Mama Lucy and kids of Kilimanjaro

I am asking for your kindness to help my friend Lucy Lema (mama Lucy) and the orphan children she has cared for over the last 18 years. All money donated will be directly be used for the kids Education, Health, Shelter, Food, Workers and animal feed.
In return, I would love to give you an original painting from Lucy’s friend from Moshi, who has donated his paintings to help.
(hand painted on canvas shown below with sizes)
If you would like to donate and/or receive a painting, email me at chelsbay@gmail.com with how much you would like to give (we can use paypal), your address, and what painting size you might like. Suggested donation of $25, $50 or $100. Thank you!!

Lucy does not have the support of big Organizations because she does not fit the requirements  of having a permanent  home with all facilities  from buildings, workers and security, according  to Government rules. She does not have money to do that.

More info below:

MY CONNECTION

In 2006, I was living in San Francisco and deep in my altruistic view of making the world a better place through design. My good friend Manka (half Tanzanian) told me that her aunt had just donated her 2 bedroom home in Boma, Tanzania to a woman who had started an orphanage, but had no support to feed, clothe and educate the children. She told me she was going to raise money and bring it personally to her that fall. My heart throbbed- Im in.
So we went, became family, and delivered the money we raised for food and education programs.

Since then, my husband and I visited in 2011 during our honey moon, and brought donations from our wedding gifts to them and spent time singing, dancing, playing, and also building, helping etc. “even with very little- these kids and helpers are so FULL of joy, love, faith, life… it blows me away;)” (blog post from 2011). Over the years, Aaron and I and our families have helped support Lucy’s daughter and her friend Pendo through school as they aim to help the children with their education as they grow older.

HOW IT STARTED

Lucy Lema started caring for orphans and vulnerable children in Tanzania in 2000, when 2 babies ended up at her door after the mother ran away. Lucy was on her way to becoming a teacher, but this event changed the course of her life and she went all in. That first year she ended up caring for eight girls and four boys in her tiny home. She would raise her own chickens and grow her own food to feed the children, and would make them clothes.

“I had no big support only friends who came to me and support my activities. “

She then moved the children to Bomang’ombe where a friend donated a house with more room and it was closer to supplies and school for more children. It is now called Kilimanjaro Children’s Joy Foundation

NOW

They manage  to  send  some  Children to School  and some  to Vocational  Training from their garden activities  growing Vegetables  and potatoes. 12-30 children are at KCJF at a given time whose ages range from birth to the age of 20.

“We have a plan to buy land at 3m Tshs. per acre. There are 20 acres of land that will be for  school and a hostel for getting  money  to make the Organization a self sufficient  plan  as we go on supporting more  Children. I still have my old house in Machame (near Mt Kilimanjaro) for the garden, chicken and cows.  We are generating income from strawberries and we have also plan to have piggery Project. We have women  with  no support  for their families and daily activities . They need  training  for  having  the agriculture  Officer  to train them  so they  can also  support  the family  in many areas. Most of the victims  are  Children who  have  mothers with no jobs. Giving  the  women  short  vocational  training  will  improve  their  standard of Life. They can also be of great help  for the family  and Community  as well. It is my cry  that woman  training  for my area where I live will get this type of  Education  to  improve  their  standard  of living.. “

“I got  a new  name. Mama Huruma. I asked  why  they called  me that. The answer  was  because of my  ability  of  helping the Children.

This  gave  me courage  and strength to keep it up for the rest of opportunities I was  committed full time for Children  until  now. I know I can’t do this work alone. I need  Companies, churches, Individuals to help sponsor the kids. I need Technical know how  people  to  work  with me. I need  your Support  and Advice.”