ELoH has supported two projects in Tanzania in the past, one in the Kagera region and one in Tanzania’s capital Dar es Salaam. Though having slowly improved over the last years, Tanzania still ranks very low on the Human Development Index and the situation for children with disabilities is particularly dire. Children with albinism represent a particular at risk population. In Tanzania, albinos represent one in approximately 1500 births, a much higher percentage than in any other nation globally. Due to the rare but dangerous belief that certain body parts of albinos can transmit magical powers, albino children have been persecuted, killed and maimed, with arms and legs often being cut off to be used in rituals.
Tanzania – Kagera region
From June 2011 to November 2014 ELoH has been working with Friends of the Children of Tanzania at the Kagondo Hospital in the Kagera region of Tanzania. It was the aim of the project to support 50 individual beneficiaries and to support the establishment of a Jaipur Limb Clinic, mobile clinics to reach some of the most rural areas, and a community-based rehabilitation programme for children who have lost limbs.
Tanzania – Dar es Salaam
From December 2011 to October 2012 ELoH worked with Matumaini School for the Physically Disabled. Matumaini is a Boarding school for 198 children with physically disabilities. The school is the largest for physically handicapped children in the country and is attend by children from all districts in the country. It was the aim of the project to directly sponsor 16 child amputees, aged between 8 and 15, who attended Matumaini School.