Who is behind a specific kid pushing him/her to reach a dream?
We emphasize the community to diversify their mindset from thinking that orphans and vulnerable children are to be employed as home workers with low wages. We urge people to view orphans and vulnerable children with high expectations, capable of learning anything if only given the chance.

These kids have many talents which are constantly underutilized and underdeveloped; KOC works on cultivating and developing the talents these kids posses.

As a KOC family” we create a home atmosphere to make kids achievements possible, helping them set their goals, identify opportunities, and change world. We create a safe environment for them to decide what they want to do on their own, and prepare them to be good leaders in making social justice possible.

Our Vision: 
KOROGWE ORPHNAGE CENTRE’S vision is to see a Tanzania in which orphans and vulnerable children are integrated into a healthy, productive and caring community, and given tools they need to establish themselves as agents of change in their own communities and future leaders of country’s economic and human development.

We prepare our kids to view being called orphans as not something negative, but something they can turn into a positive understanding, and become volunteers. It makes them forget their own loneliness and find themselves being responsible for others.

We put an emphasis on health care as the first capital of every human being, hoping it will spread back to community  they came from. KOC strongly believes that caring for others should start by everyone becoming an active part of their community, not only government, religious institutions or others organizations, if we are to live in a peaceful world.

OUR TEAM

JUMA MHINA and MUSA KITONGE are Co-founders and Executive Director s of Korogwe Orphanage Centre(KOC).

JUMA MHINA and MUSA KITONGE strongly believe that the two issues- Orphans and Poverty- should be addressed and handled separately; They are two different phenomena of which have to have independent solutions and strategies.

We believes that the most difficult moment for orphaned children is when they are going through maturity, when they painfully feel the absence of significant people who can guide them through the challenges of life and growing up. They have built an organization that hopes to guide them through these troubled times.

LIBERATHA HUSSEIN MASHIMBO is KOC’S Director of Finance. It her great responsibility to track all of KOC’s financial information from donors, and our income-generating business projects. She also prepares our quarterly and annual fiscal reports for documentation and presentation to the board.

DONATIONS

Thank you for your interest in supporting KOC! Your donation will have a profound impact on the growth and success of each and every one of KOC’s children.

There are several ways to financially support our work:

BANK ACCOUNT

SWIFT CODE: CORUTZTZ
Bank name:CRDB Bank

Account number: 0152264165700

Account Name: Korogwe children centre

Branch name: Korogwe

Donate Via M-PESA and TIGO-PESA(In Tanzania Only):
You can contribute to KOC through mobile banking with:

 Vodacom  M-Pesa account 70004

TIGO-PESA Account 19681

Or  Call us!
Mob: +255 754 611044,+255 755693117

CONTACTS:

1.     Name: JUMA MHINA

                 Title: Founder and Managing Director

                 Phone: +255 755-693117

                 E-mail: korogwecentre@yahoo.com

2.     Name: MUSA TWAHA KITONGE

                 Title: FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR

                 Phone: +255 754-611044

                 E-mail: musakitonge@gmail.com

3.     LIBERARTHA HUSSEIN MASHIMBA

               Title: Director of Communication

               Phone: +255 715404039

               Email:

4.     Name: SHEREE LETTE

                 Title: Friend of Korogwe

                  E-mail: shereelette@hotmail.com

5.     Name:  HERB KELLS

                 Title: Friend of Korogwe 

                 E-mail: rosslewis96@hotmail.com