Martin Goes Home

On December 9, 2009 a baby boy was brought to the Baobab Home by the local government hospital. His mother had died during childbirth, could we take him until relatives were found? He was a little scrawny and quickly developed a terrible looking heat rash, but of course we took him in and smothered him with our special brand of Tanzanian/Mzungu baby love.  What to call him? We have always wanted to honor the Martin family for their generosity, but their names Myles, Brad, Brian, all sound a little strange when pronounced by a Tanzanian (Myows, Blad, Blian) and then, a Eureka moment-the baby boy would be called Martin, after all of them!  I had hoped that giving him the name of such a strong family would bring us luck in finding his father, but in truth, it wasn’t just the name that enabled our success in locating Martin’s Dad.  The Martins and all of our donors provide Baobab with the funds not just to give food and shelter to orphaned babies, but to go where Tanzanian social services does not have the money to go-to address the challenging cases-orphaned babies with complicated, but surmountable family problems. That means high phone bills, and multiple bus fares to check leads on the whereabouts of a missing father, or helping to equip a grandmother to take in a grandson whom she loves, or make sure that an abandoned baby really is abandoned by following every last lead.  At Baobab we understand crisis, and helping families recover. Our capacity is low (8-10 little ones) and we are driven by the fact that we do not want a house full of babies who have somewhere else to go.

We found Martin’s Dad and the baby is now called Martin Joseph. He is thriving and happy and walking like a champ. His father likes his son’s name and loves his son. He’s done his best to visit and get to know Martin in the months since we introduced them. On October 28 we will pay bus fare for Martin and his father to travel back to their tribal home of Kigoma where Martin will be raised by his father and his father’s Aunt, a woman who lost her only son several years ago to a tragic accident.  Soon everyone will be where they are supposed to be and a new baby will join the Baobab family-maybe for awhile, maybe forever.  Good luck Martin and Baba Martin!! Thank you to the Martin family and all of our donors who enable us to really love and tend to each child in our care.

Send in the Cows….There Ought to Be Cows

(70s song reference, anyone?)

At long last here are the photos of our little herd. Thanks to Randy Michaelis for inspiring the purchase and to Marilyn Weiland and George and Susan Edmonds for contributing generously. We are the proud owners of 13 cows.  These cows are very eager (we asked them) to do what they do best (digest and produce waste) for a purpose and one day they will. Baobab will eventually cook all food for kids and staff using biogas and not waste even one more Tanzanian tree. We are slowly moving toward our vision to build a locally constructed biogas digester. If anyone would like to help our cows reach their full potential, you are welcome to donate or come visit and help us to build. It will cost about $4000

Kids Born with HIV

Mariamu’s parents both died of AIDS when she was very young.  She walks about 2 miles to school each day and after school she goes into the fields to collect reeds and palm fronds which her grandmother weaves into mat and basket material to make money. Her grandmother can’t walk anymore so once a month, Mariamu boards a small bus by herself and rides for about an hour through villages and town, then walks to the hospital where she attends one of the HIV clinic’s “kid days” and picks up her free ART medicine.  For 4 years she has understood that she contracted HIV from her parents and that in order to stay alive, she has to take her medicine twice a day. What sets Mariamu apart from many is that she is incredibly self possessed, and happy.  She understands what her illness is and she copes, and smiles a lot. She’s actually not one of the ones who we’re really worried about. Mariamu is one of hundreds of children in Bagamoyo growing up with HIV. Many of them don’t understand anything about the virus they carry or the precautions that they will have to take when they reach puberty. Some parents are too ashamed to tell them, or don’t want to bring up the taboo subjects of sex or death. Some of the children understand their status all too well and are depressed, withdrawn and suffer from abuse from their peers.

Thanks to volunteers Liana Woskie and Katie Balk though, The Baobab Home is now conducting research on the psychosocial needs of children living with HIV. We have finished the preliminary interview stage and this Saturday we will lead discussion groups with dozens of parents and caregivers about how best to expand our breakfast program to meet the growing psychosocial needs of positive kids. The good news is that fewer and fewer children are born positive each year, yet it happens. But for Mariamu and her many peers, born before drugs were available here, something must be done to help them to live the healthiest and happiest life possible.

Zuhura is off to Law School!!

Zuhura has never met another Little Person, but thanks to the wonders of the internet and the Little People of America newsletter, there’s an LP family in the United States who care very much about her.  Sandy and Dwayne have sponsored Zuhura for several years and next month, with their help, she will start a Bachelor’s Degree Law program. Zuhura did so well in her Form 6 exams and was selected to study Law at a government university called Mzumbe. Hongera (congratulations) Zuhura and Thank you so much to Sandy and Dwayne for making it happen!

