Island Of Hope...

An hour or so on the best highway in Tanzania and we were soon approaching the village of Oldeani. A left turn onto an unmarked dirt road put us on our way to the Rift Valley Children's Village on the flanks of the Ngorongoro crater. I'm not going to try and describe RVCV in great detail - I hope you will visit the website of the Tanzanian Children's Fund (www.tanzanianchildrensfund.org) to learn more. I want, rather, to describe our personal experiences at, and impressions of, this wonderful place.

The first thing that you notice is that the drive in is awful. This might have been the worst road we experienced in our entire trip. Deep ruts, potholes, and large rocks make the route a kidney buster that would only please the most devout 4-wheel aficionado. That said, the road is this way for a reason. The volcanic soils are deep and unstable and the vegetation shallowly rooted. The road climbs in and out of valleys a couple of times which means it must traverse hillsides for most of its length, so evidence of landslips and washouts are everywhere. Even the local elephant population is a problem; as they move up and down hills their paths generate significant erosion made worse by the rains. It doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money (probably in excess of US$1 million) trying to improve the road because nature would soon try to reclaim it anyway.

Even though RVCV is only two or three miles from the highway, it is isolated by this road. You aren't going to find the place by accident; you will be going there with a purpose. Children (and a few adults) are fairly common alongside the road, and almost invariably wave. Occasionally children will even run alongside the car hoping for money or a small gift.

The RVCV orphanage is on the site of an old coffee plantation. The first evidence that you have arrived are the rows of coffee trees and the still-occupied workers barracks. Even here poverty is everywhere in evidence. Soon, though, you turn the corner and find the village entrance.

Our welcome at the village was a warm one. A member of the staff met us at the entrance and walked us back to the main house to find India Howell (shown at left), the founder of the Tanzanian Children's Fund (TCF) and RVCV. India, one of the warmest and most gracious people you could hope to meet, and known widely as Mama India, has skillfully navigated the political landscape of Tanzania and financial landscape of fundraising to build a haven for the most forgotten of Tanzanian children in just a few short years.

We had planned to arrive around lunchtime when there would be a lot of activity in the village, but were a little late and the children were having quiet time. India invited us into the main house (her home, which she shares with several of the children) with our bush boxes to have some lunch while she talked to us of the history and mission of RVCV, as well as the daily life of the children and challenges faced by the organization. The children at RVCV come from varied backgrounds, but many have lost one or both parents to AIDS, while others are victims of abuse and neglect. All would have faced a desperate life of bare subsistence without the support they have found in this place. Running the RVCV isn't easy, though; day-to-day challenges range from too few pencils and pens to too many elephants (can you imagine?). After digesting the contents of our bush boxes (and idea of too many elephants...) for a few minutes, it was time for a tour of the Village.

The children live as family in houses surrounding a large open playyard, although boys and girls are separated, as are the youngest. Each house has two Tanzanian housemothers, as well as one or two volunteers. This helps the children develop the sense of family, responsibility, and interdependence that was missing in their lives, as well the social skills they will need to succeed as adults.

Day-to-day activities vary depending on the time of the year, as does the population of children. Those of school age attend the local primary, Gyetighi, which RVCV operates in partnership with the government in an arrangement not unlike a charter school in the USA. The rest of the day might be spent in preschool (for the youngest), doing chores, helping prepare meals, playing, or in quiet time. The days are fairly regimented to provide the structure at-risk children so often crave. The one thing that is always present, though, is the love children need so badly. The entire staff, from India who has dedicated her life to this mission, to the exhausted volunteers, care deeply about these children and about what they are doing.

I want to make a special mention of RVCV's success with the school. On their website, they indicate that prior to the partnership in 2007, the graduation rate (equivalent to approximately 8th grade in the USA) was only about 30%. In just three short years this was increased to 96%, with many of the graduates receiving scholarships to top secondary schools. Gyetighe is a model program which hopefully can be replicated in other areas.

For India, the staff, and volunteers, the real payoff comes in the faces of the children. The group of boys hanging out on the porch waiting to get their hair cut. The little girl who is like a kinetic sculpture, constantly on the move. The new arrival only four days old. The primary school graduates proudly going on to secondary school. The smiles so large they seem fake, but are absolutely genuine. Each of these children comes to the Village a tightly wrapped bundle of potential that is teased apart one thread at a time until the light within has no choice but to shine through.

RVCV has completed several children's houses, staff and volunteer housing, office, infirmary, library/preschool, and recreation hall (which doubles as a community center). The goal is to keep the facility small to keep the sense of closeness and family always present for the children.

RVCV is inspiring; it is evidence that one person can make a difference in the world if willing to work hard and not take no for an answer. That is not to say India has done this alone; the dedicated staff, volunteers, and donors are the lifeblood of the Village. India, though, is the heart and soul. Mama India rocks.

This is a good place, and I say that with conviction. I encourage you to look into it for yourself and consider offering your support.