Steven Harris, an Amani Ambassador from Edinburgh in Scotland visited the Amani children the first week of January.

Steven works as a chemistry researcher for a chemicals company in Scotland. “I really wanted to help and to make a difference. I got the very strong impression that Amani makes a big difference to the children it helps. I wanted to be part of that,” said Steven about his motivation to commit a week of his holiday volunteering at Amani.

Steven brought a Scottish flag, photographs from home, and a map showing his country’s historic castles. Many of the animals in Scotland were new to the Amani children and they were surprised to see cows with long hair and hear about Scotland’s famous Loch Ness Monster. Steven also donned a kilt, which made the children giggle. “I’m delighted to have been able to give the Amani kids a touch of insight into Scotland, to repay the loving insight into Tanzania that I am lucky enough to have experienced.”

Before coming to Tanzania, Steven opened his home to friends and family. He served mulled wine and mince pies and told them about Amani Children’s Home. “Then, I passed around a bucket and asked them to make a donation.” Steven also mailed out an email to his colleagues, asking them to visit Amani’s website. After hearing about his plans,

Steven’s employer made a donation to Amani through their corporate responsibility program.

Amani’s Ambassador Program gives supporters the opportunity to see first-hand Amani’s work with homeless and orphaned children by visiting us in Tanzania. Ambassadors raise awareness about child homelessness in their home communities and fundraise to help Amani rescue more children from the streets before their visit. If you’d like information about Amani’s volunteer program, visit the volunteer at Amani page.

Each year, sales of the Amani Christmas and Holiday Cards raise money to pay for tuition, uniforms, textbooks, and school lunches in the New Year. In 2008, Amani sponsored the education of 214 children. Next year, Amani hopes to be able to send even more children to school.

One of this year’s cards features some of Tanzania’s most adored animals beneath a festive Mt. Kilimanjaro, the other which highlights messages of peace from around the world. You can make a direct impact in the lives of Tanzania’s homeless children by purchasing your holiday cards from the Amani website. The cards are located in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom so you’ll be sure to receive your cards in plenty of time before the holidays.

Help us ensure that all children have the chance to learn. Supplies are limited so order your cards today at http://cards.amanikids.org.

Spread the word - get involved in the the new Amani Homes raffle and it’s possible to win a climb up Kilimanjaro! It’s kindly donated by Intrepid Guerba Travel which usually retails at US$2400.

The Prize will offer the following itinerary for 2 persons: -

• Day 1 - Transfer from Kilimanjaro International airport to Marangu Hotel.
• Day 2 - Visit Amani Children’s Home. Stay at Marangu Hotel. Meals B,L,D.
• Days 3, 4, 5 & 6 - Kilimanjaro. Marangu route. Meals B,L,D.
• Day 7 - Return to Marangu Hotel. Overnight hotel. Meals B,L,D.
• Day 8 - Transfer toKilimanjaroInternationalAirport. Meals B.

The winners will plan the dates with Intrepid Guerba and join a scheduled group departure. There are weekly departures every Sunday between June 2009 and April 2010. There will not be any local payment payable.

In addition Activenes Consultancy will contribute US$1000 per passenger towards flights.

All proceeds will go directly to Amani Children’s Home to provide hope and a future for homeless children in Tanzania.

Visit the Amani Homes raffle at the site below:
www.justgiving.com/brucethew

We received an email this week from Valerie to let us know that “the Amani playground is up - and it’s fantastic!”. Here is a photo:

“There are kids playing on it every moment that they’re not in class, and they’re actually eating lunch faster so they can run straight to the playground.”

Bristol annual Amani quiz night now has a date. It is neither of the two mentioned on the previous message  but Saturday 29th November at 7.30 at Frenchay Vallage Hall, Frenchay, Bristol BS16. If you have anything that you think would make a brilliant raffle prize please contact me. Many thanks

Tina

thamjam@aol.com

November Amani Quiz Night in Bristol!

