By Armin Erkens | President of Tareto Maa Germany
Never before Tareto Maa had so many visitors as in the previous days! The University of Nevada in Reno (UNR) is supporting us, and a Professor of UNR’s Public Health Course and 12 of his students visited Tareto Maa after Christmas. They brought presents for the children (first and foremost: shoes for school), celebrated New Year’s Eve together with the girls, and provided health services and education to Tareto Maa. The president of Tareto Maa USA, Jackie Adams, was granted a fellowship by UNR to help lead the students on this course to Kenya. Tareto Maa is very grateful for this cooperation with the UNR and looks forward to working together for the well-being of the girls in the Tareto Maa Refuge. (We will publish photos and testimonials of the visitors as soon as we received them.)
In the last three months there were some more good news to be celebrated.
Dining Hall completed – Tareto Maa’s first motorized member – A launch party in Cleveland
The Dining Hall stands complete now. Despite delays due to heavy rainfall from September to November, the floors of the dining hall are now finished. The dining hall is a great improvement for the refuge’s infrastructure. Many thanks to the Kenyan team for overseeing this construction!
Furthermore we welcomed the first motorized member of the Tareto Maa community: a motorcycle. A supporter from Germany (who also provided us with bicycles last year) fundraised for this together with family and friends in Berlin. The new motorcycle allows us to transport supplies and, when needed, make sure our girls have quick access to healthcare facilities.
Last not least, Tareto Maa USA celebrated its tax exemption status by throwing a Launch Party at Dante’s Next Door in Cleveland, Ohio. The party included a fundraiser to support the children of Tareto Maa.
A successful Christmas campaign to support the newest members of the Tareto Maa Center
In the course of 2014, an additional 22 girls took refuge at Tareto Maa. Most of the newest members of our community are orphans who were severely malnourished and had dropped out of school. To meet the challenge of financing the education of our newest members, we asked our supporters for help. In our December campaign, we raised 6,000 Euro / $7,500 to fund the education of our girls. Once again, the Tareto Maa community has risen to meet the challenges of running a refuge!
A nice view – Welcome to the neighborhood of Tareto Maa
Very often people assume that nearly all land in East Africa is aridly and dry. But the area in which Tareto Maa is located is very green! To show how Tareto Maa’s environment looks like we published a video which was taken after a walk with the girls to the top of nearby Mount Pirrar: www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1sSUzNsa5M&feature=youtu.be
Isn’t it a beautiful rural countryside? :-)
We wish a happy New Year to everyone!
Thank you for your support in 2014.
We would be very happy if you accompany us also on our path in 2015.
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