Staff Spotlight: Samo Matiko

This Spring we would like to introduce our supporters to some of the incredibly hard-working individuals who help run our operations in Tanzania. We will begin with our Dean of Students, Mr. Samo Matiko. Our COO, Seth Diemond, interviewed Mr. Samo and asked him questions about himself and his job and responsibilities at JBFC.

Name: Samo Matiko

Age: 36

Hometown: Tarime

Position: Dean of Students, Office of Student Development

Samo Matiko, JBFC’s Dean of Students, has been with JBFC for five years and has two children- one of whom, Miriam, studies at Joseph and Mary. Samo has served as a classroom teacher, Head of Primary, and is currently leading the Office of Student Development. He is a vital part of JBFC’s mission to alleviate extreme rural poverty in East Africa.

Over the years, he has helped shape the lives of hundreds of children at JBFC and in our village of Kitongo, as a teacher to our students, a role model to our children, and a friend and mentor to JBFC’s residential girls. The work that JBFC, and more specifically Joseph and Mary School, does in molding the future leaders of Tanzania wouldn’t be possible without Samo’s assistance.

Seth Diemond, JBFC COO-TZ: What do you do as Dean of Students and Head of the Office of Student Development?

SM: Generally student development. I am trying to help students, who are struggling. I am also trying to help them choose their careers and above all counseling them on how to be good citizens.

SD: What do you like about JBFC?

SM: The working environment. The leaders and those who are being led are friendly. For instance, if there is any emergency, they come together and help each other. Or if there is a big problem, they come together and try to find a way out. Unlike other areas, when a problem comes up, people just struggle on their own.

SD: How is JBFC different?

SM: We offer quality education at school fees which are lower than normal. Also, at Joseph and Mary School, we don’t use corporal punishment. At Joseph and Mary School, we stay with students for a longer time than most schools, from 8:00AM to 4:00PM. We have different programs that are not found in other schools: IEP (individual education plans), guidance and counseling, Planned Parenthood. We have a library; we have Kobos; and we have Family Literacy. We also have a modern laboratory whereby Joseph and Mary students can start using [the facility] in primary school, unlike in other schools where they have to wait until secondary school. For our students, that means to acquire knowledge that can help them fit anywhere in their life.

SD: What is your favorite part of your job?

SM: Guiding and counseling, because it helps young people. It is this way. When I counsel a student who has a problem and I see the problem has gone/they take my advice, I really feel good because I know I have met someone who will be a good person in the future.

The Family Literacy also because it helps parents be part of educating the students, unlike other places where they leave everything to the teachers. If the parents come and they feel part of the people who are to educate their kids, the kids feel better to know their parents are fully supporting them.

SD: What is your connection to the JBFC residential girls?

SM: The girls are part of the students at the school and also as a teacher I just support them the way I support others. It is very very important because in Africa, or Tanzania, girls have been left behind. So, if at Joseph and Mary School/JBFC, by having a home like this one, we are trying to bring them up to a level like the boys are. I feel like I am a parent to them because I counsel them and sometimes they come to me to ask some things they want to know.

SD: What else do you like about JBFC's Joseph & Mary School?

SM: Scholarship program- this is a very, very good program. If possible, we need to expand this. We have students who are very bright from very poor families that we can even support them more- even other schools. It is a good program because it tries to focus on the aim of the organization to reduce/remove poverty through education. [Editor's Note: If you're interested in sponsoring a scholar, please email adoty@jbfc-online.org]

JBFC's Permaculture program is good because it helps our students get food, helps the organization to minimize costs, and apart from that it trains some of our students who will be good farmers in the future.

JBFC's 2016 Star Students

JBFC's Joseph & Mary Schools is officially closed for its spring break. Our 330 primary and secondary students have been studying hard. And JBFC is proud to announce these ten residential girls have risen to the top of their classes.

Abby, Form 1 (8th Grade): Rank #1

In her first year of secondary school, Abby has continued to excel. She's ranked first in her class. Her favorite school subject is English.

Happy, Form 2 (9th Grade): Rank #4

Happy is ranked fourth in her class out of 18 students. Her favorite school subjects are biology and chemistry.

