...progress at amini and in Arusha

January 2024

Heri ya mwaka mpya!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support over the past few years and wish all our friends and supporters a happy, blessed and prosperous new year 2024!

November 2023

Encounters in Arusha

This year's graduation at Good Hope Pre- and Primary School was attended by a special guest: in addition to Franziska, one of our educational sponsors, who has shown great commitment for many years, was also able to take part in the graduation celebrations. The festive day was long and filled with celebrations, speeches, performances, good food and special encounters. It was an incredible joy for the sponsored children of the graduating class, their families and the local school team that the guest of honor had made the long journey to attend the graduation.

In addition, two more educational sponsors and members of amini were able to travel to Tanzania this fall to meet, among others, the person they were able to accompany into independence by paying the tuition fees. The afternoon that all three educational sponsors and Franziska were able to spend together in Arusha is something we will all remember for a long time!

Also in October 2023, during her visit to Arusha, Franziska, together with the head of the DCPO and a sign language interpreter, was able to visit three of the rural dispensaries where the DCPO held its sign language training courses during the summer.  She was deeply impressed by the conversations and encounters, the conditions and the needs on the ground.

September 2023

DCPO trains healthcare staff

This summer, amini was able to support the Deaf and Community Progress Organization (DCPO), a small organization that is primarily committed to the needs of deaf people, but also people with other disabilities, in a new project: the DCPO was able to conduct mini courses in sign language at various health facilities in rural areas. During our last visits to Arusha, the heads of the DCPO explained to us that deaf people regularly suffer discrimination in the health sector and encounter a lack of understanding and ignorance on the side of their counterparts, meaning that urgent treatment does not take place. The team reported several cases in their community in which major communication difficulties ultimately led to the death of the patients.

In Tanzania, around 1.28% of the total population is deaf (for comparison: in Germany, the figure is estimated to be around 0.1% of the total population). It is therefore important that, in addition to basic knowledge of sign language, healthcare workers are trained to interact and consciously communicate with deaf people - starting with hearing people speaking clearly and facing the other person to enable lip-reading.

Over a period of around six weeks, the DCPO was able to train 20 healthcare workers in three health dispensaries in rural areas in the basics of sign language, such as the finger alphabet and specific signs. In addition, they worked with seven deaf people who live and work in the vicinity of one of the health stations, some of whom had no knowledge of sign language.

This was the first time that the DCPO had conducted targeted sessions for health workers. The organization hopes to continue this work in the future in order to improve healthcare for the deaf in rural areas in the long term. 

June 2023

Visit to Arusha

In June 2023, our Chairwoman Franziska was able to spend a few days in Arusha. As always, it was wonderful to visit the Good Hope School with its dedicated management team and energetic students. It is great to see innovations, developments and progress with every visit!

It was particularly nice that Franziska had the opportunity to meet some former Good Hope School students again during her stay - sometimes unexpectedly. While some of them are still at secondary school, others are now at college or working. Being able to accompany the development of these young people is a truly wonderful gift.

In addition to the visit to the Good Hope School, the program also included meetings with the team of the DCPO, who invited us to their new offices. This opportunity was used to exchange ideas, refresh Franziska's knowledge of sign language and, of course, to further develop project ideas. 

April 2023

Girls power!

When one of our educational sponsors approached us with a new idea, we were immediately enthusiastic: after visiting the Good Hope School last year, he wanted to offer self-defense courses for female students at the school. It's always great to see people jointly working on something!

The local management team set out to find a suitable teacher, and after some time a teacher was found who runs a martial arts school and can boast various awards in his profession. After he had agreed to come to the school twice a week to teach the older girls, it was time to get started: the girls at the Good Hope School had the opportunity to learn something completely new and were eager to take part!

The weekly Taekwondo lessons not only teach the girls how to defend themselves, but also boost their self-confidence - and they have a lot of fun as well. Thank you very much for this great idea and for making this possible!

