JBFC Birthday Blog

This March, JBFC is celebrating ten years of changing lives in Tanzania! You can join the celebration by Dining Out for JBFC.

Because of YOU, we have been able to build brighter futures for a decade. You have helped us provide a safe home to 48 vulnerable girls, serve more than 1,046,838 meals, pump nearly 28 million gallons of water for our village, and harvest more than 14.5 tons (that’s over 32,000 pounds!) of produce from our farm. Because of YOU, we have awarded almost $125,000 worth of school scholarships to Joseph and Mary Primary and Secondary School. And because of YOU, we have witnessed the birth of a multitude of cross-continental friendships which began through more than 40,000 hours of service from our amazing volunteers.  

This decade of impact could not have been possible without your help, and we want to provide you with more opportunities to support JBFC. By joining our “Dine Out for JBFC” series, you will be able to help local restaurants give back to our mission.

By eating out at one of our partner restaurants, you can directly impact JBFC. Each restaurant that we are partnering with has pledged to donate 10-15% of sales back to JBFC, which means that a $50 meal could give $5 to JBFC to buy a baby chick or a bag of seeds for the JBFC farm. All proceeds from Dine Out for JBFC will go to support the JBFC farm, which harvests 300 to 400 pounds of produce a week. That farm fresh food directly impacts the 340 students who eat breakfast and lunch at JBFC every school day.

All you have to do is show up, tell your server you are there to support JBFC, order a delicious meal, and enjoy it knowing that your dinner is going to directly impact JBFC and its mission to alleviate extreme poverty. 

Our first “Dine Out for JBFC” experience will be on March 1^st at The Vault, (620 South Cincinnati Avenue) from 5pm to close.

Our second “Dine Out for JBFC” event will be on March 8^th at Elote (514 South Boston Avenue) from 5pm to close.

Our third "Dine Out for JBFC" event will be on March 15th at Hop Bunz (3330 South Peoria Avenue) from 5-9pm

The fourth "Dine Out for JBFC" event is planned for March 22nd at Hideaway Pizza (Kingspointe Village, 5966 South Yale Avenue), from 5-9pm. Please make sure you inform your server that you are there to support JBFC, as they have pledged to donate 15% of these sales from both dine-in and carry-out!

And don't forget to join us for a spectacular birthday bash hosted by The Tropical (8125 East 49th Street) on our official birthday, March 6th, from 5-8pm!

We encourage you to share all the fun you are having during these Dine Out events via Facebook and Twitter! Help spread the word by checking in on Facebook and sharing photos!

Keep an eye out on our Facebook page and blog regarding other "Dine Out for JBFC" events in the month of March!

JBFC's Pen Pals

We are starting a new school year in Tanzania, and with it…our Pen Pal Exchange! It’s so exciting to see these cross-continental relationships forming during this time of year. Our JBFC students love receiving letters and pictures from their Pen Pals across the U.S.

JBFC’s Pen Pal program continues to grow. What started with just two 3rd grade classes in Bronxville, New York has grown to include four schools and more than 150 students. This year’s program includes veteran pen pal partners and some brand-new letter buddies.



Our Grade 1 students are so excited to join our Pen Pal program this year. They kicked off their exchange with our brand-new partners from Imagine Early Learning Centers in New York. Students from the Imagine classes sent pictures and asked our JBFC students questions about their school, favorite things, and everyday life. As you can see in the pictures, they were really interested in answering the questions that the Imagine students asked. They were able to provide answers to questions such as if there are bicycles in Tanzania, what’s their favorite food, and if they see wild animals on a daily basis. JBFC students also asked questions like: do you have domestic animals? How many people are in your families? And do you like mangoes and corn? Imagine classes and JBFC Grade 1 students will continue to share class letters and pictures and will even be discussing their thoughts on a book, The Lion and the Mouse.