Leticia, Form 2 (9th Grade): Rank #1

Leticia has consistently scored at the top of her class. She's continuing to do well in secondary school, despite the tougher subject matter. English is her favorite subject.

Laurencia, 7th Grade: Ranked #2

Lau has her eye on primary school graduation at the end of 2016. She's continuing to work hard and loves math.

Margaret, Form 3 (10th Grade): Ranked #2

Maggie is also one of our star students. She's ranked second in her class and she loves biology.

Neeama Mathew, 7th Grade: Ranked #5

Neema is ranked in the top five of her class. She loves science (and Justin Bieber).

Reka James, Form 1 (8th Grade): Ranked #5

Reka is also making the grade this year. She can't decide if she loves physics or civics more.

Valentina, Form 1 (8th Grade): Ranked #3

In Vale's first year of secondary school, she has started to distinguish herself. She's working extremely hard and she's really enjoying biology. 

Getruda, 3rd Grade: Ranked #2

Getu is excelling in the third grade! She loves swimming, playing games, and drawing flowers and princesses.

Shida, 2nd Grade: Ranked #2

Getu's little sister, Shida, is also doing an amazing job at school! She is also ranked second in her grade and her favorite subject is English.

JBFC's 10th Anniversary: JBFC's Board Looks Back

Editor's Note: As part of JBFC's ongoing celebration of our 10th Anniversary, JBFC's Board of Directors look back at a decade of making a difference in rural Tanzania. To read more about JBFC's progress over the last ten years, click here.

Jim Agnello, Board President:

I first traveled to JBFC in July of 2008 thinking I would visit once and move on in my ongoing quest of world travels. I have never been so wrong in my life! I was instantly taken by the incredible work of a very young JBFC. At that time, there were very few buildings on campus and no guest house. Two bedrooms in Chris' home served as bunk rooms for the small number of visitors. The number of girls were few, and there was no school.

The girls won my heart despite the then language barrier. I vowed to return and have done so I believe 15 times since then! In 2012, I visited JBFC on three separate occasions, never once minding the long flights in coach. Many of my Bronxville high school students have traveled to JBFC. Some will return for the fourth time this year to teach in the school, work on the farm and create lasting bonds with the students in the home and at the school. The girls at JBFC see visitors as a blessing and can name just about each student that has traveled since our first students in 2009.

I have had the heartwarming experience to watch many of the girls and students literally grow into young adults. The dedication and vision Chris has provided with the inspiration of his grandmother, Mimi, with whom I traveled to JBFC on several occasions, simply is unparalleled in today's often narcissistic society.

The committed staff at JBFC in Tanzania and in the states is as altruistic as it gets. I am proud to be associated with JBFC and extremely grateful, not only for its primary work of eliminating extreme rural poverty with a first-rate operation, but also personally and for all my students and visitors that are truly changed after visiting JBFC and therefore making the world a better place one day at a time. To Chris and the staff from my heart, asante sana (thank you)!

Lindsay Fick, Board Secretary:

As a Board Member I am continually amazed at the myriad of ways JBFC touches lives.  The lives of the girls are enhanced through the nuture, the education, the love they each receive.  The lives of the staff reflect hearts created to be of service.  The lives of the volunteers are changed forever realizing the blessing they are to the mission of JBFC while realizing the blessing to them has been even greater.  Ten years later Chris Gates' vision is a remarkable reality.

Ed Nunnelee, Board Treasurer:

I have seen such amazing things happen during my time supporting JBFC and as a member of the Board of Directors. The original vision I had was a home for street girls from the nearby villages. Dorms, a school and a farm were planned without knowing exactly what it would take or how to get it done. Today we have a complete campus for the girls as well as an expanded support capability to serve the community. This all has come about due to the work of Chris Gates, the JBFC staff and the many donors who asked to be involved with the development.

