Our JOURNEY

An update in 2021:
cELEBRATING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND PLANNING FOR THE NEXT STEPS.

2021 and 2022 are milestones for Upendo, as in August, all of the young people we have supported celebrated their graduation from high school, something which is a rarity in Tanzania.
We believe that we are in a position now to help them pursue greater ambitions and training by supporting them to go into higher education. To accomplish this, we have planned for fundraising and support to continue until 2026, with a fundraising target of £7000 per year. A review of needs will be undertaken during the course of each year to ensure that these targets remain suitable and sustainable.

August 2018:

In the 8 years since we started Upendo we have come a very long way. It's a journey that hasn't been without challenges, but it's one that has shaped our organisation, and that we are proud of.

Throughout the journey our mission to support orphaned, abandoned or impoverished children to get the best possible start in life has never wavered, but our way of working towards this has evolved substantially.

What started out as a grand vision has been fine-tuned by our time spent working in the community, understanding cultural differences and listening to the needs of both the children and their families.

We started with the aim of providing a home to children without one, and with the support of volunteers from a number of countries, from 2011 to 2013 we worked to build a building to support these objectives.

Time and experience have shown us that the orphan problem in sub-Saharan Africa is complex and that institutions of any form should only be used to provide care as a last resort.

Many children perceived as orphans in the region often still have some family members who would like to care for them, but do not always have the means to do so, and this was particularly the case for the children supported by Upendo.

After 2013 and following a long period of introspection and analysis, the Upendo team decided to re-direct our efforts to seeking out and reuniting the children in our care with their families, or wherever this was not possible, supporting them to live with local families from the region. This has meant working closely with parents, grandparents or guardians to ensure they feel supported in providing adequate food, shelter and clothing for the children, and maintaining regular contact with families and children alike.

In addition to small monthly grants to cover basic essentials for the Upendo families, we also sponsor the cost of the children's school fees and any healthcare costs.

We employ one full time member of staff in Tanzania, Eric, who acts as liaison with the families, schools and healthcare institutions, ensuring that all family needs are effectively met, and also acts as the main point of contact between Tanzania and the UK.