A Message From India
Dear Friends,
I am writing to share some exciting news! The Tanzanian Children’s Fund and the Rift Valley Children’s Village are poised to start a new chapter. As a partner in building futures and a member of our family, I wanted you to be among the first to hear about it.
First, a bit of history. When I passed the magic mark and celebrated my 60th birthday last year, I found myself considering my life’s two biggest passions: my children and TCF. Faced with the fact that I am not getting any younger, I realized that I needed to make a plan to ensure that both our children and TCF continue to see success long after I am gone. While I still have lots of energy left and plenty to give, it became clear that the best thing for TCF would be for me to begin to transition away from managing the day-to-day operations to start mentoring new leadership.
As a result, in the coming months we will be soliciting applications, interviewing, and selecting a Director of the Rift Valley Children’s Village to join Peter in assuming many of those managerial responsibilities here at RVCV. While I will no longer be responsible for creating budgets and managing staff, I will continue to live at RVCV where I won’t be sitting idle! By bringing on additional capacity to help lead in the office, I will be able to spend more of my days with our kids, including hosting those who come home to visit once they have started their adult lives. I will also be able to spend more time with volunteers and visitors at RVCV as well as work more closely with our Development team to help raise the funds to support the growing needs of our community programs and kids. In addition, I will remain on TCF’s Board of Directors, where I will have a hand in helping shape the future of the organization.
In the years since Peter and I founded TCF it has grown in ways I never imagined possible. We never anticipated opening a health clinic, establishing a microfinance program or running two local schools that serve over 800 children. Fueled by the needs of the area, the little organization Peter and I started 14 years ago grew from changing the futures of 17, to building a brighter future for a community of 10,000.
Looking at what TCF is capable of being in 2, in 5, or in 20 years, I am in awe of the unique position the organization is in to change what life looks like for a generation of people living in our little corner of the world. Rest assured that TCF will continue its mission of lifting lives, building futures, and creating lasting change. If you have any questions about this transition or our plans for the future, please feel free to reach out to a member of our team at any time. It is my greatest hope that you will join us as we embark on this next chapter!
With heartfelt gratitude,
India Howell