Rift Valley Children's Village

The Rift Valley Children’s Village (“Children’s Village”) is an orphanage located in Oldeani Village, Tanzania, which is adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the Rift Valley (click here for a map of Tanzania; click here for a Google map of this area). As of March 2007, the Children’s Village is home for 41 orphaned and abandoned children.

In 2004 the Elders of Oldeani Village donated seven acres of land to the Rift Valley Children’s Fund to build the Children’s Village . Construction of the Children’s Village began in 2005 which, when completed, will provide a home for 77 orphaned children. There will be 15 buildings- 9 of which are now built and occupied.

The size of the Children’s Village has been limited to ensure that a sense of community and family can be created and maintained. There will be 6 Children’s Houses: 3 of which have been built. Each Children’s House is a family of 12 children, 2 Tanzanian housemothers and 2 volunteers. Our housemothers are women from the villages of Karatu District, whose own children are grown. We have had over 100 volunteers come to the Children’s Village from the U.S., Australia, U.K., and the Netherlands.

Most of our children have been orphaned because their parents have died from AIDS/HIV. Village leaders and priests inform the Children’s Village Director about abandoned and orphaned children in the area. When children first arrive at the Children’s Village, they are suffering from malnutrition, weakened immune systems and infections, and broken hearts. With proper medical care, a balanced diet, and a loving environment, these children soon become healthy and radiant.

Aside from our Director, India Howell, all our staff at the Children’s Village are Tanzanian. Three of our senior staff-- our Assistant Director and our 2 social workers-- are college educated. Our staff lives at the Children’s Village with our children. We believe this will enable our children to grow up with an understanding of their local and tribal traditions. The children and staff at the Children’s Village feel they are a part of a large family where there are tasks to be accomplished— purchasing supplies, making dinner, repairing vehicles, doing laundry, or tutoring children. However, there’s always free time for playing soccer and reading books together and of course, there are birthday parties, tummy aches, ear infections to attend to. Everyone at the Children’s Village is included, appreciated, valued and loved.