TSO wants to make orphans self-reliant

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanite Support Organisation (TSO) Bahati Chando has been supporting young orphans to become self-reliant in key aspects of their lives.
TSO is a non-governmental organisation that deals with training young orphans from their orphanage centres to empower them to become self-reliant once they turn 18 or immediately thereafter.
The goal of the project is to empower young adults (aged between 15 and 20) with reliable life skills that can transform their lives to become independent adults who can take up self-employment or work in some organisations/companies.
“TSO is working with different sponsors and partners such as Johari Rotana Hotel, Mind Garden Psychological Firm, Manka Cakes, Wazoefu, Spik n Span and MS General Solution but due to the high number of orphans we need more cooperation from other organisations as well,” said Ms Chando.
TSO board member Martin Black expressed his passion for supporting the orphans by building their capacities and empowering them to survive on their own; developing life skills on how to survive, how to get a job and how to keep a job as well as in budgeting and strengthening their mental health.
He said the figures at his disposal show that Tanzania was home to about 1.3 million orphans.
“We have a lot of opportunity to help, I hope to celebrate one year and talk about success stories and expansion,” said Mr Black.

A senior business advisor from Small Industries Development Organisation (Sido), Mr Jonathan John, offered the opportunity for the orphans to be trained at various industries all over the country while on the other hand, a representative from Johari Rotana Hotel, Ms Brigithe Alped, said her hotel would equip the orphans with what it takes to make both ends meet in the hospitality industry.
A representative from social welfare from Kinondoni municipal, Ms Neema Mwalubilo, appreciated the initiative.
“Social welfare works on ensuring safety of children and after the age of 18 they are supposed to be independent but the problem is they fail to stand on their own feet. This organisation will help them to stand on their own” said Mwalubilo.
Juma Jumanne is an orphan who is taking training provided by TSO and on his first week he received mental health education.
“I’m grateful to TSO because it has encouraged me that I can do better and fight for my own life. This opportunity will help me but also I will deliver my hard work to help others as well,” said Jumanne.
MS General Solution director Bettershiri Moses expressed his testimonial on how such organisation helped him from an orphan child to a director of a company that also helps training these orphans.

Addition: Reported by Asha Rashid