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Tanzanians urged to care for Aids orphans, vulnerable children
2005-05-14 08:56:36
By Deogratius Kiduduye, PST, Mbeya
Tanzanians have been urged to create a sense of responsibility of caring for Aids orphans and other vulnerable children by providing necessities including education and food.
The challenge was thrown here yesterday by the chairman of the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy (TIA) Mbeya campus students' special committee,Geoffrey Kitundu, during the occasion to hand over various items and funds to Simike Orphanage Centre in Mbeya municipality.
The items included foodstuffs, building materials and exercise books all worth 590,000/- and 420,000/- cash were donated and collected during a special fundraising mass organized by the TIA community last February.
'People from different religious denominations came together during the service and donated over 1m/-, part of which went to purchase these items and the balance will be used for the centre's management including paying school fees for some of the children being taken care of by the orphanage.' he said.
Kitundu said apart from their tight academic schedule, they also devote a little time to engage in extra curricular activities including community work as they are part of the society with among others, an obligation to help the disadvantaged members of the society including orphans and other vulnerable children.
Receiving the items on behalf of the orphanage, the area chairman, Christopher Mwakajumba, thanked the TIA community for their good spirit that drove them an extra mile to help Aids orphans and other vulnerable children who’re struggling with life through no fault of their own.
'I can’t find right words to express our gratitude and appreciation towards your donations but we pray for you so that God may provide you with strength and the will to continue with this spirit,' he said.
A total of 236 Aids orphans and other vulnerable children are being taken care of by the orphanage, fifty of them living there.
The orphanage's caretaker, Anna Kasila, says her centre is facing an uphill task to provide education, shelter and food to these children.
The United Nation's Group Theme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) estimates that HIV/Aids killed approximately 3,000,000 people worldwide last year, while 5,000,000 were infected with HIV in the same period, bringing the global total of people living with HIV/ids to 39.4 million.
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the HIV/Aids hardest-hit region of the world, with 25 million people living with it and one of its most tragic consequences is the creation of a huge generation of orphans whom immediate relatives cannot support.
The National Aids Control Programme (NACP) estimates an orphan population of nearly three million in the country.
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