Making a Difference Together
Michael,
Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year! As 2024 draws to a close, we want to take a moment to thank you for being a part of our Songea's Kids community. Because of your generosity and dedication—as donors, sponsors, pro-bono experts, and volunteers—we continue to make an impact on the lives of orphans, vulnerable children, and their communities in Tanzania. Together with our partners at Hope Village Organization, a local Tanzanian NGO, we're providing the essentials children need to thrive: nurturing homes, nutritious food, healthcare, education, and vital community infrastructure. Here are some highlights of our shared accomplishments in 2024:
Child Sponsorship Program:
Our child sponsorship program is a lifeline for orphans and vulnerable children, providing them with basic needs and the opportunity for an education. We are incredibly grateful for your support, which has enabled us to reach more children than ever before. In 2024, we welcomed 61 new children into our program, bringing our total to 155. These children, who once faced extreme poverty, constant hunger, and limited access to education, now have hope for a brighter future.
Erasta's story exemplifies the transformative power of sponsorship. Living with her elderly grandmother in a dilapidated one-room home, Erasta endured hardship and uncertainty. She slept on a cold dirt floor and often went hungry. But with a sponsor, everything changed. Her basic needs are now met, and she's not only attending school but excelling—becoming one of the top students in her class. Erasta's future is now filled with hope and the security of knowing she has someone who believes in her.
Education is the Key to the Future!
All our sponsored children are in school, from pre-primary to university. We know education is key to their future, so we continue to focus on improving the quality of their education. Many children are in schools that are underfunded, overcrowded and with limited supplies, making it a challenge for teachers to help students who are struggling academically or to cover critical topics related to their health and well-being.
Above: nearly 200 children in one primary classroom in Songea
This year, we've developed new programs to address these challenges:
- Supplemental Education Centers: Offering Saturday tutoring in math, science, and English, along with meals and recreational activities.
- Wellness Workshops for Teens: Empowering our 62 secondary and vocational students with knowledge about physical and mental health, sexual health, and more. They will also have ongoing access to professional guidance.
Donate to Support Education
Graduation Celebrations:
2024 was a year of celebration as our students graduated from our program, equipped with the knowledge and skills to begin their professional journeys!
- 3 students graduated from university with degrees in agriculture, multi-media, and information technology
- 2 students graduated from college with diplomas in special education and microbiology
- 10 students graduated from vocational training with certifications in masonry, tailoring, teaching, and administration
This year, Fatuma's graduation was particularly moving. I've sponsored Fatuma since 2016, and seeing her earn a diploma in microbiology from the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology was a testament to her hard work and dedication. In a heartfelt letter, she expressed gratitude for our belief in her, especially during times when she doubted herself. This is the essence of Songea's Kids: we believe in every child's potential.
Above: Fatuma at her graduation ceremony.
Hope Village Update
Hope Village continues to develop into a vibrant community where orphans and abandoned children can thrive in nurturing homes, with access to health care, education and training.
Orphan Residences Update
The Hope Village plan aims to build 13 orphan residences for 192 children. In 2024, we made great progress towards that objective as the Tanzanian government certified two duplex houses ready to accommodate 48 orphaned and abandoned children. Two children have already been selected, with more on the way. We have funding for five new children but need additional sponsors to support more children in urgent need.
Rotary Health Care Complex
The Rotary Health Care Dispensary at Hope Village, funded by the Sammamish Rotary Club, continues to provide essential health services. In 2024, over 1600 villagers received care for illnesses like malaria, typhoid, and cholera. The Des Moines/Normandy Park Rotary Club and the Emerald City Rotary Club provided grants for life-saving medicines. Thanks to generous donors, we also opened the region's first dental clinic this year. The clinic, which opened in May, now serves an average of 30 patients each month.
In September, donors from the Sammamish Rotary and the Des Moines Normandy Park Rotary visited Hope Village to see the positive impact on local villagers' health and well-being.
Hope Village Vocational Training Center:
Our Vocational Training Center is providing impoverished local youth with the skills they need to build brighter futures. In 2024, we celebrated some key achievements:
- We proudly graduated our first class of masonry students, who are now equipped with marketable job skills and the tools to begin their careers.
- We welcomed our second class of aspiring masons to the two-year certification program.
- We launched an exciting new two-year Tailoring Vocational certification program, opening up new opportunities for young people.
