TAFCOM Children's Center

For those of you who know me well, the following may surprise you: today I fell in love with 35 children. We returned to the TAFCOM Children's Center to play with the kiddos and had a really great day, even though my partner Erin and my mentor Nie left me alone with the children for a while (PANIC!!!). Turns out that it doesn't take a whole lot to entertain little kids, even if you don't speak the same language. I never knew that blowing bubbles with bubble gum and giving high fives could be so exciting to 3 and 4 year olds!

As I learn more about TAFCOM I have begun to understand their seemingly un-focused approach. Their main mission is assisting those affected by HIV/AIDS, so when I learned about their children's center and some environmental issues they address, I thought they were trying to tackle too many subjects with too few resources. Being here for a couple of weeks now, I've realized that the HIV/AIDS problem grows from many different roots, with lack of education being one key area (hence the children's center). Without the basic education being provided by TAFCOM Children's Center (and other similar places here), extreme poverty and all its ramifications will continue in a vicious cycle, ad nauseum. Breaking the cycle of poverty is the answer and the best way to do that is through education. At the same time, leaving adults who are suffering from AIDS to die alone is unacceptable - giving them comfort and assistance is necessary, which is something else that TAFCOM tries to do.

So much more to say, so little computer time...