Bibi House

THE NEED
What do you do when you're poor, widowed, raising your orphaned grandchildren - and have no place to live?

Several bibis in this sad situation - including one who begged to sleep in a bar at night with her grandkids - prompted us to first rent, then build a housing complex to accommodate these families. The complex would also house G2G Director Fatuma Gwao (who has taken on orphans) and visiting volunteers, as well as providing meeting/work space for all the bibis and shops in which to conduct businesses.

Fundraising began among members of the Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas.

Orphans without grandparents to care for them are also sheltered.

DEDICATION
Five FAWCO members, the Dutch ambassador, one Muslim iman and two Christian pastors helped dedicate the Gerrit Brokx/FAWCO House for AIDS orphans and the grandmothers raising them Feb. 2, 2009 near Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Karel van Kesteren, ambassador to Tanzania from The Netherlands and officials planted a ceremonial tree, orphans danced, bibis (grandmothers) cheered, guests applauded and everyone ate Tanzanian food for the celebration. Five bibis and their children will move into the complex this spring.

Eleanor Bowe, of North American Connection in England, spoke on behalf of FAWCO. NAC in the East Midlands raised $10,000 toward the bibi house - the most of all the FAWCO clubs, which have raised some $20,000 toward the $60,000 project. The house includes bedrooms, boys' dorm, guest rooms, toilets, living room/meeting space, kitchen and four shops.

Funding came from FAWCO clubs and individual donors. The Gerrit Brokx Trust in The Netherlands donated $26,000 - a recommendation from FAWCO member Anne van Oorschot Warwick in Holland, whose husband chairs the trust (building housing in developing countries). The Wicklow (Ireland) Rotary Club donated $10,000, and Tanzanian sponsors have also helped.

FAWCO members present included Beth Andersson (AWC in Malmo, Sweden), who raised money for the house and for 180 pairs of school shoes for orphans through the Goteborg International School where she teaches; Judy Vlastnik-Jansson (AWC in Stockholm), who spearheaded a charity walk and donated a generous amount in honor of her mother's 80th birthday; donor Andree' Kublius (AWC Luxemborg); Bowe; and co-founder Jann Mitchell (AWC in Stockholm).

The five were among 17 Americans, Swedes and a Brit traveling on a 10-day safari to the project, around Dar, to Mikumi National Park and to the island of Zanzibar.

A hanging depicting the bibi house - bordered with club and individual contributors' names and created by Bibi Jann - will be displayed in the living room. Clubs include those in East Midlands, Eastern Provinces (Saudi Arabia), Naples, Stockholm, Genoa, Florence, Amsterdam, Goteborg, Oslo, Finland, Antwerp, Aarhus, Lausanne.

BIBI HOUSE RULES
Written by Director Fatuma Gwao

1. The house is belong to Bibi Jann Trust.
2. The bibi who suppose to live in is those who registered at the trust with their     grandchildren who registered too.
3. Is not allowed to enter the man in the house except those who supposed to and those     who dealing with a trust.
4. Every bibi must clean the house and not allowed to leave the house dirty.
5. All bibis are not allowed to be drank, fighter or any bad behavior.
6. Any bibi who will show bad behavior will be eliminated from the house and even in a     group.
7. Every bibi must be faithfully and show love for other bibis and grandchildren.
    USA.