In Tanzania, an estimated two million children between the ages of 7 and 13 years old are out-of-school,” according to UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund.
In addition, “Almost 70 percent of children aged 14-17 years old are not enrolled in secondary education while a mere 3.2 percent are enrolled for the final two years of schooling.”
At Bread and Water for Africa® we have made it our mission to enable hundreds of orphaned, abandoned and destitute children to attend school year after year for decades in sub-Saharan African countries numbering untold thousands in Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Zimbabwe and elsewhere, enabling them to realize their fondest wish.
And now in Tanzania we working with one of our newest partners, Watoto Wa Africa (Children of Africa) in Mwanza to provide school fees for nearly 100 children living in the orphanage operated by WWA.
WWA founder and director Josephat Kirutu told us of a few of the children and youth who are benefiting from our school fees support program including Benson, who was just one year old when he arrived at the WWA orphanage in 2010.
Benson’s older brother, Joseph, was about 10 years old when he arrived at the orphanage and was one of the fortunate ones who was not only able to attend school, but graduate. He is now attending university, training to become a journalist with the hopes of working in mass communication.
First, Joseph expresses his gratitude to “my ‘daddy,’ Josephat, and ‘mummy’ Rosemary for giving us a chance at life.
“Me and my brother also want to thank Bread and Water for Africa® for helping us through our orphanage home and school.
“We now live well, eat well and work hard in school to become better prepared in life.”
Another is Diana Birago, 15, who is attending Buswelu Secondary School after arriving at the orphanage in 2018, followed by her two younger sisters after their father abandoned the family and their mother was unable to feed and care for the three girls on her own operating a small business selling porridge.
In her own words to the supporters of Bread and Water for Africa®, Diana says, “Thank you for all the help we receive. Thank you for food, beds, schooling and the nice, clean home we live in.
“We will do well now,” said Diana who has hopes of a becoming a doctor “because I want to look after sick mothers and children.”
Josephat explained that with grant funding from Bread and Water for Africa® they are able “to arrange for those in the school age bracket to join nearby schools and pay tuition. We also provide books, notebooks, learning materials and new mandatory school uniforms.
“Their basic needs are being met and they are on a pathway towards a new life through gaining knowledge, vocational skills and life skills.
“The future of any child is through their chances of going to school,” says Josephat. “Thank you to the supporters of Bread and Water for Africa® for keeping our kids in school.”
