Hello! How is the first month of 2015 almost over?! I can’t let January pass me by without posting our Annual Blog Review! (You can read 2013’s review here and 2012’s here.) 2014 was another full year for TFFT. Now, as we begin a new year, pausing to reflect on all that the previous year held is an important place to start. Today and tomorrow our team is hosting our Annual Program Review for all our stakeholders (anyone involved with our work) in Tanzania. More on that soon, but the timing is right to look back at 2014 through the blog!
In our office, we have been thinking a lot about living intentionally. It is easy to be pulled into a pattern of being busy. However, it’s important to remember that the mere act of busying yourself is not fulfilling. What is it that you are working so hard to achieve?
The Foundation For Tomorrow envisions a world where orphans and vulnerable children contribute to society as active and empowered citizens free of exclusion, disadvantage, and vulnerability.
- This is our shared vision.
- This is what motivates our donors to support our work.
- This is what pushes our RIDETZ riders to pedal 400 miles to the Indian Ocean.
- This is what fuels our programs to progress towards our strategic objectives.
- This is what drives our scholars to work hard to be the very best they can be, as TFFT Scholar Happiness Japhet declared, “The support that I am getting from The Foundation For Tomorrow has led me to set up my own goals and realize the purpose of this opportunity.”
2014 was Kennedy’s first full year as TFFT’s Country Director, and he started the year with some reflections on TFFT’s priorities moving forward. He followed up with additional reflections in the fall.
In an effort to ensure that our support reaches the most vulnerable children, we introduced our Community Identification Process for scholar selection. This led us to welcome 10 new scholars to the TFFT Family!
In February, 9 young women stepped up as Team Leaders in the SHARE the LOVE Challenge and raised awareness and funds for TFFT! Many more of you showered our scholars with love through homemade valentines.
YOU showed us that you believe in TFFT’s work by supporting the Annual Fund Campaign! During this campaign, I had an ice-cream meeting with TFFT’s youngest member of the Impact Circle, 5th grade Kieran Caniglia.
Your support helped us broaden our scholars’ worldviews with an exciting Guest Speaker Series, through community service, and on a field trip to tour the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. You can read about this experience from the scholars’ perspectives here. We also led a 6-day workshop on leadership, communication, confidence, goal setting, community service, and project planning, in collaboration with RENEW.
Our scholars had the opportunity to be reporters for a day.
In an effort to empower our scholars’ families and guardians, we hosted our first ever Entrepreneurship Training.
In an on-going effort to equip educators with valuable resources, our Teacher Training Program published the first two volumes of Tufundishane, a collection of essays written for teachers, by teachers. Melissa also urged teachers to open their minds to alternative (and more effective) forms of assessment. YOU helped Melissa share books of hope through Literacy Resource Centers.
Meghann represented TFFT at the US-Africa Leaders Summit, thanks to an invitation from Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, the Tanzanian Ambassador to The United States. Meghann was also the only American Global Shaper invited to attend The World Economic Forum’s regional summit SHAPE AFRICA in Nigeria. Upon her return, Meghann shared her lessons learned. Meghann also spent time in Tanzania and was always ready to share her insightful thoughts (more here!).
It was a RIDETZ year, which means that an amazing group of riders came together and rallied for TFFT’s work during the adventure of a lifetime. We are still AMAZED by the generosity of our riders and their families and friends. Together the riders raised $105,000! Most importantly, they opened their hearts in indescribably ways and left as ambassadors for TFFT. (Meet the amazing Pam, Katie, Rachel, Patty and Stu, Lisa, Charlotte, Sutton, Nate, Keyla, Kautia, and Aileen)
Our donors continued to amaze us as they hosted special gatherings to share TFFT’s work with their dear friends and family.
Some impressive interns strengthened our team: Maggie returned, Elizabeth joined us in Charlotte, and Anna traveled to Tanzania.
The brilliant Tyler Wolford and Nate Kaiser artfully captured TFFT’s work through video and photography before leading RIDETZ.
Anton joined our team as Partnership Development Manager.
Full Circle launched an exciting pilot project that has the potential to impact all government schools in Tanzania.
In September, we celebrated the graduation many of our scholars, some from primary to secondary (middle to high school) and some from O-Levels (the first part of high school). Graduation is always a powerful symbol of all that we are accomplishing together.
In November we celebrated the individuals who’s generosity makes our work possible. It is both powerful and very special to gather so many people who believe in TFFT’s work together under one roof.
In December we hosted the first-ever Family Day for TFFT scholars and their families and guardians.
And then we focused up to plan for the New Year!
Thank you for choosing the stand behind TFFT! Together we are moving mountains!