UPDATE December 15, 2022... The budget for this program was higher than shown on this page. The difference was covered through a special fundraiser held in Texas in May, a special new fundraiser held by Australian friends in October, and formula support from Forever Angels. Still we have an estimated $13,000 gap in funding. I am hopeful that we can close that gap through end of the year gifts. Thank you for reading this, praying for our work and supporting it if you are able.  -- Deborah

Kulea Villages opened a Maisha Matters Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in November 2021. This Center helps Tanzanian families to care for their children in their own home, though the mother has died in childbirth. Extended families are there, but lack the resources needed to buy infant formula.  We give initial life-saving support for the baby (free formula) and later, business training for the caregiver, helping the family move out of abject poverty.

We admit at-risk and malnourished babies (0 - 6 months), via referral only and provide nutritional support (formula) plus weekly weigh-ins to check the babies' progress. We also provide preventive health training for each caregiver. Preventative Health Training sessions are conducted weekly after weighing all babies and are interactive. We have 15 lessons in our curriculum, with each lasting about 40 minutes. When the baby is about 6 months old and the family is doing well, we introduce small business skills to the caregiver then set them up in a business so they can care for their own children and live independently.

We start with an infant under 6 months of age with no lactating mother, who is at risk of malnutrition or death, and end a year later with a healthy baby and a self supporting family. This is done through Nutrition, Crisis Support, Preventative Health Training, and Business Setups (Independence). We do all of this with approval from government authorities (Ministry of Health and Social Welfare) and under the supervision of our Social Worker and Nurse. 

Note: In addition to babies who have no lactating mother, we also assist HIV exposed babies who need full formula support, and multiples (twins, triplets, and quadruplets) if they are underweight and the hospital refers them for supplementary formula and/or food support for the nursing mother. 

FUNDING: In this project we do not match a donor to a baby as we do in our child sponsorship program, because the babies and families are only supported for 12-13 months. Donations of any amount will help support the project. Here are a few examples of the one-time costs and monthly costs we incur to support malnourished babies and their caregiver. 

1. Family Enrollment Kit  Every family receives a mosquito net, solar flashlight, large umbrella (for each baby) and a large thermos, upon enrollment.  $20

2. Formula for one baby for one month -  $75 (an ongoing expense all year and is our most expensive provision)

3. Family Crisis Support for one family (provided only if needed and may include a mattress, bed, rent, cooking pots, and a food parcel). Cost varies, but on average, $65.

4. Small Business Set-up for one family (a one-time cost) this varies, but on average costs about $215

5. Contribution toward Social Worker Salaries, auto gas and Center costs $30/month

6. Total monthly cost per baby for all the above: $135/month

Thank you for your support, both financially and in your prayers.

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