Care for Disabled and Disadvantaged in Shinyanga, Tanzania
The Anglican Church of Tanzania (ACT) in Shinyanga Diocese is located in Northern Tanzania within an area of extreme poverty and where the challenges are numerous. The communities in the region are characterised by traditional beliefs that encourage stigma connected to children with disabilities. There is a high incidence of children with albinism and the practice of witchcraft is prevalent, particularly in communities where a mother has given birth to a child with albinism. Education facilities are inaccessible to many children living in rural areas, particularly to those with a disability. Health facilities are scant and grossly inadequate to meet the needs of the mainly rural population.
It is against this background that in 2019, the Diocese of Shinyanga established its Care Ministry Programme; to educate and support those disadvantaged by poverty and disability. In 2020, FOAT agreed to work with the Shinyanga Diocese to take forward its Care Ministry work in conjunction with Trustees, Bridget and Leslie Green.
We hope you enjoy reading the recent news about our work in Shinyanga.
For previous news stories (2021 and earlier), please click the below link.
Nov 2022 - Buhangija School fire tragically kills 3 children
On 23 November at approximately 23:00hr a fire swept through a hostel at Buhangija school for children with albinism and special needs in Shinyanga, Northern Tanzania.
The hostel which housed 32 girls -11 with visual impairment, 18 with albinism and three with a hearing impairment - was completely gutted.
Three girls - Catherine (11), Miriam (11) and Caren (9) all with a visual impairment were killed in the fire. The matron who awoke as the fire took hold raised the alarm and managed to evacuate the other 29 children. By the time the guards arrived on the scene to help the fire was already too severe and the three girls could not be saved.
The surviving girls have lost everything. Funds are urgently needed for bedding, clothes, shoes and personal belongings for them.
The school, which has over 300 pupils, has been closed pending an investigation by the authorities and parents asked to take their children home. However, over thirty children abandoned by their parents cannot go home. Funds are needed to purchase some basic games and equipment to help the children recover from their trauma.
The cost of replacing the children's destroyed belongings, purchasing games to occupy them and assist in their recovery, and re-establishing the vegetable garden is estimated at £3,500.
If you can support in any way, please follow the below link to the JustGiving page.
Thank you.
Latest News - September 2022
Towards a Safeguarding Policy for the Anglican Church of Tanzania (ACT)
Following Safeguarding training delivered by FOAT Trustee, Cathy Swanson earlier this year which included representatives from Shinyanga and Amani, and the importance given to Safeguarding at the Conference of Anglican Bishops Worldwide held in London in July, Bp Johnson and Bishop Sehaba agreed to draft a Safeguarding proposal to be considered by the ACT House of Bishops in November. The proposal will introduce, promote and keep alive safeguarding in all contexts to vulnerable people in Tanzania. FOAT Trustees, Bridget and Leslie Green were invited to review and comment on the draft document during their recent visit to Morogoro in August.
Photo (L-R):
Rev Stanley (Shinyanga), Leslie (FOAT Trustee), Bp Sehaba (Morogoro), Bp Johnson (Shinyanga),
Bridget (FOAT Trustee), Rev Enock (Morogoro)
Latest News - July 2022
Trustees Bridget and Leslie Green visit Shinyanga
In June, FOAT Trustees and Bishop’s Commissaries, Bridget and Leslie Green visited the Diocese of Shinyanga to review the Care Ministry projects FOAT supports there, to discuss on-going challenges and future plans. They had a very busy nine days.
Latest News - May 2022
Safeguarding Workshop
Six delegates from Shinyanga travelled the long distance to Morogoro to undertake training on Safeguarding.
This training was delivered by Cathy Swanson (FOAT Trustee) to support local charities, NGOs and institutions to implement policies and protocols to protect the children and vulnerable people they work with.
Nikolaus with his mother and younger brother
Nikolaus with his mother and younger brother
Nikolaus with his mother and younger brother
Comfort Women’s Group
Nikolaus with his mother and younger brother
Nikolaus with his mother and younger brother
Rev Zachias, Matron with Baraka, and Rev Jacob
Baraka with other children and Matron at his new school
Baraka in the dormitory with other children
Background Information
The constitution documentation of Friends of Amani Tanzania (FOAT) states that the application of income to the charity be used for:
· The relief of financial hardship in Tanzania, in particularly supporting the work of The Amani Centre for Persons with Disabilities, Chamwino, Morogoro
· To advance the education of people in Tanzania, in particular those with disabilities
FOAT Trustees reviewed the constitution at their meeting in December 2019 and agreed that the Charity could support work amongst the disadvantaged and disabled in Tanzania beyond the direct remit of the Amani Centre. Trustees Bridget and Leslie Green reported that Rev Stanley Sewando, Anglican Priest who had been Project Co-ordinator for the Ecumenical work at Amani, had been appointed Diocesan Secretary of Shinyanga, Northern Tanzania in May 2019.
At the invitation of Bishop Johnson, Diocesan Bishop of Shinyanga, Bridget and Leslie visited Shinyanga – one of the poorest regions in Tanzania - in September 2019 and saw first-hand some of the challenges faced by the communities there.
Learning from work with the disabled community in Morogoro, Stanley, with the backing of his Diocesan Bishop, is now developing initiatives in Shinyanga to support the disadvantaged and disabled community there.
Note:
Projects amongst disadvantaged communities led by the Anglican Church of Tanzania in Shinyanga and supported by Friends of Amani Tanzania (FOAT) are independent from those at the Amani Centre, Morogoro. Funds for these projects are deposited into the FOAT account and ring-fenced for Shinyanga. Payments are made to the Shinyanga Care Mission Account which is administered by the Diocesan Bishop, Diocesan Secretary and a named church volunteer.
