Costumes and Candy: How We Bring Halloween to the Children of Uru

Dressing up and going door to door for treats and candy is a staple for most Western childhoods. Halloween isn’t celebrated in Tanzania, but we enjoy bringing the holiday to the kids the best we can. They may not know the spooky lore or get to walk around the neighborhood, but they did get to partake in two very important aspects of the holiday: costumes and candy.

Thanks to donations from many individuals as well as supplies from Mandy’s childhood we had plenty of costumes for the students to choose from. Every kid got to pick out one. We separated them by age levels and had them parade around the school to display their costumes. The kids loved dressing up and playing on the playground in their Halloween get-up, and had so much fun showing off to everyone during the parade.

We got lots of pictures of the kids playing with each other and their teachers for Halloween.

After that, the children lined up and the teachers passed out candy. Like all children, they had the brightest smiles on their faces with each piece of candy they got. Their handfuls may not physically equate to the giant bags of sweets seen on Halloween in America, but their joy was all the same. As always, thanks to all our donors and sponsors who make it possible for us to provide these children with such a wide range of opportunities! It means so much!!

Recognize your Privilege. Love your Neighbor as Yourself.

Heads up! This is a very long and very raw emotional blog post--I know most people won't read all of it... but if you can, I think you will learn something. 

I have been very very fortunate during my time in Tanzania to witness more happy times and success stories than hardships and sorrow. Through Neema and our social media posts, we really do our VERY best to focus on all the positive here in the community and to not post pictures or tell too many stories of destitution, pain and hardship—so often the picture painted in people's minds of rural villages in Africa is one of poverty and hopelessness or helplessness... this is incorrect. This is not true. And that isn’t the picture that I have ever wanted to paint or present of the community that I have been so lucky to call my family and my home for almost a decade. All of Uru isn’t the same and not every person who lives in Uru or is from Uru is extremely poor or suffering… however, Neema SPECIFICALLY looks to helps those who are suffering the most in the hopes that we can provide opportunities and services to alleviate some of the problems and provide the foundation for a better future. I like to share all the incredible happy times with all of you to try to erase some of the preconceived notions and stereotypes you may have of “Africa” or “Tanzania” or “Uru” ... in no way is the entire continent of Africa or the entire country of Tanzania or even the entire village of Uru the same… 

 

However, with all that being said, I do have a sad story to share this morning, but I wanted to say all that first so that you realize that this isn't an everyday occurrence here... and we do have more happy days than sad… I was sitting in the office working on mask orders when two people from my admin team came into my office to tell me that one of my older secondary students—lets call her Lisa here to protect her anonymity (who has been sick on and on again for years) is home sick again and is in VERY bad shape. 

 

****This story is tremendously sad but also shows you what incredible strength and resilience and grit this girl truly has.. and shows what life is like for many different people around the world who weren’t born into families who can provide for them or into a country that has amenities to offer… as bad as things in America can be (and I am not talking about in MY life… I am talking about the systematic issues and history in our country-- and the day to day oppression for members of different minorities groups) we are still SO SO SO lucky in the West to have the life we do… even in the worst situations, we are still so lucky. 

 

Lisa was born into true unimaginable destitution… she lived in a mud hut that she says growing up was literally constantly falling apart… no bed. She left on a pile of clothes on the floor. Domestic violence was very present-- her and her sister slept outside in the cornfield to avoid their drunk dad often… she has an incredible mother, but as the single mother of 6 children with no formal education, job or help (snow works for Neema, but when lisa was growing up, her mother was unemployed), they struggled so much.. Lisa failed out of school after primary school and after a few years on the street, she fortunately found Neema's Digitruck program. Lisa is now in her fourth year of secondary schooling at an accredited institution and is back on track to a bright future… however, despite all the great things that have come of her life since she went back to school, this sweet girl cant seem to catch a break in so many other ways. The biggest burden has been her physical health.  

 

We have spent hundreds of dollars on different doctors at different hospitals trying to find out what is causing Lisa all the respiratory and stomach problems that she has been having. 

