Help from Tumaini in Canada
RR SMITH MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
The RR Smith Memorial Fund is the charitable arm of BC Retired Teachers' Association and has generously donated the following:
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2018 = $1000 to buy Daftari notebooks for 67 Secondary School Students to attend school in Kayanga and Ngara districts
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2019 = $1,250 to fund college tuition for 10 students for the first year of a two-year course in the career of their choice
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2020 = $1250 for their second year of college was gratefully received
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2021 = $2,000 for other students to attend college
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2022 = $2,500 for A Level students
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2023 = $3,000 to purchase 12 treadle sewing machines for the tailoring schools
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2024 = $2,500 to purchase Daftari notebooks for 167 students to attend school
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2025 = $2,500 for students to attend normal college to learn a trade such as electrical, plumbing, construction, etc. which almost guarantees the successful students will get jobs.
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2026 = $3,500 for more students to attend normal college to learn a trade
On behalf of all the students whose lives have been improved by these generous grants, the board members of Tumaini Fund Canada express their heartfelt thanks.
ROTARY CLUBS
After presentations and appeals to local Rotary
Clubs, Tumaini Fund Canada was delighted to
receive generous donations:
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In October 2018, a cheque for $1,000 from
Nanaimo Oceanside Rotary to assist with
building a fresh water well in Kagera.
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In November 2018, a cheque for $1,000 from Lantzville Rotary to purchase fabric for school uniforms to be sewn in Tailoring classes in
Kagera.
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In November 2024, a cheque for $1,000 from Parksville Rotary to purchase treadle sewing machines.
Upon completion of a two year tailoring course, graduates keep their machine to start their own
business. There are five tailoring schools With this
yearly replacement, there is an annual need for 100 treadle sewing machines.
GETTING INVOLVED
See our brochure 2026 TFC brochure
We are a small charity and very much appreciate
any help that you can offer. Some suggestions:
* Sponsor a child or family.
* Donate for secondary school expenses, Daftari notebooks, treadle sewing machines, carpentry
tools, or a solar lamp.
* Donate funds towards a house, a well, a bicycle
or a goat.
You can also:
* Donate your deposit-fee recyclables
* Volunteer to sew or knit at home
* Help at events.
* Share Ideas
General Donations are used where most urgently
needed. We are grateful for your inspiration and enthusiasm and welcome you to join the team.
Please pray for the children of Kagera and the work
of the Tumaini Orphan Support Organisation
(TOSO).
TRANSPORTING DONATED GOODS FROM CANADA TO KAGERA
In 2014, Tumaini Fund Canada was delighted to
receive a donated 40-foot shipping container and transport costs from ICROSS Canada. Packed with urgently needed supplies from Compassionate
Resource Warehouse, the container travelled by
sea to Dar es Salaam and then by truck to Muleba.
The container was welcomed with joy by the
Tumaini staff and local hospitals, schools and communities who shared in the wonderful
donations that were unloaded, including medical equipment, school supplies, clothing, tools, and
toys—which were shared among local hospitals,
schools, and communities, before the container
was repurposed as permanent storage for Tumaini.
Transport in personal luggage
Personal Care Kits, urgently needed by Tumaini
school girls, have been carried by kind volunteers travelling from Canada to the UK and Guernsey;
then onward by visitors to Kagera or included in
the next Guernsey container to Kagera.
Pallets
Over the years, pallets of essential items have
travelled from Nanoose Bay by rail, sea, and truck
to reach Kagera. More recently, shipments are sent
via Guernsey containers, creating a safer route for vulnerable items like Personal Care Kits, blankets,
and sweaters.
Shipping by Canada Post
Recently we have started mailing boxes of 25 PCKs
via Canada Post to Dr. Susan. The postage for each
box is about $200 and is paid for with money from
our recycling program. We are very grateful to
those who donate, sort and transport deposit-fee recyclables to the bottle depot.
As of May 2026 a total of 2411 Personal Care Kits
have been shipped.
