Sponsor a Child
Every child deserves someone who believes in them
Every child below is real, lives at our home in Buswelu, Mwanza, Tanzania, and is named. You sponsor that specific child — not a fund, not a composite. Your support provides food, education, healthcare, clothing, school supplies, and the stability every child deserves.
Sponsorship starts at $5 a month, and any amount is genuinely welcome. We are a small, locally run home with no head office abroad — what you send reaches the children directly.
Dotto M., 11
Standard 3 · Busenga School
My father didn't provide for me, and my mother couldn't afford to care for me on her own, so she left me with my father and stepmother, who treated me badly. I ran away and lived on the street until an outreach worker from SOS Children's Villages Tanzania brought me to the police, who brought me here.
"I love playing football and dream of becoming a professional player for Tanzania's national team. As a hobby, I'd also like to coach football one day. "
Sponsor Dotto
Rachel J., 7
Standard 1 · Busenga School
In 2025 my parents had a bad fight at home, and it frightened me so much that I ran out and kept walking until I didn't recognize where I was anymore. A stranger noticed I was alone and brought me to the police station, who brought me here.
"I want to become an independent and strong woman. "
Sponsor Rachel
Michael J., 8
Standard 2 · Busenga School
One day in 2025 my mom asked me to buy some vegetables on my own. On my way back I got lost. I lived on the street for a few days until someone took me to the police station, and they brought me here.
"I love learning, so I've decided I want to become a teacher. "
Sponsor Michael
Sophia R., 9
Standard 3 · Busenga School
In 2025 my mother took me to the bus terminal, planning to send me to relatives. She boarded the bus without me and told me to wait for a relative to pick me up — but I didn't know what he looked like, and no one came. After a while I left the station, and someone found me and brought me to the police.
"I want to become a great, experienced teacher — the teachers at my school don't always explain things well, they just assign homework. I'd also like to become an entrepreneur someday, running an import/export business. "
Sponsor Sophia
Waita Z., 10
Standard 3 · Busenga School
I came from a well-off family, but there was a lot of conflict and violence at home. In 2024 a neighbor reported it to the police, who brought me to the orphanage.
"I want to become a medical scientist. When I first arrived, I was behind on the local school curriculum — I'd previously studied at an international school where every lesson was in English, which I didn't fully understand at the time. Since starting here, I've been catching up fast. "
Sponsor Waita
Moshi J., 7
Standard 1 · Busenga School
My parents fought often, and by 2024 it had gotten so bad at home that I decided to leave on my own rather than wait for it to happen again. I didn't have anywhere to go, so I just walked until a stranger noticed me and took me to the police station.
"I want to become a nurse. As a hobby, I'd love to raise poultry — chickens and ducks. "
Sponsor Moshi
Ibrahim M., 8
Standard 2 · Busenga School
One day my mom sent me to fetch water from a well far from home. I got turned around on the walk back and couldn't find my way, so I knocked on the nearest house for help — they took me straight to the police station, who brought me to the orphanage. The police later traced my family, but decided conditions at home weren't safe for me to return to, so I stayed here instead.
"I often dream about becoming a lawyer one day, and that's the career I've chosen to pursue. "
Sponsor Ibrahim
Aneth C., 11
Standard 3 · Busenga School
In 2026 I went out to a well far from home to fetch water, like I'd done many times before. That time, though, I couldn't find my way back and ended up sleeping outside for several nights before someone finally noticed me and brought me to the police station.
"I want to become a nurse, because many people here can't access good medical care — for illnesses like malaria or kwashiorkor. As a hobby, I'd love to be a farmer, growing sukuma wiki and mchicha (local greens). "
Sponsor Aneth
Jackson I., 12
Standard 3 · Busenga School
In 2025 my mother and I moved to a new city for her new job. One day I got lost, and the police were never able to find her.
"At my new school I found it hard to make friends and often felt like an outsider, but here at the orphanage I love playing with my friends. "
Sponsor Jackson
Jenipher J., 10
Standard 3 · Busenga School
It started with a broken cup. My parents were furious — first they sent me to live with relatives, and after a while my father tricked me into going to the police station and left me there.
"I love my school, and more than anything I just want to keep learning and make my family proud. "
Sponsor JenipherWhat Sponsorship Costs
Choose what works for you
These are suggestions, not requirements. Any amount, monthly or one-time, is welcome — and a smaller gift you can sustain helps a child more than a larger one you can't.
$5
per month
School supplies & essentials
$20
per month
Food and healthcare for a child
$50
per month
Full support — school fees included
Questions
How sponsorship works
How much does it cost to sponsor a child?
Sponsorship starts at $5 a month, and we suggest $5, $20 or $50 depending on what you can manage. There is no fixed amount and no minimum commitment — any contribution is genuinely welcome, and a smaller amount you can keep up reliably is worth more to a child than a larger one you have to stop.
What does my monthly sponsorship actually pay for?
Food, school fees and supplies, healthcare, clothing, and the day-to-day running of the home the children live in. We are a small organisation in Mwanza with no overseas head office taking a share, so the overhead your gift passes through is very low.
Do I sponsor a specific child, or a general fund?
A specific, named child. Every child on this page is real and lives at our home in Buswelu, Mwanza, and their stories are told in their own words. You are not sponsoring a composite or a marketing profile.
Can I write to the child I sponsor?
Yes. Write to us at watotowaafricango@gmail.com and we will pass your message on and help the child reply. Many of our children are still learning to write in English, so replies may come through a staff member and may take time.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
A direct bank transfer to us in Tanzania is generally not tax-deductible in the United States, United Kingdom or EU, because we are a Tanzanian-registered NGO rather than a charity registered in your country. If tax deductibility matters to you, contact us before giving and we will tell you honestly what your options are.
What happens if I need to stop sponsoring?
You tell us, and that is the end of it — there is no contract, no penalty, and no pressure. We would rather you gave what you can comfortably sustain than felt trapped by a commitment.
How do I know the money actually reaches the children?
We are a registered Tanzanian NGO, registration number 14NGO/1525, operating since 2000 and formally registered in 2006. We publish our registration details, our bank details, and how funds are used on our accountability page, and you are welcome to visit us in person in Mwanza — many of our supporters have.
Still deciding whether to trust us? See how we're registered and where the money goes.