2012 was a year of great change, growth, and many, many blessings. Too often the busyness of the day-to-day blinds us to the magic that is really happening before our eyes. I imagine it is somewhat similar to parenting small children. You get so caught up in bedtimes, and three meals a day, and school drop-offs and pick-ups, and cleaning sticky fingers, and brushing little teeth, and must-accomplish-this, and shoot-we-should-be-doing-that, and, and, and … that you are distracted from the REAL work you are accomplishing on a daily basis: nurturing and creating incredibly special individuals.
TFFT’s work feels something like this. As a very lean organization, we all wear many hats, and our schedules tend to burst at the seams. We move on from one event to the next with very little time to reflect and acknowledge the previous accomplishment. For example, in the first three weeks of June alone, our laundry list of things to do included: launch a new website, host RIDETZ and ride 400 miles in Tanzania, check in with TFFT Partners and Programs, and wrap up the Annual Fund. And that was just me and Meghann–it doesn’t even include the operations of the Tanzania Office!
This schedule challenges us and keeps us on our toes, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. We wake up each day knowing that our mission is to secure quality education and emotional support for the sweet children we serve so that they may reach their full potential and ultimately thrive in their communities. Our team on the ground lives out this mission each and every day. In the U.S. Meghann and I are slightly more removed from the actual program work, but this work and this mission is still what drives every meeting we schedule, email we write, and event we plan.
Closing the calendar on one year and opening the next often inspires reflection, and taking the time to process and reflect is so very important. The past 366 days (we used every second of our Leap Day!) have looked something like this:
Here were some of the highlights:
We announced that Deb Schwedhelm would photograph RIDETZ
Our kiddos went back to school for 1st term, 2nd term, and 3rd term
We heard from TFFT scholar Nancy, who told us about her winter break
Melissa kicked off our Teacher Training Program at Star High and had a shower of trainings in April, November, and December
We considered how seemingly ordinary moments are actually EXTRAORDINARY
Meghann made three trips to Tanzania
TFFT scholar Vaileth shared her experience interning with TFFT
We worked through a number of strategic planning sessions which involved all of our stakeholders
We defined what “orphaned and vulnerable” means to TFFT
We reevaluated and solidified our Vision
We devised a comprehensive implementation plan–and got busy following it!
As part of our Strategic Plan, Hedwiga took the lead building out our new NGO network with monthly meetings
TFFT Scholar Irene experienced her first flight!
Daniel ensured that all the TFFT Scholars had access to additional academic tutoring
We examined what it means to be a “Hope Holder”
We met RIDETZ riders Gretchen and Michael, Eugene, Barry, Marc, Kaitlin, Ben, Denise, & Miller
We hired the incredible Chloe Crocker and the phenomenal Erasto Kyando
We announced TFFT Scholar Simon as our RIDETZ student rider
We rode 400 miles from Mt. Kilimanjaro to the Indian Ocean: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
You helped us lead a very successful Annual Fund
Macon joined us as our summer intern
We explained the Tanzanian school system
Megan Storms & Safari Disco Club Sweet 16 birthday party raised over $4,000 for TFFT!
Our students saw things in a new way with Literacy Through Photography
Project Grace joined us in Tanzania
Seven of our TFFT Scholars graduated in Myers Park High School Caps and Gowns
Chloe organized a movie night for our kiddos
We started to recognize some of TFFT’s heroes (a series we will continue this spring)
400 of you came out to celebrate TFFT at our SOS Gala and NYC Cocktail Benefit events
We said goodbye to Fratern and welcomed Marco as our new Managing Director
The Spencer Family raised over $10,000 with their annual candy sale in support of TFFT
We held ourselves and our partners accountable
… and through it all our kiddos just kept shining and shining
WOWZA. 2012 was our first year of consistently focusing on blog content. We made the commitment initially because we value the blog’s ability to bridge the distance between TFFT’s work in Tanzania and our readers, supporters, and cheerleaders all over the globe. In the end it also became a meaningful way for us to chronicle our year. We look forward to all that 2013 has in store for TFFT and are eager to share everything with you. As always THANK YOU for your support and
xo, TFFT