Our older students are beginning their Pen Pal relationships as well, with The Wesley School (California), Holland Hall (Tulsa), and Bronxville (New York). To begin these relationships, all the students created “Me Cards” that share some of their favorite things and a picture. Each US student is matched with a JBFC student, and they’ll begin to share letters and class videos throughout the spring. JBFC students had lots of fun reading about their Pen Pal on the Me Card and then making their own card to share.

Through this project, JBFC hopes to foster global citizenship, cultural awareness and international cooperation. By exchanging letters, stories, and videos, JBFC hopes all students will sharpen their written and oral communication skills, literacy and reading comprehension, and global curiosity. We aspire to create a fun, challenging, inter-continental learning experience.

We’re so excited to have the opportunity to partner with all of these schools this year. It’s always such a fun and educational experience for all involved!

Paula Casamiro is JBFC's new Logistics Coordinator in Tanzania and Diana Booren is JBFC's Volunteer Coordinator in the Tulsa office.

JBFC New Faces: Paula Casimiro

Hi everybody!

My name is Paula and I’m the new Logistics Coordinator for JBFC in Tanzania!

I’m originally from Spain and I spent the last year and a half volunteering in Tanzania. I totally fell in love with the country and decided I wanted to stay here. When I started to look for a job, I found this position in this awesome NGO! I applied and some days later they interviewed me and asked me to come to JBFC’s Campus in Kitongo. Two days were more than enough to know that I wanted to work here and contribute with all I could to keep this organization growing.

I started the 18th of January, so I’m still learning but it’s already been a great experience!

I arrived at JBFC’s village of Kitongo on a Sunday evening, after 2 hours in the car, 14 hours on a bus and 24 hours on a plane. Needless to say, the first day I was really tired. At the same time, I was really excited and nervous! I wanted everything to be perfect!

JBFC’s Administrative Director Melinda Wulf was in charge of training me (pole for that!). She’s been really patient with me and has always tried to make me feel comfortable while I was learning everything about my new job. I have two major responsibilities: to coordinate all the things related to the volunteers/guests and to manage the daily cash.

These first few weeks I’ve been focused on the first part and learning all the details of JBFC’s volunteer program. And now I’m starting to be in charge of the cash. JBFC’s micro-economy operates on a cash-only basis. With more than 70 employees, 330 students, and any number of building or maintenance projects going on daily, there is a lot going on every day. So this is a big responsibility.

The hard work is more than made up for by the fun I get to have with the JBFC girls. My favorite time at JBFC so far is when I get to go with the girls to the pool. I love to play with them and we all have a lot of fun.

I am so excited to be at JBFC. I can’t wait to meet all of you who are visiting JBFC in 2016. Thank you JBFC for giving me this opportunity!


Guest Blogger Paula Casamiro is JBFC’s newest employee. She was just hired as our new logistics coordinator. She speaks Spanish and Swahili and she will play a major role in making sure JBFC’s volunteers have an amazing time while they’re on campus.

In Memoriam: Edith Soita

 JBFC is saddened and disheartened to announce that one of our beloved teachers, Ms. Edith, died early Tuesday morning.

Edith Soita, a Kenyan native, has been with JBFC’s Joseph & Mary School Schools since our first year. She joined us in July 2010 as an early primary classroom teacher and immediately stood out for her professionalism, her caring and loving way with children, and her big toothy grin.

Ms. Edith, as she was known on campus, was promoted to help lead the primary school, helping to coach other teachers. When one of the JBFC girls needed to travel for medical attention, it was Edith who volunteered to go with her. She always cared for Vene and all of the children at Joseph & Mary Schools like they were her own. After almost a year abroad, Edith returned to her administrative post and helped start our new Office of Student Development as the primary school liaison.

Edith left her mark on our school, our family, and our hearts.



"Miss Edith was a light and force to be reckoned with on campus that will not easily be replaced,”
said JBFC’s CEO & Founder, Chris Gates.

