Community Service

Since the needs of each family and child are unique and varied, we reserve some of our funding for general outreach. We have built houses and created income generation projects for those living in poverty. We have also helped young people get into drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. Emergency medical care is often a need of the community as well, and our general outreach program helps us provide money for these health care emergencies. 

Anyone who has followed the work of The Baobab Home over the years remembers some of our most successful outreach clients, the "Street Boys." In 2005, we got them started in secondary school. Today, Benedictor is a nurse and Emmanuel received his diploma in counseling. William is a social worker and Yasini is the Purchasing and Finance Manager at Baobab. They are all fine young men with promising futures and we are so proud of what they are accomplishing.

The Baobab Children's Home

In December 2007, the Baobab orphanage opened its doors to children in need. Since then, dozens of children have come and gone. Some have been reunited with family, others have been adopted by new families. One child, Steven Tito, died of AIDS after years in a bad medical system. These days, 9 children live at the Baobab farm and two in foster care in Bagamoyo. Three dedicated housemothers work on a rotating schedule to give the kids lots of love and attention. We keep things small and personal so that we can afford good food and care. We also put a lot of effort into working with extended families and striving toward reunification if possible. Rather than grow larger, we focus more of our efforts on outreach with the many HIV+ kids in our community.

Most of the Baobab kids arrived severely malnourished and badly neglected. Some were abandoned, and some taken from families suffering deeply from mental illness, addiction or HIV/AIDS. Today the kids are all healthy, thriving and part of the Baobab family.  

The Martin Family Foundation as well as Brian Martin, have been the main sources of support for the home since its founding. The home where the children live was built by Mary Harmon, and the roof put on by TRG of Washington, D.C.

Breakfast Program

The Baobab Home has been cooking breakfast in Bagamoyo since 2005. We’ve served over 200,000 cups of hot, energizing porridge (uji) made from corn, soy, rice, millet and peanut. From 2005 to 2009 we served orphans and other vulnerable children in one of the poorest areas of Bagamoyo. In 2009 we moved the program to the HIV/AIDS clinic at the government hospital. These days we serve about 1600 cups of uji per month, to all adults and children coming to get the monthly medicines that keep them alive. Many people travel a long distance to receive their medicine. They are hungry and the wait is often half a day or more. We make sure that they have a full stomach so that they can listen to the doctor's advice. Being full also helps people to relax and talk to their peers. Stigma around HIV/AIDS is still so prevalent, but at the clinic, people can speak freely.

The program is sponsored by friends of Ken Russo and Michael MacIntyre who work tirelessly on behalf of the HIV community in Bagamoyo. Ken has been positive for 30 years himself. His humor, longevity and boundless energy are an inspiration here to young and old. More help is needed however, so if you are interested, please write to us.