Tanzania Projects (April 2015 & July 2016)
Tanzania is one of the world’s poorest countries in terms of per capita income with the average person living on less than $1 per day. The country ranks 12th in the world for HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate, a fact that leaves many children orphaned and without family support.
SALTworld is currently working to raise money for the following hospitals, schools, and orphanages:
Keni Dispensary
Many people walk for over 15 plus miles to have their babies or seek treatment for themselves or their children at a dispensary. Dispensaries provide medication, HIV testing, etc. People often go to a local dispensary because they have no transportation to reach a hospital and/or cannot afford to be seen at a hospital. In order for the government to staff the dispensary with a medical doctor, toilets must be built outside the dispensary. Last year the main building of the dispensary was complete with a pharmacy, two rooms, and a lab. Due to your generous donations last year, you can see the progress on the outside toilet already built below. This year Moore Counseling and Meditation Services from Cleveland sponsored SALT world’s Keni project and raised $5,000 to help complete the toilets! SALTworld Inc. also donated much needed medical supplies for the pharmacy located within the Keni Dispensary.
Sambarai/Kirima Dispensary
Last year a kindergarten program was established in Sambarai/Kirima. This is the only kindergarten program offered for children in the area. Sambarai now has 80 students and two teachers. This year 28 students graduated and will go on to primary school. Each student after receiving his or her diploma received a brand new pair of shoes, a toy, and candy from SALTworld. This year SALTworld also donated money to go towards a teacher’s salary for two school teachers and uniforms for the school children. The school also received soccer balls for recess time.
St. Francis Primary School
St. Francis is the only primary school for students with disabilities in Moshi, Tanzania. There are 302 students enrolled ages 5-12, and approximately 180 students live at the school. Many students have hearing, visual, and auditory impairments. This school not only has children with disabilities, but helps protect children who are Albino. Children who are Albino have been kidnapped and their body parts sold on the market in the past. This year SALTworld donated money to build a new dining hall for the children so children no longer have to eat off the ground. In the pictures, you will see the start of the new dining hall and the old dining hall. You can see that the old dining hall is not big enough for the 302 students that attend. SALTworld also donated brand new closed toed shoes for the children and soccer balls.
Our volunteers spent time with the children at St. Francis. They also helped hand wash the bedding and clothes for the children.
Mawenzi Hospital
In Tanzania, the government does not provide disability or assistance to anyone diagnosed with a mental health disorder or disability. Over the years, Dr. Flamez and other colleagues, helped raise money to provide medication for the psychiatric unit. This year, SALTworld raised money to continue to supply the psychiatric wing with medications for a full year. Our volunteers spent time at the psychiatric wing of Mawenzi hospital with Dr. Ringo. He is a retired psychiatrist who came back to the hospital because they were in such need of his help. He is the only psychiatrist in the area and treats hundreds of patients. Dr. Ringo and his staff took the time to explain to volunteers what mental health looks like in Tanzania, and the unique challenges he faces. In this area those with severe mental health illness are often the forgotten and last to receive medication.
Upendo Orphanage
Upendo (means love in Swahili) Orphanage houses 16 girls, 15 boys, and 8 babies from birth to five-years-old. Some children have been found abandoned on a roadside or both parents have died. SALTworld donated money to the orphanage to purchase formula, medication, and food for all the children. Closed toed shoes and soccer balls were donated too. Volunteers of SALTworld spent the day helping play, feed, and bathe the children.
Mawenge Catholic University (MWECaU) Dispensary: Providing microscopes for university medical dispensary
The university recently built a medical dispensary outside of the school so they could serve not only their students, but also people in the surrounding community. Currently, they are in need of microscopes to diagnose and treat medical illnesses. SALTworld is fundraising to help purchase a microscope for the lab.
