Handbook of the Orphan Ministry

at the LBS Mwika (HUYAMWI)

paper 1: Overview of different measures

Released 23.1.04 – Author: Rev. Dr. Martin Burkhardt

A) Measures addressing the orphans directly

I) Measures reaching all orphans

a) Counting orphans (census)

b) Making seminars for all orphans, caretakers

c) Screening of the health of orphans

d) Providing counselling for orphans

e) Raising general awareness by addressing officials like pastors, elders, politicians etc.

Summary: From these measures the orphan will not get any financial help, but he will realize, that he /she is not lost, but remembered by the society. This will produce hope and confidence.

Justice: no problem, because all orphans are beneficiaries.

Costs: cheap - food for seminars, office expenses

Staff: Most work can be done by volunteers .

II) Measures reaching the most needy families (Social care)

a) Visiting the homes of orphans and evaluating their situation

b) Giving basic live support: food, cloth, repair of buildings

c) Medical care

d) Enable the orphans to participate in primary education

Summary::

Criteria of selection: economic situation. Number and age of children taken care of, number and quality of resources like fields, livestock etc. ability of the caretaker to handle the situation.

Justice: If really the most needy are served this measure may be just.

Side-effects: The danger is to create dependency on external help, destroying the ability to handle the situation without external help.

Costs: specific sum for each orphan yearly or monthly.

Staff requirements:: trained workers are needed especially in the area of social work.

III) Measures helping the orphans to help themselves

a) Giving basic education to run small projects (small businesses, agricultural projects)

b) Giving loans, money, material to start those projects

c) Monitoring of those projects

Summary:

Criteria of selection: ability and readiness of the orphan to run the project, availability of minimum resources like fields, water, the market for the products etc.

Justice: As only selected orphans can participate in this kind of program, there is lack of justice.

Costs: In the beginning there is a lot of money needed to start the different projects (starting capital), but with good luck using a pyramid system it will run itself (sustainable), leading to financial independence. Risk of losing the money by bad management, casualities. etc.

Staff: Trained workers are needed to teach and to supervise this kind of program, especially those who have the knowledge of proper calculation and bookkeeping.

IV) Measures to provide proper higher education

a) Helping the orphans selected by the government for secondary education but not being paid by the government. (150.000 –200.000 TZS per year)

b) Giving proper orientation and counselling concerning the right path of education (includes also working as trainee)

c) Providing scholarship for private secondary schools (500.000 TZS per year) or vocational training centres (100.000-400.000 TZS per year).

d) Providing postgraduate-help, like looking for jobs, providing the basic resources to start a business/workshop etc.

Summary:

Criteria of selection : the ability to be successful in a certain school or in a certain business.

Justice: As this type of help is going on for a long period of time (four years and longer) and it is very costly it is very unjust, because only a few are going to be selected. But for sake of the whole country we have to develop the qualified leaders of tomorrow

Costs: very expensive, high risks that a student will fail his/her goal of education

Staff requirements:: highly qualified staff, with good communication facilities and the ability for a good fund management.

V) Combination of these measures

Of course you can apply all these measures at the same time, but they are depending on each other. So we can talk of steps linked with each category of measures (I – IV).

a) Step 1: Getting data and information about your orphans and inform your society about the orphans.

Without proper information you can not act. So information is needed first before undertaking any action or planning. Also the society must be aware of this kind of information, because you will loose a lot of energy and resources if you are swimming against the tide.

b) Step 2: Take care of the basic needs and basic rights.

Before doing any other work with the orphans you have to take care of their basic needs and rights, e.g food, shelter, basic education, clothing, a secure place to stay, love and care. Without the fulfilment of these basic needs, it will be not possible to succeed in step 3 and 4.

c) Step 3: Mobilize the own abilities and resources of the orphans.

If you provide only help without addressing and mobilising the own responsibility and abilities of the receiver, the receiver will be spoilt for life and all help will be useless, especially providing a long and expensive education.

The type of higher education available is not preparing the young people to be successful in life, only knowledge is delivered.

d) Step 4: Invest for the future.

However for a nation to survive higher educated people are necessary. Therefore we have to look for talented orphans to provide a higher education for them.

B. Measures supporting the ministry to orphans

VI) Training of workers ( staff development)

For each measure we need trained and qualified workers (especially II-IV)

a) Training of lay-people in seminars

b) Training of professionals

c) Including orphans in this type of measures

d) Providing a path of education

VII) Development of a proper organisation

a) Development of local committees (including church leaders, local government officials, caretakers and orphans)

b) Networking with other NGOs, the government, other denominations.

c) Development of standards (like forms, regulations, procedures etc

d) Founding of regional service agencies (for everything what can not be done locally, like organizing scholarships, providing external funds, etc.) example is HUYAMWI or tpp-trust.