The FDB’s main activities are;
Taking care of the orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
Helping these orphans, vulnerable children and youth to get educated.
Outreach and Family unification
Other activities include;
Counseling.
Training.
Cultural activities.
FDB ACTIVITIES IN DETAIL
- Friends of Don Bosco is constantly taking care of OVC in that Dar es Salaam region where it has its center located at Kimara Suca along Morogoro Road from Ubungo bus station. The total number of the beneficiaries is 2001 both in Dar es Salaam and Tanga regions where FDB has another branch. This number is continually increasing.
The sheltered OVC constitute only a small portion/percentage of the total number of beneficiaries (approx. 30 – 35).
It should be noted that FDB itself does not encourage institutional orphanages but believes that in the event of potentially dangerous environments, for the OVC’s welfare, the issue of residence in an orphanage should be taken into account.
To meet its vision FDB hosts OVC to create a stable environment conducive to the acquisition of Education.
HOW ORPHANS AND MARGINALIZED CHILDREN ARE GATHERED
In most cases orphans and vulnerable children/youth come to us by themselves or through a neighbour/guardian, who has heard of our services. They come to our liaison office seeking assistance for suffering children/youth. The rest, we normally get during the night, either from the brothels and bars, where they are exploited in the sex trade or are used as sexual domestic workers. Many come through visiting the streets (a process known as ‘outreach’). Especially boys who have fled their residence from different regions due to lack of family care often caused by family disintegration following the death of their parents or divorce. Others are found quarrying limestone and sand.
After they have stayed with us for a couple of days, we send them for a medical check–up which among other things tells us whether they are HIV positive or not.
REGISTRATION CRITERIA
FDB imposes some conditions to assure that we only assist the desired group in order to fulfill our objectives.
The OVC concerned with this registration should fall under the following categories;
(a) Those who have lost either one or both parents
(b) Those who are vulnerable due to poverty or disabilities.
Therefore the guardian/parent or any concerned relatives are required to bring the following documents,
- Death certificate of one or both parents
- Confirmation letter from the local Government Authority.
- A letter from a remaining parent/guardian to justify his/her disability.
- A letter from the orphan, if she/he can write.
These registration conditions aim to assure that we deal with only the desired/targeted group.
The problems of orphans and vulnerable children
The problems of OVC, from our experience, are as follows;
(1) Frustration as a result of suspension from schools due to lack of school fees or being rejected or mistreated by their relatives.
- Psychological effect. Sometimes the OVC remember their histories especially the grown ones who have witnessed either the death or burial of a single parent or both parents followed by a long history of torturing events, such as working under harsh conditions with low salary or unfulfilled promises. House girls/house boys, being deprived off their rights, raped, stigmatized, staying without knowing their blood relatives, abandoned/rejected by the rest of their relatives etc.
- These and many other events make them give out cue statements and asking themselves or the present guardians (staff and volunteers) for example;
‘I don’t see the importance of living. Was I born to suffer? I better die rather than living’.
Note: Most of these feelings appear whenever they are expelled from schools or stay at the same place (orphanage) for a long time. Therefore apart from counseling, FDB tries hard to discover opportunities for them to refresh their minds and rediscover their self-confidence.
- Holding a wrong idea that ‘being an orphan is a title’. Some of the OVC affected by this concept think that they deserve what ever they need/like simply because they are orphans. Moreover they are easily drawn into poor behavior when they feel that they don’t get what they need/demand at a time of their interest because it is in conflict with the accepted laws/principles of the hosting NGO. Great work is being done to eliminate such a stereotype.
- In some cases, some of the OVC themselves are the cause of the problem, mainly due to childhood or mob psychology (coped behavior). Therefore being in/on the streets (i.e. vulnerability) is their decision and a way to either avoid punishments provocations initiated by themselves or just the desire to be free to do anything they like and to live with their fellows of the same behavior in the streets.
Hence they would often even fail to cope with the life in the orphanages as it would restrict their freedom. Events like violence, committing crimes everyday and school absconding, have become part of their lifestyle.
- Some of the OVC give FALSE information about themselves. Our experience in taking care of them shows that some of them narrate lies. It is therefore sometimes difficult to know the truth until we have had enough time to investigate them, in which case we can relate their history and their actual behavior. This technique is effective in identifying untruthful individuals who are then unified with their families.
Short term success in combating problems include:
- Managing to influence positive behaviour change in the targeted group
- Often OVC have been rescued from street life difficulties or child labor, including initial prostitution and sexual harassment. Many have now been sent to school and others are still undergoing our Non formal Education program as a preparatory stage to join formal Education.
- FDB has successfully united a number of the OVC with their families through participating in the special Radio talk show for the OVC, namely, ‘Watoto walio katika mazingira magumu’ run by Radio One and other similar programs run by Radio Clouds and Radio Tumaini, situated in Dar es Salaam. Also through visiting where the children originate, not only in Dar- Es- Salaam region, but in other regions through cooperation with people who originate from or have access to those regions.
EDUCATION
Friends of Don Bosco provide the vulnerable children with both formal and non-formal education.
Non-formal Education
This is provided as extra class/tuition. This initially aims at determining the intellectual capacity of the recently registered members and others as criteria in selection to join schools in appropriate classes. It is also provided to non-members as a source of income for the center and freely to FDB members who are in the formal school system, especially during school vacation.
Subjects taught according to levels are as listed below ;
For secondary students:
Basic Mathematics, English, Geography, Kiswahili, Civics, History, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Commerce and Book keeping.
For primary pupils
Mathematics and English
Formal Education
FDB use to send its students who are well prepared from the non-formal education program to schools so that they may acquire further education. This is made possible through FDB's little income from its activities/projects at the center, fund raising, contributions from individuals and few institutions.
