Caring Causes: Lalafofofo

Lalafofofo.org., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to raise funds for affordable, small-scale service projects in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania, has announced the launch of its Mother’s Day gift sponsorship program to benefit Maasai widows in the remote East African community of Boma Ng’ombe.

Making a contribution in a Mom’s name to Lalafofofo’s “Build a House for a Maasai Widow” project is a loving gesture for a son or daughter to give Mom the unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of struggling Maasai women and children.

In the patriarchal Maasai bush culture, women are financially dependent on their husbands. When a husband dies, his family will often take possession of the marital home and evict the widow. The widow is left to live in a hut that she must build and maintain to provide shelter for herself and her children.

Lalafofofo.org is working to raise $2,000 per house building project, which pays for all materials and labor. Most Maasai widows must make due in huts assembled with sticks, grass and cow dung; these round huts with thatched roofs and dirt floors are a common sight in the Kilimanjaro landscape.

With Lalafofofo’s donated funds, local laborers can build a small house for widows and their children that can last more than 20 years, eliminating the constant maintenance the huts require. Each house is less than 1000 square foot, and has several windows, a door, usually three small rooms and a bathroom. Building a house for a Maasai widow serves many functions; a house gives widows and children a place of permanence and maintains their social standing in the community. Most importantly, it is a safer and healthier existence for the family because the house has a door that they can lock for security.

A donation in any amount the gift giver chooses can help build a house for a Maasai widow and her children. Lalafofofo provides a template for a gift card that can be inserted in a Mother’s Day card, telling her that the donation has been made in her name.

To make a Mother’s Day gift sponsorship donation in Mom's name, visit the Maasai Widow Mother’s Day page of the Lalafofofo.org website, which offers full instructions.

To learn more about charitable projects in Tanzania, visit the Lalafofofo.org website, email info(at)lalafofofo(dot)org, or call 650.218.3027.

About Lalafofofo.org:

Lalafofofo (a Swahili expression for “sleeping peacefully”) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization created by Laura Vaughan of Atherton, Calif. Lalafofofo is set up to be a source of affordable, small-scale service projects in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania, East Africa. Lalafofofo links individuals, youths, families and groups directly to much needed projects in Kilimanjaro, ranging in cost from $500-$2,500 for financial sponsorship.