Since my last visit at the Dogodogo centre before the pandemic, many things have changed. For the time beeing there are 86 children (against only 34 street children earlier) divided in two groups: 32 street children staying for 2-3 years in order to learn a profession and to come back to normal life. During the covid period the State of Tanzania placed 22 joung children at the centre to protect them for different reasons. These young children go to school outside the centre.
Some other 32 children have been placed at the centre for protection reasons. 10 of the youngest ones go to Kindergarten, the others to primary or secondary school. For these children the school fees for the outside schools have to be paid. The director of the center has started a project to renovate existing class rooms to start with the Daniel Brottier school centre.
The second existing dormitory has been renovated for the younger boys. A sanitary block with showers and toilets has been built close by the dormitories.
Now the dormitory for the girls has to be renovated, also a sanitary block has to be built close to the dormitory. A big room will be built to join the two girls dormitories to give the possibility for the girls to take meals in the evening near the dormitory and to study in the afternoon, read books and watch TV.
The classes of sewing and carpenting have now their own showrooms. Some items are sold to occasional visitors.
The vegetable garden is producing enough to feed the children. And there are enough cows, porcs, goats, chicken, ducks and turkeys to produce the meat, milk, and eggs for the proteins and calcium the children need. They even manage to sell some products for the neighbours and this money will be used to buy corn flour, sunflower oil, sugar and salt.
The walls of the buildings have been repainted and the mosquito nets have been replaced, some flowers have been planted; the campus looks well taken care of.
There is a very nice atmosphere in the centre , the older children help the younger ones. It is difficult to imagine that these children have very tough pasts. Dar es Salaam signifies ‘haven of peace’ – a very nice place for these children
