TANZANIA

Population – 45 millionLanguage – Swahili and English for official documents

Major religions – Christianity and IslamWell known for – Serengeti, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro

Life expectancy – 49Major causes of death in children – Malaria, malnutrition, pneumonia

and diarrhoea

Forever Angels Baby Home

MwanzaTanzania

Mwanza

• Tanzania’s second city• Population 385,800• 50% population under 16• Around 16 different tribes• Strong belief in witch craft

Forever Angels Baby Home

- Around 50 children ages 0-5 years

-Mainly orphaned and abandoned children

Tiny baby house The main baby home

Pre-school Teenage training programme

Outreach

My role...

• Day to day care of the children

• Training: - first aid, HIV, when to go to hospital, care of children with special needs.

• Giving medications• Hospital visits• Writing medical policies

Working with children with special needs

What I gained• Increased understanding of another culture• Insight into how different cultures and religions view

children and special needs• Lots of experience of caring for children with special needs• Improved communication skills – non verbal, picking up

on cues from children• The opportunity to make contacts for the future• Confidence in my abilities• Realisation of how much I’ve learnt• Improved observational skills

• Increased understanding of different conditions: HIV, sickle cell anaemia, malnutrition, hydrocephalus

• Feeling like I’d made a real difference

Challenges

• Coming back to the UK and straight back into placement

• Most experienced person there, so no one to turn to for reassurance

• Language• Negotiating beliefs totally foreign to me• Caring for children who didn’t have access to

care that could improve their lives...

...and then walking away.

Cost and planning

• Flights approximately £400-£800• Accomodation /donation £500• Living expenses £20-£70 per week• Medication and vaccinations

www.foreverangels.org