Husna Goes Back to School

Husna had to drop out of high school four months ago because her father couldn’t pay the $45 balance for this year’s fees. Last year Husna was the third in her class of 90 and 9th in her entire 7th grade class of 270 students. She was selected to study at a special government school for bright students but a lot of bright kids are poor and there are not enough scholarships for all. Her siblings are also exceptionally bright and her father, a fisherman gets help paying their fees, but he could only manage to pay half of Husna’s fees. Today volunteer Gunnhild of Norway took Husna back to school and paid the debt with money that she and Sigbjorn, also of Norway, raised before they arrived. In the morning Husna will be back in school. Thank you Gunnhild and Sigbjorn!

A Gift from Japan

For many children around the world a playground is a common part of childhood. There is one at school, one at a park nearby and maybe even one at home. Most people don’t remember the first time they sat on a swing. Until recently in Bagamoyo there were two playgrounds, both at expensive hotels that are off limits to all but a minority of children. Thanks to Masumi Ichihara and JICA, there are now three. And, though it’s located a few miles from town, all children are welcome.

Masumi was a JICA volunteer who speaks excellent Kiswahili and worked tirelessly in the Bagamoyo Social Welfare Department for two years. As her work term was winding down, she met Baobab volunteer Katie Balk and devised a plan for a playground at Baobab. Together they kept the project running on time and only $10 over budget, both of which are amazing feats here.

On September 11 The Baobab Home held a grand opening party for the playground with food, music and many guests. The children from the Baobab orphanage were all there as well as our neighbor kids, many of whom had never even seen a playground before.  It was clear from the beginning that playgrounds are not only fun, but become teaching tools as well.  The older kids often took the lead and helped the younger ones down the slide, or took turns pushing each other on the swings.  In the end, both the kids and the adults had an amazing time and it’s a day that will not be soon forgotten!  Thankfully it was just the first of many and we look forward to welcoming all of Bagamoyo’s children to enjoy the new playground!

To Hokkaido, JICA, EX-JOCV CHIBA ASSOCIATION and Masumi Ichihara we say  “ Arigatou gozaimasu” and “Asanteni sana” from the Baobab Home, and all the children who will have years of fun and exercise on the new playground equipment.

Mohammed Hajambo (Mohammed is doing ok)

Back in December we sent little Mohammed back to his grandparents to live. He was two years old at the time, thriving, and his grandparents had the ability to care for him since he was walking and talking. At first we worried about his adjustment, but recently, Glory and George went to visit him. They brought him a ball and some clothes and report that he’s quite happy and healthy.

Thank you Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam for TREES!

The Baobab farm is a lush, green wonderland these days due to all the rain.  What great timing that the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam donated about 600 fruit trees to the Baobab Home this month.   Thanks to their generosity, we now have Avocado, Mango, Soursop, Coconut palm, Guava seedlings growing everywhere on the farm. The donation is valued at almost $3000! We even had enough to give 10 trees each to two of our outreach families. Thank you Dar Rotary Club! Karibuni sana!

Also good timing was the arrival of Miraji Muganda. Miraji is only 17, but he has studied and is quite passionate about, permaculture. He visited us back in January when he led our volunteers from Whitworth University in planting a “mandala garden”. Miraji returned this month on a break from school and advised us where and how best to plant our arborial bounty. Helping Miraji this time was Gabriel Juma, former street boy sponsored by Baobab and now employed on our farm. Asanteni everybody and Karibuni fruit salad one of these days!

the new baobab home!!!!thank you elke and team!

Coconut Palms

Coconut Palms

papaya

more bananas-we got lots

Miraji wearing the flag of Tanzania

Gabriel planting a palm

Miraji offering you some mulch or something

banana trees

Farm Dog

Help from the neighbors

Karibu (Welcome) Bahati!

Bahati, (meaning – luck), is The Baobab Home’s newest family member! Social services informed us of an abandoned baby girl that had been living at the hospital since birth. Bahati is four months old, and has a very healthy appetite for milk! She arrived at The Baobab Home on April 12th, and we’ve been enjoying her presence ever since!

Omari and Faiza learning to talk!

Omi,Hadija and Faiza

Teresa, a professional speech therapist, recently visited The Baobab Home, to meet and work with Omari and Faiza! The small piece of skin under Omari’s tongue was too short, which made it difficult for him to made different sounds and learn to speak. We took him to the hospital to have it cut; and since then has been free to make new noises, and is now saying “Mama”! Teresa informed us just how useful a little peanut butter or honey can be – Omari’s speech exercises include reaching his tongue forward to lick honey off his lips and using his tongue and other mouth muscles to eat peanut butter! Faiza’s growth has been stunted both physically and mentally. She has a very small vocabulary, but a long attention span which is helping her learn more. Teresa encouraged us to use and repeat key words clearly. Practice and repetition is essential, asking questions and helping her to pronounce words.