We are currently caring for over 35  children, however the number may change over
time as we take in more children who are in need of our care. Our priority is not focused
as much on the number of children we take in, but rather in the devotion we feel to the
quality of life and care we can provide for each child. At the Valentine Project we are
believers in whole-child care. Survival is primary, but caring fully for a child goes
beyond basic physical need and necessitates the nurturing of the emotional, spiritual
and social life of the child. Therefore, our goal first is to facilitate the best possible care
that adheres to the Tanzanian culture and living standards, growing not only in numbers
but in excellent quality of care.

All children we currently care for are between the ages 3 – 18 and will stay with us until they enter into adulthood.

According to Tanzanian law, international adoptions are prohibited, excluding some
specific and strenuous specifications. Due to the magnitude of the orphan crisis, it is
most likely many of these children will not be adopted in country. This is why we have
focused our efforts on reaching as many children as possible by focusing on family-like
living in a concentrated environment.

When we started the Valentine Project the number of orphans in Tanzania hovered
around two million. Currently the number is circa three million. Due to a poor maternal
mortality rate, lack of medical care and other contributing factors, many children are left
without adequate care from their immediate families or communities. Our children have
many different stories that led them to where they are today, we firmly believe this is not
what defines them, though it does contribute to their current reality and is nuanced in
their individualized care.