In our June newsletter I mentioned the arrival of our summer volunteers Abby and Rhea who generously gave up two weeks of their time to volunteer with us here in Arusha, Tanzania. To my disappointment the weather here in July although always known as our ‘cold season’ really was pretty grey and miserable for the whole two weeks! The girls, as gracious as they are still made the very most of their time and did at least get to enjoy some impressive African sunsets on safari. Both Abby and Rhea generously completed fundraisers prior to their arrival and also supplied donations that took up the majority of their suitcase allowance! Spending mornings at Hope and Soul daycare and afternoons in our community projects it was a great time of insight into the impact of our projects on the local community. Abby and Rhea both really caught our vision and since returning to the UK have continued to be great ambassadors with more fundraising, securing sponsorship and collecting further donations - we love adding new ‘Aunties’ to our family, thank you both so much for your love and generosity.

I quickly realised that my planning with the regards to hosting volunteers and returning children to school on July 7th and 8th resulted in an incredibly busy first week of July. On the 6th I met with all our Hope and Soul youth to make sure they had school contribution slips, pocket money, transport money and resources for getting themselves back to boarding school. Followed by Abby and Rhea helping me with returning our little ones to boarding school on the morning of the 8th before they had a final goodbye at daycare - of course celebrated with cake.

July 11th we were very pleased to welcome the Leslie Family who made some time in a busy safari schedule to visit Hope and Soul daycare. Finn (13) and Ethan (10) had recently participated in a whole school fundraiser to raise vital funds for Hope and Soul and we were honoured that their parents made an effort to organise a visit. Each family member worked on a one-to-one activity with a child and then we joined together for a group singing and dancing session. After lunch Finn and Ethan read a story to the children before they nap time and we had some special UK sweets for every child to enjoy on the way home! Tanzania is an incredible holiday destination with world class safari options and Zanzibar only a one hour flight away. If you or someone you know is travelling to Tanzania for safari it is likely they will travel through Arusha. We always love to have visitors even if it is just for a morning so please keep us in mind as an extra special addition to holiday plans!

On the 21st of July we had a special opportunity to partner with a local Tanzanian NGO for a teaching and partnership day at Hope and Soul Daycare. We welcomed eight caregivers working across four daycare facilities within the Maasai community - supported by Builders of Future Africa (BFA) an NGO with over ten years experience supporting children and youth in Tanzania. The ladies participated in observation sessions, teaching sessions covering multiple topics, feedback and questions and an incredible pilau lunch cooked by our wonderful Mama Zion. I am incredibly proud of our staff every single day for the way they work so conscientiously with our children but to see them teaching fellow caregivers and sharing their skills and talents was  a new level of wonder and pride. We were all very nervous to execute such a special event but our planning, preparation and team work meant the day went so well and everyone gained confidence and a new level of pride in their work and ability to share knowledge with others.

The following day I welcomed seven of my extended family members, my two cousins, their husbands and three children and thirteen suitcases filled with incredible donations! We spent the next ten days together with an action packed schedule including multiple days of home visits to our daycare families and further surrounding communities in need. Home visits really are an eye-opening experience to witness the reality of what families face on a daily basis. Our aim is never to glorify the poverty that our families live in or to gain support by over-sharing, but it is a reality. When you see social media photos of our children at daycare - well-fed, in beautiful new clothing donations, rested and shining bright with faces covered in vaseline and stickers it doesn’t reflect what they go home to. The majority of our families sleep on the floor and some not even on a mattress, this is one of many things that I am very proud to say my family gave support to changing for the better. Committing to funding multiple beds and mattresses, school uniform, school contributions, warm blankets, gas and cooking utensils, weekly food shops, a laptop for college studies, rent costs, a business start up, hair and beauty training, counselling sessions and more, our special visitors presence here although for a short time has left a long lasting impression.

For example, a 5x6ft handmade solid wood bed and high quality mattress  currently costs £120, I am sure with my understanding of how pricey things are currently in the UK you can remember a time not too long ago that you spent that on a meal out with the family or over just two or three takeaways. A bed and mattress like this is fit for an entire family to sleep in and will literally change their entire life for a lifetime. The difference between sleeping on a dirt floor, potentially surrounded by insects and rats and at the mercy of the elements with multiple young children to being gifted a quality bed that is built to last, a mattress that is warm dry and safe is more than just comfort. Sleep quality is linked to emotional resilience, cognitive function and overall positivity. It offers children security and routine, has long-term health benefits and maintains better hygiene and cleanliness - Life changing!

We are still in need of sponsorship for eleven children at Hope and Soul Daycare so please if that is something you would be willing to support or know someone that would, please send us a message on social media (Instagram and Facebook) or send me an email - hopeandsoultanzania@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you and discuss how we can work together to change these little lives for their own benefit, the benefit of their families and to improve the possibilities and capacity of the future generation of Tanzania.