Date to be finalised but the annual Amani quiz night at Frenchay Village Hall, Frenchay, Bristol will be either on Saturday 14th or Saturday 21st November, starting at 7.30pm.

As soon as the date is finalised I will post it on the site.

For those wishing to come to this (and anyone’s welcome) you need a team of 6 people. Teams have their own table and tickets will be £7 per person. Ticket price includes ploughman’s supper and wine and a very good evening.

There will also be a grand raffle and auction.

If you are interested in obtaining tickets contact Tina on 0117 9391007 or thamjam@aol.com. Tickets will go on sale from September and it’s first come first served. It has always been a sell out!

Robin and Debbie Carmichael have provided some excerpts from Robin’s booklet “Who Cares”:

“The sad reality is that large numbers of homeless children struggle just to survive: they are the street children of Tanzania.

No child leaves home unless they are desperate. On the streets they are at risk of being harassed, abused and exploited, and while hunger’s terrible grip drags them to crime, the loss of parental love and security disables the soul.

The story of Amani, a Home for street children, is not a fairy tale. It is the story of real people, not cardboard saints, helping real kids, not little angels from a sentimental movie. It starts with a few children sleeping on the floor, moves through the stage of over a hundred kids in an overcrowded dormitory sleeping three to a bed in bunk beds, and on to the day when a purpose-built Home is opened by a former First Lady of Tanzania.

No child in need is ever turned away and every child is personally cared for and prepared for re-integration into Tanzanian life. This isn’t done by waving a magic wand; it is done by hard work and professionalism.

Amani was founded by Tanzanians, is run by Tanzanians and benefits Tanzanians. The staff are professional, creative and dedicated heart and soul to the task of caring for children in need – victims of the meanest misfortune imaginable, being homeless and unloved. No child should face either of these terrors, let alone both.

What, according to your faith or your beliefs, should humans do when children are in despair or in danger? The founders of Amani knew what they should do:-Rescue them. Restore hope to them. Transform their lives. “

“Who Cares?  Rescuing Children in Tanzania: The Story of Amani” was written by Dr. Robin Carmichael, one of the first trustees of Amani.  It is a booklet telling Amani’s story and that of some of the children.

It is short, very readable and lavishly illustrated. Order your copy from Robin at 2, Parklands Gate, Bramhope, Leeds 16, LS16 9AG for £5.00 postage paid.

Cathie Bartlam organized a Tanzanian Funday at her local church:

Take one new church building with two main halls, add 12 different activities based on what the children at Amani like to do, include a Tanzanian meal, a visit from a local African drumming group and you have all the ingredients for a Tanzanian Funday. You also need lots of helpers, work preparing beforehand and stamina. The aim of this event on April 5th at Christchurch, Selly Park, Birmingham was to raise awareness of what life is like in Tanzania and to see that when children have been rescued and given hope they enjoy fun, like anyone else. Although for us it was an awareness raising event, this could be a fundraiser if a fee was charged for activities and the meal. A Funday Package to help you do your own is available if you are interested.

If you would like to contact Cathie Bartlam - a.bartlam@tesco.net.

Debbie has created some lovely cards, which you can buy, the proceeds of which go towards the home. Please note that the postage costs are only within UK.

Habari Nzuri Notelets
From paintings by Debbie Carmichael

They are blank cards A6 size with envelopes

Sold in aid of Amani Children’s Home, Moshi, Tanzania

Suggested donation:
£3.00 for a complete set of 6 + p&p
Individual cards: 60 p each.
P & P First class: 5 sets: £2.50; 10 sets: £5.00 

To obtain these unique cards to help Amani,
please send a cheque made out to Friends of Amani UK, together with your name and address and the number of cards, or sets of cards, you require to:
Debbie Carmichael, 2,Parklands Gate, Bramhope, Leeds 16, LS16 9AG
www.amanikids.org