Awareness is the word

All around the world, and unfortunately also on the outstanding island of Zanzibar, violence, torture and mistreating of children are still big issues. Violence has a significant impact on every child’s development, well-being and psychic state of mind. Furthermore, intimacy issues, developing troubles and deficient relations with other people can be some of the consequences of a violent childhood. Their experience with violence leaves its marks and most likely reflects on their behavior.

There has been a lacking awareness around this important subject even though it is the reason for severe, damaging problems and consequences for both the child and the society.

Together with the SOS Children’s Village, ourFOUNDATION has established family programs and school projects that teach adults not to practice violence against children. The aim with the various projects is to provide support and justice for the children who have experienced violence or other mistreatments. ourFOUNDATION is active in the battle of making institutions transparent and especially focusing on important matters like responsibility and inclusion. Institutional procedures should be monitored so it is ensured that no children are neglected nor violated. ourFOUNDATION is dedicated in promoting safety and justice for these children.

We do not tolerate any kind of violence, and no child should suffer under these circumstances.

That’s the goal and that’s the motto.

13 families, 112 children

In the SOS Children’s Village near Stone Town, there is currently living 112 children in 13 different families. The SOS mothers of the families place their full focus on caretaking, educational and psychosocial support. The intention of providing the children with safe homes, SOS mothers and siblings, is to fetch them into an environment where there is no fear, only kindness. This should be a steppingstone towards a strong and healthy future. ourFOUNDATION is aiming for teaching the children to pass on altruism. Commitment is key and these formerly neglected children need to experience what it means to be safe.

Discrimination of none

Even though the year says 2020, discrimination and inequality are still to be found in several countries worldwide – including the island of Zanzibar. Too many children are affected by discriminatory concerns such as race, gender, sex, religion and we could go on. Apart from that, the children that are suffering from a lack of parental care are at high risk of being deprived of their rights to education, healthcare and protection. They have no one to guide them.

As an attempt to ensure that the children learn about their human rights, SOS Children’s Village has put a lot of effort into educational care. It’s important that the children are properly informed, so they have the best opportunities to get help if they ever feel mistreated. They also teach the children the difference between right and wrong behavior towards other people. Furthermore, the children are taught to fend and handle conflicts in a constructive way, respecting other people – which is probably the most important matter in fighting inequality. Altruism needs to be the foundation for building a healthy, efficient society.

No one deserves to suffer from discrimination which is why the matter of battling these conditions is serious. ourFOUNDATION’s aim is to ensure that more children get equal opportunities and are aware of their rights.

Celebrate your beautiful self

To maintain a world where there is room for all our differences and where individuality is celebrated and not criticized, is necessary. That’s why fighting discrimination in all its forms is an important matter to ourFOUNDATION and the people behind. Most people have lots of different opinions about what makes other people beautiful, but uniqueness is not a defined notion and shouldn’t be either.

Did you know?

ourFOUNDATION has made it one of its key issues to participate in the battle of ensuring decent work and economic growth in Tanzania – here including Zanzibar. This matter is pursued in connection to supporting education and schooling of children and adolescents. In addition to that, all ongoing projects in the SOS Children’s Village are maintained by local workers which supports the economic flow and growth. We wish to make it part of our agenda to ensure that everyone who has the desire can find decent work within the country.

ourFOUNDATION supports the children and young people with developing the acquired skills needed to be on the labour market.

I want to be pilot, thank you

Let us introduce you to a story.

When SOS-ambassador Mathilde Brandi and Jo Hanna went to visit the SOS Children’s Village on Zanzibar, they had the opportunity to meet with the children and talk with them about their dreams and hopes – and about what they want to do with their future. Some of the children even created fascinating drawings of some of their dreams for the future, and in that connection: meet Alfred.

Alfred is one of the SOS children that is enrolled with an SOS mother and currently living in the Children’s Village. He drew his biggest dream on a piece of paper with the note “I want to be pilot, thank you.”

Children like Alfred is one of the primary reasons that ourFOUNDATION wants to make a difference. Just a simple drawing is an empowering and motivating element when working with these children. They have dreams, hopes, goals and trust in their future – just as any other child around the world. And as any other child, they should be able to have the possibility to achieve them. By supporting children and adolescents in developing self-confidence and offering them internships through innovative partnerships, we hope to contribute to the sustainable development and growth of the country.

Alfred is an outstanding inspiration and actually such a big one, that the graphic designers at Lyne & Lindberg Group has decided to use his drawing and transform it into posters in variable sizes and forms, as well as printing it on t-shirts, postcards and much more.

Everyone has rights, right?

Education is key and the quality of education is a human right that everyone should have despite demographical and social differences. For a fact, this is a significant part of ourFOUNDATION’s entire belief system.

The society on Zanzibar is currently struggling with getting children to attend and complete school – not because the school system itself doesn’t work, but because it comes with expenses that most children are unable to obtain such as school uniforms, books and pencils. This is an obstacle that prevents some children from even going to school, and some of them to drop out without completing. Approximately 71% of all children on Zanzibar complete school enrolment and only 26% of them finish the intermediate stage and matriculation. This prevents both the children’s development and the society’s ability to achieve sustainable growth.

School is cool

Education in all its forms is contributing to the mental and social skills of a child, which is why it is such an important factor in the early years of development. There is a significant school on Zanzibar that offers teaching, but it still has its challenges – we want to help fix these challenges.

Both regarding the optimization and the improvement of the physical surroundings at the school but also helping the children to get the right equipment that the education requires.

A lot of these children have dreams and goals, and for some of them going to school is one of them. Thus, it is in our interest to help them achieve these goals – or as an absolute minimum, help them create a steppingstone towards their future. Education is one of the most powerful sources to do this.

Everyone has a right to get a quality education.

No poverty for no children

One of the terrible and alarming threats for the children living in the SOS Children’s Village in Zanzibar is poverty. More than half of Zanzibar’s population is under 18 years old, and about 55.000 of the children are orphans. Furthermore, approximately half of population lives for less than 1,90$ per day, which is beneath the poverty line. These are all devastating numbers and a devastating reality which is why participating in the battle of abolishing extreme poverty matters and is a priority to ourFOUNDATION.  We strive to make a difference by supporting SOS- children and families, to ensure they have access to basic and fundamental necessities.

The power of mothers

All these vulnerable children are connected to families where there is a SOS mother attached – or as we like to call them: power mothers – strong women who has dedicated their lives to become a SOS-mother for children living in unsafe, precarious conditions. These brilliant power mothers are helping with establishing a steady and safer environment for the children throughout their childhood. They put in such great efforts to make a loving, supporting home for the children – and for that, they will forever have our deepest respect and admiration.

Hero of every second, hour and day

One of the children named Yassin lives in the SOS Children Village in Zanzibar. He is enrolled with a SOS mother: her name is Riziki Ameir Kombi. Riziki takes care of him every day and makes sure that he feels safe, surrounded and included. Yassin has in his early years been neglected, which means that his language is underdeveloped and actually almost non-existing. Both mama Riziki and Yassin’s SOS siblings are involving him in their daily activities and duties – in this way, he is exposed to playing, talking and interacting with other children and adolescents every day. He still doesn’t have the best vocabulary, but he is developing fast. This is purely a result of mama Rizikis help and support.