Building Hope ‐ Transforming Lives

Songea's Kids
An all-volunteer, nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in southern Tanzania.

Songea's Kids 101: Why, what and how!

This video gives a brief overview of Songea's Kids, an all-volunteer, nonprofit, dedicated to transforming the lives of orphans, vulnerable children and their communities in one of the poorest regions of Tanzania. It shows how we work with local Tanzanian partners to provide these children a safe, nurturing environment with access to education to gain the knowledge, skills and expertise for a bright future.

There are many happy, successful children due to the work of Songea's Kids and our partners. Please watch! We hope you'll help us BUILD HOPE & TRANSFORM LIVES.

Songea's Kids Day of Service, May 18

Our volunteer event will be from 1-4 pm. We will have two 90-minute sessions: feel free to sign up for 1-2:30 or 2:30-4 pm (or both!). Our goal is to put the finishing touches on the 50 quilts that will be given to the orphans and vulnerable children we support. This will not require prior quilting experience–the mostly-finished quilts just need to be hand-tied. We will also have a special activity for families with small children. We will have a separate table where they can learn about life in Tanzania, draw pictures and write letters to the orphans and vulnerable children. The letters, pictures, and quilts will be given to the children this September during the Friends-to-Friends trip. We are also collecting donations of soccer balls (deflated), ball pumps, jump ropes, frisbees and UNO card games to bring to the children. We look forward to a fun-filled day together!

Day of Service Sign Up!

These Children Need Sponsors!

Songea's Kids Overview

Click a card to learn more.

Child Sponsorship

Sponsoring a child can save and transform a life! Our sponsorship program focuses on the individual needs of each child. All children receive nurturing homes, nutritious food, clothing, health care and education. Children with special needs receive additional support tailored to their circumstances so they can live their best lives.

Education

We recognize that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Each child in our program is supported from pre-primary through secondary school or vocational training, and several have graduated from college and university. When graduating from our program, each young adult has the knowledge, skills and ability to build a bright future.

Development

Songea's Kids helps build the infrastructure and develop the economic opportunity for the local villages. Improving the community will make a better living environment and provide badly needed income through gainful employment. With our partners, we have drilled wells, installed sanitation systems, built houses, and started enterprises.

Healthcare

Early diagnosis and treatment prevent infant, childhood and maternal deaths from such illnesses as malaria, typhoid, cholera, and HIV/AIDs. The Hope Village Rotary Health Care Center was built through donations to Songea's Kids and provides comprehensive preventive, diagnostic and treatment for 1200 villagers each year. This year we are adding the first dentistry services in the region.

Hope Village

Hope Village is envisioned to become a thriving residential community for orphans and vulnerable children. To date, we have opened the Rotary Health Care Dispensary, the Masonry Vocational Training Classroom, and installed infrastructure for clean water and electricity. This fall, we will open the first residential orphan house that will become a nurturing home to 24 children.

Friends-to-Friends

Songea's Kids arranges a Friends-to-Friends Trip annually to connect sponsors, donors, and interested parties with the children and our Tanzanian partners. Our next trip will be in September 2024. We will soon be taking reservations. In the meantime, click or tap to learn more about the 2023 trip from the video highlights.

Songea's Kids − Caring for Vulnerable Children

Songea's Kids with our partners continues to address the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in the Ruvuma region of southern Tanzania. In addition to the already successful foster care program, we are adding residential housing for orphans and vulnerable children that have no foster care options. We will complete and open one duplex house in late 2023 and begin construction of a second duplex in the second half of 2023. We continue to build the vision of Hope Village. Watch to learn the progress that has been made at Hope Village, and the ways that you can help our children.