Kathy LaFortune, Board Member:

I think the most wonderful thing for me is to have been a part of helping children in another part of the world. We don't choose where we are born and grow up, so to be able to help children in what for me is a faraway land is to know that we can impact lives in this way. It gives us a connection to something bigger than ourselves.  I work with juveniles in Tulsa who are experiencing many types of trauma, but JBFC is a positive force in improving lives and seeing results blossom before you when you meet the kids who travel to Tulsa.


Cindi Gortner, Board Member:

Being a JBFC board member has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. I am overwhelmed with awe when I stop to think of all the thousands of people  that Chris and his team have impacted over the last ten years: the girls whose lives were ones of tragedy and misery prior to JBFC,  the hundreds of school children now grateful for their quality education, the faculty and staff in the school and the employees at the girls home all with good jobs, the villagers nearby that JBFC has a relationship with, the scores of volunteers who have visited JBFC falling love with the girls there and becoming deeply touched and inspired to do good in the world,  and similarly the thousands of school children in many different states here in the US that have been able to hear the story when Chris has visited their schools and felt moved by his accomplishments and vision by JBFC is powerful and heartwarming.

Sponsoring a Child

e Count, JBFC Staff

Editor's Note: JBFC's Sponsor a Child program began back in 2009. Over the years, dozens of people from around the country have helped sponsor the educational and living expenses of children in Tanzania. Alyssa Doty is one of the people who helps run the program, behind the scenes. She keeps track of who's sponsoring who, who needs a sponsor, and she facilitates contact between the children in Tanzania and their sponsors in America. In this blog, she explains her unique perspective on sponsorship, as a program administrator and a long-time international sponsor.

I was introduced to the world of child sponsorship my freshman year in college. A large nonprofit came to my college campus and convinced me that even as a broke college student I could afford a monthly pledge to help support a child’s education and health. Having just moved back to the United States from South America, doing this sponsorship helped me feel that I could still have a very small part in making a big difference in the life of a child on the other side of the world. Almost two decades later I am still sponsoring a child through this organization.

Because of my history of sponsorship, when I started working for JBFC in 2015 I was very excited to learn that we also have a sponsorship program. After helping with our Sponsor a Child program for the past 16 months I have learned a few things about sponsorship in general and our program in particular:

1. The money really does make a difference. JBFC has three yearly sponsorship levels: $350 for a residential sponsorship, $400 for a scholarship sponsorship, and $750 to cover both. This may not seem like a lot (think about how much money you spend just on groceries and school clothes for your kids alone), but that amount helps children at JBFC get a quality education and provide for their living needs. It also means that other donations that previously would have gone towards scholarships and residential needs can now be used to expand our programs and offer even more opportunities to these kids.

2. It’s not just about the money; it’s also about the relationships. Confession time: I have not been the best sponsor in terms of seeking out relationships with the kids I have sponsored. I take a lot of the blame for that, and come up with a lot of excuses (current one being I can barely keep track of the two children who live in my home, much less find stamps for a letter). But also part of it has to do with the program I have sponsored through. I get yearly updates from the child I am sponsoring, and they are not very personal. So I have had a hard time connecting and even remembering to send letters.

At JBFC we try to send out quarterly updates that let the sponsors get to know the kids they are sponsoring. We also try to make it easy for the sponsors to communicate directly with the kids they sponsor. We just sent out pre-addressed and stamped cards to each of our sponsors (no excuses!) to send to their sponsored kids, and I’m amazed by the number we have gotten back. The kids love to hear from their sponsors and to get to know them and their families. We have many sponsors who have traveled to Tanzania to meet their sponsored child, and some beautiful stories of connections and friendships have come out of that (keep an eye out for future blogs on these stories).

3. Sponsorship is addictive and competitive, in a really good way. Ok, this one is not based on any scientific research - it’s just my observation. About a quarter of our current sponsors are sponsoring more than one kid. A few of those sponsors started out sponsoring all the kids at once, but others have started sponsoring one kid and then a couple of months later call to say they want to sponsor another kid. See? Addictive (or we just have a lot of really big-hearted people supporting JBFC). Also there are times that we have a wait list for sponsoring kids. That is not a problem folks; that’s amazing. It means that when we get a new girl at the JBFC campus, or a child at the Joseph and Mary Schools that needs scholarship help, we already have the funds lined up to pay for their care and schooling. This is the kind of competition I like - everyone wins.

