Delivered gifts to the orphans at Kilimanjaro Kids Centre

I was able to reconnect with the children from the Kilimanjaro Kids Centre and distribute the gift packages made possible through the generosity of our donors. The orphans very seldom have things that are not meant to be shared so I deliberately created individual bags with personalized name tags.  It was like giving them a Christmas stocking filled with all sorts of ‘goodies’ which is a concept they are not familiar with. They were very appreciative and asked that I thank everyone responsible. While at the orphanage, we had a share circle where we went around and each child was able to ask me something about Canada. They are just as curious about our life here as we are about their lives in Africa. Due to the distance they know very little about North America. The education they do receive is focused more on continents that are closer to their own.  Hats off to Theresa Grant and Make a Difference Now who has done such amazing work in providing a home, clothing and education for these children. Although it is an orphanage, it feels much more like a home with very large family.

Check out other updates from the most recent visit back to East Africa (spring/summer 2014):

Formed a partnership with a village women's group for a new business program
Witnessed how our impact has led to the development of over 2,000 businesses in just four years
Learned from the experiences of a successful NGO in Kenya (Village Enterprise)
Reviewed progress with our 'Freshi n Safi' microfranchisees