83 Children, 6 Houses, 38 Permanent Employees 

 

The Mbigili children’s village in Tanzania stands for the fundamental right of every child to a safe home and a holistic support.

For this purpose, the children in our project have been brought up, without fear and full of respect, by close caregivers since 2008, and have been supported by education and training until they manage to lead an independent life of their own. We put particular emphasis on supporting the children according to their individual talents and skills and on accompanying them into working life.

In addition to meeting basic needs, we focus on the children’s psychosocial health. We help them process their often traumatic past experiences, giving them new self-confidence and assurance.

Additional investments in education and health prevention in the area surrounding Mbigili are intended to reduce poverty and hardship permanently.

EDUCATION

We consider quality education to be the key to the independent future of the children. The 83 children we care for are offered free access to school education, training or universities, as well as individual support in the children’s village.

FARM

With our in-house farm, consisting of animal breeding and vegetable growing, we guarantee a rich and balanced diet with only fresh products. The children’s health is our top priority.

HOME BASED CARE

We additionally support about 120 other children and 60 families in Mbigili’s surrounding villages. We cover the education costs of the children. We support their medical care and are active in health prevention.

 

 Our Goals

  1. Protection of vulnerable children from exploitation, abuse, and disadvantage
  2. Construction and operation of care facilities and programs
  3. Warranty of a healthy development through a wholesome diet, health care and positive living environment
  4. Ensuring adequate pedagogical care, education and training

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1. Family life

The Mbigili Children’s Village follows the concept of small “family” units. Around twelve children of different ages live together in a house under the care of a housemother and an assistant, forming a family-like structure. Each family is responsible for managing their own household, with all members contributing to daily tasks. Together, they organize their routines and share responsibilities to master everyday life as a team.

In addition to the six family houses, the village includes communal facilities such as a large meeting hall, a health care unit for the children, and guest accommodations.

2. Pedagogy

We follow a modern, entirely non-violent educational approach to raise the children in our care to become responsible and independent individuals. Various elements are part of this multifaceted work: from workshop offerings and individual support for schoolchildren to structured task plans and recreational activities.

In line with our core principle of “reward instead of punishment,” we have developed a token system designed to boost the children’s motivation. By completing daily communal tasks, the children can collect points, which earn them recognition and are rewarded through leisure activities.

3. Health

The well-being of the children is continuously supported through a mix of a healthy living environment, attentive care provided by the house mothers, sports programs, and a balanced diet. A large portion of the food at the Mbigili Children’s Village comes from our own farm — it is 100% fresh and organically grown. The children living in the village receive regular medical checkups. To further promote health, our staff members are also trained in key health topics and hygiene practices.

4. Self-Sufficiency

The goal of the Mbigili Children’s Village is to generate its own income and thus keep maintenance costs low. To achieve this, various economic enterprises are connected to the village — including fruit and vegetable cultivation, mushroom farming, livestock, and agriculture — in order to produce goods for internal use and to generate profit. The children are involved in the work of these different areas according to their age and interests, allowing them to gain a broad understanding of sustainable business and responsible action.

 

from left to right: Ayoub​, Simon​, Atu​, Mary​, Grace​, Lilian​

Our Strong Team On Site

 

To ensure the best possible care for the children and to strengthen the feeling of family togetherness, most of the current 38 staff members live within the children’s village.

 

Our management team consists of the following members: Ayoub, our accountant; Simon, responsible for buildings, technology, and transportation; Atu, the manager; Mary, the farm manager; Grace, the social worker for AOHM; and Lilian, the social worker for HBC.

 

The operation of the children’s village would not be possible without the help of our valued staff: each of our twelve house mothers, cooks, farm workers, educators, administrative staff, volunteers, and many more give their best every day for the well-being of the children.

Sustainable Responsibility – the association “Kinderdorf Mbigili, Tansania e. V.”

 

The Kinderdorf Mbigili project, initiated by Ursula Lettgen from Rheurdt Schaephuysen, has been supported and accompanied from the very beginning by her home parish community in Rheurdt-Schaephuysen.

As the development of the children’s village progressed, the responsibilities steadily increased. Therefore, the active members of the parish community founded the association KINDERDORF MBIGILI, TANSANIA E.V..

 

The ongoing development of the children’s village, the farm, and the Home Based Care project; the application for funding; securing financial support through various fundraising activities in cooperation with Charity at; the management and proper use of all donations and their documentation; as well as the care of sponsors, the “Sternsinger” (carol singers), and donors are all part of its responsibilities.

All active members of the association contribute valuable voluntary work to ensure the efficient operation and sustainable future of the children’s village. In addition, the association organizes annual volunteer services within the framework of the “weltwärts” program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development to support the children’s village.

Learn more about the association’s work here.

 

The association Kinderdorf Mbigili, Tanzania e. V. is deeply grateful for the generous financial support from the Charity at network in Berlin.

Thank you, Thomas, Cookie, and Nicole, for your personal commitment.

Achieved with the support of Charity at [ ]

2024

Import tax for vehicle covered

Thanks to the donations, the import tax for the vehicle could be paid. With this car, both the children and essential goods can now be transported safely and reliably.

2024

New Laptops, Mattresses, and Washing Station for the Mbigili Children’s Village

To improve learning opportunities, ten new laptops have been purchased. Eighty new mattresses provide more sleeping comfort, and a new washing machine makes daily chores easier. Especially valuable is the newly built washing station, where the children gather every Saturday with their house mothers to wash clothes, chat, and spend time together.

