It takes a hike to get to the Irente Orphanage which sits atop the Usambara Mountains. From experience, the staff are welcoming. When we visited the children were outside playing on the lawn. The laundry was hanging in the breeze, and a nutritious meal was being prepared. Although it was quite obvious the children at Irente are well cared for by the numerous staff, they come from circumstances preventing their parents or families from raising them.
![SAM_7347[1]](https://blogs.ubc.ca/irenteorphanage/files/2014/07/SAM_73471.jpg)
A bedroom for the younger members of the Orphanage.
While there was more need than I could provide both in Tanzania and at Irente, there is always something a single person, a family or organization can do.
Poverty is a huge issue in Tanzania. Culturally, and resource rich, known for their parks- Tanzania is as diverse as it is beautiful. Tanzania is also a relatively newly made country. Like all other new countries, it needs help to develop itself. I believe investing in the youngest members of the country is a good start.
The children we met there were talented. They are interested in singing and playing soccer. I can’t imagine having to give a child up, but if I had to, I would want them to go to a good place. I will always remember the singing the children gave to us visitors, especially the blind children, who must have learned the songs from their hearts without sheet music. I am grateful for the experience of being able to help in the cooking area outside, and for the meal feed to our group.
In Tanzania, and elsewhere in the developing world Vitamin A deficiency, parasites and eye diseases like trachoma can cause blindness or permanent eye damage.
This triathlon I am attempting around Vancouver’s Stanely Park will be my second, if registration goes well. Several Triathlons were cancelled recently due to covid, and this one has yet to be posted. However, training has begun!
Dear Friends, Can you help an old man whose memory is failing ? I am one of the early Founders of the oroginal Irente Orphanage Project way back in 1970’s along with a Lutheran Bishop of that time . At that time was responsible for the British Governments Aid Programme and met the Bishop. Was so influenced by his thinking for the Irente sustainable orphanage that I contributed a lot of my personal finances for the project. It was not possible to use Government aid funding at the time and he fully understood reasons. Having helped to set it up and the Blind School many years later brought my wife and family out to stay at Irente to ‘show’ them what our family funds had established. That was about 15 years back. Your records will show of that visit.
My name is Professor John Fyfe CBE and would be most grateful if you could remind me of the Bishop’s name and of the manager and Wife of the project when I brought my family to visit.
Would very much like a contact there today because although my age at 80 and health such that unlikely ever to make a return visit I would like to know how my original project is developping. Also would like to leave more financial support through my ‘Will’ but would need a contact for doing that later. PLEASE try to help because your current project was an important part of my earlier dream with that Bishop for helping children in ‘real’ need. THANK YOU.
Dear Prof. John Fyfe,
I’m sorry not to be able to help you. I just want to say i admire your support in this project!
I’ve visited the home and the school a few years ago with my husband and it’s still in my memory. What a beautiful place, kind caring people, for kids who needs this support in their lives so much. It would be my dream – at one point in my live- to be able to support / build such a great project, to help these people. Such an important job for us!
So just a message to say: thank you!
Kind regards,
Judith
(from Holland)
You did help Judith! I am back on board for another triathlon 2021! Thank you!