Future for Iringa street children
FISCH Trust in Tanzania
Who are we
FISCH stands for Future for Iringa Street Children. We were founded in 2007 and became a Trust within Tanzania in 2016. Our ground activities are holistic – they target physical, social and spiritual needs which include food, shelter within a family environment, health care, education, moral awareness and children having the opportunity to hear God and the love of Jesus . We always aim to have a direct impact on the needs of the street children. Our long term aim is for the street children to become self-sufficient, balanced, well rounded and valuable members of the community. We hope that by our actions and presence in the community we might prevent children turning to the street in the first place.
Where we work
Iringa is situated in the southern highlands of Tanzania, with a population of about 150,000 (as of 2020), however the population of the wider Iringa region is approximately 1 million. The town stretches over a hilltop overlooking the Ruaha River to the south and spreads along the ridges and valleys to the north. Iringa has a constant stream of tourists passing through on their way to Ruaha National Park
Why are we here
In Tanzania life in the villages is becoming harder and harder. The old pattern of marriage and family is disintegrating. Husbands and wives are leaving home to try and find work in towns. In Tanzania 18% of children (0-18) are either orphans or vulnerable children.
In Iringa this number is higher than other regions at 24% (National bureau of statistics Tanzania – 2007).
What we do
FISCH employs a small team of full time local Tanzanian people to provide a range of projects and services to street children and vulnerable children living in Iringa. These projects and activities include: