In this blog post, we are happy to give you an update on the construction of our new children's home. We hope that you enjoy the photos as much as our Maisha Bora team and us at NUKIA in Switzerland do. It's just great to see what is being created here ! Thank you once again to everyone who has contributed to our heartfelt project with generous donations!

Since our last construction report in November 2025, a lot has progressed and our reliable and hard-working workers are putting a lot of effort into our new home. Our plan to start construction in June so that we could complete the most important work before the rainy season worked out perfectly. All the roofs were installed during the dry months. When the first rain came, leaks could be checked immediately and repaired where necessary. Peter and Masia are keeping a watchful eye on things here, for which we are of course very grateful. The work is progressing smoothly, thoughtfully, and in a well-organized manner. Work is being carried out on different houses hand in hand.

Masia has found a trustworthy carpenter who is doing all the carpentry work for our new home, such as the door frames and the large, beautiful wooden doors. It's a lot of work for the small, inconspicuous carpentry shop, but they have it well under control.

The water and electricity lines were also installed and laid—both indoors and outdoors.

The walls in the interior and exterior rooms were primed, plastered, and painted.

The hole for the sewage tank was dug and bricked by hand.

Adjacent to our building plot, we were able to purchase additional parcels of land to plant our own vegetable garden and fruit trees. There will also be space for a few chickens and maybe even goats. It is important to us to be able to grow some of our own food so that we can obtain healthy vitamins in a sustainable way. New property markers were placed around this area so that a chain-link fence could be erected. Peter did this work with the teenagers.

In January, the floor and wall tiles were selected, and luck was on our side here too, as all the tiles could be delivered within two weeks. We couldn't stop marveling at it all. Every day we received new pictures, and Leah and Masia's enthusiasm was impossible to overlook. For the terraces and outdoor area, we chose a non-slip, easy-care stone. All the interior rooms were given the same flooring, which meant we were able to negotiate an even better price.

Neutral, non-slip tiles were also laid in the shower cubicles, washing area, and outdoor kitchen. White tiles with a gray pattern were used for the walls in the bathroom, kitchen area, and washing area. All sanitary facilities such as sinks, showers, and toilets were then installed.

The window bars, safety railings, and security doors were carefully painted by hand and given a new coat of paint. In Tanzania, it is common for all windows to have bars.

The children's home is slowly taking shape, and where Mama Leah broke ground eight months ago, the future home for the children of Maisha Bora now stands.

Over the next few months, rain gutters will be installed that lead directly into a water basin to collect rainwater. The landscaping work is still in the planning stage, as it is not easy to prioritize the safety of the children while also keeping costs low. The furniture will also be ordered from a local carpenter. Although this is slightly more expensive than plastic furniture, it will be more sustainable and robust. With the furniture planning underway, it is now time to start thinking about the interior design. Leah can take her time with this, and as soon as the beds are in place and the new mattresses have found their spot, the Maisha Bora team will slowly start moving in. This move must also be well planned.

There is still a lot to do, but the joy of the new home is driving everyone to perform at their best, and so everything is working out wonderfully. We are very happy that the construction work is progressing according to plan and within budget.

We can't wait to see the children's home with our own eyes in July.