IN HONOR OF ETERNAL FAMILY VILLAGE: TABORA, TANZANIA

Artist Justine Almaraz is teaming up with Building Humanity to help build homes for children in need of families in Tabora, Tanzania. Justine is creating a collection inspired by the stories of children and families living at Eternal Family, and will be bringing them to you from her studio in Los Angeles for a virtual art show. All proceeds will go towards the home build happening this summer (July 11-25th). See Justine's beautiful art, learn more about Eternal Family and Building Humanity, mingle with friends and help raise money for an amazing cause.

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About Eternal Family Village

Eternal Family believes family is the key to helping abandoned and neglected children, and is the foundation of their success. Families are comprised of a married couple who dedicates their life to raising a “family”. They may or may not have children of their own, but they will begin to take on children over a 2 year period, up to 10-16 children in all, and they will raise them as a family unit. Priority at Eternal Family (EF) is given to children that have lost their parents to HIV/Aids, malaria or yellow fever.

The village was founded in 2008. There are currently 10 families caring for 100 children. Once a family reaches its full capacity, that family will remain unchanged until all the children eventually move out of the home. When a young adult moves out, another child is not brought into the family unit to fill the void, so the unit stays constant and children are not constantly coming in and out. This is important in keeping the family unit strong, and also eventually allows parents to phase out of service after 20+ years of dedication, unless they decide to go on to continue to care for a second generation of children.

Since purchasing a piece of land in 2019, Eternal Family has been building non strop. They have finished 10 family homes, a chicken farm and extensive farmland which provides fresh eggs, meat and vegetables for all the families, and just last year opened a school that will serve the EF families as well as the greater community with space for 680 students.

Volunteer to build a home: July 11-25, 2024

Our team will be assisting with the construction of home #11. Each home is 3,700 sf and includes 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, kitchen, pantry, laundry room and basement. Our team may also be asked to participate in other efforts around the village which might include site work or any other immediate project needs. We ask that the team remain flexible as we are there to assist in any capacity the village needs us.

STEAM Education

During the volunteer event, STEAM activities will be scheduled for both the Eternal Family Orphanage (100+ children) and the Eternal Pre & Primary School (680 students). Our volunteers bring a breath of skills including various types of engineers, architects, sustainability experts, etc. Volunteers will initially schedule talks with students to discuss their professional careers, why they chose those careers, education requirements and possible opportunities available to future professionals. This open dialogue will allow students to ask questions and possible be exposed to these kinds of professionals for the first time.

Later in the week we will organize a STEAM Day where we will set up 6-10 different activity stations for the children to explore STEAM through experiments, crafts and projects. While they participate, they will be inquiring, observing, and experimenting in a fun and engaging manner.

Travel with us as a volunteer!

The total cost for volunteer participation is $2000 USD. Each volunteer also commits to raising an additional $1500 USD for the construction costs of the project. Volunteers are expected to reach this target by the start date of the trip and will be required to self-fund any shortfall in donations.

A non refundable $250 deposit is required to hold your spot.

Donations made toward the cost of construction are tax deductible and receipts can be provided to donors. We recommend volunteers ask their family, friends, coworkers and local office/business line for support. Additional fundraising events are also a great idea. We will send volunteers a booklet to assist in fundraising efforts.

Included in event costs are the following:

pickup/drop-off from airport
Weekend excursion to visit local villages
Transportation to Eternal Family Village
Accommodation in double occupancy room (single occupancy room can be requested for additional $250)
Meals & water (no alcoholic beverages). Some meals will be at Eternal Families Village and some will be at local restaurants.
Weekend safari excursion (transportation, accommodation, meals and tour)
Volunteer T-shirt
personal protection/safety equipment

This cost DOES NOT INCLUDE flights to/from your home city/country, alcoholic beverages, snacks, additional/optional trips or souvenirs. Meals are accommodated in the group. If you choose not to participate in group meals, no reimbursement will be made.

Art Exhibition Event Special

If you sign up for the build event (July 11-25th) during the art show, we will give you $250 off your participation cost!

Meet The Artist

Justine Almaraz is an intuitive, spiritually inspired fine artist, painter, intuitive tattooer, and educator. Passionate about artistic stewardship and entrepreneurship, Justine founded Earth Altar Studio, a studio dedicated to the growth of artists who support our community by creating premium quality, intentional, and inclusive tattoo experiences.

Justine has a ceremonial art practice, painting large-scale abstract landscapes inspired by the ocean and cosmos. She dances between creating intuitive paintings and tattoos for her devoted clients.

Spiritually guided to learn the art of tattooing in 2008, she dedicated herself to a traditional tattoo apprenticeship and dropped out after one year, leading her to work in a private studio environment to develop a more inclusive and kind approach to the experience offered to her clients.

Justine has been creating fine line, fine art style tattoos for 15 years and established her way of sacred tattooing in 2014 through a process she calls Intuitive Tattooing, a significant, mindful, and intentional approach.

She has been teaching art for over 25 years and tattooing for nine years, finding much of her soul’s purpose in passing down the sacred practice of these art forms to her students locally and internationally through her online platform and Downtown Los Angeles studio space.

Earth Altar Studio’s mission is to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive creative community where artists converge to craft powerful legacies through their art—aspiring to foster a culture that nurtures individual artistic expression and cultivates financial success for our artists. With a deep commitment to community impact, we aim to enhance the world through the transformative power of art and tattooing.

About Building Humanity

Building Humanity’s mission is to provide varying forms of assistance to communities in need by providing safe places for living and learning, to help break the cycle of poverty around the world. Assistance may come in the form of building projects, volunteers, supplies, monetary assistance, or any other form of help a community may need.

Building Humanity envisions self-sustaining communities whose members not only survive but thrive individually and collectively.

FAMILIA TANZANIA: An Art Exhibition

IN HONOR OF ETERNAL FAMILY VILLAGE: TABORA, TANZANIA