Rural Villages
Village of Hope and Grace work with orphaned children in very remote rural villages in the heart of Tanzania in the area between Dodoma, Iringa and Morogoro (shaded area on the map).
The closest town to the villages is Kibakwe. The roads to the villages are dusty tracks in the dry season and are impassable in the rainy season. The larger of the villages are Kidenge and Ikuyu. The village of Kidenge has no electricity and water is a 5km walk.
The villages are home to hundreds of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
When Julius Oscar first visited the villages he could not believe what he saw. Most of the children were in need of shelter, and were half naked. Many came to ask for prayers, and their request was for Jesus to help them to go to school.
In the beginning he helped the children by encouraging them, praying for them, and counselling them. Then he started helping five children from one family whose mother was murdered by their father. Using money from the sale of hand crafts he paid school fees for the oldest four children in the family.
Over the years the ministry to the children has expanded, so that now Village of Hope and Grace support about 150 orphan children from the rural villages. We are trying to give them hope by providing, the living water which is the word of God, school materials, uniforms, food and shelter.
Village of Hope and Grace have also employed one pastor based in Kidenge village to lead a children’s church so they could receive the word of God and to make sure that they go to school. He also informs Julius of any needs so that Village of Hope and Grace can help with these.
In the last year 16 of the orphan children passed their primary school exams and were accepted at secondary schools. village of Hope and Grace are now providing their school fees.
When HIV/AIDS enters a household by infecting one or both parents, the very fabric of children's lives falls apart. In the most extreme cases children can find themselves utterly devoid of family support and end up living on the street. With the death of parents children lose most of their safety net.
Because of these issues orphan children are likely to miss out on school and are at high risk of being forced into child labour or sexual exploitation, and are subject to stigmatization and discrimination.
UK Registered Charity No. 1132130
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