Annual Report 2017/2018

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