On February 3rd 2019, Letty was visiting some of the older Street Youths that previously lived at the orphanage, when she came across Fred cowered over in the dump, sitting silently. He had not eaten for days and had come from a village over 6 hours away.

The plan at first was to re – home Fred, but after carrying out a home visit with the workers from the social welfare office, due to many reasons home is not currently a safe place for Fred. Instead he is being welcomed into our family at the house, making Fred, who is 11 years old, the 10th member of our family.

Eliah was found during one of the night visits to the streets, where Letty and the older boys go around the gutters/dumps in Iringa town, to find current children living on the streets. Eliah was the youngest of all the boys on the streets and was just dressed in a big t-shirt when it was the equivalent of winter in Tanzania. Eliah’s mum had died two years earlier and his dad was suffering from mental illness.

After following up with relatives of Eliah, again it was deemed not a safe environment for Eliah and he was welcomed into the family home. Later in 2019 his dad also passed away. Eliah is now very settled in the house, has great behaviour and after getting him enrolled in a local school he is in the top 20 of his year.

Pascal joined the family in 2019 and is now a main part our home. He is one of the best role models for the younger children and helps out around the house. He currently volunteers for our partner Tanzanian NGO helping at the Safe House and carrying out street visits to identify new street children.

We hope Pascal can become a worker for our Tanzania partner NGO in the future.

Simoni had just turned 9 years old when our Founder met him at the Orphanage. He left home in the Njombe region where he was living with his grandma. When he was just 5 years his brother took him from home and travelled to Iringa with him on a bicycle. His brother never returned and left him with no idea where home was. He spent a lot of time between then and when I met him living rough on the streets and going back and forth between the orphanage and street life. Throughout most of his time at the Orphanage Letty rarely saw Simoni smile as he was very unhappy there and constantly thinking about situations that have happened in his life. Since having the house as his place to call home Simoni does not stop smiling and is always saying he is so happy to have a home and can’t believe that he has arrived here.

Simoni is now in his final year of primary school and 15 years old. Last year we reached a big milestone in his life, as we were able to track down his home and family.

Simoni was 5 when he was taken from home and left at the orphanage 8 hours away in Iringa, he was lost and had no idea where home was – only remembering the region. In November 2018 £30 of donation money paid for one of the boys I used to look after to visit Simoni’s region. After going to the local council with a picture of Simoni we managed to track down his relatives. We travelled the next day to meet with the council and his relatives – uncles, aunties and a sister. This was such an incredible but overwhelming moment for Simoni. His family do not currently have the money to support him, but it was so amazing for us to visit where he lived and bond with his relatives. Simoni is able to now know where he is from and plans to visit in school holidays. He can’t believe he has found his relatives.

Gosberth first came to the orphanage when he was 10 after being found by the police on the streets. He had left his grandma in the village as she had no money to support him for food or school. He came to town in the hope of being able to go to school.

I sent him to the local primary school when he was 11, where he soon became the teachers favourite and was constantly getting first or second place within his class of 58. I would always find Gosberth studying at night in the corner of a ridiculously hectic room that 100 children would be screaming and shouting in at the orphanage. In 2016 Gosberth finished primary school and was offered a place at one of the best private secondary school’s in the country. This was going to be hard coming from a government Kiswahili speaking school to an english speaking private school. After three months he was 75 out of 158 in his year and now he is in his third out of four years and is 1st out of 158 in the year getting 100% in maths. The teachers are in awe of him and he is a superstar who has big dreams to become an engineer or a doctor.

Pascal joined the family in 2019 and is now a main part our home. He is one of the best role models for the younger children and helps out around the house. He currently volunteers for our partner Tanzanian NGO helping at the Safe House and carrying out street visits to identify new street children.

We hope Pascal can become a worker for our Tanzania partner NGO in the future.

Eva & Lidia ran away from their village in 2009 in order to escape child marriage and FGM. They were at a high risk of being kidnapped and married off so ran from their tribe and village into Iringa town where they came across the orphanage. Donation money started supporting the girls since 2013 whilst they were in primary school and throughout secondary school which they finished in 2018.

Now, Street Children Iringa is supporting Eva is studying a year course in Community Health at the local Medical university. She plans further education after this and has the hope of opening a business. Lidia is volunteering at a private day care school and will be studying next year to become a teacher.

Gosberth first came to the orphanage when he was 10 after being found by the police on the streets. He had left his grandma in the village as she had no money to support him for food or school. He came to town in the hope of being able to go to school.

I sent him to the local primary school when he was 11, where he soon became the teachers favourite and was constantly getting first or second place within his class of 58. I would always find Gosberth studying at night in the corner of a ridiculously hectic room that 100 children would be screaming and shouting in at the orphanage. In 2016 Gosberth finished primary school and was offered a place at one of the best private secondary school’s in the country. This was going to be hard coming from a government Kiswahili speaking school to an english speaking private school. After three months he was 75 out of 158 in his year and now he is in his third out of four years and is 1st out of 158 in the year getting 100% in maths. The teachers are in awe of him and he is a superstar who has big dreams to become an engineer or a doctor.

