in short SVVT (abbreviation for ‘Stichting Vrienden van Tanzania’, the name of our foundation in Dutch) supports disadvantaged children in greater Arusha (in particular Arumeru district) who require elementary living needs and/or education. The vision of SVVT is unequivocal: by helping these children in developing their talents, we can help Tanzania to grow.

Especially orphans and street children are supported by SVVT, which are presented to us through regional (government) agencies, schools, shelters and women support groups. In order to help more children, SVVT has joined forces with the German charity organization 'Förderverein Good Hope Centre´ (in short Good Hope) in 2009. More detailed information is included under Strategy.

The donations SVVT receives annually are spent on our orphanage and kindergarten in Kikatiti. We also support a number of schools where the 'SVVT children' receive education, pending the realization of our own primary and secondary school in Ngorika. In addition, SVVT supports the Arumeru Women Support Group and the Watoto Foundation. More detailed information is included under Projects.

SVVT provides support in kind rather than money. For example, school fees are paid directly to the schools and school books are purchased by SVVT itself. Also, the construction projects that SVVT undertakes are paid in phases and only after final approval of the work. All of this is continuously monitored by our Dutch director on the spot, Walther de Nijs (who has been living in Tanzania for already 17 years), assisted by two friends of the foundation: Tanzanian Joyce Sagala (eg. mediator for the Liliane Foundation and actively involved in the Arumeru Women Support Group ) and the Dutchman Noud van Hout (founder of Watoto Foundation).

Minimizing overhead (which is so far less than 4% of the total budget) is another important focus within SVVT. Thus, travel costs to Tanzania are paid by our directors themselves.

With these basic principles we can ensure that the donations are well spent and not wasted.

Mid-August board members Jan Priester and Matti Emondts travelled to Tanzania. The main purpose for this trip was to monitor the progress made on the construction work and the upcoming transfer of the elderly children to the new orphanage in Ngorika, the preparations for the elementary school and the (dragging) water project in Imbaseni. Fortunately, major progress can be reported, not the least by the successful work of our local managing director Marion Hasselaar. In a very short period Marion has made herself acquainted with the job and big steps forward were made at an sort of “European pace".

The full report is included under News.