IOP Center for Girls

Construction of the Ilula Orphan Center began in May 2003. The 9,000 square-foot building was completed in 2005 and the doors were officially opened in March 2006 to house seven girls. Currently, 36 girls live at the center. The IOC has the physical capacity to house 80 girls, but presently there is only enough funding to support the girls who are already living at the center.

Major financial support for the IOC has come from three sources. Construction costs were paid by the Norwegian YWCA Girl Guides and the Norwegian Embassy in Tanzania. Equipping the house with inventories was done through donations from different IOP friends. Sponsorship for the girls living at the Center and initial overhead salaries were given by the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative. Later Individual donors from the United States, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, German, Italy, Sweden and Denmark have provided resources for a variety of other needs.

The total budget of running the Center includes the cost of supplying food for the girls, fuel, medical and educational expenses, facility maintenance, transportation for staff and the girls, and the use of internal and external communication tools. The girls are supported by Life Sponsors, who contribute $360 USD per year to cover some of the living expenses for the girls.

Daily operations are run by a salaried and volunteer staff including the matron, nannies, accountants, several cooks, housekeepers and guards. Volunteers are highly encouraged to come and give hope to the girls. IOP has managed to have girls throughout the year and sine 2006, due to the generous works of volunteers. Without volunteers, we see that services to orphans would not be possible. For more information on volunteers and applications, click here