With your help STOW can give these AIDS orphans a future Registered Charity No. 1112424
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"We Love School"
What is STOW?
Supporting Tanzanian Orphans and Widows
(STOW) is a registered charity founded by a
group of people in Suffolk in 2005. Its aim is to
relieve the poverty and advance the education
of children who have been orphaned by AIDS in
Tanzania. STOW also seeks to raise awareness
of other cultures and has created links
between local and Tanzanian schools.
How did it start?
Marie Adams, the founder member of STOW,
went with VSO to Tanzania in 1998 where she
worked with a women’s group (AFRIWAG) who
were supporting AIDS orphans to go to school.
Returning to the UK in 2000, Marie continued
to help the group and founded STOW in 2005.
How big is the problem?
There are well over 2 million AIDS orphans in
Tanzania and the number is rising at a
frightening rate. Keeping orphans at school is
crucial for their future, as education provides
a safety net in a child's life and schooling also
helps break the cycle of poverty. Children are
empowered by regarding themselves as active
members of a community rather than just
victims.
How are the orphans helped?
STOW raises funds for AIDS orphans to
attend school. In Tanzania primary
education is free but pupils have to pay for
their own uniforms, books, equipment and
travel. Secondary and further education is
not free.
How are the widows helped?
STOW is providing small amounts of capital
(100,000 Tz.shillings, equivalent to about
£50) to help widows set up small home-based
businesses. This gives each widow a degree
of independence and improves the life
chances of her whole family.
How does STOW raise money?
STOW raises money through our members
and through events such as sponsored
walks, garden parties, barbecues and film
evenings. We make sure that the serious
job of fund-raising is also fun and a way of
making new friends.
How is the money spent?
STOW works with AFRIWAG (African Women AIDS
Working Group), a Tanzanian women’s group
based in and around the coastal town of Tanga.
AFRIWAG use the money sent by STOW to pay
school fees, buy uniforms and school materials
(books, pens, pencils, textbooks etc.) and to visit
orphans and carers at home and school. AFRIWAG
also manages the provision of loans to widows.
How is it monitored?
STOW is in frequent contact with AFRIWAG. A
formal agreement sets out how much STOW can
provide and what it is for and AFRIWAG send us
regular reports. A visit is made to Tanzania
every year to monitor progress.
What are some of STOW’s achievements
so far?
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