News
Greetings from the President
Dear New Life Foundation board members and supporters
Greetings from NLF Tanzania. It is my pleasure to once again touch base with our friends, donors, and supporters, and give updates on various projects currently in progress here at New Life Foundation Tanzania.
Contained herein is a short annual update of various projects and activities currently ongoing at New Life Foundation Tanzania. With the grace of God, we have made some steady progress over the last year on many of our ongoing projects. We have revived our long-stagnant construction project of the story-building at the primary campus and our farms have produced consistent yield over the previous year. A lot of this is thanks to your generous donation and support which continues to touch the lives of many children here in Tanzania. Blessings,
Glorious Shoo
TANZANIA UPDATE
Condition of the children
Thanks to your kind donations and prayers our students are not only thriving academically, but they are very healthy. This is in large part due to the healthy meals provided at the school, the variety of sports activities after class hours, the restful and peaceful environment at the school, and of course, the grace of God that sustains and nourishes our spirit and body. m
Healthwise
Over the last year, students have not only enjoyed a more diversified balanced diet but have also enjoyed quite a bit of choice food as well. In addition to the regular food, our Chicken Project supplemented the children’s diet with eggs and chicken, our farms also produced sufficient quantities of food crops that added variety to the regular diet.
Spiritually
Thanks to a fruitful partnership between International Children’s minister, Lauren Wiberg, and New Life Foundation, our students’ spiritual lives are better than ever! Our students ministered in the largest children's festival of its kind in Moshi, and receive regular, interactive online lessons from the children’s minister.
Academically
We had a 100% pass rate of all our students who sat for the Form 4 national examinations last year. Form 4 is the last year of Ordinary Level (O Level) secondary school education in Tanzania which roughly equates to year 11 of school for students.
The Secondary School Project
The new secondary building currently under construction sits at a spacious 8-acre piece of land owned by New Life Foundation Tanzania. The plot of land is situated about a 10 minutes drive from the Headquarters. The current progress of the construction project is as follows:
The Foundation: The most expensive and laborious part of the project so far. Given the size of the building, the nature of the soil, and the uneven terrain of the area, this step posed an engineering and logistical challenge. It required a deeper-than-usual foundation depth which meant more manpower, resources, etc.
Walls: The walls were erected soon after the foundation of the building was set in place. They enclose four classrooms, two sets of toilets and bathrooms on each end, and a corridor at the center.
The Roof: The entire 52m long building is roofed with iron sheets. This involved a deep framework process which was later by iron sheets. Plastering and flooring: The entire walls and floor of the building are plastered and floored. What is left to be done
Plumbing and drainage: Due to the ongoing rainy season in the area, it is especially challenging properly install a drainage system in the building this time. The wet season not only makes it challenging to install a drainage system in the area, but it makes it unsafe for the workforce given the amount of digging that is expected to happen. This step will follow soon after the wet season has subsided enough to allow the safe installation of a plumbing system.
Painting: Like plumbing, it is best advised to paint the building in the dry season. The regular rainfalls pose a risk of washing out the new paint and may discolor some parts of the building. Final touches: Finally, the remaining part of the project would be to finalize some touches such as installing windows, doors, and the wiring system.
Prognosis The lead project manager, Eng. Maro estimates the first phase of the project is nearly 82% completed with major a major final push of the project expected to be soon after the rainy season which is expected to end in mid-June. The building is expected to host NLF’s secondary school students. It is part of a grand plan to relocate the current secondary school buildings and facilities to the new area which is also expected to host major infrastructures like sports fields and dining hall. The first phase involves the construction of four classrooms some of which may be used as dormitories during the first phase of relocation.
Painting: Like plumbing, it is best advised to paint the building in the dry season. The regular rainfalls pose a risk of washing out the new paint and may discolor some parts of the building. Final touches: Finally, the remaining part of the project would be to finalize some touches such as installing windows, doors, and the wiring system.
Primary School
New Life Foundation owns a total of 43 acres, including a newly purchased piece of land adjacent to the Primary Campus. Construction at the Primary School Campus Following the successful completion of the ground floor of the projected multi-story building at NLF’s primary school in 2018, the second phase of the project continued earlier this year. The second phase of the project involves building two floors on top of the current ground floor building. The multi-story building is expected to house classrooms, a computer laboratory, a dining hall, and teachers’ offices. The project is currently on hold pending statutory paperwork from the local government. This paperwork and permit approvals are typical of multi-story building projects and it is expected to continue once the approval is confirmed. The Library building Last year marked the successful completion of a library building at New Life Foundation primary school. The modern library was designed and constructed from empty freight containers that had once transported and stored food for the students. The newly innovative library is now a colorful resource of educational material for both teachers and students. The project was sponsored by supporters from the USA and is equipped with modern facilities like Air Conditioning, glass windows, and wood flooring making it a popular spot on campus.