“She will be greatly missed. No matter who you were- student, staff, guest, administrator, Miss Edith lightened your heart and made your day better every time you had a conversation with her. Her sense of humor and love for children was unmatched and it showed through her dedication to her students and our school. She leaves a big hole in our hearts and our school community. Our thoughts and prayers are with her entire family and her students during this difficult time."

JBFC’s Chief Operating Officer in Tanzania, Seth Diemond, echoed those sentiments.

"In addition to being one of the most caring, sweetest, and happiest individuals I have ever met, Ms. Edith impacted hundreds of people at JBFC and around the world, especially students,” Diemond said.

“Her kindest alone will be deeply missed on campus, but her work will carry on through the lives she changed. Our JBFC family lost a special Person today."



“Ms. Edith has been so integral to JBFC throughout the years,” said JBFC Administrative Director, Melinda Wulf.



“She was a true team player, doing whatever task at hand, always with a smile on her face. This became evident when she stepped up to take Veneranda to Ghana [for medical treatment] and never complained once about being away from her family and friends and life here in Tanzania. She had a great relationship with the students at Joseph and Mary, thanks to her nurturing spirit. She will be dearly missed by students and staff alike.”

“To meet Edith was to immediately love her,” said JBFC’s Chief Operating Officer in the U.S., Ashli Sims. “She was one of the first people I met when I visited JBFC for the first time. I remember seeing her in her classroom and watching how she captured the students’ attention and imagination. She was what we want every teacher to be. She will be sorely missed.”


Edith passed away unexpectedly early Tuesday morning in Kenya, surrounded by her family. She was 43.

JBFC Girls Growing Up

It was a day full of mixed emotions. They piled into the cars one by one, no longer little girls. But as the car headed down JBFC’s dirt roads, I can assure you it wasn’t just the girls, who had tears in their eyes.

At the beginning of January, JBFC hit yet another milestone (there have been a lot lately!) Our first eight residential girls, who recently graduated from secondary school, completed their time at Bibi Mimi’s Girls’ Home and have moved into a transition program, putting them on the path to independence.

We are beyond proud of Liku, Neema, Eliza, Immelda, Anna, Pelu, Sophie and Nyamalwa. Watching them leave, all I could think about were the countless lives they are bound to impact as they continue to grow into community leaders. On the other hand, we could all feel a sense that there was now a major void in our family- these girls, after so many years at JBFC, are going to be sorely missed around campus. Their laughter, their leadership, their presence as the “big sisters.” I am sure these feelings are not dissimilar to those that parents in the U.S. feel as they drop their children (first child!) off on their first day of college.

JBFC’s transition program is specifically designed with our core mission at its heart. If our first eight girls are going to fully develop into the leaders that they are meant to be, then there are some vital skills and values that we must continue to build on. We have raised eight strong, confident, and capable young leaders. But we know that our continued support will be crucial as they enter adulthood.

These eight young ladies have now graduated from secondary school, but they are currently waiting to see what the future will hold. In Tanzania, the end of secondary school is marked by a national exam. These exam results will determine what options are available to our girls and thousands of other students across the country. Based on these results, they will be able to pursue university education, a training college path or an apprenticeship-type program. Although the exams were completed in November, we don’t anticipate receiving the results of their exams until April.

While they wait, JBFC’s transition girls will be living together (with a matron) in a residential house in Mwanza, the second largest city in Tanzania about 45 minutes from JBFC’s campus. JBFC’s transition program will use a three-pronged approach to prepare the girls for the next phases in their lives while also continuing to provide for all of their basic needs.

The first aspect of JBFC’s transition program will teach the girls basic life skills that they will need to lead meaningful, independent, self-reliant lives. The girls, working with their live-in matron, will be responsible for budgeting for their food and supplies, their transportation funds, and their pocket money. They will be held accountable for adhering to their schedules. They will be writing a weekly “Progress Report” outlining what is going well, challenges they are facing, and their weekly goals. They will be responsible for going to the local hospital and learning how to buy their own prescriptions. They will have guest speakers teaching them about healthy relationships, opening bank accounts, Tanzanian law, and other vital life skills.

