Membe`s wife raises money for orphans
The wife of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dorcas Membe over the weekend helped to raise more than three million shillings for the orphans’ website.
The website called Voice of Orphans Tanzania will give the orphans voices against malpractices meted on them by the very people entrusted to protect them.
Speaking during the launch of the website in Dar es Salaam she said: “The orphan of today is the child of a friend you lost yesterday and the future orphan is your child. I know what it is like to watch somebody you love, who is orphan, deteriorate and have to struggle with life."
She said although government’s concerted efforts are in place today, the fundamental rights of orphans are still being violated by care takers at orphanages.
Membe said it is disheartening to learn that donations meant for orphans don’t reach beneficiaries.
"When you start doing things like that, that is simply dishonest — especially when this is done by members of the deceased family,” she said.
“The challenges ahead are ominous, but we will collect, provide and further protect them at all costs” she added.
She said she would bank on her diplomatic experience to raise awareness to the community that orphans too deserve a decent life like any other children.
Speaking during the occasion, VOT Managing Director Maria Msaada said the launch of her organization website will provide an opportunity for well wishers to interact and give necessary information online.
Msaada, herself brought up in an orphanage, said orphans are vulnerable to human trafficking for sexual purposes because they lack someone to defend them.