The farm Project
New Life Foundation Tanzania is blessed to have over 25 acres of arable purchased by our supporters around the world. Over the last year, the farms have been a constant source of fresh, nutritious food for the school. This includes a variety of crops such as maize and beans, popular stable foods in Tanzania. Other crops harvested from the farms over the last year include tomatoes, vegetables, and pawpaw fruit. It is currently the rainy season in Tanzania and maize crops and beans are sprouting from the farms. Our farm manager, Frank Ng’oo estimates it will be a successful harvest!
Newly paved Primary School Campus
In a major step to promote a clean and safe environment at our Primary School Campus, all the walkways and open area was neatly paved. This project was 100% funded by our supporters. This upgrade eliminates the persistent dust problems during summer and sticky mud problems during the rainy season.
Professional Development for NLF staff
This year the administrator at New Life Foundation Head Quarters in Moshi, Mrs. Irene Kivuyo, went for a professional development program in the USA. The program was brought about through a partnership between NLF and Cincinnati Christian Schools (CCS) in the USA where Mr. Ray Kochis, serves as the Superintendent of the schools. In previous years, NLF ran a similar exchange program with Hebron Christian College in New Zealand where staff would go to New Zealand for a professional development program.
University Land 20 Bomang'omb e 9 Secondary School Land 8 Primary School Campus 4.5 Fountain of Zoe Campus 1.5 The Prognosis The lead project manager, Eng. Maro estimates the first phase of the project is nearly 82% completed with major a major final push of the project expected to be soon after the rainy season which is expected to end in mid-June. The building is expected to host NLF’s secondary school students. It is part of a grand plan to relocate the current secondary school buildings and facilities to the new area which is also expected to host major infrastructures like sports fields and dining hall. The first phase involves the construction of four classrooms some of which may be used as dormitories during the first phase of relocation.
Dear New Life Foundation board members and supporters
Greetings from NLF Tanzania. It is my pleasure to once again touch base with our friends, donors, and supporters, and give updates on various projects currently in progress here at New Life Foundation Tanzania.
Contained herein is a short annual update of various projects and activities currently ongoing at New Life Foundation Tanzania. With the grace of God, we have made some steady progress over the last year on many of our ongoing projects. We have revived our long-stagnant construction project of the story-building at the primary campus and our farms have produced consistent yield over the previous year. A lot of this is thanks to your generous donation and support which continues to touch the lives of many children here in Tanzania. Blessings,
Glorious Shoo
TANZANIA UPDATE
Condition of the children
Thanks to your kind donations and prayers our students are not only thriving academically, but they are very healthy. This is in large part due to the healthy meals provided at the school, the variety of sports activities after class hours, the restful and peaceful environment at the school, and of course, the grace of God that sustains and nourishes our spirit and body. m
Healthwise
Over the last year, students have not only enjoyed a more diversified balanced diet but have also enjoyed quite a bit of choice food as well. In addition to the regular food, our Chicken Project supplemented the children’s diet with eggs and chicken, our farms also produced sufficient quantities of food crops that added variety to the regular diet.
Spiritually
Thanks to a fruitful partnership between International Children’s minister, Lauren Wiberg, and New Life Foundation, our students’ spiritual lives are better than ever! Our students ministered in the largest children's festival of its kind in Moshi, and receive regular, interactive online lessons from the children’s minister.Academically
We had a 100% pass rate of all our students who sat for the Form 4 national examinations last year. Form 4 is the last year of Ordinary Level (O Level) secondary school education in Tanzania which roughly equates to year 11 of school for students.
The Secondary School Project
The new secondary building currently under construction sits at a spacious 8-acre piece of land owned by New Life Foundation Tanzania. The plot of land is situated about a 10 minutes drive from the Headquarters. The current progress of the construction project is as follows:The Foundation: The most expensive and laborious part of the project so far. Given the size of the building, the nature of the soil, and the uneven terrain of the area, this step posed an engineering and logistical challenge. It required a deeper-than-usual foundation depth which meant more manpower, resources, etc.
Walls: The walls were erected soon after the foundation of the building was set in place. They enclose four classrooms, two sets of toilets and bathrooms on each end, and a corridor at the center.