The second aspect of their transition program focuses on continuing education. The girls have started an “Introduction to Computer and Technology” course at Mwanza’s main VETA (Vocational Education Training Authority) campus. For three hours a day, Monday through Friday, the girls are learning important skills including typing, Microsoft Office, computer repair, and computer maintenance. These skills will help the girls compete in school and in a globalized economy.

The last part of their transition focuses more on character development. Building on the values and morals instilled at JBFC, all eight girls will be volunteering for three hours per day at a local primary school in their neighborhood. Helping teachers perform their daily duties at a local government school, the girls will continue to develop an appreciation for giving back to their community. While for many this would seem like a chore, all eight of our first Form Four graduates developed a love for volunteering, when they volunteered twice per month at our neighboring primary school. In their new roles as classroom volunteers the girls will be introduced to a professional work environment and be held to the same standards as other employees- punctuality, etiquette, and respect.

We are hoping this transition program will not only keep our girls busy while they wait for their exam results, but will also prepare these girls for when they’re living independently. This is the ultimate goal. JBFC doesn’t just provide a roof over these girls head. Or a safe place to call home. We hope to take vulnerable girls, many of whom were dealt a raw deal in life, and transform them into powerful, change agents in their communities. These girls are on their way… but they still need our support.

I miss lots of things about these girls. I miss Sophie’s shy smile; Nyamalwa’s soft sarcasm; Neema’s leadership; Eliza’s thoughtfulness; Immelda’s dedication.; Anna’s discipline; Pelu’s humor; and Liku’s empathy. In my heart, however, I know that these girls are on their way to becoming multipliers in our fight to alleviate poverty and will be a hard act to follow as strong role models for our remaining girls.

Editor’s Note: JBFC is still supporting these girls while they are in transition. If you’re interested in helping provide for their living expenses and the transition programs explained here, please consider making a donation to JBFC. If you’re interested in supporting their higher education, please click here and list higher education as your designation.

Blogger Seth Diemond is JBFC’s Chief of Operations in Tanzania.

Family Literacy Night

One of our goals for JBFC in 2016 is to maximize our impact. We know our model works - we see its impact on poverty alleviation daily through refuge, education, healthcare, and our permaculture farm. This year, we want to take it to the next level. With your help, we want to impact more children, more families, and more communities.

Thanks to a group of volunteers from Sarah Lawrence College and their wonderful professor we are doing just that with our literacy program.

You have helped us outfit our library over the last three years with thousands of books. Our library currently serves more than 320 students enrolled at JBFC's Joseph & Mary Schools, our residential girls and staff, it is seldom used by anyone else. Thanks to your generosity, we have the ONLY lending library for miles around. This year, we wanted to open our doors to the community. A major 2016 goal for our Office of Student Development is to improve literacy in our community by expanding access to our library and its services.

Modeled on a project conducted in New York and Zimbabwe, Sarah Lawrence professor, Kim Ferguson, has worked closely with our staff to develop a “Family Literacy Program” at Joseph and Mary School.

We're piloting the program with our second grade students, their teachers, and their families. The program aims to engage parents in their children’s education, provide parents with the skills they need to support their children academically at home, identify barriers to literacy in the community, and expand access to Joseph and Mary’s 3,500 book library, while ultimately improving literacy in our community.

After the completion of the pilot program this month, our local staff and students will continue to run the program through each consecutive grade until all families at our school have been included in the “Family Literacy Program.” Simply put, not only will all of our students have a better understanding of how to use the library by the end of this year but so will their parents, guardians, and siblings.

The program has already seen some major successes. Heading into our fourth week of the program, we have had almost complete buy-in from the parents and families of our second grade students. Through surveying and discussion we have been able to identify major barriers to literacy at home.

