Happy with all donations from donors, companies and funds
Summer has arrived and for many this means a moment of rest and/or vacation. Enjoying the outdoors with family and friends. It is a moment for us to tell you again about the Sibusiso children and the activities in the center. And we are so proud of what we have done in recent months: We said goodbye to the 3 and 6 month groups – with a nice meeting – and we have now also started with the new groups. The board has been very active with fundraising, because that remains a dire necessity. Especially now that we expect the new government to make fewer resources available for development aid. We focus on funds, companies in the Netherlands and Tanzania and we are very happy with all donations from our loyal private donors. The 2023 results, the videos and the new project plan help with the fundraising. We tell you all the news in this letter.
Message from the board
How can we tell the story of the children and the people of Sibusiso in the best possible way? How do we tell about the love and passion of the team? How can we show that there is real progress when the children stay at the centre for three or six months? Of course, we can invite you to visit the center, then you will certainly be impressed. But we understand that this is not possible for everyone. That is why we have had a number of beautiful videos made that tell the story of Sibusiso's activities very honestly and beautifully. They are different videos about the 3 and 6 month program, the outreach and the impact that the programs have on the children. And there is a beautiful documentary in which we tell about the children, the parents and the people of Sibusiso. We are incredibly happy with the results. The people of the video company NoBS from Arnhem have made this really nice (without compensation) for us and our partner Rijk Zwaan has supported this financially so that we can spend every euro on the work for the children.
We use the videos for fundraising, among other things. We can now show that we really need every euro and spend it well. In Tanzania there is no contribution for children with intellectual disabilities. With the videos and the new project plan, we can get started. We are working hard to be able to continue the work in the coming years. Until it is no longer necessary and Tanzania can take care of the children with disabilities itself. The documentary and the project plan can be found in the link.
Party at Sibusiso!
At the end of June we said goodbye to the children from the 3 month and the 6 month program. That was worth celebrating, because we see great progress in development and behaviour in all children. We celebrated with dancing, lots of fun and good food, together with the families of the children. Of course we are going to miss the children a bit, but we know that they can now do well at home. At the beginning of July, the new groups started again immediately. The 3-month group now consists of 30 young children and their mother and they are receiving therapy together in moving, eating, talking. There are 3 pavilions with 10 children each. The 6 month group has also started again. 18 boys are back in the house. This is a very noisy situation in the first week, but with dance and play and the patient guidance of the teachers and therapists, peace quickly comes 'in the tent'. Take a look at the work of the 3 months group and the 6 months group via the link
Julita's extraordinary story
Since April, Julita Lyimo and her one-year-old daughter Fortunata have been staying at the Sibusiso center for the 3-month program. Julita is a lady for the Sibusiso team who is on a special journey. The 39-year-old mother single-handedly cares for Fortunata who suffers from microcephaly, while she herself suffers from a visual impairment. Julita was abandoned by Fortunata's father, and had to quit her job to take care of her daughter.
With her own limitations, Julita shows enormous perseverance. She knows how to adapt very well to the Sibusiso environment and embraces all opportunities for Fortuna. Julita stayed at the centre until June and was able to follow all parts of the programme with the help of the team. Despite the challenges, Julita is optimistic about the future. She knows that with love and perseverance she can help her daughter Fortunata. We have a lot of admiration for the journey of Julita and her daughter Fortunata and are happy to help her on her path.
Fruit trees for the children
Today we were visited by 21 students from Tengeru Institute of Community Development (TICD) - the technical university of East Africa. The Sibusiso students who follow the social skills program have received the group and shown them around. And they received a nice gift: 25 fruit trees that can provide the children of Sibusiso with healthy fruit. The day was nicely summed up by one of the TICD students: 'Today we have not only planted trees, but also sown for friendship, cooperation and a healthy future'.
The results of 2023
In 2023, we have once again achieved a lot in the city centre. We would like to mention some impressive numbers with which we show that we can reach many families in Tanzania:
3 Month Program:
- 120 children followed the 3-month program with their mothers at the Sibusiso Center
805 children received some form of (short) therapy at the Sibusiso Center
87 children followed a shortened program with their mothers (1-2 weeks)
Month Program:
55 children and young adults participated in the 6-month program and stayed at the Sibusiso Center.
223 children and young adults received some form of training at the Sibusiso Center during the year but stayed at home
Nutrition program:
330 children received the nutrition program at home
- 260 children received the nutrition program at the center (1-2 weeks)
Provision of tools by our carpentry workshop:
13 wheelchairs
10 walkers
19 standing boards
20 special seats
2 corner chairs
Outreach programma:
445 children received therapy at home from one of the therapists or social worker
142 children and young adults were visited at their own school for consultation with the teachers
80 children were visited at home for contact with parents, without therapy
- World Disability Day 1,512 visitors
- Down Syndrome Day 560 visitors
- Graduation Ceremonies 3 months program/open days 1,010 visitors
- Celebral Palsy Day 158 visitors
- Refresher Day 297 visitors
Sibusiso employees take pride in their work
Calvin Regnald Moshi is 27 years old and has been a physiotherapist at Sibusiso for 2 years. Calvin says: 'As a physiotherapist you are busy with the children all day long, I can help them lead a happy and independent life. My day is good when I see that they can take steps in their development, for example when the small children can move their neck or body better. This is very normal for all of us, but for the children with disabilities this is a milestone. Of course it's not always easy, it's not always easy to motivate the parents at home to get started with the exercises, that's really very important for the development of the child.
Josiah Patrick is 28 years old and has been working as a social worker at Sibusiso for 4 years. Josia: 'The best part of my job is the interaction I have with the parents. I hear the personal stories, and when I am with them with the Outreach Program, I see that I can help with the dilemmas they are struggling with. I still find it difficult that there is a taboo and that children with disabilities are seen as a punishment from god and therefore cannot participate in communal life. But I see improvements every day, that the children are really making progress because of our help." Watch this video to see how Josiah goes on the road with the Outreach Team.
Treasurer Leo Wortel has been a director of Sibusiso for 12 years
More than twelve years ago I was approached by a good acquaintance for a board position at the Sibusiso Foundation. Since, in addition to my current work as an accountant in the financial world, I also wanted to do something for society, I immersed myself in the activities, purpose and mission of this Foundation.
More than 20 years ago, the Hammer family traveled to Tanzania to set up this Foundation in collaboration with the local population. To this day, they are still active and very involved with the Foundation.
I myself have been to Tanzania twice now at the Foundation and this was very impressive to see how everything is done with the money of the Foundation and especially the gratitude of the children and people there was overwhelming.
Through all these years, this Foundation in Tanzania has become very important for the children, parents and the entire population. We would like to expand the activities of the Foundation even further by (dis)mandating the knowledge center and by realizing a knowledge platform.
In recent years, the board has been busy drawing up a 5-year plan to professionalize the center and realize the intended expansion and the associated investments. The financial resources received consist of donations and donations from individuals, foundations and companies.
In order to be able to continue to do the beautiful work of Sibusiso in the future, a lot of money is needed and that is why I would like to ask everyone to support this cause financially by making a donation(s) to bank account NL 73 RABO 0385812167 in the name of the Sibusiso Foundation. Or by using the QR code in this post. Would you like to receive a form for a periodic donation? I am happy to help you with that too, email me at info@sibusiso.com
Thank you very much in advance.
