Our experiences in Lake Eyasi in February were more powerful than ever. We had 6 people go this year, including Jaima's mom and daughter. Below is a summary of all the projects this year we worked on or check in on. You will see the amazing impact your help has had on the lives of the people there. In '23 we plan to continue needing to sponsor students and hopefully build three more houses. We are still short about $9,000 in the budget we need to complete our commitments for '22. Hopefully we can raise that before the end of the year to finish off some of the projects below.

Here is a summary of the projects-

The building is well underway. The group spent some time helping the workers make and move concrete for the porch of the daycare center. The work will continue and we will post updates on Life Matters as it progresses.

The kitchen is a wonderful addition to the school. The cooking facilities are now inside, and the stoves we purchased last year make cooking for the students significantly easier. A large covered porch was built off the front of the kitchen, creating a common eating area for the girls. There are picnic tables to accommodate big groups, and we were able to share a welcome dinner with all the students and staff after the official dedication of the kitchen.

Two classrooms were built in 2020. One of the classrooms is being used for the sewing classes for the current students as planned. The other classroom is now a workspace for last year's graduates. Lightness has hired them to make uniforms for the Tumaini Schools and for other schools in the area. The girls have a steady job and are able to work on their business skills in addition to their sewing skills. The group had the opportunity to order handmade clothing and bags from the girls while we were there. It was an excellent chance for the girls to learn about handling customers and pricing their goods.

We now have a total of 5 students to sponsor for the school year. Elizabeth and Uda, a young mother who would be marrying an 86 yr-old man if not in school, are attending the vocational training center in Lake Eyasi. Paulo, Rehema, and Maria are siblings we are sponsoring at Tumaini Junior School in Karatu. Paulo (9) started in the fall, and Rehema (6) and Maria (2) started while the group was in Eyasi.

Teresia and her two daughters, Rehema and Maria, have been living at the girls vocational training center in a room next to the kitchen. Teresia's mental health has been good, but several weeks before the group arrived Teresia stopped taking her daily medication. She therefore experienced another mental break, and we were very concerned for the safety of her daughters. Teresia did agree to allow the girls to start school at Tumaini with their brother Paulo, so they were immediately taken to Karatu to begin. They are boarding so will be safe. Teresia is currently in a mental health institution so her medication can be monitored and she can receive the help she needs. The money we had budgeted for her medication and the care of her children will go to cover the cost of her hospitalization.

We continue to fund doctor and nurse visits to the village to provide the women with healthcare.

We purchased trees for each of the houses we have built in the village and for the girls' school. The group, along with the women and their children in the village, walked to all the houses and delivered 5 or 6 trees to each one. Each house received shade trees and fruit trees. While we did not have time to plant all of the trees, we did plant the trees at Lightness's house (the most recent one we built) and at Fatina's house.

Fatina is in good health, and we will support her again with $500 so she can have a balanced and nutritious diet for the year. Not all of her family members have been supportive of her, so her mother has moved into her house with her. We purchased a small bed, mattress, and sheets so her mother has a place to sleep.

Duka (shops)

All three shops have experienced a significant decrease in sales during Covid. The sewing shop struggled since schools were closed and the demand for uniforms was down. The store and the chai shop also suffered because there was not the traffic through the area. Hopefully as things open up their revenue will increase.

Lightness has moved into her new home. The group painted the inside and the outside, and we purchased a bed, mattress, and sheets for her. She has begun working on the yard around the house, creating a natural fence to keep livestock away from her newly planted trees.

The women in the micro loan program have been working hard to repay their loans. The goal was to have them repaid by now so the money can be loaned to others, but Covid caused a decrease in their profits so they have asked for an extension on the loans. The border between Tanzania and Kenya was closed during the pandemic, and since many of the crops are sold to Kenyans, they had difficulty selling their product. Things have improved with the reopening of the border, so they are expected to be able to repay the loans this year.