The Roof: The entire 52m long building is roofed with iron sheets. This involved a deep framework process which was later by iron sheets. Plastering and flooring: The entire walls and floor of the building are plastered and floored. What is left to be done
Plumbing and drainage: Due to the ongoing rainy season in the area, it is especially challenging properly install a drainage system in the building this time. The wet season not only makes it challenging to install a drainage system in the area, but it makes it unsafe for the workforce given the amount of digging that is expected to happen. This step will follow soon after the wet season has subsided enough to allow the safe installation of a plumbing system.
Painting: Like plumbing, it is best advised to paint the building in the dry season. The regular rainfalls pose a risk of washing out the new paint and may discolor some parts of the building. Final touches: Finally, the remaining part of the project would be to finalize some touches such as installing windows, doors, and the wiring system.
Prognosis The lead project manager, Eng. Maro estimates the first phase of the project is nearly 82% completed with major a major final push of the project expected to be soon after the rainy season which is expected to end in mid-June. The building is expected to host NLF’s secondary school students. It is part of a grand plan to relocate the current secondary school buildings and facilities to the new area which is also expected to host major infrastructures like sports fields and dining hall. The first phase involves the construction of four classrooms some of which may be used as dormitories during the first phase of relocation.
Painting: Like plumbing, it is best advised to paint the building in the dry season. The regular rainfalls pose a risk of washing out the new paint and may discolor some parts of the building. Final touches: Finally, the remaining part of the project would be to finalize some touches such as installing windows, doors, and the wiring system.
Primary School
New Life Foundation owns a total of 43 acres, including a newly purchased piece of land adjacent to the Primary Campus. Construction at the Primary School Campus Following the successful completion of the ground floor of the projected multi-story building at NLF’s primary school in 2018, the second phase of the project continued earlier this year. The second phase of the project involves building two floors on top of the current ground floor building. The multi-story building is expected to house classrooms, a computer laboratory, a dining hall, and teachers’ offices. The project is currently on hold pending statutory paperwork from the local government. This paperwork and permit approvals are typical of multi-story building projects and it is expected to continue once the approval is confirmed. The Library building Last year marked the successful completion of a library building at New Life Foundation primary school. The modern library was designed and constructed from empty freight containers that had once transported and stored food for the students. The newly innovative library is now a colorful resource of educational material for both teachers and students. The project was sponsored by supporters from the USA and is equipped with modern facilities like Air Conditioning, glass windows, and wood flooring making it a popular spot on campus.
The farm Project
New Life Foundation Tanzania is blessed to have over 25 acres of arable purchased by our supporters around the world. Over the last year, the farms have been a constant source of fresh, nutritious food for the school. This includes a variety of crops such as maize and beans, popular stable foods in Tanzania. Other crops harvested from the farms over the last year include tomatoes, vegetables, and pawpaw fruit. It is currently the rainy season in Tanzania and maize crops and beans are sprouting from the farms. Our farm manager, Frank Ng’oo estimates it will be a successful harvest!
Newly paved Primary School Campus
In a major step to promote a clean and safe environment at our Primary School Campus, all the walkways and open area was neatly paved. This project was 100% funded by our supporters. This upgrade eliminates the persistent dust problems during summer and sticky mud problems during the rainy season.
Professional Development for NLF staff
This year the administrator at New Life Foundation Head Quarters in Moshi, Mrs. Irene Kivuyo, went for a professional development program in the USA. The program was brought about through a partnership between NLF and Cincinnati Christian Schools (CCS) in the USA where Mr. Ray Kochis, serves as the Superintendent of the schools. In previous years, NLF ran a similar exchange program with Hebron Christian College in New Zealand where staff would go to New Zealand for a professional development program.
University Land 20 Bomang'omb e 9 Secondary School Land 8 Primary School Campus 4.5 Fountain of Zoe Campus 1.5 The Prognosis The lead project manager, Eng. Maro estimates the first phase of the project is nearly 82% completed with major a major final push of the project expected to be soon after the rainy season which is expected to end in mid-June. The building is expected to host NLF’s secondary school students. It is part of a grand plan to relocate the current secondary school buildings and facilities to the new area which is also expected to host major infrastructures like sports fields and dining hall. The first phase involves the construction of four classrooms some of which may be used as dormitories during the first phase of relocation.