 

A little background: In previous years on December 1^st, Neema International has hosted a World HIV/AIDS day awareness and celebration event—celebrating the lives of those living amongst us and remember those who have passed.. we provide free testing to all our students, their families and invite anyone from the community to come get tested and provide drinks and snacks to all—test results are confidential and counselors and social workers are present on site with the doctors to aid when there is a positive test result that needs to be disclosed to the patient. We haven’t been able to do the event the past three years due to new government testing rules… but in the three years we did host the event, we were so lucky to only ever have 1 blood test come back positive out of hundreds of negatives. This one positive test belonged to a young employee of mine—lets call her Suzy. Suzy was in her early twenties and her daughter was around 2 at the time. Suzy had only ever been with one man (the father of her daughter) who actually had an entire family and life that he lied to my employee about before getting her pregnant, ditching her while she was pregnant, and (while there is no way to know for certain, as he was the only person she says she had been with, it seems that he also infected her with HIV)… so really awful situation… As scared and saddened as Suzy was about testing positive, she was so relieved and at peace knowing that her daughter did not contract the disease. I promised Suzy that I would be by her side and do everything in my power to help her get everything she would need to continue living her life and to help her have a LONG life. I took her to meet with the best doctors I knew at the best hospital here in Moshi and for the first few months went with her to all her appointments to get her ARV medicine until she felt comfortable to do it on her own… While she is living with HIV, she is HEALTHY as can be and is doing wonderfully today. She has come a long way in the past couple of years, and I am thrilled to see how happy and successful she is these days. 

 

This morning, two individuals on my admin team told me that Lisa had come home sick from school AGAIN this past weekend. They all said they were VERY concerned with her current state and that she was beginning to develop ulcers in her mouth in addition to the respiratory problems. Lisa came into my office and looked very unwell. After we spoke at length, she agreed that given the poor conditions of her home and the life she has lived and the constant poor health, it was very important to go and run full blood tests and specifically test for HIV. As we spoke, her eyes filled with tears… here is this 20 year old girl with her whole life ahead of her… she is supposed to be in school, enjoying life, laughing and preparing for her future career and chasing her dreams… I of course wrapped my arms around her and told her that I would be here for her no matter what and that we will see this through and that I promise we will get answers and no matter what she will have a GOOD LIFE. But I knew that no matter what I said or how much I tried to empathize with her pain and fear, I couldn’t understand what she was feeling. I called Suzy in to the office… Lisa knew of Suzy’s status and Suzy knew that Lisa had not been doing well. I sat at my desk watching Suzy hug Lisa and tell her in Swahili… "Wewe ni family yangu. Wewe ni mdogo wangu, Unaniamini, sio? Nakuambia, kila kita kitakuwa sawa mae... usiogope. Tuko pamoja"... this means 'You're my family. You're my little sister. You trust me, don't you? I am telling you, everything will be okay. Don't be scared. We are here together."

 

Watching these two strong beautiful young women in this embrace gave me hope but also just broke my heart… Even on my WORST DAY, I have never come close to experiencing what they have experienced. and what so many people in my community have experienced... Im just in awe. From what they have gone through, what they are going through...what they have already overcome… and what they still must overcome… I can imagine it all just feels insurmountable and SO frightening. 

 

For those who know me, you know I don’t really believe in God. I am Jewish but don’t live my life by the Torah or really believe much of it… but I learned in school as a kid about Tikkun Olam (Hebrew for 'heal the world') and that the most important than we can do is to love our neighbors as ourselves… and this is how I have chosen to live my life. It is why I live in Tanzania. It is why I adopted. It is why I am a vegan. It is why I do EVERYTHING that I do. Love, compassion, and respect are my guiding principles and they have not failed me so far… and with all that is happening in the world right now, and watching Lisa and Suzy this morning, and now sitting here waiting to get a call from the doctor or Lisa with an update... 

Take a moment and just really think about your life and the lives of those around you. And please, PLEASE just TRY to treat others the way you want to be treated. Before you post something or make a rude comment on someone's post or photo or judge someone or ANYTHING that isn't kind and respectful, just ask yourself... how would I feel if it were me!! It literally applies to EVERYTHING!!!! 