The students' training goes beyond the classroom. They gain valuable hands-on experience by contributing directly to Hope Village—our masonry students are helping construct buildings, and our tailoring students are making clothing and school uniforms for the orphans. We're excited to expand our offerings in the future to include carpentry, electricity, plumbing, and other essential trades.
New Income and Nutrition Generating Enterprises
Hope Village is buzzing with progress! In 2024, we made significant strides in creating enterprises that benefit our children and generate income for Hope Village.
- A thriving chicken farm with 80 chickens
- 50 beehives to produce honey, wax, and bee venom
- 3 acres of maize crops
- 32 avocado trees and 48 banana trees
And we're not stopping there! Plans include planting cassava, sweet potatoes, and more.
New Laundry Facility!
By year's end, we will be opening the new Hope Village’s laundry facility. This will bring much-needed relief to workers who have been washing linens by hand in boiling water.
Donate to Hope Village Development
Songea’s Kids Welcomes New Board Members
Songea's Kids is thrilled to welcome three new board members in 2024.
Sean Lyons, with a background in IT and Network Engineering, has been a long-time supporter of Songea’s Kids. He is already making an impact on our organization by exploring and guiding modern technical solutions for our projects and organization.
Maria Villar, who began sponsoring one of our kids in 2021, brings over 20 years of experience in the chemicals regulatory industry while managing her family's farm, raising cattle, poultry, honey bees, forestry and pecan nuts. She has an agricultural engineering degree from the University of Buenos Aires, and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in molecular bioscience. Her expertise in agriculture will be invaluable as Hope Village expands its agricultural enterprises.
Katie Tilahun, an international development leader with more than 20 years of experience, currently serves as Senior Director of Strategy, Finance & Operations at DAI Global. Her global expertise will help us strengthen our program performance and impact.
We are excited about the contributions Maria, Katie, and Sean will bring to our work!
In 2025, we look forward to:
- Obtaining sponsors for 43 children to move into the new orphan homes at Hope Village
- Launching education centers with tutors in math, science, and English to improve educational outcomes for all children
- Completing the water enhancement project to meet future development needs at Hope Village
- Raising funds to construct a dormitory for Hope Village vocational students
- Launching new agricultural enterprises
Invest in the Future: Ways to Make a Difference
Your generosity directly impacts the lives of children at Songea's Kids! Here are several ways you can can help:
- Sponsor a Child: Provide a child with basic needs, education, and a brighter future.
- Support Hope Village Development: Contribute to essential infrastructure and programs that benefit the entire community.
- Donate to Our Greatest Needs Fund: Help us address immediate needs and ensure we can continue our vital work.
- Support Scholarships: Empower deserving students to pursue higher education.
Make a Donation Today
Create a Lasting Legacy: Planned Giving with Songea's Kids
Imagine the impact you could have on future generations of children at Songea's Kids. By including us in your estate planning, you can leave a legacy of hope and opportunity. Here are some ways to make a planned gift:
- Retirement Assets: Designate Songea's Kids as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), 403(b), 457, or Pension.
- Life Insurance: Name Songea's Kids as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy.
- Transfer on Death Designations: Easily transfer assets to Songea's Kids upon your passing.
- Wills and Trusts: Include a bequest to Songea's Kids in your will or trust.
Endowment Funds: Gifts That Keep on Giving
Your contribution to our endowment funds creates a permanent source of support for our mission:
- Jane E. Gleason Education Scholarship Fund: This fund provides scholarships to help students attend college and university.
- Songea's Kids Endowment Fund: This fund allows us to expand our vital work and reach more children in urgent need.
To learn more about planned giving and our endowment funds, please contact: [email protected].
By giving generously, you invest in the future of orphaned and vulnerable children. Songea’s Kids is an all-volunteer nonprofit with minimal overhead costs, ensuring your donations directly support the children by providing basic needs, education, and community infrastructure.
Thank you for making a difference!
Thanks to you, 2024 has been a year of positive impact on our children and their communities. We are incredibly grateful for your support and wish you all the best for the holidays and the New Year! We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Hope Village Organization and their amazing staff for their dedication to making life better for the kids!
Cheers to all from Songea's Kids! Thank you for being a part of our community. We couldn't do this work without you!
Best wishes to you for the holidays and New Year,
From all of us at Songea's Kids
EIN: 51-0649064