January 2023

New water tank at Good Hope School

Just in time for the new school year, a new water tank was purchased for the boarding and housekeeping facilities of the Good Hope Pre- & Primary School in Arusha. The previously used tank had a capacity of 1,000 liters, which was quickly used up - especially when power cuts occurred again and no new water could be pumped into the tank. Sufficient water supplies are essential for a hygienic environment, as the toilet flushes in the washrooms, for example, are also fed by this tank.

The newly acquired tank has a capacity of 10,000 liters, and amini e.V. was able to provide the financing for this as well as for the new support structure on which the tank will be placed.  

December 2022

Heri ya Krismasi - Merry Christmas!

We wish all our supporters and all those who carry amini in their hearts a blessed Christmas!

Have a merry and peaceful holiday, with plenty of time for the important things in life.

We also wish you a good and healthy start into the new year 2023! 

November 2022

Graduation in Arusha

Every year, european autumn is the time of graduation ceremonies in Arusha!

This year's graduation at the Good Hope Pre- & Primary School was something very special for us: on the one hand, after a break of two years, we were finally able to be on site for the festivities, and on the other hand, two board members of amini e.V. were able to participate in the graduation ceremony this year. Ursel and Franziska were part of the celebration, for Ursel it was the first - heavily impressive - attendance at a graduation. The repeated power and generator failures did not keep the lively presenter from leading extremely cheerfully through the program, which was a colorful mixture of songs, dances, poems, speeches, sketches and acrobatics demonstrations. The more than one hundred graduates, among them to our delight three amini sponsor children, had all passed their final exams with flying colors and could rightly be proud of themselves and enjoy their day of honor. After all the gifts were distributed at the end of the program and the certificates were ceremoniously handed out, the celebration ended with a rich buffet, cake and many photos on the school grounds. Graduation ceremonies are always a highlight of the school year, and we are grateful to have been able to join in the celebration this year.

In addition to the celebrations, the autumn visit to Arusha also included meetings with the mothers of the sponsored children and a meeting with the DCPO management team. Plans for a continuation of the cooperation in 2023 were made and a bit of sign language was learned. The team gave us an insight into the living situations of deaf people in Tanzania, where people with disabilities unfortunately still represent a highly marginalized group in society and have to struggle with countless challenges, stigmatization and prejudice.

With many impressions and as always also melancholy in our luggage we went back to Germany, where the annual general meeting of amini e.V. is scheduled for the beginning of December.

July 2022

Visits to Arusha

IIn June, our first chairwoman Franziska was able to travel to Tanzania again. At the Good Hope Pre- & Primary School she met not only the school management and the teacher in charge of organizing the sponsorships, but also the sponsored children and especially their mothers or guardians for exchange talks. We are happy and grateful to be able to have such a regular, personal contact with the responsible persons at the school as well as with the mothers and families of our sponsred students!

During her visit to Arusha, Franziska was also able to visit the office of the DCPO, the Deaf and Community Progress Organization, and exchange ideas with the leadership team (and learn a few new signs in the process).

During their stay in Arusha, two of our education sponsors were able to make a stop in Arusha on their vacation trips to Tanzania and visit the Good Hope Pre- and Primary School for the first time. These were exciting and fulfilling days for everyone! Especially for the sponsors it was very impressive to be on site and to be able to collect their own impressions - but for Franziska it was also something very special to be able to meet the sponsors in this context and to give them insights into the daily life on the ground. The encounters during the days together in Arusha and the resulting bond will certainly be remembered by all participants for a very long time.

August 2021

New sanitary facilities for the preschoolers at Good Hope Pre- & Primary School

As the last project before his unexpected death in February 2021, Mr. Mohamed tackled a new toilet facility for the students of the three preschool levels.

The youngest students at the school would finally no longer have to compete for a seat with the up to 15-year-olds during recess, but would have their own sanitary area. Unfortunately, Mr. Mohammed passed away before he could fully complete the construction project, and in the months that followed, the financial resources for it ran out.