Currently we do have several kids in need of sponsorship (especially at the scholarship level). If you are interested in sponsoring a child and want more information, please give me a call at: 918-706-2268 ext 3.

Or if you are ready to sponsor now, you can sign up on our donation page. After entering your donation amount ($350 for a residential sponsorship, $400 for a scholarship sponsorship, and $750 to cover both) scroll to the bottom where it says “I want my donation to go toward:” and choose your sponsorship level. And don’t forget under the “donation frequency” section to choose “annual.” That will save us in administration time and money, and give you a little more time to focus on building a relationship with your sponsored child.

Guest Blogger Alyssa Doty is JBFC's Office Manager and she helps administer our Sponsor a Child program.

JBFC School Partners: Deerfield

When I was in school (and I was in a pretty cool, groundbreaking program for its time), experiential learning usually meant planting a garden at our school or conducting water tests in the nearby marsh. I learned a lot, and in a lot of different ways, and was lucky to have parents who saw the value in education that involved more than simply taking notes and revising them for hours on end.

On our 70-acre campus in Kitongo, Mwanza, Tanzania, we just saw experiential learning taken to a new level both for our own students and staff (and me!) and for our recently departed visitors. In Tanzania, this type of learning is basically non-existent, meaning our students at Joseph and Mary are doing something that very few in this country have the opportunity to be a part of.

                 

This month we had the pleasure of hosting students and staff from Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts for the third straight year. 

For nearly two weeks, these students from places as far and diverse as Texas, Jamaica, Kenya and New England, and their teachers lived on our campus, worked with our staff and children, learned about development, and became a part of our ever-growing community. We hope that a combination of cultural exchange activities, hands-on permaculture and sustainability learning, and a joint-community service project with our Form Four (11th grade) secondary students will provide these young adults with a new lens that will help them view the world differently.

In the same way that our model embraces a holistic approach to development, we value a holistic and well-rounded approach to engaging our visitors and introducing them to our work. Coming to Tanzania, we hope that all of our visitors have the opportunity to learn as much as possible about our country, our community, and their culture.

During their stay in Kitongo, our Deerfield guests had the chance to eat with a local family, watch Sukuma drummers perform traditional dances and music, tour our village and and visit two neighboring schools. They got a chance to meet students from Isamilo International School in Mwanza, as well as have a luncheon discussion with our Dean of Students, Samo.

After an introduction to permaculture, our Deerfield guests were able to help us plant more than 100 papaya trees, which will eventually increase food production on our farm, improve nutrition for our staff, students, and family, and help reduce food costs on our campus.

They were able to clear an overgrown part of our hill that will soon be replanted with mulberry, moringa, and papaya trees, as well as livestock forage turning a rock-farm into a food forest. And, lastly, working with our farm staff and our kitchen staff these volunteers were able to see farm-to-table in action by harvesting, preparing, and serving food grown on campus.

For me, however, the best part about having this group on campus was the joint-community service project that they worked on with our Form Four students, Mr. Samo, our permaculture manager, Edward, and our physics teacher, Mr. Max. Building off of a project created by Deerfield students and our Form Four students in 2015, this year’s team worked together to design a permaculture system for our neighboring government public school.

Working in groups of five to six, Deerfield and Form Four students helped finish a design system first started by Mark Shepard and EJ and Sophie Oppenheimer during a permaculture seminar in February.

Each group chose which trees and plants to introduce to their section of the system, and, on their last day, planted more than 30 trees at the government school.

Both our students and Deerfield volunteers were exposed to real-life problem solving, real-life permaculture, and real-life sustainable development, as well as real-life cross-cultural relationships. As the project continues, the work that these students (and the students from 2015) have done will help provide more food, more funding, and more opportunity to our neighbors while providing a more hands on learning environment for our students and visitors.

While we already miss our Deerfield friends, we appreciate the time we were able to spend with them in Tanzania and hope to see them again in 2017.

Blogger Seth Diemond is JBFC's Chief Operating Officer in Tanzania.