The girls have now moved into their new homes! The journey hasn’t been easy, but the joy of the girls makes it all worth it.

Back in July 2022, we were informed that we had to leave the hotel we were occupying by January 2023, which was a much shorter timeline than anticipated. Yet, we devised a plan to move everyone to temporary housing on the new property. Thanks to the generous donations from so many people, we could start building three permanent homes.

Everything was going smoothly until our contractors abruptly left the project. As a result, we were faced with yet another challenge that we had to overcome. Elisante stepped forward and assumed the responsibilities of a general contractor, in addition to his various other roles. His dedication and tireless efforts are truly a blessing to MGRC! 

While we were dealing with the issues with the contractors, we took a step back to reconsider the use of the interior space of the houses. To make the most of our resources, we changed the houses to take in more girls, and also established living spaces in the multi-purpose complex. This enabled us to add two extra bedrooms and a second bathroom to each house, raising the capacity from 12 to 20 girls.

In the multi-purpose complex, we put up a space in the vocational wing for the girls aged 18 or older, as mandated by law. We have planted grass for a sports field which will create a much-needed space for the girls to run and play. Additionally, with an increasing number of younger girls, we created a nursery in the preschool wing.

Following the completion of these projects, we will focus on the social enterprise part of our mission. An ecoLodge is being built to offer tourists a place to stay, and to make MGRC financially independent. It will also provide the girls with job skills that are in high demand in Tanzania, a country whose economy is largely dependent on tourism.

I am so proud of our team and all that has been achieved on the new property – we achieved 12 major construction projects under budget and nearly on schedule!

Despite the progress, the need keeps growing, and this year we welcomed 7 new girls, bringing the total to 68. Our most pressing requirement at the moment is to find sponsors for 11 girls who are without. Sponsors are crucial for MGRC as they meet the girls’ physical needs and offer them hope that someone across the world loves and cares for them.