As I have been doing with most of the 3rd world countries I’ve visited over the last couple of years, I find myself heading off to yet another orphanage, this time about a 20 minute drive out of Arusha. The orphanage is called Cradle of Love and they have about 50+ children under 4 years – 7 of which when I was there were actually true orphans. This is apparently the only orphanage in the area that will take in babies – there was a 15 day old baby there when I visited!

This orphanage is probably one of the best I have visited in terms of facilities, but it is founded by a Westener whose husband I hear is also on the board for the Adventist (I think) church group next door (the land which the orphanage is built on belongs to the church group is what I was told). Usually when you think orphanage you think drab, grey, cement buildings – well this is actually a massive 2 storey home or mansion which a mustard rendered façade.

A group of us from the school went and we were lucky enough to scab a ride with one of our school buses on its way out to the Usa River campus. We were greeted at the main gate by a security guard who walked us in and we were so happy to see a pile of smiling faces plastered to the window greeting us. We were met by a lovely American lady who had only been there a few weeks and was now running the show for a few weeks until the Director returned later in the month. For someone who was clearly dumped in the deep end she appeared to be coping well.

We were taken into the reception area and asked to wash our hands, store our items and be prepared for screaming kids. Now I’ve worked in childcare so should be fine I thought, ha ha the difference is in Australia we have programs to keep the children busy and quiet, here they are trying to cope with the sheer number of children compared to number of staff. It was like a zoo, kids held onto your legs as you dragged them around and they all fought for our attention to be picked up – it took all of two minutes and each of us had a child on each hip (I mean 2 kids for 2 hips!) plus one of two latched onto your legs.

Although the facilities clean, they are well fell – to me it was very apparent that these children craved loved and attention – and rightly so. There’s no shortage of visitors to the orphanage and local staff are employed for consistency for the feeding, changing and sleeping routines but if only they had enough regular people staff to do cognitive skill building, social interaction etc. The teacher in me just wanted to write a program then and there and start taking charge J But the main point is they have a safe and clean home and regular food and nappies that are changed regularly.

One thing we were told to be prepared is that the children have bad nappy rash as nappy rash cream is just too expensive along with formula. I didn’t get to see, but apparently the scarring on the gential areas of these children was horrendous, due to the nappy rash cream being given to only those babies most in need. People who visit keep bringing toys and clothes and they really don’t need anymore – they have so much they need nappy rash crème, wipes and formula – all of which they can buy much cheaper locally so it’s better visitors make a monetary donation. And there’s no need to wonder if the money goes where it is supposed to – just take a look at the number of children to feed, the nappies to buy, staff to pay – it’s going where it should.

So we placed ourselves on the floor and within seconds I turned into a playground climbing frame with kids all over me. All of them again fighting for my sole attention and of course all wanting me to read different books to them. Their concentration levels are non-existent, I cant get past page one without them fighting and trying to rip the pages – I’m thinking of my story telling days in child care and how quietly they would sit cross-legged on the floor. It’s just that no-one has done this with them daily here – they are left to get the attention they need from their daily visitors and staff are too exhausted to cope. I know kids should be kids, but at this age I really believe they need structure and discipline or they are going to run wild and have no boundaries for life and what’s happening in Africa now will just continue.

Anytime you put a child down they would scream incessantly to be picked back up but being the cold hearted so and so I know it’s better to be strong and not cave in. After I got the shock of my life as a carer wheels out this L shaped wooden high-back seat with a young girl with I think cerebal palsy tied to the chair. I understand they need to restrain parts of the body to help correct posture – but on a wood L shape seat with no padding and just random tying? I was really disturbed and knew it wasn’t right. They untied her and lay her on the mat – the carer went and sat with the other carer’s and the little girl was on the mat alone as all the other children are too busy trying to get attention of their own.

I manage to pick her up – she’s quiet heavy and I’m worried to hurt her. All her muscles are so contracted and she’s turned in – I sit her in my lap for sometime, then after a while decide to lie her on the mat and massage straight her arms and legs – it took two of us a good 10 minutes of this for her muscles to relax and hands turn out – within a few minutes though she was stiff and turned in again. I have since spoken to a visiting physio about her and asked her to go visit and see if there is anything she can recommend.

Before long it was lunchtime and somehow there was organized chaos – the toddlers started queuing at the kitchen door and babies must have felt the food excitement in the air. There was a row of high chairs and a weird table with bucket seats cut into it – we sat a row of kids and the babies we are feeding 2-3 at once and the toddlers behind me I’m trying to teach them how to hold the spoon to feed themselves – it was crazy but it all worked. One little boy was so determined he didn’t want my help and ended up wearing the food! I loved lunchtime they were just too cute.

One by one we took them to the sink, washed their face and took them for nappy changes – ha ha got out of that one! Most of them were put in their cots and left to sleep. I remembered as a kid I loved mum patting my back to sleep so stood between two cots while trying to get them to lie on their bellies so I could pat them to sleep. I was no sooner in trouble for doing so and had to leave them to cry themselves to sleep as they just don’t have the staff to pat them to sleep everyday.

I also found out this day that they place newborn babies to sleep on their bellies – SIDS doesn’t appear to be a problem here and the babies fall straight asleep?

By 3pm we were famished and exhausted and decided it was time to go eat something. We went to a lovely garden café/restaurant near Arusha town called Blue Heron. It’s totally aimed at expats and tourists – including the prices I paid 15,000 TSH (<$15) for a burger and fries – again me eating local cuisine  But you cant beat the gardens were stunning with wooden benchseats with massive pillows sitting under jacaranda trees – it was too perfect for an escape from the madness of Arusha town.

After lunch I had my first “daladala” experience for the trip – they are mini vans that operate with a driver and conductor who collects your payment before you hop off. The minivan should sit around 15-20 people – we managed to squeeze on with the door slide wide open while we are driving and Im balancing on one foot only on the step outside the bus!!! I counted 27 people and had some big mamma’s butt in my face. Pick pockets are rife on these things so I’m watching for stray hands. They take great pride in their daladala’s and have slogans, stickers and music blarring – ours had a big screen sticker “fly emirates” and bob Marley pasted everywhere.

All in all it was a brilliant day, and of course exhausting but we had too much fun and I of course went baby photo crazy!!! Check them out www.cradleoflove.com if you want to help I’d suggest the best way is a monetary donation.

Next blog…. Hospital in Arusha & the craft markets