In Tanzania, CanaDares works in a formal joint-venture partnership with a Tanzanian-registered NGO, the Vijaliwa Vingi Society (VVS).

CanaDares holds the responsibility of raising funds and technically supporting the project, while VVS runs the day-to-day operations.

There are five programs included in the project:

 

1. The Residential Program, since 2004, has fully supported children who come from dangerous circumstance. Children range in age from five to eighteen years, and are brought into the project through the Ministry of Social Welfare. Preference is given to girls and sibling groups, and on average, there are twenty children in our “Family”. All of the children go to school, and all participants (including staff) live under house rules with a focus on creating positive role models for the younger ones.

2. The Education Program foresees the creation of a full pre-primary and primary school by 2024. Our pre-primary program began on-site in early 2017 with a terrific community response. The participants (pupils, parents and teaching staff) have clearly shown how a “new” teaching method, which has a focus on literacy, has been accepted with enthusiasm. First grade of the primary school, Class 1, began in January 2018. The school will be “grown” at a rate of one grade level per year, and will eventually include four pre-primary and six primary classes. A secondary school is expected to follow.

3. The Medical Program will provide services and programming to beneficiaries and the general public. The First Aid Office currently services the Residential and Education programs, with a full-time nurse, and a part-time medical officer. It is anticipated that a dispensary class facility to support the surrounding community may be initiated.

4. The Outreach Program will support, assist and educate registered beneficiary families living with orphaned and/or disadvantaged children. Initiated in early 2006, this program seeks to support families through various workshop and seminar programs, developed and run through needs assessment and local input.

5. The Graduates Program supports participants of the Residential Program after they have completed their education or after they have reached the age of majority. Applicants to the program must “graduate” in good standing to qualify as either students wishing to complete further education, or as volunteers or paid staff.

 

In short, CanaDares and Vijaliwa Vingi are jointly a not-for-profit social enterprise, engaged in community development at the grassroots level