About Us

WHO WE ARE

The Kilimanjaro Orphanage Center in Pasua was founded in early 2009 by Edward Lazaro (Teacher) responding to the recognized need to provide care and shelter to an increasing population of orphaned children in the Moshi area. We are a registered NGO (Charter # 3959) that provides residency care for orphaned children as well as day care and community support for other children at risk.

OUR MISSION

We provide food, clothing, shelter, education, spiritual guidance and medical care
to the residents of our facility and secondarily to other needy children in our community.

RESIDENTIAL CARE

Currently we accomodate 30 children mostly between the ages of 4 and 10 at a site in Pasua that we are contracted to purchase. Our eventual plan is to care for about 100 children untilizing the present property as well as a second property to be obtained south of Pasua area. We provide our residents with matron supervison, regular nutritious meals, clothing, school needs that include uniforms, books, materials and fees.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

We are firmly committed to education and have recently completed a classroom and hired a managing teacher for the orphanage to fulfill this goal. Our younger children are either instructed on the grounds six days a week or attend a preschool in Majengo that is also managed by Edward Lazaro (see: http://www.kilimanjarokids.org/). Our older children attend local public schools where we are active in overseeing the education they receive and in assisting them with their studies on an individual basis. Four of our twelve children in First Grade recently scored in the top of their class in final exams.

MEDICAL CARE

We currently have the direct medical supervision of a retired physician from the United States augmented by a medical student from the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College who will eventually assume this role. We do regular medical clinics at the orphanage and utilize the services of local clinics and hospitals when more intensive procedures like xrays or blood work are needed. All of our children receive intake evaluations including blood work testing for problems such as HIV. We are established with a local dentist and our children receive this service as needed. We have just completed a new septic system at the orphanage and all of our children are instructed in hand washing and basic hygiene.

FARM PROJECT

Off to pick maize at the farm.

Currently we are cultivating 40 acres of rented land in a joint venture with the Majengo Preschool where we grow maize, beans, tomatoes, potatoes and carrots. This project was begun with generous grants from organizations in America and Europe and is of major importance for us in feeding the children at both facilities.

OUR VISION

Our long term plan is to construct a facility in a poor farming area south of town where we plan to have each group of children live 8 to 10 in their own houses with their own designated matrons. Our children already possess a strong sense of “family” with each other and our intention is to foster and support this connection as these children grow to adulthood.

WHO WE ARE:

HOW TO FIND US:

From Springland Hotel turn right and walk 100 yards to a large dirt field area used for soccer practice where we have a sign that points you to the right. Angle left across this field to the compounds that line that side of the field until you come to the only small building painted blue (It is a little store). Turn left here and after about 50 yards continue straight at a Y. In about 100 yards you run directly into the orphanage at a T juncture.

The Kilimanjaro Orphanage Center was established to help the increasing number of orphans in the Moshi area due to the continuing generational devastation of the HIV epidemic. The traditional African approach of “everyone” owning the children has been overwhelmed by the number of children in need. Our facility was begun in early 2009 and with the generous support of Zainab Ansell (ZARA Tours – http://www.zaratours.com/) we now care for 30 resident orphans and assist other children in need in our community.