Olasiti Orphans Center

Our Vision

Our vision is for each orphan to become a valued member of the Olasiti community: a person who has the tools to support himself and his family for a lifetime. Our goal is to promote education and health for underprivileged orphans in the village of Olasiti near the town of Arusha, northern Tanzania, Africa.

Our Projects

Since 2005, we have reached our initial objectives:

Providing a meal each day to drop-in children.
Establishing a community garden as a source of food.
Providing education for orphans.
Starting sustainable small-scale businesses.
Constructing a building with bedrooms, kitchen, baths, and classroom.

Food

Nutrition is one of the greatest needs for these orphan children, who have resorted to raiding fields when necessary. Our community garden meets some of their food needs. Children want and need to learn skills to support themselves. They are learning how to grow crops, using sustainable production methods. The Olasiti Orphans Bio-Intensive Club:

Produces vegetables and fruits for orphans.
Provides the experience of agriculture and self-reliance.
Creates an awareness between the health of the environment and their own health.

Education

Basic education initiates the journey out of ignorance and poverty. Although primary school in Tanzania is free, the supplies and uniforms are not. Orphan children have less supervision and greater need than children from intact families. Orphans in particular are recruited for child labor, particularly vulnerable to mistreatment and often not even paid as promised. Additionally, they miss the opportunity to attend school. Our scholarship program:

Buys uniforms, shoes, and school supplies for primary and secondary students.
Pays tuition for secondary school students.
Provides tutoring and advice for students who lack parental support.
Has enabled several girls to become professional tailors.
Has enabled two young women to complete college and become teachers.
Has enabled one young man to become a licensed safari guide.
Learn more about our scholarships.

Sustainability

Many orphans must live on the street without adult guidance, or have only loose connections to extended families. This makes them vulnerable to anti-social behavior, drug abuse, or sexual abuse. Although the orphans are the object of pity, they are also seen as an unwanted burden, and suffer from the stigma of their parents' death from AIDS. They don't want to be beggars -- they want to be productive! The Olasiti Orphans Community Center:

Produces arts and crafts projects to generate income and enhance self-expression through the Arts Club.
Provides education about ecology and the environment through the Birding Club.
Organizes field trips to nearby national parks, enabling children to see their natural resources.
Provides education about AIDS prevention, drug abuse prevention, and birth control.
Runs a preschool program for five-year-olds.
Promotes the experience of cultural belonging by serving as a safe place for homeless children.