FY2017/2018
AnnualReport
FightingforFamilies
TheSmallThingsstrivestokeepvulnerableandorphanedchildrenintheMeruDistrictofTanzaniain
theirfamiliesbycreatingsustainable,participatoryandevolvingcareplansfortheirfuture.Forthose
childrenmostat-risk,weprovidelovingfamily-styleresidentialcare,inanefforttofurther
strengthenthecommunity’slong-termcapacity.
1 YearinReview
3 FamilyPreservationProgram
5 DayCareandPreschool
6 NkoarangaOrphanage
7 HappyFamilyChildren’sVillage
9 CaseStudies
11 MeettheTeam
13 VisitorVolunteer
15 FinancialSummary
16 Supporters
YEAR1 IN
REVIEW
2
FAMILY3 PRESERVATION
PROGRAM
Ourholisticapproachincorporateseverythingneededtokeepfamiliestogether,andempowerrelatives
toreclaimtheirchildrenfromresidentialcare.Weworkwithfamiliesinmanydifferentways,including:
-Businesstrainingclasses
-Microfinancegrantsandloans
-Ongoingmentorshipandfollowup
-VillageCommunityBank(VICOBA)topromoteongoingaccesstofinance
-Weekendandafterschooladultedandtutoring
-Daycareandpreschoolonaslidingscale
-Libraryopentothecommunity
-Jewelryvocationaltrainingstudio
In2017/2018,wereunified7childrenwiththeirfamilies,bringingourtotalupto22,andprovidedsupport
foranother84childrenlivingathome.Overall,we’vehelpedkeepover150childrenathomewherethey
belong.
4
5
COMMUNITY
DAYCAREPRESCHOOL&
TST’sdaycareprogramprovideshighqualitycareforover50childreninthreeclasseseachterm,billedona
slidingscalebasedonincome.Ourtrainedteachersfocusonparticipatorylearningtechniquestogetchildren
preparedtoenterprimaryschool.Inthepastyear,we’vemovedourdaycaretoourvolunteercompound,and
movedourofficesuptothepreviouspreschoolclassrooms.Thisgivesthekidsmorepersonalizedspacefor
daycare,roomtogrow,andgivestheofficestaffmoretimewithresidentialchildren.
NKOARANGA 6
ORPHANAGEPARTNERSHIP
ThroughourpartnershipwithNkoarangaOrphanage,theELCTNkoarangaHospital,andtheDioceseofMeru,
weareabletoprovidehighquality,attachmentfocusedcareforchildrenundertwoyearsold,mostofwhose
motherspassedawayduringchildbirth.In2017/2018,weadmitted5newchildren,reunified2withtheir
families,andtransitioned10toHappyFamilyChildren’sVillage.withtheopeningofourthirdhouse.Wehave
alsoprovidedextensivesupportforchildrenwithvariousspecialneeds.
7
8
AtHappyFamilyChildren’sVillage,weprovideloving,family-stylehomesforchildren2yearsofageandolder,
whoareunabletobereunifiedwiththeirfamilies.Thisyearweconstructedanewhouse(expandingour
capacityto45children),pavedourroad,andbuiltarecycledplaygroundfortheyoungerkids.Wetransitioned
10childrenfromtheorphanage,admitted1newchildfromthecommunityandreunified5withtheirfamilies.
EnormousthanksgotoShaziVisram,theVisramfamily,andHappyFamilyOrganicsforconstructionsupport!
9 CASESTUDIES
WhenwemetMamaJofreyandherfamilyshortlyafterthepassingofherhusband,asecurityguard,she
andherfourchildrenwerelivinginasingleroom shack.Shewasunabletoevenmeetthelocalschool
requirements(uniform,notebooks,etc.)andbecauseofthis,thechildrenwereconstantlyinandoutof
school,andprofoundlyunhealthy.Shebeganwithamaizebusiness,andhassinceexpandedtoinclude
goatsandcows.Thisallowedhertoexpandherhousetotworooms,andhasalsoallowedherto
consistentlyprovidethebasicneedstoherfamily.Thechildrenarenowhealthyandattendingschool,and
MamaJofreycontinuestoreinvesttogrowherbusiness!