Maria's powerful story of Hope and Redemption
Maria Omari is a 17-year-old Form 4 (Class 12) student at Fountain of Hope Secondary School. Maria came in as a 3-year-old girl in 2007 along with her one-year-old little brother, Tarzan. She was admitted to the Fountain of Zoe program for orphaned and abandoned babies along with her little brother. She has been with New Life Foundation ever since.
Here is her story...
As with most children raised with abusive parents, Maria would and his little brother would hide in their bedroom when their parents got into one of their usual brawls. She would hear slaps, noise, and all kinds of slanderous words as their parents argued and fought each other. Sometimes it would get so physical and loud that neighbors intervened. At least once, the neighbors had to resort to a village chairperson or a nearby local elder to try to resolve their parent’s argument.
Fights, arguments, and fear compose almost her entire childhood memory of living with her parents.
The situation at home got so bad that Maria’s mother took off, leaving behind 4-year-old Maria, and her one-half-year-old son. Suddenly, Maria found herself the woman of the house at just the tender age of 4 years.
Her father would leave the house in the morning and won't be back till the end of the day usually heavily drunk. Maria would wake up in the morning to find her father passed out on the sitting room floor. She and her little brother were forced to skip afternoon meals as her father didn't provide much. Occasionally, the neighbors would offer them lunch and evening meals.
“Life was very difficult,” Maria said. “My brother and I were usually hungry because Dad wasn’t always home. We had to skip my meals from time to time because there wasn’t anyone around to make food for us”.
One day Maria woke up in the morning but didn’t find any sign of her father in the house. Having assumed that her father had gone off to work early, Maria went on her usual routine of scavenging the house for anything to eat that her father might have left for her and her little brother. But she couldn’t find anything – save for a little leftover food from the previous night.
By mid-day, she was already starving and decided to get out of the house to try to get something to eat for herself and her little brother. But when she tried the front door that opened to the outside, it was locked. She couldn’t find the key anywhere in the house and after a few more failed attempts at opening the door failed, she decided to wait for her father’s return later that day. She waited and waited, counting the hours but her father didn’t show up. The sun went down, and darkness crept in, but her father was nowhere to be seen. When it got even darker and darker around the house, and her father wasn’t home yet, Maria began to feel scared and anxious. Little Tarzan had fallen asleep on her laps, having not eaten anything since morning.
She isn’t sure how long she stayed up that night. But when she woke that morning, she didn't find her father, and the front door was still locked. They had slept on the floor that night, right by the front door hoping for the return of their father.
The following day was the same – but only worse.
“I am not sure how long we were locked inside that house ... it felt like days,” Maria recounted.
It is understood that neighbors eventually broke down the door when they finally got suspicious about the fate of the children. Maria and her little brother – who couldn’t have been older than 2 years – were at the point of starvation when the neighbors saved them.
Having recovered at the hands of good samaritans, Maria and her little brother were eventually surrendered to a police station, when efforts to locate her parents had failed. The little children were in turn handed over to Child Services. After a few weeks, Child Services reached out to Fountain of Zoe, an orphanage under New Life Foundation. So in 2007, Maria, then 4 or 5 years old, and her little brother Tarzan (about 2 years old) were taken into Fountain of Zoe program.
“I am not sure how long we were left locked in that house ... it felt like days,” Maria recounted.
It is understood that neighbors eventually broke down the door, as they got suspicious about the fate of the children. Maria and her little brother – who couldn’t have been older than 2 years – were at the point of starvation when the neighbors saved them.
Having been fed and had a change of clothes, Maria and her little brother were taken to a police station, as the neighbors couldn’t locate their father. The police station, in turn, handed them out to Child Services when they themselves couldn’t locate their parents. Several weeks later, Child Services reached out to Fountain of Zoe, an orphanage under New Life Foundation. So in 2007, Maria, then 4 years old, and her little brother Tarzan (about 2 years old) were taken into Fountain of Zoe program.
“Life at Fountain of Zoe was very good”. Maria said of their time at Fountain of Zoe. “It was strange at first because both my parents were Muslim and I was raised as such. I didn’t know how to pray or sing or anything like that ... I would just watch how other kids prayed and sang, and I would do the same”.
Maria and her little brother progressively settled into the program and began making friends with other children at the program.
“The caretakers at Fountain of Zoe were very good. They treated us with such love and care like we’ve never experienced before. We were happy once again, playing and singing with other children at the program. We had abundant food and they gave us new clothes”.
“Fountain of Zoe really lives up to its name!” – Maria
Fountain of Zoe orphanage (around 2007)
Fountain of Zoe signboard
Maria will graduate Form 4 October this year.