Newsletter April 2018

Construction of the first long-awaited water tower – almost complete

Since the beginning of the project, the domestic water supply has been ensured with the help of two provisional water towers. Two plastic water tanks, with capacities of two and five thousand liters respectively, stand on loosely stacked concrete bricks. The water pressure in the two houses being supplied is just about enough to use the showers, toilets, and sinks adequately. Now, it has been decided to erect two towers, each seven meters high (10 meters including the tank), for the entire campus. This will allow us to achieve a water pressure of nearly one bar, which will be sufficient for the long-term water supply of the property.

The first tower is almost finished, except for the top platform. Watching the ingenuity of our local builders always fills us with admiration. A seven-meter scaffold was erected from the simplest means in no time.

The tower will be equipped with two tanks, each holding 10,000 liters. These will be fitted with solar pumps (thanks to a generous donation from Grundfos) and photovoltaic panels for cost-effective operation. The second tower of the same size is in the planning stage and is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. This should resolve the "water supply" issue long-term. Some of the main sponsors of these towers are "ADRA Luxembourg" and "Dunia ya Heri Austria."

But of course, we also thank all other sponsors who have helped. Furthermore, we thank some Polish friends who actively supported us with the construction of the tower's shell, and also the structural engineers who ensured that the tower is virtually earthquake-proof.

Other current construction measures

Unfortunately, we have had repeated bad experiences with electrical installations over the past few years. Since the beginning of the year, three retired friends from Switzerland have been helping us with advice, practical assistance, and their immense experience in various construction matters. The complete electrical solar installation of the first orphanage building has been revamped. This ensures, for example, that the 12-volt solar refrigerator works despite continuous cloudy rain and saves us from constant trouble due to spoiled food.

Additionally, thanks to our Swiss friends, a much more professional workshop is being set up, equipped with the most needed machines. This includes a heavy workbench with a vise, a pillar drill, a miter saw for cutting steel and wood, a MIG welding machine for welding thinner steel plates, a three-phase 380V generator for a planer and circular saw, and other important small tools.

Projects for 2018

1. The second orphanage building

The second orphanage building, whose roof was completed at the end of 2017, is now being expanded in small steps. During the rainy season in April, the first windows and doors will be installed indoors, and all plastering work will be carried out. The building is intended for the next 15 orphaned children aged 6 to 12 years.

2. Administrator's House

It is almost foreseeable now that we (as a couple) will be able to move out of the orphanage's attic. While living in the orphanage was more comfortable than the original tent where we had endured for a year and a half, it still offered no privacy, as the kitchen and bathrooms are shared with the mamas, volunteers, and guests. Therefore, the completion of the administrator's building has become an important concern for us. We estimate that we can move in by the end of 2018. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the help of our friends, acquaintances, and the construction crews who assisted us with the shell construction as well as the electrical and plumbing installations.

3. A third orphanage building

There will be much more to do this year, as the non-profit organization "BILD hilft e. V. Ein Herz für Kinder" will financially assist us with the construction of the third orphanage building. Construction is scheduled to begin in June and be completed within one year.

4. Church and School

We will soon need a primary school for our children. Two architecture students from the University of Stuttgart have designed a church and school building (including a model) as their master's thesis for us. A team of students now wants to work with our builders to erect the multi-purpose building on our premises, which can be used as a church/community center on weekends and as a primary school during the week.

Part of the construction costs has already been raised through a fundraising campaign with the support of the University of Stuttgart.

Two steps forward and one step back

Unfortunately, there are always setbacks. About three weeks ago, one of our neighbors decided to burn his property on a Sunday. This is the easiest and most convenient way for many farmers to clear land. Little care is taken to ensure the fire does not spread to neighboring properties, nor is the neighbor informed of the plans so they can prepare for any eventuality. And so the worst happened – and on a day when our construction workers were not present. Despite the firebreak we had laid along the property line, the fire spread to our land. Approximately 1.5 acres (about 6,000 sq m) fell victim to the fire. Unfortunately, some large mango trees and newly planted fruit trees were also affected. While the large trees certainly have a chance to survive, many fruit trees about two to three meters high are irrevocably lost. The neighbor is responsible for compensating for the damage, but unfortunately, there is a big difference between "being right" and "getting justice" here. We have since expanded our firebreak along the edge of the campus to a hefty width of about 12 meters.

Volunteer Program

Since March, an acquaintance from New York has been helping us. Wendy is 19 years old and teaches the children English songs. She will also begin to give them English lessons.
From summer 2018, two more volunteers will be sponsored by the German federal government through the "Weltwärts program," mediated by "ADRA Germany." More information on the BMZ/ADRA volunteer program can be found at:

http://www.adra.de/mitarbeit/

The Most Important Thing at the End - Our Children

The most important part should not be missing from our report: We have decided to include information about each of our children in our spring report. However, as we will certainly publish this report on the internet, we will continue to protect our children's privacy and not publish their actual names.

