Annual Report From the Board Fall 2012- Summer 2013
Annual Report from the Board
Fall 2012- Summer 2013
Dear
friends,
The
past year has been a busy one!
Sunrise
of Life has been committed to making a difference in the lives of street
children for a number
of
years. In the last year, the Sunrise of Life Team has grown to include the
board of directors in Canada: Tom Kuperus, Kathryn Nord, Charmaine de Jonge,
Nick Rosendal and Ashley Summers; th board of directors for Tanzania now
includes Freda Benedict, Thomas Kuperus, Wendy Kelly, Rebecca Jackson, Remmy
Kinai, Boniface Kimboka and Gidion Somari. With this exception group of people,
Sunrise of Life has been able to make many projects and goals come to fruition
in the past year.
The
Centre was graciously granted funding for the remodeling of the kitchen by the
Rotary Club of Lethbridge East via a District Matching Grant. The previous
kitchen had fallen into dilapidated condition, which provided concerns of
sanitation and made the preparation difficult. With this funding, Sunrise of
Life was able to remodel the kitchen to included a new wash basin inside, which
was perfect for Mama Vumi, as now she could wash dishes and cutlery inside
while cooking to avoid the spread of germs and bacteria. The kitchen was also
equipped with an upgrade to the wood-burning stoves. The difference this made
to the kitchen was incredible- the actual cooking was made more efficient, and
the kitchen is now easier to move around in. Outside, there was a wash basin
constructed for the kids to wash up in, as well as for washing their own
dishes. With these funds, the kitchen was also separated from the mess hall
with new doors, which drastically changed the atmosphere and made it feel more
like a family dinner hall. Finally, the last addition was a concrete counter
for the preparation of the meals by the Mama's and the children. Now, the
kitchen has been made into an efficient workplace, and makes a remarkable
difference in the everyday preparation of meals. Funding was also given to put sinks outside of the kitchen, from Bill who lives in England. Bill has been a long time supporter of the centre, and we thank him from the bottom of our hearts for this donation.
In
the past year, Sunrise of Life was also very blessed to have two cows and one calf given
to us at the centre. At the time of writing, we now have
two cows, and a calf on the way! A cow-calf shed was sponsored by
the Rotary Club of Canmore- thank-you! As an organization, Sunrise of Life
strives towards self-sufficiency. The cows now provide milk for the
kids, and extra milk is sold at the local market. This money can then be
invested back into the project, working towards that mark of self-sufficiency.
In November of 2012, we were happy to report that the first profits of milk
amounted to $51.00!
Having
the cows at the center allows the kids to help out and become responsible. They
are held accountable for their work, and with the cow project, this includes
feeding the cows, watching them as they go out to graze in the local pastures,
and making sure that they are milked every day. The children are fond of the
animals, and are becoming very conscious about their role in the process of
caring for them and maintaining the buildings. This promotes responsibility,
something Sunrise of Life strives to instill in their children.
As
well, the children also take care of the chickens, a project that is currently
in progress. In July 2013, a group of dedicated volunteers will travel to
Tanzania to build portable chicken coops. These will benefit the chickens, as
they need to be kept healthy and disease free, and the staff, as they will be
much more efficient than the current coops. The children maintain the chicken
project, feeding them, collecting eggs, and making sure that they are all back
in at night. The eggs are being sold at the market alongside the milk in order
to bring in extra income for the centre
On
another very exciting note, Sunrise of Life was blessed with a brand new
outdoor washroom facility sponsored by the Rotary Club of New Zealand. For
obvious sanitation reasons, it was essential for the center to build clean and
manageable toilets for the kids. Ensuring that everyone who visits the centre
has a clean, safe place to use the washroom is vital in keeping the children
and the staff healthy. The septic hole was dug out using a five-gallon pail,
and is now 6 meters deep! A long, hard job, done well.
As
the central idea surrounding the success of the centre is self-sufficiency, the
center is also equipped with a garden that provides fruits and vegetables for
the children. The children spend time in the garden every day, and they keep it
top notch. This includes planting, hoeing, pulling weeds, and of course,
harvesting. The vegetables that are not used at the center are also sold at the
local markets as well. In turn, this money is used towards maintenance and
supplied for upcoming seasons. Having our own resource for food on the property
allows us to save on food costs, as well as encourage the children to take part
in their own welfare. As well, learning about nutrition and how to manage a
garden in various different seasons is a skill that will help them tremendously
in their futures. A hearty thank-you to the Rotary Club of Lethbridge East,
which sponsored the Garden Improvement Project!
The
final major project in the last year was the Water Collection Project, which
was graciously sponsored by the Rotary Club of New Zealand. A large tank was
built, with troughs connecting it to the gutters of the classroom. When the
rains come, the water drains off the tin roof, and is collected. This clean
water is then used in the kitchens, as well as around the center. Having this
readily available is a huge asset, as it saves much time from hauling water
from the often contaminated well.
The
most important part of the center is, of course, the children. Sunrise of Life
is dedicated to providing food, safety, healthcare and education. In the past
year, we have seen that our children have excelled in their schooling. With the
amazing support of individual sponsors, our donors, as well as a
partnership with FURSA, Sunrise of Life has been able to send over 35 children
to school. As well, with the increased efficiency and more staff at the center,
the children are now provided with the resources necessary to excel in their
studies.
Following
elementary and high school, the children at Sunrise of Life are moved to the
Transition Home. A vital component of the center, and key to the success of the
children, is it the bridge between reliance and self-sufficiency. At the
transition home, the now young adults are expected to do their own cooking,
cleaning and washing. As well, all of them are pursuing further education,
whether it be college, university or vocational training. This home is key in
Sunrise of Life's motto of "from intake to integration," as the children
are now mostly independent, and learning what it takes to live on their own,
and contribute back to society. The transition home is a project that we are
working to continue growing.
Last
year, a few members of the Sunrise of Life team took to the streets with an
organization called 'Street to Feat,' who is a sister organization that is
dedicated to helping underprivileged youth in Arusha. They were able to provide
food for many of the kids who are still currently living on the streets, as
well as connecting with these children and hearing their stories. Sunrise of
Life envisions continuing their current projects, but also opening a centre for
current street kids who don't have the opportunities and resources available to
them to succeed in life.
The
past year has been a busy one, fundraising, working on projects, and raising
support for the work we do in Tanzania. Recently, we held our 2nd Annual
Charity Dinner. With the dedication and hard work from many of our incredible
volunteers in Canada, the evening went off without a glitch, and we are
happy to report that we raised a little over $17,000! As we are donation based,
Sunrise of Life would not have been able to succeed in the past few years
without that amazing support. This money all goes directly to the center and
the kids. Thank-you!
Finally,
Sunrise of Life has made a public acknowledgement towards helping street kids
in Arusha, Tanzania. As advocates for 'The Consortium for Street Children,' we
are petitioning for a day to recognize Street Children. Although our efforts
and resources are solely dedicated to the Sunrise of Life Center, we believe
that education, no matter where you are in life, or in the world, is
empowering; therefore, educating people about the circumstance that many street
kids face, will help bring able change internationally.
I
leave you with the words of Leo Tzu: "A journey of a thousand miles begins
with a single step." The teams at Sunrise of Life would like to thank you
for joining us in our journey, and ask that you would continue to take these
steps with us, as the adventure continues.
Kind
Regards,
The
Board of Directors, Canada
The Board
of Directors, Tanzania
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