HISTORY OF FONELISCO

    FONELISCO was established in 1997 by social worker Joseph Mabinga Elias in order to provide a safe haven for the most vulnerable members of the Tanzanian society. Joseph started the organization after talking to the street children themselves about their needs.

    In the first years since the organization started, Joseph worked on the streets himself, striving to reintegrate street-children with their families whenever possible. Additionally, he provided them with some money for food, clothes and school uniforms as well as counseling and encouragement. In 2002 the organization managed to rent a house in Mwanza city with the money Joseph made from selling jewellery and postcards; 16 children moved in right away and more followed. The organisation was legally registered as a non-governmental organisation in 2003, and the first international volunteers arrived in February the same year.

    Since then, FONELISCO has survived from help from international volunteers and donations from local churches, mosques, private donors. The organisation, which started with the idealistic work of only one person, has grown to employ 10 local, unpaid volunteers, who cook food for the children, work as teachers and do administrative work. International volunteers are almost always present as well. 

 Currently the orphanage has over 50 children ranging from the age of 5 to 18. The children attend school and vocational college. Our society has sent volunteers for the past three years.