With the support of amini e.V. these new sanitary facilities could now be completed and in the meantime also put into operation.

Februar 2021

Tutakukumbuka daima - we will remember you in eternity

It is with great sadness and dismay that we have learned of the death of our dear friend and companion Mzee Mohamed.

Mr. Mohamed founded Good Hope Pre- and Primary School in 2006 with his wife Mama Asha and was the "practitioner" in the leadership team. We were associated with him for over ten years and will miss him greatly. Mr. Mohamed leaves an unspeakable void, his good spirit will be missed by all of us.

He will live on in our thoughts, memories and conversations, in the many good things he did visibly and invisibly, and in the legacy of his kindness, goodness and kindness experienced by all who met him, which he leaves to us all.

May he rest in peace.

April 2020

Cooperation with the

Deaf and Community Progress Organization

In mid-March, Corona also arrived in Tanzania, and as a result, all educational institutions in the country have been closed indefinitely for over four weeks now. What consequences this will have concerning the final examinations and other scheduled school activities this year cannot yet be foreseen. The economic and social consequences of the Corona Pandemic for the entire country cannot be predicted either. Many people are dependent on tourism, which has come to a complete standstill due to the global situation. So far - in contrast to some neighbouring countries - there is no lockdown yet, but various measures have been and will be gradually ordered, such as the banning of international flights, an obligation to wear masks in Dar es Salaam or the cancellation of state celebrations.

During this time, the Deaf and Community Progress Organization (DCPO) in Arusha also sees its task in the educational work on the coronavirus and Covid-19. We were able to establish contacts with the small, locally managed organization last summer. It is committed to and advocates for the needs and interests of the deaf community, which makes up at least 1.2% of the population (see Tanzania Integrated Labour Force Survey 2014 Analytical Report). This includes the promotion of mutual understanding and openness as well as anti-discrimination work, the promotion of equal participation in society, economy and education and the promotion of sign language. The DCPO is well networked in the region and also knows which members of the regional deaf community can be found in which place.

During the Corona Pandemic, the organization is sending a small team with soap, community masks and information material into the rural areas around Arusha, going from house to house and providing education about the virus, protection from infection and appropriate measures in sign language. It is very difficult for the target group to obtain reliable information on this, as there is often no translation of, for example, TV news into sign language and illiteracy is also an issue. The radio as the most widespread medium, especially in rural structures, is also no help for deaf people in obtaining information.               

We are very happy to be able to support the DCPO in financing this important work, which is highly appreciated by the people reached. We are grateful to be able to contribute to a bit of education even in these times of extreme challenges and school closures.

November 2019

Good Hope register with Labdoo e.V.

Labdoo.org e.V. is a non-profit association that provides access to IT and education for educational projects in Germany and abroad through IT donations. IT donations can be sent to Labdoo, where they are cleaned up by volunteers and new, child-friendly learning and game software is installed. So-called flight patrons (travellers who are travelling to the target countries anyways) will then take the donations along to the respective projects, so-called Edoovillages, in the target country. By using flight patrons, the donated items find their way to their new homes in a CO2-neutral way. 

Since November 2019 the Good Hope Pre- & Primary School is registered as an Edoovillage with Labdoo. Travellers have the possibility to bring Labdoo laptops to Arusha to the school and thus make the dream of a computer room come true. So if anyone of you is planning a trip to Tanzania and can take along laptop donations, please contact us or Labdoo.org !

                                                                             October 2019

amini visiting the Good Hope School

In summer 2019 Ursula and Franziska Riedel from amini e.V. were in Tanzania and could visit the projects amini is working with. This year they spent a lot of time at the Good Hope Pre- & Primary School, where they stayed in the boarding ward and experienced the daily life of the students. Thus, new activities could be initiated: through a generous donation, the Schlossschule Immendingen made it possible to equip the school library and a computer room. Until now, there was one room at the Good Hope School that was intended to be used as a school library, but the financial means for the equipment were lacking. So far, shelves, 4 large tables and 40 chairs could be manufactured and a basic equipment of books, magazines and learning posters could be purchased. Furthermore, the computer room could be equipped with a basic set of 40 tables, 40 chairs and the first four computers. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the students and teachers of Schlossschule Immendingen for their commitment!          