Using games, activities, and even arts and crafts, we have been able to show families how they can learn together at home, regardless of the medium used. We have seen our students, along with Sarah Lawrence students, engaged and active in a community-based program. 

We have seen children LOVE reading with their parents.

We have seen our library and its proud librarian, Mr. Simon, getting more visitors in the last month than we have in many months past.

Taking place every Wednesday evening from 4:00 – 6:30pm, the family literacy program is also being implemented in a sustainable way designed to allow our students and staff to continue the program for years to come.

Led by Joseph and Mary’s Dean of Students, Mr. Samo, the program has enlisted our Form Two secondary students to help guide, assess, and ultimately continue the program.

Our Form Two students are currently working hand in hand with Sarah Lawrence College students during the program to survey parents, play literacy games and activities with students, and analyze data collected throughout the program.

At the conclusion of the pilot program the Form Two students will help us evaluate the program and identify its challenges, successes, and ways to improve it moving forward. They will then be responsible for implementing the program with our third, fourth, and fifth graders.

Using a research curriculum designed by a Sarah Lawrence volunteer and using the data from the Family Literacy Program, we are hoping that our Form Two students can partner with a future group of volunteers to design, implement and evaluate a subsequent literacy-based community service program in the broader Kitongo community, which could impact hundreds more families.

While this program is bound to experience changes as it grows, one thing is clear: Joseph and Mary’s library, as well as Mr. Simon, just got a whole lot busier!

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

Girls Government Charity Garden

Volunteers who visit JBFC’s Kitongo campus always get a very cool experience. From learning how to prepare Tanzanian food in the dining hall, to working on literacy with Joseph and Mary students, to helping with development on our permaculture farm, JBFC offers a pretty intensive volunteer ride.

In July of 2015, however, JBFC’s young leaders in Girls Government and high school students from Bronxville High School worked together on something new. Over the course of two weeks, these young leaders from two very different parts of the world came together to identify an issue in our Kitongo community, brainstorm possible solutions, and implement a plan.

Giving back to our community has always been a core principle of JBFC’s current Girls Government leadership program. We put an emphasis on the idea that to whom much is given, much is expected, especially leaders.

With the arrival of volunteers from Bronxville High School, we saw an opportunity to not only teach both groups more about teamwork and leadership but to also take the girls’ community involvement to another level.

Six months later, the Girls Government Charity Garden was able to donate 18 kilograms (nearly 40 pounds!) of fresh produce  to a nearby church.

Over the past six months the girls have spent hours tilling, planting, weeding, watering, and now harvesting their garden. After spending an hour of harvesting a combination of eggplant, kale, and corn, we were able to call the pastor from the local church and hand over the 40 pounds of produce. He then took the fresh produce to families from his congregation, who are currently in need.

While we couldn’t be more proud of our girls and their partners at Bronxville High School for creating a project that is giving back to our community more than half of a year later, the girls themselves seem to be enjoying it.

“We are doing this in order to help Kitongo people who have problems and who are in real need. And also it is our pleasure to help people from Kitongo and to make friendship. We felt happy because they have accepted our gift. It is important to volunteer because we are learning how to help people and treat people equally.”

-Rose, Advisor to the President (also present in 2015 government)

“I would like to say that we are doing this to help people in need and who need help. And those people who need basic needs. We do this so we can make each other closer and we can show them how much we care about them and how much they are important to us. Money is not important (to make a difference), the important thing is to make our garden and we can help people without money.”

-Kulwa, President

“I am feeling happy. We are doing this to make friendship with Kitongo and to show them that they are important to us. I am so happy.”

-Siwema, Dorm Representative (also present in 2015 government)

JBFC’s impact on our community is massive in so many ways- through refuge, healthcare, education, agriculture, and employment. The next generation of change-makers- at the girls home, at the school, and from around the world- has already started to make a difference in our community and will certainly continue to do so.

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