After spending a week in Tanzania on my own—diving, catching up with friends, and relaxing—things really picked up on Friday when Jasmin, her daughter Salome, Marianne, and Kurt joined me. After their long trip, we wrapped up our first evening together with a cozy, delicious meal. In this post, I’d love to share with you everything we experienced during our week together.

The next day, our schedule included a visit to the new Maisha Bora children’s home. For me personally, it was my first visit to the new property, so I was really looking forward to seeing everything with my own eyes. Upon our arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the children and the entire team. It was wonderful to see the joy on their faces and to spend time together again. Together, we explored the new buildings and the entire property. It’s impressive to see what has been built here in such a short time and how the children’s home continues to develop.

Of course, playing with the children was a must that day. We laughed, played, and simply enjoyed our time together. We were also treated to a culinary feast, as the moms had cooked a wonderful meal for everyone. Afterward, there was another special reason to celebrate: we celebrated all the birthdays from May and June together. So Kurt also got to celebrate his birthday once again with the children in a lively way.

Sunday was another very special day. The church congregation had made arrangements with the children’s home to bless the new home together with us, other members of the congregation, and everyone from Maisha Bora. Members of the church prepared a wonderful meal for everyone present, which brought us great joy. In addition, the church community donated Maisha Bora various items, primarily valuable food items. It’s touching to see how people get involved and support others with whatever they can.

On the same day, we also had the pleasure of welcoming the Schwob family from Switzerland. Nicole, Roger, and Robin are supporters of NUKIA and wanted to take the opportunity during their trip to Tanzania to see our projects and the local situation for themselves. We spent the evening together before Jasmin and I had the chance to visit various families from our family project with them the next day.

Mustafa and Winrose picked us up in the morning. Our first stop was the market, where we bought the monthly food rations for the families in our project. A visit to the market in Tanzania is always an experience in itself. We walked around among the various stalls, past countless foods and items that you don’t usually see back home in Switzerland. Huge avocados were laid out for sale, alongside offal and many other foods that we can’t find here. There’s an incredible amount to discover at a market like this, and at the same time, you get a glimpse into everyday life there.

After we had bought everything for the monthly supplies, we set off to visit the families. In total, we visited six families. Each family has its own story, its own challenges, and its own fate. We were able to take the time to listen and get to know the people. Time and again, they expressed their deep gratitude for our support. It was a very moving day that reminded us once again just how important this help is to each family and what a difference regular support can make in their daily lives.

While Jasmin and I were out with the Schwob family, Marianne and Kurt spent the day with Masia and Leah, picking up various much-needed items for the children’s home. That same evening, more visitors arrived from Switzerland: Claudia and Bruno joined our group. For Claudia, this was already her second visit to our projects. Together with Bruno, she is also personally committed to supporting one of the children from the children’s home through a sponsorship.

The next day turned out to be a very special experience for the children of Maisha Bora, as the Ramada Resort in Dar es Salaam allowed them to spend an entire day at the pool and on the beach. For the children, it was a day full of joy and excitement. They swam, played in the water, and laughed a lot. But there was plenty going on outside the water, too: they played soccer and volleyball, and happy children could be seen everywhere.

We’d also like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us at the very last minute before our departure by donating swimwear for the children and staff. Thanks to this wonderful help, everyone was able to enjoy the day carefree and jump into the water. The Ramada Resort also treated us to some delicious food—we all got to enjoy tasty pizzas, fresh juice, and water.

Many thanks to the entire team at the Ramada Resort in Dar es Salaam for this unforgettable day! It was wonderful to see the children so happy and full of energy. Days like these stay in our memories for a long time—not just for the children, but for us adults as well.

The time had finally come: Wednesday marked the official opening of the new Maisha Bora Children’s Home. It was a moment that many people had worked toward and waited for a long time. We were delighted to welcome around 130 guests on this special day. The opening ceremony was filled with joy and a sense of community. I particularly loved that the ceremony began with both a Muslim and a Christian prayer. It was a beautiful symbol of how people of different faiths stand together for the children and their new home.

Tanzanian music and traditional local dances provided entertainment and a lively atmosphere. The music and dances created a very special ambiance on the grounds and turned the opening into a colorful and joyful celebration. The program also included several speeches. Leah had the opportunity to address the guests on behalf of Maisha Bora. Afterward, Jasmin and I spoke on behalf of NUKIA. It was wonderful to highlight the shared history and close collaboration between Maisha Bora and NUKIA on this special day. Jasmin and I also took the opportunity, in our speeches on behalf of the NUKIA Board, to thank the Maisha Bora team for the incredible work and achievements they’ve accomplished over the past few months. It’s hard to put into words what the Maisha Bora team has accomplished over the past year—in addition to their daily tasks—throughout the entire construction phase. With an incredible amount of dedication, passion, and commitment, they have supported and driven this major project forward.

