Mother Charity’s Orphanage in Lomé (Togo)
Report from 2018
From the very first time Blaise told us about Mother Charity’s Orphanage in Lomé we knew we definitely wanted to visit her and her charity. We had heard great things about Mother Charity, as she calls herself. But when at last we met her, we were blown away by her charisma, the care she provides for her 59 orphans (that’s how many there were in April 2018) but above all by the passion she puts in to making the orphanage a happy place! The waves of positive energy in the air are infectious, even when you see the incredibly depressing circumstances that Mother Charity and her orphans have to battle with on a daily basis. Nevertheless we saw smiling children who respond to every word Mother Charity says. They are extremely friendly and one gets the feeling that the children are being brought up with love and care. And this impression is confirmed when one talks to the children themselves.
She creates real structure within the orphanage, and runs it meticulously, despite the fact that it currently occupies a stagnating unfinished shell of a building. Often there is no money. Luckily some land has been signed over to her, upon which the new orphanage is to be built. Its own four walls with clean, running water, a dormitory with real mattresses, perhaps even beds.
At the moment the 59 children, who range from 1 to 17 in age, sleep on the floor in two small dark rooms, one for boys, one for girls. There is just one big thin blue sports mattress which they were given some time ago. And until now the rest of the bare floors have been covered with two or three tatty old mats. One can hardly imagine how 30 children can sleep squashed up against one another in rows in a small dark room only 15 square metres big. And Mother Charity sleeps there herself too. There are numerous other things to be done such as providing regular and adequate supplies of fresh food and clean drinking water – just to mention the most urgent. We were quite definite that we want to do something here! Mother Charity is an amazing woman who has been looking after Lomé’s innumerable orphans for more than 20 years. She is motivated by what happens to the weakest of the weak. And this woman deserves our help – no ifs or buts!
If this project appeals to you, then dedicate your donation to our account to “Mother Charity’s Orphanage”.
For donations in kind such as children’s clothing or toys please email us at info@seelevel.de.
We can of course provide a receipt for your donation upon request.
Marc, Max, Pat and the SEELEVEL Team
Donations account
A/C no.: 108 240 912
Sort code: 660 501 01
Bank: Sparkasse Karlsruhe
or
IBAN: DE38 6605 0101 0108 2409 12
BIC: KARSDE66XXX
Completion of the Building
The first step is for the building to be completed. The unfinished structure is full of dangers for the younger children. And the dormitories are urgently needed so that the children can be looked after properly. At the moment we are a couple of thousand euros short, but we are not letting that discourage us. Please get involved, so that this amazing orphanage gets the house it deserves.
Dormitories with Beds and Mattresses
We thought we would be able to buy beds and mattresses on this trip. We know now that circumstances are much more difficult than that. But that doesn’t mean we won’t succeed! As soon as the building can be finished, beds and mattresses will follow!
Further Steps in Future
We want to do things one by one. But when we asked Mother Charity she told us about all sorts of other ideas and plans. The children in her care start learning English very early, but to do so they need books. They also often need plasters, bandages, disinfectant and over-the-counter medicines for minor injuries.
Our film-documentary “Mother Charity Orphanage” (German version)
DAS DING TV-Report on SEELEVEL and our Project in Togo
Link to DAS DING page (Original in German): https://www.dasding.de/05-vor-ort/karlsruhe/Anpacken-in-Togo-Karlsruher-starten-Hilfsprojekt,video-karlsruher-helfen-in-togo-100.html
Click here for the English Google translation of the article.