Isaak,AuntieandShalom cametousaftertheirmom passedawayduringthebirthoftheiryoungest
sibling,Hope.Sadly,Hopealsopassedaway,butwe’vebeenluckytohavethesethreeamazingkidsliving
withusforthepastthreeyears.Thisyear,wesuccessfullyassistedthemtomovebackhomewiththeir
lovingfatherandoldersiblings!Westillseethemdailyforschool,andregularlyforcounselling,buttheyare
thrilledtobehomeandtheirfamilyisthrilledtohavethem.
10
Joshuacametousasaninfant,withcongenitalglobaldevelopmentaldelays,whichexistinanumberofhis
familymembersaswell.Ashehasgrown,wehaveworkedwithspecialiststohelpreachhismaximum
potential,andsupportedhisoldersiblingsathome.Betweendailyexerciseswithourchildwelfareofficer
andhardworkfromvolunteersandmamas,Joshuahasnotonlylearnedtowalk,run,andbegintospeak
thisyear-heisjoininghispeersinpreschooldaily!Whilewecontinuetolookforaspecialisthomeforhim
inthelongterm,wearesoproudofhimandlovehavinghimaspartoftheTSTfamilyinthemeantime!
ThroughourVICOBA(VillageCommunityBank)program,wehelpsaverstobuysharesinacentralfund,,which
isthenlentoutatareasonableinterestratetomembersofthegroup.Inthefirst12monthcycle,twoVICOBA
groupssavedover$6,000andmadeover$1,500ininterestcharges,asthecentralcapitalwasloanedoutand
repaidrepeatedly.Notonlydoesthisprovideongoingaccesstofundstoexpandbusinessess,membersalso
supportandmentoreachother-we’veevenhadtoopenathirdgroupduetohighdemand!!
11 RebeccaRossRussell
Founder&ExecutiveDirector
MarthaAyo(MamaPendo)..=
HeadMama
RehemaMussa
ManagingDirector
TeressaWalsh
HR&Communications=
Director =
ValerianMchau
Finance&Operations
LuciaKimonge=
EducationCoordinator
CharlesElamAyo
FamilyPreservationCoordinator
ReubenPallangyo
SocialEnterpriseCoordinator=
JessicaManna
ChildWelfareCoordinator
KristinHaas(2018) .
Visitor/VolunteerCoordinator
EmmanuelMungure
FamilyPreservationOfficer
VickyKisanga
ChildWelfareOfficer..=
JumanneJohn= 12
SpecialNeedsTeacher
SusanVertucci(2017)==
Volunteer/Sponsorship=
= Coordinator
MikiRussell(2017)..=
SponsorshipCoordinator
We
Our
Staff
and
Local
Volunteers!
13 SOCIAL
TOURSIMPACT
UJSOTINOVOLUNTEER
Volunteeringcanbeanincredibleexperience-buttoomany
volunteerprogramsaredesignedaroundtheguests’havingfun,not
theneedsofthechildrenorclients.Whateveryourskills,wecan
designanethicalandeffectiveprogramforyourtimewithus.We
arealwayslookingforvolunteerstohelpin ourpreschool
classroomsandweekend/afterschooltutoring,whichrequireno
priorbackground.Forthosewithspecializedskills,wecanplan
togetherhowtobestutilizethemduringyourstay.Doctorsmight
beaskedtoholdafreeclinicforouroutreachfamilies,performers
could help the older children put on a play, and
physical/occupationaltherapistscantrainourmamasandchild
welfareteam tosupporttheever-evolvingrequirementsofour
specialneedschildren.Librariansandteachersarealwaysinhigh
demand,aswellashealtheducators.Youngadultsmightbeasked
tosupportoursocialmediaposting,orcreateblogposts.Reachout
tous,letusknowwhatyou’reallabout,andwewillhelpdesigna
once-in-a-lifetimevolunteerexperiencejustforyou,thatactually
givesback!
GETINVOLVEDFHROOMME 14
15 TAKEA
FINANCIALSLOOKATOUR
Forthisreport,wetransitionedfromreportingincalendaryearstousingour
fiscalyear,whichrunsAugust2017-July2018.Ourannualoperationsincome
comprisesabout40%fromfoundationsandmajordonors,withabout60%
comingfromsmalldonorsmakingtheirindividualactsofgreatlove.
TheSmallThingsInc-80-4CoseyBeachAvenue-EastHaven,CT06512
THANKYOU 16
SUPPORTERSTOOUR