At the end of September Franziska was invited to attend the annual graduation ceremony of the Good Hope Pre- & Primary School. The seventh-graders were bid farewell with a celebration full of performances and speeches lasting several hours, among them a pupil who had been accompanied on her way by an amini education patron for the last years. At the end of the celebration the graduation certificates were awarded, which allows the students to proceed with their secondary education.

June 2019

Begegnungsfest 2019 in Tuttlingen

Just like last year, amini e.V. will be present again at the Internationales Begegnugsfest in Tuttlingen! On June 23, 2019 the colourful festival will take place on the courtyard of the Karlsschule. At our booth you will find information about amini, sewn treasures made of Tanzanian fabrics and a sand picture handicraft offer for.

We are looking forward to a great day with hopefully good weather, lots of music, dance, food and great company :)!
Come by, we are looking forward to seeing you!

June 2018

Begegnungsfest in Tuttlingen

 On June 24, 2018 amini e.V. is taking part in the 14th international Begegnungsfest (="Fiest of encounters", a celebration of cultures and togetherness) on the premises of the Karlsschule Elementary School in Tuttlingen. We will bring along information on amini and our work, little treasures made of Tanzanian fabric and arts and crafts for the young ones! 

We are looking forward to a great day, sunshine, music, performances, yummy international food and awesome company!

Come join us!

************************************************************

We had a wonderful day filled with interesting and fun encounters at our stand, great performances, lovely weather and enthusiastically crafting kids! A huge thank you goes out to the organizing team around Hans-Martin Schwarz and Martina Gröne (Initiative Internationale Begegnung Tuttlingen), which invests a lot of time and energy year by year in this wonderful day, to our guests and to every helping hand.

We are looking forward to being a part of this again next year :)!

May 2018

Tanzania round trip

We (Leonie Mattes & Franziska Riedel) made good use of spring break at university and travelled to Tanzania in March / April 2018. It was a first time experience for Leonie, and beside exploring the country we of course paid various visits to the partner projects of amini e.V. .

Shortly after arriving in Arusha, we met Joseph who is part of the Meridian School management team. All together we went through plans, documents, receipts and project proposals, and it was a pleasure seeing how the work in Nduruma precedes! We took the bumpy ride to Nduruma in the next days and were able to see the progress on-site. The first two classrooms are finished and in use, an official GPS map was created, big parts of the school premises were cultivated (corn and beans for school meals, planted by the parents, as the current building so far only takes a small space on the school's plot), and a part of the buliding materials for the next classroom already arrived! Although the school was closed for mid-term holidays, a few pupils came to say hi with their teacher. After a while, we found ourselves spending the afternoon singing songs, telling stories and learning new games, all in English and Swahili. 

Our next visit took us to the Good Hope Primary School in Ngusero, Arusha. As Good Hope was closed as well for mid-term, we could not meet most of the students, but spent the time with the manager Mr. Mohamed who proudly showed us around. Since last summer, they were adding five new classrooms! Franzi, who came to Good Hope for the first time in 2010 when it was a small school with four classrooms on a big plot, is always overwhelmed to see the progress the school makes continously. 
Leonie was impressed by the differences of the two schools we visited - and is keen to see what the Meridian School will be like in a couple of years.

We also met the college student supported by amini e.V. , were able to pay his school fees personally on-site and were also able to organize another sponsorship at Good Hope at short notice (we will report at a later time).
At the end of our travels we met the first teacher and co-founder of Meridian Lucy in Dar es Salaam, who has travelled to the coast for continuing education purposes.

