This project will help: 14 children and their families
Estimated Completion date: July 2025
Country: Tanzania
Executive summary
Children need safe and comfortable homes to learn and grow. Without access to safe shelter, children may struggle with their self-esteem; have difficulty completing their schoolwork; and suffer from repeat respiratory, skin and stomach illnesses. Sadly, about 80 per cent of Compassion-assisted beneficiaries in the Nyumba ya Mungu region of Tanzania live in inadequate housing. Most families currently live in one-room houses made from mud and grass.
These homes are high risk of severe damage or collapse during storms and severe weather events. Cramped and overcrowded living quarters have also placed children in a vulnerable position, leaving them prone to abuse. Compassion centre staff have noted higher rates of conflict within families, deteriorating mental health, risky behaviour and poor educational performance among students living in poor housing conditions. Centre staff have also noted high rates of respiratory illnesses among beneficiary children due to poor ventilation and damp homes. In some cases, livestock such as goats and chickens are sheltered in the home, which creates unsanitary conditions for growing children.
In the last three years alone, 25 Compassion-assisted families in Nyumba ya Mungu experienced crisis when their homes were destroyed due to storms. Compassion’s frontline church partners at the Ngorika Church in Ngorika, Nyumba ya Mungu, encouraged families to work together to complete their homes. As of now, 14 of these families have already started the construction of their new homes with the help of other families and program staff. Families were able to make bricks for their homes and start the process but are in urgent need of additional support to finish the construction using high-quality, durable materials and skilled labour.
With your generous support, 14 children and their families in dire need of safe shelter will soon have their new homes built. Each home will have enough rooms to ensure children and adults have separate sleeping spaces. The homes will also be built with high-quality, durable materials that can withstand high winds and rain, protecting families from leaks, roof damage and risk of collapse. The gift of new houses will bring security and stability to the lives of these children and their families.
Background
In the Ngorika Village where the TZ0842 Compassion centre is located, approximately 80 per cent of the population are indigenous Maasai and other tribes. Families here often practise a traditional way of life that has been passed down for generations. Most caregivers practise animal husbandry as their main source of income. In many households, only the women work to earn a living and building shelters is also a woman’s responsibility. Without two incomes and limited job opportunities, caregivers often struggle to meet the basic needs of their children. Many caregivers earn the equivalent of just US$25 to US$30 per month—not nearly enough to provide adequate food, clean water, medical care and education for multiple children. Sadly, many families can only afford one meal per day.
To address these challenges in their community, Compassion centre staff started a house-building campaign, where they encouraged caregivers to work together to build strong and durable homes using local resources and labour. Safe shelter can help families be better prepared for disaster, improve food storage and provide a space to practise more income-generating activities. The building group included 20 caregivers in highly vulnerable situations. In total, six homes have been completed. Construction on 14 homes was started, but so far, caregivers have been unable to complete the process on these homes.
The need
Many children growing up in the Ngorika Village of Tanzania lack access to safe, adequate shelter. Growing boys and girls often have no choice but to live in cramped houses with many family members and sometimes even livestock—in many cases, the homes have only one or two rooms to share amongst multiple siblings, parents and extended family members. These dilapidated shelters made from mud and grass are prone to flooding and many families opt to sleep outside during the rainy season to avoid their houses caving in on them. Without safe shelter, children will continue to get sick, experience high levels of family conflict, struggle to complete their schoolwork and suffer from low self-esteem.
Your generous gift will allow 14 families to complete construction on their new homes. The new homes will include multiple bedrooms, ensuring children will have a safe and quiet space to sleep, play and study. Each home will be constructed with high-quality, durable materials and will be designed to withstand severe weather that is common in the region. With your support, children will soon have a safe and comfortable home, providing them with a stable environment where they can thrive and focus on their education and personal growth. Your support will not only help build houses for these families but also bring hope for the future.
What your gift will do
Your gift will help 14 children and their families complete the construction of their new homes, including:
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Construction materials:
- Corrugated iron sheets, timber, stone and cement
- Nails, wire and skimming powder
- Stone for foundation
- Paint, paint rollers and paint brushes
- Sand and aggregates for wall and floor plastering
- Windows and doors
- Transportation
- Water
- Monitoring
Logistics
- Local contribution: US$1,931.19
- Handling of funds: Compassion El Salvador will ensure this project stays within budget.
- Monitoring and follow-up: Compassion Tanzania will ensure this project stays within budget. Monitoring and follow-up: Compassion centre staff will work to mobilize local resources, validate participant land ownership and supervise the implementation of the intervention. Staff look forward to seeing a reduced number of disaster incidences because of the sturdy homes.