(Kim will write this post in the first person.)
An opportunity presented itself and I was able to go with a group of 9 other
members of Alpha Delta Kappa International to visit the Manyara Holistic
Center (MAHOCE) in Babati, Tanzania. Cam Johnston, the organizer of
our trip is the mother of Joshua, the Director of this amazing home and
school for children in poverty. MAHOCE had been our A∆K World
Understanding Project for two years.
We also had four amazing safari days. All our nights were at beautiful resorts.
After flying to Philadelphia to join up with six other A∆K sisters, we flew together to London, Doha (Qatar), and Kilimanjaro airport near Arusha, Tanzania, three long flights with layovers.
There we connected with the rest of the group. There were ten of us all together, most of us meeting for the first time. We became fast friends.
We were there 9 days, and what an amazing learning experience it was! For our purposes here, I will focus mainly on the visit to the Center, which was the most important part of this trip, and the most meaningful. But if you wish, you can see more details in my online photo album here.
The Manyara Holistic Center (MAHOCE) is a home and school for homeless children in eastern Tanzania, an area of 1.43 million people with no other facility like this. Their Foundation was created and named Harambee, which is a Swahili word meaning "Let's Pull Together." The first children to live there were street kids. The staff are very devoted, and several grew up there. All religions and tribes are welcome.
When we arrived, Joshua and the children welcomed us and the staff members were introduced. For a more detailed history, which was part of the welcome program when we first arrived, click here.
The children had written a song and a skit to describe what MAHOCE does for them. They also performed a traditional dance for us.
Here are the three A∆K members who are also on the Board of the Harambee Foundation, which funds MAHOCE. From left, Cam Johnston, her son Joshua, the Director, Audrey Pyle, and Eleanor Smith from A∆K-PA-Eta.
We had a tour of this amazing facility. When we saw all the areas of the center, we realized, as Cam pointed out, "You're in the real world now." It was heart-warming and heart-breaking all at the same time. Makes me think about the real meaning of 'privilege.'
The dorms
The kitchen
The kitchen storeroom
The garden, which will expand soon, and which includes fruit trees
Laundry
and the classroom, with some of the gifts we brought. The MEMKWA class teaches unschooled children the skills necessary to test into public school, or if they are older, there is a version of a 2-year GED.
Many types of vehicles, and people in both western and traditional dress.
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We went to a number of galleries, cultural centers and markets. But the highlight of the safari portion of the trip was, of course, the safari days to see the animals! Here we all are with our tour guides in the special van whose roof lifts up to see and take photos.
Warthogs
Baboons
Cape Buffalo
Flamingos
Gazelle
Giraffes
Impalas
Ostrich
Tree Lion (very rare to see)
And later we saw a pride of lions in the distance with this male guarding his harem.
Vervet Monkey
Water Buck
Wildebeest
and Zebras everywhere!
We also saw a pair of black rhinos off in the distance, which we were told almost never happens. One of our "Safari Sisters" was able to get a photo with her professional camera.
It was a wonderful experience. But the most lasting impression it left me with is that our Alpha Delta Kappa World Understanding Projects are so needed and so worthwhile.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DONATING TO THIS VERY WORTHY CAUSE, please send your tax-deductible check to the
Donations to the General Fund will be used for whatever the current cost needs are. But if you wish to specify how your donation will be spent, please consider the following:
You may sponsor the education of a child starting in primary school or up through college. Sponsorships start at just $100/year for a primary child and go up to $500/year for college.
You may pay a monthly lab bill for just $25. ( Children are tested for malaria, UTI, typhoid, general infections)
You may pay a monthly pharmacy bill for $50. ( Medications for whatever a child may need)
You may purchase a water filter for $50.
You may buy a 220 pound bag of corn for $25.
You may buy a 265 pound bag of beans for $100.
Please consider becoming our partner and help us Empower our children through Education! Together we can free them from a life of poverty! Thank you!
For a more detailed history of MAHOCE:
MANYARA HOLISTIC CENTRE (MAHOCE) was formed in 2007 from the idea of Joshua Johnston who came as a cultural tourist to the District of Babati, Hanang and Mbulu, Tanzania. The idea come after he saw street children in the Babati area. More than 15 members of the community responded to his call. The aim was to change children’s lives for the better and help them find the love and care they missed.
After submitting the MAHOCE Constitution to the Ministry of Interior Affairs, MAHOCE was registered as a Non-Government Organization (NGO) on February 27, 2007 with registration no. 09NGO/1991.
Joshua asked his friends and parents to create a tool to fund MAHOCE with donations, and HARAMBEE FOUNDATION was formed. Harambee is a Swahili word which means "Let's pull together."
Later MAHOCE had to apply for registration as a Children's Home. The request was accepted by the Ministry of Health, Social Development, Gender, Elderly, Children and Special Groups and was granted a license on 01/08/2022.
Since the establishment of MAHOCE, it has succeeded in reaching many children and helping them. Many have been able to realize their full potential and become independent in their lives. This year (2024), MAHOCE is serving 98 children at various levels of education, 31 in primary school, 4 in MEMKWA education, 47 in ordinary-level and 5 in advanced-level secondary school, 2 in middle colleges, 4 in universities, and 5 are waiting to go to advanced level 5. Twenty-six of these children live here at the Centre.
MAHOCE has a board that sits four times a year to evaluate the operation, along with 7 employees: a Matron, Patron, Teachers, Community Development officers and a Coach.
The biggest goal was to provide permanent housing to raise children. At first, we rented in various houses and faced the risk of rising rent costs, forcing us to move the Centre several times. We are very grateful to Alpha Delta Kappa for your financial support building a permanent home for children. As a result we will no longer move. This reduces the financial cost of paying rent, which can help us reach more children and increase our self-sustainability.
- 3 Offices including Reception, Director's Office and Teacher's office.
- Two dormitories, a girls' dormitory and a boys' dormitory
- 2 classrooms, for MEMKWA and another for Evening prep.
- Emergency room for temporary cases
- Matron's rooms
- Kitchen with three stoves.
- Dining area
- 3 Store rooms, for kitchen storage, general storage (e.g. school supplies, laundry and bar soap, exercise books, toothpaste, lotions, pens, pencils etc.) and another for fire wood.
- Toilets as follows, 1 toilet for the director, toilet for employees and guests, 1 toilet and shower room for the matron, 2 toilets and 2 shower rooms for girls, and 2 toilets and a shower room for boys.
- 3 washing tubs: 1 for boys' laundry, 1 for girls' laundry, 1 for washing dishes
- We have a fenced-in vegetable garden out back
- Also, the Centre is adjacent to a designated open space area, which the children use for play and exercise.
- We also have a Solar energy system and water catchment tanks holding 4000 liters of rain water.
Another challenge is that medical expenses are high, so we are unable to serve many children fully. Health insurance cost is TZS 50,400/ per child (about $20 USD). We need this health insurance especially for some children who need daily medicines.
We are very grateful to you (A∆K) for coming to visit us and see our surroundings, we will certainly not forget the great help you gave us and we also promise you to use this building well and take good care of it.
We also ask you to continue to be with us when we need your help next time. We pray to GOD to bless you and take care of you throughout your life.
Please consider becoming our partner and help us Empower our children through Education! Together we can free them from a life of poverty! Thank you!