Since so many guests took the time to visit Maisha Bora, the tour of the new children’s home was organized in several groups. This gave everyone the opportunity to explore the individual buildings and the entire property at their own pace and get a sense of what has been accomplished here over the past year. For lunch, we were treated to wonderful catering provided by Tuwapende Watoto. Over good food and lively conversation, we celebrated the opening together and enjoyed the day. The festivities continued into the afternoon. There was more music and dancing, and several guests took the opportunity to address those present.

A special moment was when we planted palm trees together. For me, this moment held beautiful symbolism: The new children’s home is not just a place with new buildings. It is meant to be a home—a place where children can grow, develop, and put down roots. Just as the newly planted palm trees will hopefully grow and thrive for many years to come, so too will the children’s home continue to grow and be a safe and loving place for many children.

We’d also like to take this opportunity to extend a special thank you to all our guests, because hardly anyone came empty-handed that day. The children’s home received an incredible number of in-kind donations. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who brought something and thereby showed their solidarity and support. Every single donation is valuable and benefits the children and the children’s home.

The grand opening was not only a celebration for the children and guests, but also a moment to pause and say thank you to all those who helped make this dream a reality. It was an incredibly beautiful and emotional day and another milestone in the history of the Maisha Bora Children’s Home.

On Thursday, the next special visit was already on the agenda. Together with Claudia, Winrose, Marianne, and Jasmin, I visited the Hope & Wonder children’s home for children with severe disabilities. NUKIA supports Hope & Wonder by providing health insurance, monthly medications, as well as minor and major surgeries and hospital stays for children at the children’s home and in the outreach program. We were accompanied by our driver, Mustapha. It was Mustapha’s and my first visit to the facility. That’s why Angela, the founder of Hope & Wonder, took plenty of time for us and personally showed us around the entire living and therapy areas.

I’ve been deeply impressed by what Angela is doing here. Her commitment, her dedication, and the energy with which she advocates for the children deserve my utmost respect. It’s touching to see how much heart and professionalism go into the work here to provide the children with the best possible care and support. Among other things, Hope & Wonder has its own physical therapist who leads the children through targeted exercises every day. It was also very impressive to see and hear how valuable the therapy pool is for the kids. That was a great investment.

Angela then showed us the school she was able to build last year on the Hope & Wonder property. The school is specifically designed for children with disabilities and, for now, accepts children ages three to six. The goal is not just academic support; above all, the children are meant to learn important skills for living as independently as possible. This includes, for example, being able to eat on their own or use the restroom independently. As the children develop these skills and make progress, there is a possibility that they can later be integrated into a regular school. It was very impressive for me to see how holistically they think and work here. The children are met where they are and supported step by step in their development.

While we were visiting Hope & Wonder, Kurt, Masia, and our guest Bruno had meanwhile devoted themselves to a completely different—but incredibly important—task: They were searching for a new minibus for the Maisha Bora Children’s Home. The current bus is getting on in years and requires repairs more and more frequently. Therefore, further investment in the old vehicle would no longer be worthwhile in the long run. Fortunately, we were able to accept a designated donation for the purchase of a new bus. But finding a suitable minibus turned out to be a real Herculean task. The requirements are high—after all, the vehicle must be reliable and suitable for the day-to-day operations of the children’s home. Kurt, Masia, and Bruno, however, did not let this discourage them and set out on their search with a great deal of patience and perseverance. A few days later, they actually succeeded: they found a suitable bus! This marked the completion of another important project. The new bus will be a great help to the Maisha Bora Children’s Home in its day-to-day operations and will provide the children and staff with safe and reliable transportation in the future.

The eighth day was already Jasmin’s and my last day in Tanzania. As is so often the case, time flew by much too quickly. Before heading back to Switzerland, we wanted to spend one last time at the Maisha Bora Children’s Home. Jasmin used the day to have an extended conversation with Leah. Together, they worked on various technical issues on the laptop and discussed processes and possibilities that could make daily work on-site easier. Moments like these often go unnoticed, but they form an important part of our collaboration. The personal exchange and shared growth are just as valuable as the visits themselves. In addition, Jasmin made a effort to set aside time for conversations with some of the young people. The focus was on listening to what’s on their minds, how they’re doing right now, and where they stand in their personal development. These check-ins are important for accompanying the young people on their journey and providing them with targeted support. That day, we once again spent a lot of time with the children. We played together, laughed a lot, and I enjoyed every single remaining minute.

After so many meaningful encounters and shared experiences, it’s suddenly time to say goodbye again. Of course, saying goodbye wasn’t easy for us, and it’s emotional every time. But I left Tanzania feeling good. I know that the children’s home is in good hands and that the people there are working with incredible passion. And above all, I know that this isn’t a goodbye forever. I’m already looking forward to the moment when I can return to Tanzania and witness how the children continue to grow, learn, and make their way in life.

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