1. R.J. (a girl) is an estimated three-year-old half-orphan. It appears she was abused (cut wounds). A court case is pending. This is why the youth welfare office brought her to us. Due to the severe abuse, she will probably not return to her family.

2. N.K. (a girl) is an estimated two years old. She was abandoned by her mother on the beach with a plastic bag containing a few clothes and was found shortly after by fishermen. Since we didn't know her name, we had to give her a new one. The search for her parents – as with most of our foundlings – has been unsuccessful so far. Beate (my wife) almost cried tears of joy when she heard N. laugh for the first time after three months.

3. S.K. (a boy) is now an estimated two years old. He was abandoned by his family in front of an orphanage in Dar es Salaam. However, since that orphanage did not have public authorization, he was soon after brought to us by the social welfare office. We also had to give him a new name. S. was quite malnourished and showed behavioral problems. Only after a few weeks did he stop falling asleep on his knees or standing in his nursery. After a few months, he was also willing to share some of his food with other children without problems. He had realized by then: he no longer needed to be afraid of not getting enough food.

4. A.L. (a boy) was our first orphan. A. is three and a half years old. At barely one year old, he was left behind by his parents in a house that had to be evacuated due to the construction of a dam and related demolition work. He was quite malnourished. His birth certificate was next to him in the house, so we knew both his date of birth and his name. His parents could not be located despite several attempts. He is very affectionate and already speaks a few words of German.

5. P.D. (a boy) is our oldest child. He will turn six in May. His mother suffers from an illness with a not very good prognosis. Therefore, we were willing to take him in as a half-orphan. He was transferred to us from another orphanage a year and a half ago. He started pre-school in January.

6. A.F. (a girl) is two years old. She is a half-orphan. Her burn wounds suggest abuse. Therefore, a court case has been initiated against one of her family members. The social welfare office therefore asked us to care for her. The mother is still very young and cannot care for the child herself.

7. J.K. (a boy) is a foundling from Dar es Salaam. He is estimated to be a little over two years old. We also had to give him a new name. He is very obliging and, like all children, loves affection – and is lovable.

8. R.K. (a girl) is now nine months old. She was only two weeks old when we received her. R. is a foundling baby and was abandoned by her mother. She is a particularly cheerful baby and has developed wonderfully.

9. B.F. (a boy) is three years and two months old. He was given to us by an orphanage in Dar es Salaam that only keeps children until they are three years old at most and then seeks new accommodation for them. He was initially disruptive but has since settled in well with us. He is a bright boy with a lot of potential.

10. F.M. (a girl) is now exactly two years old. She was found in a septic tank. She also spent her first few months in another orphanage until she found her home with us. She likely suffered health damage.

11. A.K. (a boy) is six months old and came to us at four weeks of age. He is a foundling baby who had to spend his first three weeks in the hospital. We were also allowed to name him.

12. S.S. (a boy) came to us at four weeks of age. He is now four months old. His parents are drug or alcohol dependent. This is why he was entrusted to us by the social welfare office. If the overall situation turns positive, he may eventually return to his family in the future.

The Lost Daughter

Betty came to us as a foundling. She was living in neglect with her "alleged father" in a fisherman's hut on the beach. The youth welfare office was contacted and brought Betty to us. The clinical examination, which is carried out for every child we receive, thankfully showed no impairments. After about six months, a couple appeared at our gate. They were looking for their daughter. The reunion was filled with great joy. Betty immediately recognized her tearful mother. It later turned out that Betty had been abducted by a mentally disturbed fisherman who had presented himself as her father to the youth welfare office. The parents searched for their daughter in all orphanages in Dar es Salaam until they finally came to us. Although we all miss Betty (she is a truly lovable girl who often looked after our little ones), we are sure that she is doing well in the security of her family. Her actual name, however, was different from the one with which she was admitted to us.

Latest Update: Shortly before the completion of this newsletter, a three-week-old foundling baby, a girl, was handed over to us. More information with photos of the little one will be included in the upcoming newsletter in late summer.

A Big Thank You!

Our main concern continues to be the ongoing operation of the orphanage. We intend to use all regular monthly donations for this purpose. While we are working on generating our own funds in the future through additional income (e.g., from a health center or fruit farming), the exact time when we can expect these additional revenues is not yet foreseeable. Therefore, we are especially grateful for any monthly support.
Larger amounts will continue to be used for the construction and expansion of the aforementioned orphanage projects (the water tower, the next orphanage building, the primary school, etc.).

With warm regards and blessings,

Yours

Thomas Küsel

Vice Chair
Dunia ya Heri

Yours

Judith Klier

Chair
Dunia ya Heri

Donations

To help as many children as possible, we rely on donations. Thank you for your help.