For some reason Amanda and I spent two and a half months in Arusha before ever making our way to Cradle. I think it was that we did not want to miss a day of our own placements and we kept planning to go on a weekend and then things would always come up or we would have a weekend trip. But, I am so happy to say that we finally made it!!
Cradle of Love is an orphanage in Arusha, Tanzania. It is one of the only orphanages in Tanzania that accepts HIV positive babies.
For anyone reading this who is not aware, Cradle of Love is an orphanage that I have been waiting to visit since January. Some classmates and I chose to sponsor Cradle of Love for our senior project in nursing school and with the amazing help of our families, friends and communities, we raised over $1,700. We decided to dedicate this money to the completion of a “sick bay” where babies would be able to go when they were ill so that the other babies who were already immunocompromised would not catch what was going around.
Unfortunately, Davona, the founder of the orphanage and my contact during the fundraising process, is back in the U.S. right now for six months. We knew this in advance and not going to lie, I was a little bummed out about it.
Cradle of Love is located in a very gorgeous part of Arusha. It is out in Usa River, a little ways past our hospital, where all around you the scenery is jungle. Having never been there before we weren’t quite sure where it was located but we were given the name of the stop that we were to give the dala conductor and everything worked out fine. When we got off the dala we started walking down a pretty secluded road that was lined with different organizations. In less than a ten minute walk we were standing outside of the gate.
We opened the gate and walked in. We stopped right inside of the gate to talk with the security and they showed us into the orphanage and introduced us to a worker. She had us sign our names in the volunteer log and then we were free to play with the children for as long as we wished. They were absolutely ADORABLE.
I would say, and every volunteer in TVE would agree, that Cradle of Love is the most fortunate and well off orphanage in Arusha. The building is very nice, the interior was properly tiled and well furnished, the walls were painted with art work, the babies were clean and you could tell they were fed enough. This is not the case of most other orphanages and schools in Arusha. This was like walking in to an orphanage back in the States. Which makes sense considering Davona is from the U.S.
We stayed in the main house for about an hour and then were given a tour. When we first got there I had given the worker my Cradle of Love shirt to give to Davona and tried to explain a little about what we had done for the orphanage but it wasn’t until later when some of the other house mamas were looking at the shirts Amanda and I were wearing (of course we were matching in our Cradle of Love shirts!) that I think they understood who we were. The woman we initially met was found and she came up to us and offered to give us a tour. She took us around the orphanage and then we were taken to the infant building. The day we were there there was about six babies with two more being at the hospital. We were given yellow gowns and free reign to play with and hold the babies. We sat outside in the grass, under the trees, with six babies around us and it was perfect.
I am glad that I was able to see the place that my classmates and I had worked hard for all semester and that I was able to take photos and be able to report back. The “sick bay” building is built, there are cribs inside of the room, it is equipped with bathing sinks and other necessities. The only things they are waiting for is the mattresses for the beds, bed sheets, curtains, etc. I would have loved to talk to Davona while there and asked her about when the money we raised will finish equipping the building and it will be opened. I will email her as soon as I get home and find these things out.
The orphanage was amazing and the babies well cared for. Before I left to come to Arusha, I had thought about making my placement Cradle of Love and I will admit that I am glad that I chose my special needs school instead. Cradle gets many people coming through that want to volunteer among the adorable babies, and I do not blame them. They are adorable. But, Cradle of Love does not need as much help from volunteers as other places I have seen. I loved visiting and loving on the babies but I would not have traded my children for the world; concrete building, dirt floors, and all.