Leonie was overwhelmed by the openness and kindness of the Tanzanian people we met during our travels. She recognised our partners and partner projects of which she has only seen pictures so far, and it was very special to her to finally see and experience "all of that".

After four weeks in Tanzania we boarded the plane back to Germany full of new and refreshed impressions. It was a special journey, especially for Leonie - because "seeing is different than being told" (Kenyan proverb) :)!

                                                               February 23, 2018

Paint in Nduruma

We got news from the Meridian School in Nduruma: the current first construction phase is completed, i.e. that all windows, inside and outside paint as well as the black boards are there and installed!

Now it is time for the next phase, which has to include two more classes, sanitary facilities and a teacher's room according to legal requirements. 

Heri ya Krismasi – merry christmas!

We wish all our supporters and friends a merry christmas

from the bottom of our hearts!

Have a peaceful festive

season and a happy new year 2018!      

                                                            December 14, 2017
News from Nduruma

The missing windows for the second classroom could be ordered and installed and the construction of a 20,000-litre-tank was started, which will provide water for the construction side, the day-to-day activities at school and the sanitary facilities. 
In addition to that, an expert worker started the process of creating an official GPS map of the school premises which will be needed for the registration process. 

Joseph and Lucy were able to conduct various talks with the village community. The villagers are ready to offer their help and contribute physical labour to the building process. This will be a big help for the local team and we are very happy to hear those news, as projects like Meridian can only be truly successful when they are accepted and supported by the local community.

                                                                                                       October 30, 2017
Fundraising concert in support of the Meridian School

The children's choir and children's orchestra of the New Apostolic Church North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) staged a fundraising concert in support of the Meridian School in Nduruma on October 15, 2017. The concert was carried out by 60 young musicians and took place in Bochum according to the motto "giving brings joy". The children passed their enthusiasm on to the audience, and with the support of the church management NRW an amount of 4.000€ could be handed over to amini e.V.  

We are amazed and overwhelmed by the effort of the children and want to thank them as well as their choir and orchestra directors and the management of the NAC NRW from the bottom of our heart! 

                                                                                             September 8, 2017

amini e.V.  in Tanzania!

This summer, Ursula Riedel, Franziska Riedel and Jutta Friedrich spent about two weeks in Tanzania (August 20 - September 5, 2017). Franziska stayed in-country for her summer break, and together we learned alot about the country and it's people, experienced Tanzanian hospitality and of course visited our local partners.

We were welcomed warmly in Nduruma and were able to get to know about the current situation at the school. We could hand over a donation and sat down for long and intense talks with Lucy and Joseph, the local team at Meridian. Together we developed and collected ideas for the next steps in the development of the school. Those will  be the building of one to two more classrooms, a techer's room and the extension of the sanitary facilities. After all that being done, the school can apply for the registration as a privately managed primary school.

In Ngusero we visited the Good Hope School and accomplished an important task: the yearly payment of the school fees for our supported students. Also, an official meeting with the local management team, the mothers and caretakers of the supported children and us took place. For Ursel and Jutta it was the first time to meet all the legal guardians in person, and we got the chance to get to know each other better, conduct good conversations and hand over the receipts for the school fees 2018.
As three of the so far supported students graduate this year, we sat down with the management team to evaluate who else needs support. As a result and thanks to our sponsors, we can pay the school fees for five more children, making it nine supported students in total in 2018.
amini e.V. is also able to cover the fees for a young college student in Arusha. His family lives far away and cannot support him anymore in his last year of studies. We met him at church where he is an active member of the congregation and learned about his struggle to continue with his studies.

We want to thank again all our donors and sponsors, also on behalf of our partners - we could not do our work without you! 

We are - again - deeply moved by those two weeks in Tanzania. It is overwhelming to see progress happening on-site, to work closely with our Tanzanian partners, to experience their hospitality and to simply immerse in Tanzanian life!