HTB and HOPEHIV

Mama Mcubwa 2 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.

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’S IT GOING?

January 2011 update

One year in to our work in Tabora, we are pleased to report that we are encouraged by activities and progress to date. 60 kids clubs have been set up across twenty villages in these two new communities. An estimated average of 4,900 orphaned and vulnerable children and other young people have attended club meetings each week. The communities seem to be responding well to the program, with volunteers and community members beginning to take their own initiatives to better care for orphans at a material support level, as well as with helping them overcome grief, cope with poverty and ill-health, and with re-integrating with their communities. Experience has taught us that community ownership of this sort is critical to long term sustainability and success of these programmes; we believe this will provide a solid foundation for planned Year Two program activities.

OUR PROJECT PARTNER HAS ALSO REPORTED THAT:

Volunteers have reported reductions in child abuse since the program was rolled out the communities. Eve’s story (below) is a wonderful example of the impact being felt in the lives of the children and young people who need it most.

As a direct result of the training, community volunteers are better able to spot whether a child is being abused or neglected. Some volunteers are using those skills to support children in their own villages as well as from those outside the partnership catchment area.

Former school drop-outs are being reintegrated into schools. Community donations have helped pay for 32 children’s school needs (fees, uniforms, and school materials).

Five villages in Maisha have set up income generating activities in the form of food gardens, the profits of which are used to help keep orphaned and vulnerable children in school.

25 orphaned and vulnerable children have passed their secondary school examinations – they attribute their ability to do that to the support volunteers provided through home-visits.

Helping orphans work through the emotional repercussions of loosing their parents through the Kids Club sessions, and referrals to psychologists when needed, is reaping priceless rewards. Less and less children are being written off as “mad” (for exhibiting signs of grief) by community members.

Community volunteers who have been through the Mama Mkubwa training sessions have stepped up to offer counsel orphans and vulnerable children

Many of the older children are taking on leadership responsibilities.

Experience has taught us that community ownership of this sort is critical to long term sustainability and success of these programmes; we believe this will provide a solid foundation for planned Year Two program activities.
For more detailed information on the activities, impact and outcomes made possible in Tabore through HTB’s help, download our 2010 Annual Report.

how can i get involved?

1. PRAY: Adopt the Tabora communities in prayer as a pastorate for a term. You can use our 2010 annual report (downloadable below) to inform your prayer points.
2. OPT IN: Sign up for HOPEHIV enews for churches at www.hopehiv.org/churches
3. INTRODUCE US: to your school or company. We’d love to explore how we might partner with them.
4. MAKE A GIFT: You can make a one-off gift online here, or by calling 020 8288 1196. Regular Giving helps us provide sustained support in the most efficient way, so we would be so grateful if you were to commit to supporting us in this way today. To make a regular gift to HOPEHIV, simply download and complete a gift form and return it to us.

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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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.