When, Through No Fault of Their Own, a child is born with little or no hope for the future……. Malaika’s story.

onelovetanzania
Jul 6, 2024
3 min read

Updated: 13 minutes ago

When Malaika arrived at the Amani for Africa Children’s Centre in Arusha, she had already experienced more hardship than any child should in a lifetime, from any background.

Born in a harsh, desolate area of Tanzania, remote even today, Malaika and her twin sister Zuri found themselves in a tribal family isolated not only geographically, but socially and economically. Born to a family existence so meagre, so fragile the survival of a child, “God’s Gift” so uncertain, so unpromised, and with little or no hope for the future.

The girl’s father, driven in desperation by his failure to provide for his family, was addicted to a life of local substance use and drinking - the tribal people adept to creating relaxants and intoxicants from many local herbal medicinal sources.

At age 2, Malaika and Zuri were fostered to their grandmother’s hut…….a common practice when families have more mouths to feed than food.

When Tanzanian Child Welfare Authorities encountered the two girls, images captured to support their claim to remove the girls from the family and place them in care, reveal the grandmother unable to walk, we suspect leprosy, being attended to by the tiny girls, too young even to care for themselves. They arrived at the centre malnourished, unclean and with absolutely no worldly possession. And most significantly, no concept of family life, nor the security and trust a family environment nurtures.

Education is important at Amani Children’s Centre where all children attend kindergarten school and then advance on to government primary school. Even in overcrowded, poorly resourced classrooms with little support, Malaika starred. She deserved better and had the potential to benefit from a more caring system focused on personal development, skill-based learning and self-motivated goals.

A huge decision for me, the centre and Malaika, to enrol her into a non-government school where all classes were taught in English, saw Malaika break with tradition and attend a school usually reserved for wealthier local children, certainly not a marginalised child growing up in an orphanage! For me, the long-term commitment to fund this life-changing education journey.

Although shy and lacking self-belief, Malaika quickly adapted to this new challenge……made even more difficult by having to repeat two years to “catch up” after coming from the dysfunctional government system. By graduation from Primary School, Malaika was a young teenager, two years older than her peers, but knowledgeable, and with a command of English better than so many, of which it is their first language.

It was not until Malaika became a boarding student at Edmund Rice Sinon Secondary School in Arusha that the beauty of her personality and smile shone through - testimony to her ability to overcome adversity and flourish in an environment where children are respected and given the rights they deserve.

Today I am filled with pride as Malaika commences yet another astonishing chapter in her education journey. Accepted into a fine Advanced Secondary School, St Mary Goreti Secondary School Moshi after being failed by the government’s ability to recognise her potential and place her at a proven secondary school to complete her years 11 and 12.

Unable to be with her today as she steps into this new arena…..I can see she is anxious, a lonely figure far away from her village beginnings. Far away from the life which gave her no hope, no future and certainly no recognition of her ability or potential, but in the knowledge she is believed in, has her orphanage family of siblings and house mamas, and knowing education is her key to the future.

So proud to have sponsored this girl, mentored her, helped her achieve her basic right, a good education, and brought hope where there was otherwise none.

#nochildaskstobeborn.

Footnote

When parents lose their children through life’s struggle to survive, and knowingly give up the right to share precious moments we easily take for granted, the pain carried in those parents hearts is a grief beyond understanding. A guilt beyond endurance.

On Malaika’s graduation day from Edmund Rice, her biological parents, aunts and two sisters travelled 8 hours to share the day with us. To share a precious moment thought to be forever lost through circumstance and never to be celebrated.

The proudest moment and greatest joy, to give back something seemingly lost forever.