We Met Our Dollar-For-Dollar Match Donors

“Our impression has always been that the children are very keen to learn and put in many hours of hard work to succeed.  They know that this is a way to break the poverty cycle” - David & Lois Tharratt

Three hours there, two hour lunch, three hours back - all a days work to meet two people who have made a world of difference for Crossbar and Tumaini.

Meet David and Lois Tharratt. An amazing couple from Australia who committed to matching us dollar for dollar until the Tumaini School build is finished. Like us, they’ve visited Tumaini and since been changed forever. To have met another pair of human beings who’ve experienced the magic of that beloved orphanage and community has left us with a sense of calmness, safeness and relatability - a few feelings we were sure we might never find throughout this experience.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again; Tumaini changes you. So in the most kind and selfless manor, after visiting they founded Tumaini Miles of Smiles Australia - an organization aimed at — wait, what am I doing. We thought it would be way cooler to ask David and Lois to tell you about they amazing things they do themselves. So here you go.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH TUMAINI?

“Back in 2007 we were already raising money for another organisation in Uganda but were given the opportunity, by a miraculous gift of money, to go over with our family for a short term trip.  We looked up short term mission opportunities online and the name Tumaini Miles of Smiles Centre popped out at us from a long list.  We were specifically looking for building, teaching, orphans and widows as the search words we put into Google.  We contacted Tumaini via this page and Rose Bugusu (director of TMSC) emailed back to say they would love for us to come.  At that stage they were renting a small house, caring for 12 vulnerable children and renting a property for a school, kinder to year 4.  We went for 2 months – Feb/March 2008 – and Dave made mudbricks and Lois taught at the school.  Our children were 10, 12, 15 and 17 at the time and they helped wherever they could.  It ended up being a life-long friendship, connection and partnership.”

WHAT DOES TUMAINI MILES OF SMILES AUSTRALIA DO?

“TMSA exists to support TMSC Kenya in any way we can.  We have a child sponsorship program, support many students through high school and tertiary education, raise money for building projects including the children’s home itself and the trade school which began in 2014 and is still being expanded.”

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN OVER TO TUMAINI?

“We have tried to go over every 18 months to 2 years.  We’ve been there about 8 times.  We try to stay at least a month each visit and help practically and love on the staff and kids.  Occasionally we have taken others with us.”

HOW HAS TUMAINI GROWN SINCE YOU FIRST VISITED?

“It has been amazing to see how Tumaini has grown.  From small beginnings there is now a home for up to 70 children, a primary school from baby class to year 8 (which is still being developed into more permanent buildings  - Crossbar is helping with this!), a trade school which offers mechanics, tailoring, carpentry, welding, computing, masonry, beauty and hairdressing – current project is expanding it to include the popular course of catering.  Tumaini also has previous graduates which it is committed supporting through high school and further education. (At least 70 students at high school and 35 at tertiary level).  Rose has been keen to develop things to help them be more self sufficient so to that end we have helped to start a dairy and we are trying to develop ways for the trade school to be income generating. One supporter from the US helped them to start a fish farm and they have also been able to set up a methane gas project from manure from their cows which pipes gas up to the home and the school to alleviate fuel costs which makes a huge difference.  Another group provided funds for a well to be dug deep enough to provide water all year round and be piped into the home so that water carting has become a thing of the past.”

WHAT PROJECTS FROM THE ABOVE QUESTION HAVE YOU HAD A HAND IN?

“Our main involvement has been with the children’s home, the primary school, the trade school, supporting kids through high school and tertiary, the dairy, and our child sponsorship program extending to many families in the surrounding community. We have approximately 100 children and trade school students in the sponsorship program.”

PLEASE DESCRIBE THE KIDDOS AND ROSE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

“Our first trip was life changing – we bonded with Tumaini in a very special way and we say that God connected us at the heart.  It is such a privilege to know them and to be involved in their lives.  Tumaini is like an extension of our family and we very much feel like family when we are there.  The highlight of our time there is always the people – our friendship with Rose, the staff and the children – many of whom we have seen grow up from children to young adults.  Rose is an amazingly dedicated woman with a big heart who has had to weather many storms and persevere through tough times. We have the utmost respect and love for her. The children are heaps of fun and so precious and worth investing in.