"Building a Caring Community" - BCC

In 2007, the Lutheran Church, together with the American organization Mosaic, launched the "Building a Caring Community" program with the aim of improving the quality of life for children with special needs and their families. The program encompasses various areas: special education and therapies (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychological support), healthcare, and family support through microcredits and income-generating measures.

Special Education and Therapies

BCC supports approximately 200 children in the Moshi area. About half of these children attend one of eleven day centers in Moshi on a daily basis. The children receive various support services, which differ from center to center based on the children's highly individual needs. The program always includes two nutritious meals per day, basic educational instruction, and various therapeutic interventions. At the same time, the children are encouraged to assist with daily tasks such as cleaning and washing, with the goal of applying these skills at home.

The educational instruction depends heavily on the individual abilities of each child and can include reading, writing, and other content.

BCC’s physiotherapists work with the children on movement sequences and posture and also teach parents how to support their children effectively. They also provide assistive devices.

The occupational therapists help children develop skills for daily living, such as preparing food and maintaining toilet hygiene. Parents are also involved in this process. Adolescents with special needs are taught vocational and income-generating skills such as poultry farming, cleaning, handicrafts, soap-making, and paper-making.

A psychologist provides psychosocial support for the children.

At least two team members work in each day center alongside volunteers and interns from World Unite!. Two centers are outlined as examples:

The Longuo Centre is located in Moshi-KCMC, where 8 children with intellectual disabilities are cared for daily in the mornings. An additional 11 children are visited at home by staff twice a month. The Moshi Mjini Two center in Moshi-Rau cares for 9 children during the day at the center and also provides home visits for 11 children. The children and adolescents are aged 7–21 years. Working hours at Longuo and Mjini Two are daily from 8:30 AM to 2 PM when the children attend the center. Care includes special education and physiotherapy.

Unfortunately, BCC does not have sufficient financial resources to offer a place in the day centers to all children. For this reason, an additional 100 children and adolescents are supported through a home-support program. Typically, the children and their families are visited at home once a week by BCC staff. Health conditions are monitored, and parents/caregivers are trained in caring for their children.

Healthcare: BCC organizes an annual health screening at St. Joseph Hospital in Moshi, where the children are examined for general health. Should a child fall ill during the year, the parents or caregivers of children supported by BCC can directly visit this hospital and receive free treatment under the program.

Family Support: The "Family Support" division of BCC aims to financially support the children's families and thereby improve the children’s living standards. Instead of direct financial aid, BCC creates employment opportunities for parents. Many staff members in the day centers are mothers of children and adolescents with special needs. They have received adequate training from BCC to care for the children and adolescents, although they are not professionals with extensive training. It is therefore beneficial for skilled volunteers to further enhance these mothers’ knowledge.

BCC also operates a microcredit program. Parents, primarily mothers, can apply for small loans to start their own small businesses, such as restaurants, kiosks, small shops, or poultry farming projects. Some parents have formed cooperatives to produce various handicrafts, such as bags and beaded jewelry. These products are sold through partners in the United States and a small shop in Moshi.

Your Role as a Volunteer or Intern

Volunteers and interns at BCC can, depending on their personal interests and knowledge, work closely with children with special needs, supporting them through educational activities, therapies, and skill-building exercises.

They assist in teaching basic academic skills, providing physiotherapy and occupational therapy, and encouraging participation in daily tasks such as cleaning or preparing meals. Additionally, they may take part in home visits to train parents in caring for their children and support the vocational training of adolescents.

The organization has professional special educators, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and a psychologist who can act as internship supervisors.Volunteers with expertise in relevant fields can also contribute to enhancing the knowledge of local staff (the parents trained by BCC).

The Situation of Children with Special Needs in Tanzania

To this day, people with disabilities in Tanzania are often excluded from society and hidden at home. They are considered a "shame" and a "punishment from God" for the family, leading to a loss of the family's reputation. Husbands often blame their wives for having a child with disabilities and leave them. The financial situation of the family worsens due to having a child with special needs, and these children are often neglected, malnourished, and suffer from generally poor health conditions.

Until a few years ago, there were no opportunities to accurately diagnose and treat disabilities. Today, there are some institutions and programs dedicated to children with intellectual disabilities, significant learning difficulties, and other impairments. In Tanzania, these children are usually collectively referred to as "Special Needs Children."