We have been assisting the Arusha childrens remand centre for some years and would like to assist them further with the following.

1.  BASIC EDUCATION:

The Government has provided them with text books, exercise books, pens and pencils last year. They still need the below mentioned because they are running out of stock and not sure when the Government will provide them again. A Government teacher comes in three evenings a week to give tuition. The teacher is only paid a very small allowance.     

   Exercise books @ 300Tshs x around 20 students   6,000Tshs

• Drawing exercise books @ 500Tshs x around 20 student             10,000Tshs      
• Chalks            @ 3,000 a box                           3,000Tshs  
• Ball pens (50pcs) @ 5,000Tshs a box                 5,000Tshs
• Pencils   (84pcs) @ 3,780 Tshs a box                 3,780Tshs
• Color pencils @ 2,500 Tshs a box                      5,000Tshs
• Teaching allowance @ 3,000 x 2  teaching sessions        6,000Tshs

TOTAL 38,780Tshs

Approx. £20.4

This would last about one school term (3 months).

2.  GARDENING:

The Remand Home has a big area some 4 acres for for growing food etc. They also have enough water for irrigation. The following are the tools needed:

   2 hoes + 2 wooden handles @ 4,100Tshs x 2      8,200Tshs

• 2 rakes             @ 6,300Tshs x 2                      12,600Tshs                  
• 1 Spade                                                              2,300Tshs
• 1 Wheel barrow                                                 40,000Tshs      
• Watering can                                                      4,000Tshs
• Hose pipe 30mtrs                                              52,000Tshs
• Hose pipe 25mtrs                                              25,000Tshs
• Insecticides spray 15ltrs                                     30,000Tshs
• Hand sprayer 1ltr                                                4,000Tshs

      TOTAL         178,100Tshs Approx. £94

 Vegetable seeds per tin:-

- Onion 100g      @            3,300Tshs           Approx. £1.70  

- Cabbage 25g    @            500Tshs              Approx. £0.26

- Beetroot 100g  @            3,000Tshs           Approx. £1.67

- Broccoli 50g      @            3,700Tshs           Approx. £1.95

- Chinese cabbage 25g @    1,000Tshs           Approx. £0.50

- Asparagus 50g   @            5,000Tshs           Approx. £2.60

- Carrots 100g      @            3,000Tshs          Approx. £1.67

- Cucumber 100g  @            3,900Tshs           Approx. £2.05

- Red cabbage 100g  @        4,800Tshs           Approx. £2.50

- Watermelon 25g  @              800Tshs          Approx. £0.40

- Spinach 50g       @            1,200Tshs            Approx. £0.60

- Leeks 25g          @            2,500Tshs            Approx. £1.30

- Egg plant 25g     @          2,500Tshs            Approx. £1.30

- Green pepper 100g  @      6,700Tshs            Approx. £3.50

- Mnafu leaves 25g     @         600Tshs            Approx. £0.30

- Parsley 25g            @            1,000Tshs        Approx. £0.50

- Cauliflower 25g     @          2,200Tshs       Approx. £1.25     

3.  FARM WORK:

Mr. Swai (the warden), Joyce (the nurse), Ester (Swai’s assistant) and most of the children on remand are from farming families so they will know how to take care of a cow and a goat. They will need a veterinary doctor and there will be an initial cost and ongoing veterinary bills.

The following is the estimation of a cow and a goat shed suitable for one animal only:

   Cow’s shed            =            200,000Tshs            Approx. £105.26

   Goat’s shed            =            120,000Tshs            Approx. £63.20

4.  REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION:

This is an ongoing activity. Asha Mohamed – the new Social Welfare Officer visits the Remand Home twice a week and whenever there are newcomers. Recently, Mr. Swai attended the HIV/AIDS workshop so he is also educating them on that.

The Social Welfare Officer said if they get more volunteers on health reproductive education it will be helpful to her, because sometimes she is kept very busy in the office.

5.  SICK ROOM:

Asha proposed the sick room to be in the girl’s room, they will need to make a partition and purchase a washing basin.

• Small washing basin - 50,000Tshs (£26.30) for the basin only. Further costs include pipes and plumbing
• Steel curtain rail - 10,000Tshs (£5.26) and Curtain material - 3mtrs for 10,500Tshs.

( £5.50) Further costs include fitting.

6.  TRANSPORT FACILITY:

Asha has agreed to selected volunteers to assist with transport. The Remand Home need transport when somebody is ill and need to be taken to the hospital and when they need to go to the court. At present they walk or miss appointments and court hearings.

7.  PERAMETER FENCE:

A quotation of a fence or wall to go around all of the Remand Home area – grounds and buildings was obtained some time ago estimated at £800.This will now need  updating.

8.  SPORTS AND GAMES:

This will be indoor games only because they don’t have enough space for a football pitch or basket ball etc.

9.  SPIRITUAL WELFARE:

This is ongoing activity every Sunday.

CONCLUSION:

The childrens Remand Home has been assisted on short term basis. The boys and girls are not on permanent stay and the number fluctuates. Gardening of different varieties of green vegetables could help them improve diet and could be a good way of passing their time, but they may not stay long enough to see the fruits of their labor. The area also has a permanent source of water for irrigation. To assist them on the vegetable farming and gardening, we should perhaps meet the costs of wire fencing not a concrete one. The latter is expensive and also denies the children the freedom to see the outside world or access to fresh air. We should not seem to be the only aid provider to the Remand Home, the sole responsibilities of improving the living conditions rests on the government. If the centre was meant to be purely a rehabilitation centre, our assistance could take a different approach. We should not in any way make the centre a haven, boys will want to commit crimes or run away from home to the streets so that are taken back to the centre.