Optisoft supports The Familia Moja charity
Posted on 4 September 2023
The Familia Moja Foundation, established in 2022, is a non-profit organization with a noble mission in the heart of Zanzibar: to break the cycle of poverty through education for underprivileged children. With a focus on kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, this foundation has emerged as a beacon of hope in the region.
The core objectives of the Familia Moja Foundation are crystal clear:
1. Empowering Through Education: The foundation’s primary goal is to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds break the chains of poverty through education. They firmly believe that education is the key to unlocking opportunities and creating a brighter future for these children.
2. Raising Awareness: Familia Moja aims to shed light on the numerous challenges faced by children in Zanzibar when it comes to accessing quality education. Through their efforts, they seek to highlight the critical issues affecting education in the region.
3. Community Education: The foundation is committed to educating the local community about the pivotal role of a good education in shaping their children’s lives. By engaging with parents and caregivers, they hope to foster a culture of learning and growth.
4. Maximizing Impact: Familia Moja is dedicated to ensuring that administrative costs are minimized to maximize the impact of every generous donation received.
5. Vision for the Future: Their long-term vision is to actively participate in ensuring that all the children of Zanzibar will one day have access to an excellent education, breaking the cycle of poverty for generations to come.
A key insight that Familia Moja Foundation emphasizes is the importance of early childhood education. The ages 0-6 are pivotal for brain development, setting the stage for a child’s entire life. Shockingly, in Zanzibar, only 13% of children attend Pre-Primary, and just 1 in 5 children aged 6-11 attend school at all. Those who miss out on Pre-Primary education are less likely to progress to Primary School and more likely to struggle academically, leading to a higher dropout rate.
The primary barrier to attendance is poverty and the lack of access to free, quality Pre-School education. Familia Moja understands that healthy children are better equipped to succeed academically. Therefore, they stress the importance of proper nourishment, which improves overall health, well-being, and the ability to focus during classes.
The foundation firmly believes that supporting parents and caregivers to lead productive and self-sufficient lives creates a safe and nurturing environment for children to grow and flourish. They advocate that healthy, well-educated, and balanced children are more likely to leverage their education to become productive members of their community.
Familia Moja Foundation is taking tangible steps towards their goals. They plan to run a local Day Care Centre for 4-6-year-olds at their fully-owned premises, serving the low-income village community in Bwejuu. This initiative will provide quality education, develop literacy and numeracy skills, enhance social skills, and promote physical well-being through sports activities. Furthermore, all children attending the Day Care Centre will have free access to essential medical, optical, and dental care.
The foundation also extends its support to the families of these children by offering skills and career development programs. As part of their long-term vision, they aspire to establish microfinance services that will assist local families in setting up and managing their own small businesses, fostering self-sufficiency and economic growth.
While Familia Moja acknowledges that they can’t solve all the world’s problems, they are determined to make a meaningful difference where they can. Their efforts are particularly critical in the low-income villages of Bwejuu, where many families struggle to meet their basic needs, despite recent tourism developments. Familia Moja’s Day Care Centre will serve children from these local villages, making it more accessible for them to pursue an education and break the cycle of poverty.
In Zanzibar, Familia Moja Foundation is shining a light of hope, striving to create a brighter future for the next generation by championing education and empowerment. As they work tirelessly to uplift underprivileged children and their families, their impact resonates far beyond the shores of Bwejuu, offering a glimmer of hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Optisoft has donated an initial £1000 with plans to continue the support. “Thanks to everyone at Optisoft for the very generous donation which will definitely be used well and make a significant difference to the local community.” – Tim Spooner, CEO & Founder.
