“HOPEHIV is doing an amazing job in difficult situations. It’s encouraging to see how they interact with and empower the local church. I am a big fan of this organisation.” - Rev Paul Cowley, Executive Director Social Transformation, HTB
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HTB and HOPEHIV
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In January 2010, Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in London launched a new three year mission partnership with HOPEHIV. The partnership will enable HOPEHIV to extend its proven emotional and social support programme, ‘Mama Mkubwa’ or Big Mama’s, to 850 orphans and vulnerable children in 20 villages in Tanzania's remote Tabora region.
Mama Mkubwa works through churches to identify, train and equip village volunteers to set up kids clubs. The clubs provide a safe place to play and the opportunity for orphans and vulnerable children to overcome trauma and build links with local people who can help them. |
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By the end of the third year, the aim is that the clubs will be sustainably embedded in the communities and represent a long-term HTB legacy in Africa. Over the three years, we'll be developing ways for individuals, pastorates and participants in HTB initiatives to engage with the partnership, but right now, there are four things you can do to make a difference.
how can i get involved?
- Mama Mkubwa volunteers are working hard week in, week out to serve the most vulnerable children in their communities. We’d love it if you’d devote one day – Sunday 10th October 2010 – to standing with them in the gap left by AIDS. 10/10/10 is HOPEHIV’s tenth birthday and we’re inviting you to organise a tea party, a walk, a Wii tournament or whatever takes your fancy for your friends, pastorate, neighbours etc. Get 10 people to come and ask them to donate £10 and get involved with HOPEHIV for the new decade. Hundreds of people around the country will be doing it and together, you’ll be carrying HOPEHIV into the future. Go to www.hopehiv.org/my101010 to find out more.
- Sign up for HOPEHIV enews for churches at www.hopehiv.org/churches
- Email lindsay@hopehiv.org with any ideas of your own about how to participate in the partnership and make it a success.
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background
A number of HTB staff and congregation members were already enthusiastic HOPEHIV supporters before the partnership started. Over the years, HOPEHIV has had a presence at Focus (the church holiday), Vision Sunday, World AIDS Day services, and at charity and third sector prayer meetings. A Global Alpha Training (GAT) team from the church visited one of HOPEHIV's projects in Malawi while they were on their GAT trip. Paul Cowley, Director of Social Transformation at HTB, has visited our projects in Botswana and South Africa. Having built up a trusted, multi-faceted relationship with HTB, HOPEHIV was delighted to make a formal mission partnership the logical next step.
JULY 2010 UPDATE
Six months on, we’re delighted to report back from Tabora, where HTB’s support is bringing Mama Mkubwa to 20 new villages. In each village, The Salvation Army has worked through its local congregation to prepare the community for Mama Mkubwa’s arrival, helping people to understand orphans’ needs and rights as well as the aims of the project. Schools, local government, health and social welfare departments and community leaders have all been involved. 70 community volunteers have stepped up and have received initial training. To help attract kids to the clubs, Mama Mkubwa has provided netballs, footballs and pumps, ropes for skipping and tug of war, whistles and, of course, first aid kits! 257 orphans and vulnerable children have joined so far (plus many more who do not fit into this category), and many of the older kids are taking on leadership responsibility.
As always, there are challenges. Miriam, who trains community members to set up and run Mama Mkubwa, lost her son very suddenly early in the year and took some much needed time off. As a result, the schedule has been stretched but we’re happy to report that Miriam is now back at work and getting the training back on track. On a larger scale, The Salvation Army Tanzania has lost its main funder, PEPFAR (The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), so HTB’s support is more important than ever for Mama Mkubwa.
Mama MKubwa in TaborA, Tanzania
Tabora is a poverty-stricken region often ignored by NGOs because it is cut off during the rainy season. In this context, local initiatives are essential. Mama Mkubwa works through churches to identify, train and equip village volunteers to set up kids clubs.They will set up 120 kids clubs, which meet weekly with fun activities to attract children. The clubs provide a safe place to play and the opportunity for orphans and vulnerable children to overcome trauma and build links with local people who can help them.
Many households in the villages are headed by children or grannies: sadly, extreme poverty means that abuse and neglect are common. Volunteers will make weekly visits to the most vulnerable homes, as well as providing counselling and life-skills training to older orphans. Basic business training will be offered to guardians, together with access to small revolving loans, helping them to earn money and provide better for children in their care. |
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We see hope in Mary.
Mary is 14 and is a member of one of the new twice-weekly kids clubs in Kipalapala, which is part of The Salvation Army's Mama Mkubwa programme in Tabora, Tanzania. Both her parents died when she was young so she lives with her aunt who is unemployed and struggles to make ends meet. In spite of this difficult background, Mary is proving to be a good leader. As chairperson of the sports committee, she plans the activities and arranges club meetings. Mary says the club is reducing the stigma of being an orphan – children from all backgrounds have started playing together and she herself has made lots of new friends.
Find out more about Mama Mkubwa.
Name has been changed to protect confidentiality. |
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