Explaining my Absence - Jon Venus

Learn more about our work at: https://www.sharetanzania.com/invisiblechildren The gift of parenthood can enrich our human experience like nothing else, and in harsh circumstances it will test a person to their limits and often break them. In Tanzania, having a child could be what puts a family into more economic and emotional strain than they can handle Sadly, this often leads to the parents splitting up, leaving single mothers to care for children alone. Many do not have other family members to help care for the child and bring in the money required, so the desperate last resort of abandoning the child is common. Often children do have family to care for them, but due to the strains of poverty, they are occupied with work and raising other children, the child is often not on the top of the priority list. Many are therefore neglected, often spending their days sitting in isolation, simply performing different body movements and vocal sounds. If nobody is available to look after them, they are often tied up for their own protection so the family members can leave the house to go to work and make money to survive. Their human interaction is minimal, often only having brief moments of human contact while Being fed, changing clothes, or being washing by a family member. Due to the lack of brain stimulating activities and new experiences , very Little learning, and development is ever seen. These children are alive, but barely living a life… until some intervention takes place. FeathersTale has been that much needed intervention for many special needs children in rural Tanzania. FeathersTale has given a permanent home for many children, their daily routine here allows the to start thriving for the first time rather than merely surviving. This newfound hope is a miracle only made possible by the kind hearted humans who are sharing through partnering with us and the children. Children wake up at 6:30 and are given a wash by our caregivers and then are dressed and they gather together for a morning prayer. They are given breakfast at 8:30 in a communal area where they are also socializing with other special needs children, caregivers and family members if present. from 10 til noon , the children are in therapy, where they receive individual physical and cognitive exercises based on their individual needs and their progress is assessed. They are checked up by our medical personnel, physiotherapists and given the proper treatment to ensure good progress. The children then get some rest at 2. Some children will nap, some dance, some prefer playing with each-other while others perform different activities on electronic devices. At 6:30 it is dinner time, some of the children are often involved in the food making process, when the food is ready, they will group together and get a nutrient dense meal, ensuring that their bodies and brains are fuelled to keep learning and growing. In the evening, the special needs children who are able, attend the evening study with our on-site teachers who cater to the children’s cognitive capabilities. At around 7:30 the caregivers get the children ready for bed and assist them in every way they need so they can fall asleep peacefully in their beds. The village is guarded by brave mass warriors at all times due to the threat special needs and albino children face by different tribal beliefs and witch doctors. The children’s days are filled with smiles and intimacy by our caretakers, who are often mothers to special needs children themselves, they have enormous hearts and the patience required for this important work. There is a stark contrast between life before and after children come to FeathersTale. Countless children have learned to speak and walk because of this intervention. Our dream is to be able to eliminate the suffering of all special needs children, they are often forgotten about and invisible to most. We are currently working hard to open a new village for special needs children with the help of our donors to bring in the many, many children living in crisis who are on our waiting list. If you are interested in learning more about our partnership program and how you can be part of this important mission, please visit www.sharetanzania.com/invisiblechildren