The organisation is showcasing African crafts while appealing to the local community for support in securing a permanent location for a charity shop.
Tumaini Fund chairwoman Susan Wilson said that the charity learned of the kiosk opportunity through a local advert.
‘We’re so grateful to the States for allowing us this opportunity,’ she said, explaining that the initial focus at the kiosk would be selling handmade crafts.
These items, including baskets, are created by widows and grandparents in the Kagera region of north-west Tanzania, providing them with an income.
‘Anyone who buys them will get a completely unique gift because no two are ever the same,’ said Dr Wilson.
The Tumaini Fund, whose name means ‘hope’ in Swahili, currently supports 200,000 orphans in Tanzania. These children are not housed in orphanages but remain within their own villages, looked after by extended families and overseen by 400 ‘parish workers’ who visit them twice a week.
The funds raised from the kiosk sales will directly contribute to paying these essential community workers.
While the kiosk offers a temporary platform, Dr Wilson’s urgent message is the charity’s need for a permanent charity shop in Guernsey.
‘We need a shop. There are empty shops, and it would be wonderful if one could become available to us,’ she said.
A low rent or temporary free space would be transformative, she said, allowing Tumaini to utilise existing donations of clothing and other thrift items.
Beyond the need for a shop, The Tumaini Fund also relies on community support through various volunteer roles.
The charity is actively seeking new committee members, kiosk volunteers for their June-August residency, and individuals to assist with its collection box programme. Volunteers are also needed for knitting and sewing hygiene kits for girls, ensuring they can attend school during their periods, and knitting jumpers and blankets for children in cold mountain regions.
A new initiative Dr Wilson is launching during her upcoming trip to Tanzania involves sponsoring parish workers for £20 a month. This pays the parish workers their monthly wages and ensures that they are being paid regularly and on time.
The long-term vision for The Tumaini Fund is to become self-sustaining, with five of their six leaders in Tanzania being orphans they have educated to degree level. It is actively creating sustainable income-generating programs within Tanzania, aiming for a future where external aid is no longer needed.
For now the need for Guernsey’s generosity remains paramount.
‘If anybody in Guernsey wants to help, they’ve got a home in Tumaini. There’s always something that they can do.’
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