Wear a damn mask for crying out loud. Help out a neighbor. Hold the door for a stranger. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes… Consider watching videos about the real history of America and Africa and colonization, about the meat industry and animals in entertainment, about human and animal slavery, about oppression in all its forms....and most importantly, EDUCATE YOURSELF ON SUFFERING AND LEARN ABOUT YOUR PRIVILEGE-- and ADMIT IT! I AM PRIVILEGED AND I BENEFIT FROM IT EVERYDAY. If you think you have no money, trust me someone has less. If you think your situation is the worst one out there, I promise someone’s is worse. Yes, there are problems in America. BIG HUGE GIANT PROBLEMS! But in so many places around the world, the suffering is exponentially worse on so many levels…The purpose of this post is not to belittle your situation or to trivialize your pain. It is just to show you a real life situation, something that someone is going through 8000 miles away and to remind US ALL of how much we have to be thankful for. If you are reading this, it means you have access to electricity, Internet, a computer/phone/tablet, and YOU CAN READ! That's more than so many people in this world have!!!

Use this post as a reminder of all the things you have to be thankful for in this world. And go out there and pay it forward. Make a change in your life to improve the life of someone else. Make a sacrifice-- use the money you would spend on a new top or on ice cream or on Starbucks and donate it! There is SO much you can do to help.... start today. 

And please, keep Lisa in your thoughts today-- the more of us rooting for her, the better. 

Love always, 

Mandy

 

Wave of Change

The UNESCO Institute of Statistics found that 262 million children in 2017 globally were not in school. That’s 262 million children not learning how to read, problem solve and create. Imagine, those 262 million children, growing up to be entrepreneurs, innovators, social advocates or politicians.

At Neema International, we tackle the education gap on child at a time. Here’s what happens when you give one child an education:

Cognitive development increases, giving the child increased executive functioning, problem solving and critical thinking. They obtain the socioemotional tools that allow them to develop healthy and positive relationships. They use foundational literacy and math skills to tackle larger issues such as financial literacy, political advocacy and family planning. Once a child learns to read, they can read to learn anything. They become strategic in their personal and career goals, practicing independent thinking. Their ability to provide for themselves allows them to escape the cycle of poverty.

They influence their family and friends, through information sharing. Their financial stability allows them to support education of their young family members. They are able to translate for their family and teach English, expanding the economic opportunities of others. They share with others critical information about financial resources, family planning, global politics and gender equality.

Families share resources and information between each other. They gain the financial tools to improve community structure and invest in local ventures. The community works together to reach larger goals such as sustainable local economic growth and access to healthcare and education. The local culture surrounding parenting, gender roles and education begins to shift.

Communities that advocate for better education, gender equality and access to resources influence politics. Pressure is put on the government to meet the needs of the people. Children in school grow up to be influential leaders who advocate for the welfare of their communities on a national level.

Change a child’s world, change the world. Giving the gift of education is giving a child the ability to become an agent of change. It gives them the intellectual resources to self-advocate. Each child is only a drop in the ocean, but it only takes one drop to create a wave of change throughout a nation.

We already see the wave of change in Uru. At the beginning of the semester, a local father came to us, begging to send his two little girls to our school. In a country where secondary school is seen as most important and education is optional for women, this father was sensational. His advocacy for his daughters shows a cultural shift in early education and gender roles in Uru. Here is a community, sharing information and taking a step in the right direction.

Our sponsored children are set up for success. Neema International monitors each child’s behavioral and academic progress. We ensure children are healthy and happy at school, sending representatives to live at boarding school with children when necessary. We provide the social work services and career counseling need for long-term success. At Neema, sponsorship is not scholarship, it's a mentorship. We can’t sponsor all 262 million children out of school globally, but we can create hundreds of leaders in Uru that will each have their own wave of change.

Invest in future leaders. Start a wave of change. Sponsor a child!

Contact info@neemainternational.org to sponsor! 

Teacher Trainings with ISM

The goal of Uru Academy is to provide high-quality early childhood education. We focus our curriculum on art and play-based lessons. Creative learning engages children, sparks their critical thinking and encourages individuality.

The typical Tanzanian government school takes a very different approach. Teachers use boards to drill students throughout the day, having them memorize definitions and facts. Students are taught to be quiet and behave.