Pishon has been back and forward between the streets and the previous orphanage since 2012. In 2015 he was taken back to his relatives who did not allow him to go to school and instead wanted him to carry out casual labor on the streets. He ran away and was back on the streets, he was not allowed back to the orphanage and spent over a year living on the streets but still going to school every day. Ever since gaining the opportunity to live in the house he has flourished.

We now support Pishon with a room and food outside of the home, and with his private education fees. He is now in his fourth year  studying at a private  secondary school. He has big dreams to continue studying and become a teacher whilst also pursing his love for music.

We have been supporting Kepha for the past year 3 years in his private secondary education.

He was referred to us via the social welfare, as his family could not afford a good secondary education for him.

He is now in his third year of secondary school.

We were asked by the Regional officer of Iringa to help Hamisi through his A level education.

Hamisi had a very unstable home life and was trying everything possible to get enough money for his school fees. Since 2019 we have supported him through his A level education and he will soon be starting university.

In July 2019 we received information of a girl who was being followed by older men trying to kidnap her every day on her walk to and from school. These men wanted to kidnap her and sell her to an older man for marriage, in exchange for cows.

This girl was Maggie, she was 14 years old and was living in fear every day at the idea of being kidnapped and sold into a life of marrying an older man, having lots of children and being a housewife.
We managed to rescue Maggie from this situation and support her in a boarding school. Now, in 2022, she is in her third year of  boarding school, loving life and her education.

We were asked by the Regional officer of Iringa to help Hamisi through his A level education.

Hamisi had a very unstable home life and was trying everything possible to get enough money for his school fees. Since 2019 we have supported him through his A level education and he will soon be starting university.

In July 2019 we received information of a girl who was being followed by older men trying to kidnap her every day on her walk to and from school. These men wanted to kidnap her and sell her to an older man for marriage, in exchange for cows.

This girl was Maggie, she was 14 years old and was living in fear every day at the idea of being kidnapped and sold into a life of marrying an older man, having lots of children and being a housewife.
We managed to rescue Maggie from this situation and support her in a boarding school. Now, in 2022, she is in her third year of  boarding school, loving life and her education.

Baraka lived at the orphanage since he was 10 after his mum dad and brother died. Baraka is now 19 and in his last year of secondary education. Upon finishing he has dreams to either become a solider or open a business. Baraka is very talented at football and is in the best team of the region which he is also captain for. He would never have had this opportunity if it was not for donation money paying for football boots and kit for him to be accepted.

​Baraka is forever grateful for the opportunity this house has given him and his personality has changed so much since living in the house compared to the scared boy he once was at the orphanage. Seeing Baraka grow up into such a respectful, hard working boy has been wonderful.

After finishing education we supported Baraka with a driving course so that he could gain an income and become financially independant.

Flygod was at the orphanage since I first arrived in 2013 and although he has had a really tough life he doesn’t let it stop him and has big dreams for his future. He has a mum who is blind and lives in his village with 7 young children in one room. His mum was never able to care for him, but he hopes to care for her after getting a career.

Flygod finished his secondary education along with Baraka. We supported him with a cooking course and a small enterprise so he could become independent and start his adult life.

Razarlo was 13 when I first met him in 2013 at the orphanage. Over the past six years we have supported him through education, with Razarlo finishing primary school in 2014 and secondary school in 2018. Razarlo is obsessed with Manchester United, especially Rooney and plays football for the top team for the region in Iringa. Money created from the tuk tuk businesses has supported Razarlo through a driving school course and he is going to be driving the second tuk tuk in order to start earning a living, move out of the house and become independent. ​

Baraka lived at the orphanage since he was 10 after his mum dad and brother died. Baraka is now 19 and in his last year of secondary education. Upon finishing he has dreams to either become a solider or open a business. Baraka is very talented at football and is in the best team of the region which he is also captain for. He would never have had this opportunity if it was not for donation money paying for football boots and kit for him to be accepted.

​Baraka is forever grateful for the opportunity this house has given him and his personality has changed so much since living in the house compared to the scared boy he once was at the orphanage. Seeing Baraka grow up into such a respectful, hard working boy has been wonderful.

After finishing education we supported Baraka with a driving course so that he could gain an income and become financially independant.

Iddy has been on the streets since he was 5, and has been supported by us since he was 11 years old. We supported him through his primary education whilst living at the house.

He moved into the home in 2016 along with the other children and young adults from the orphanage. Here we supported him with his  education, boxing and musical courses in order for to pursue his passions.  In 2021 after turning 19 he moved on from the home.

Razarlo was 13 when I first met him in 2013 at the orphanage. Over the past six years we have supported him through education, with Razarlo finishing primary school in 2014 and secondary school in 2018. Razarlo is obsessed with Manchester United, especially Rooney and plays football for the top team for the region in Iringa. Money created from the tuk tuk businesses has supported Razarlo through a driving school course and he is going to be driving the second tuk tuk in order to start earning a living, move out of the house and become independent. ​