2024

Extensive Roof Repairs Completed

The roofs of all four children’s houses, as well as the administration building and the staff house, have been completely renewed. The old, handmade tiles had reached the end of their lifespan and were replaced with more modern roofing materials. After a heavy storm, the roofs of the Maxi Girls House, the Maxi Boys House, the large hall, and the men’s staff house were also repaired.

2023

New solar-powered washhouse completed

The new washhouse in the Mbigili Children’s Village has been successfully completed. Equipped with a sustainable solar collector system and an adjoining toilet building, the facility now provides improved hygienic conditions for the children on site.

2022

Education, Food Project and Health Card HBC

Thanks to this year’s donation dinner, held again for the first time in a while, we successfully raised funds for school fees and were able to further support the children’s education.

The food project was launched, supplying the local primary school with fresh produce from the children’s village farm. This way, 400 children receive a healthy meal.

To support the families and children in the HBC project, 56 families were cared for and assisted. The children’s village social worker regularly assesses the families’ needs and distributes rice, cooking oil, and hygiene products accordingly. The children’s education costs are covered. Additionally, the families received health cards that allow them to get treatment not only at local clinics but also at the state hospital.

2021

Pandemic-related cancellation of the donation dinner

Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the donation dinner could not take place in 2021 either.

Thanks to many online donations and the use of reserves, CHARITY at [ ] was still able to provide support for the children’s care and school fees.

2020

Cancellation of the annual donation dinner due to the COVID-19 pandemic

After eleven consecutive years, in 2020 we had to cancel the CHARITY at [COOKIES CREAM] donation dinner for the first time due to the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020

Paving of access roads and expansion of cultural and sports programs

After a particularly severe rainy period in early 2020, we decided on a long-term solution for repairing the access road. To prevent the road from being washed out again in the future, large cross-pipes were installed at several points underneath the road. These pipes allow water to flow to lower areas during upcoming rainy seasons.

To support the children’s psychosocial health and fitness, the soccer field was professionally upgraded. Additionally, the children receive music lessons twice a week on piano, guitar, or drums.

2019

Renovations of the six Maxi Houses and Adult Education

The Maxi Houses, built with support from Charity at [ ], were renovated in 2019. Bathroom floors were renewed, some furniture received a fresh coat of paint, and the roof beams were painted to match the house colors. New rain gutters were also installed.

Our children’s village staff participated in a counselling course at Iringa University. Several house mothers successfully completed their Montessori pedagogy training.

2018

School Transfer to Montessori Primary Schools and Home-Based Care Pilot Project

The primary school children of the children’s village changed schools in 2018 and now attend the newly opened Montessori Primary School in nearby Ilula. Future year groups will also go to this school. Every school day, the children are picked up by a school bus and brought back to Mbigili in the afternoon.

To support the families of the Home-Based Care project in a more sustainable way, the pilot project “chicken keeping” was started. In various workshops, the families learn how they can support themselves and generate a small income through sales.

2017

Educational and therapeutic work, greenhouses

Amid all the positive developments in recent years, it’s important not to forget that all children came to the children’s village from various difficult and problematic backgrounds, and that psychosocial support is essential and necessary for each of them. Through a music education workshop and the support of a child psychologist, the children have the opportunity to process their experiences.

To save water and improve and simplify vegetable cultivation, the construction of two greenhouses was funded.

2016

A New Chapter in Life – School Fees

For many children, a new chapter began this year. The “little ones” have grown up and are now moving on to secondary schools. These schools are located farther away, so many of the children now live there during the school term, similar to a boarding setup, and return home to the children’s village during the holidays.

This year, we focused more heavily on raising funds for the school fees of these secondary schools.

2015

Education – School Fees – Kindergarten Hall

Thanks to the donations from Charity at, 46 small village children could be supported through the Home-Based Care program. 68 children are now able to attend primary school, and 38 children are enrolled in secondary school. Altogether, we are supporting 152 children in 65 families.

The construction of a kindergarten hall began and was completed in 2016.

2014

Renovation of kitchen – HBC support (new tenant farmland project) – house mothers workshop

Part of the garage was converted into a storage room for supplies. The communal kitchen, where 6 cooks prepare 3 meals daily for 100 people, was renovated and equipped with water and electricity connections.

Thanks to the collected donations, we were able to support the New Tenant Farmland project. Here, villagers can lease a piece of land to generate yields from cultivation.

A 10-day workshop for the house mothers took place. The African organization REPSSI trains people working with children and youth in psychosocial issues.

2013

Home Based Care

After our infrastructure is more or less in place, we turn our attention to the needs outside the children’s village. Too many (remaining) families with many children live in terrible conditions. We help them with monthly material donations to get by.

Year-round electricity

Since 2008, we have been using solar energy. This works well, but during the four-month rainy season, we had no electricity. To be able to use the computer school and certain farm equipment continuously, we decided to use this year’s donations to connect the children’s village to the public power grid. Now we can use our electrical devices all year round, which greatly facilitates the work.

2011

Drilling of a deep well

Since 2008, all seven of our wells had dried up, and we were dependent on the unreliable water supply of the village Mbigili. Thanks to donations in 2011, we were able to drill a 121-meter deep well, purchase a pump that delivers 25,000 liters daily, and install a suitable solar panel, thereby permanently improving the difficult situation.

2010

Building of two Maxi Houses

Two houses for our teenage boys and girls, each with eight sleeping places and a room for a house mother and an assistant, were funded this year. This gives them more quiet to study and more space to retreat during their years of self-discovery compared to the previous six-bed rooms.

2009

Purchase of a vehicle

Thanks to the donations, we were able to purchase a much-needed Hilux pick-up truck that can transport up to 20 children.