For Neema International, the challenge in opening a high-quality early childhood center is proper teacher training. How can we get Tanzanian teachers with a government school background to implement creative learning?

Then, co-director Ali Hanson had a brilliant idea- to send our teacher’s to a local international school! Each of our head teachers spent a week at the International School of Moshi, shadowing a head teacher. Our teachers were inspired by the creativity, dedication and attention to details they witnessed at ISM!

 

High-quality teacher training is the foundation to high-quality education. Our kids are excited to drop the workbooks and pick up the play-dough, educational games and songs! Teachers are planning new academic clubs, art projects, group games and exploration activities!

Neema Bags

We are in love with our new Neema Bags! Neema Bags is Neema International’s social enterprise that markets stylish, locally-made, African-print bags to fund our projects! These cosmetic-sized bags are handmade in our office. They’re crafted from a sturdy canvas with kitenge fabric on the inside. The outside seam is also hand-beaded. We also monogram, with the letter on the outside matching the fabric on the inside.

Our Neema Bags are the perfect personalized, socially-responsible gift for graduation, birthdays or weddings. They also can be customized with a group name and bought in bulk. We have a variety of designs, including different canvas, kitenge and beading!

Selling Neema Bags not only provides the funds that Neema International needs to run our projects but also employs local mamas. Employing the people of Uru in our projects is one way in which we empower the community. When one person in the family has a job, the whole family experiences more security. With over forty employees, we are lifting the community out of poverty through providing a consistent income and safe environment for parents. All while making sure their children get the best education!

To purchase an individual or bulk order of Neema Bags, message us on Facebook, Instagram or email us at info@neemainternational.org!

Creativity Spotlight!

Often we talk about the kids in Uru in terms of what they don’t have and how we can provide for them. We forget that these children bring so much personality and creativity to the table. They are the seed and we just help provide the sunshine for them to grow! Uru Academy encourages children to be as creative as possible. Creativity is the key to problem solving and self-expression. One way that we encourage creativity is through incorporating art into our lessons.

For example, one of our head teachers, Sels, taught kids to make butterflies by painting half a wing and then folding the paper. Children were able to design their own wings while learning about the idea of symmetry! We also have children use materials such as legos, molding clay or crayons to design their own creations. Below is a sculpture one child made of his teacher!

Children in Tanzania have few resources, so often they use their creativity to make toys with recycled materials. Here is a video of one of our children, Msafiri, using a top that he crafted with bottle caps and string. We encouraged Msafairi to keep creating and teach others how to make the same toy.

Creativity and self-expression is key to children’s development. We hope to continue to use whatever supplies we have and positive support so our little innovators and artists never stop designing!

Technology Update: iPads

In 2015 Arrow Electronics donated fifty iPads to Neema International. The Neema team installed educational apps ranging from baby to elementary level. Three years later, and now the kids at Uru Academy love to learn with the iPads!

On average, each class gets one, one-hour iPad session a week. Our teachers work together to create a weekly curriculum that builds on what they are learning in class. For our younger learners, this means working on phonetic foundations to reading. Our older kids work on math and spelling. While the iPads are in use, teachers walk around to guide technology use and help struggling kiddos!

Using technology in the classroom helps children work at their own pace, getting the individual practice they need. It reinforces lessons taught in class and allows children to learn through play! It also increases their technology literacy, as many of these children have never been able to use any type of computer before. Our kids look forward to using the iPads all week.

Some of our favorite apps are:

SoundTouch

This app is perfect for babies and children who need to grow their English vocabulary. Vocabulary is the foundation to literacy and this app builds vocabulary through matching pictures to words.

ABC Magic

These series of apps work on letter sound identification, working on vital pre-literacy skills. Children can explore letter sounds by clicking on them or practice by matching them!

Math Bingo

This app is very versatile as it has different levels. Our younger kids can practice addition while our older kids can practice multiplication. Math Bingo provides children instant feedback at their own pace. Its great practice and our teachers can identify which kids are struggling for the future.

Thanks Arrow for our iPads! Three years later and they are still changing our kids lives, one app at a time!

For the original press release with Arrow’s iPad donations, see:

https://3blmedia.com/News/Arrow-Electronics-Donates-Educational-Tablets-Tuleeni-Orphanage