A British woman has made headlines for taking in 14 Tanzanian children after initially visiting an orphanage during her gap year.
26-year-old Letty McMaster traveled to the country for a month to volunteer at the orphanage when she was just 18 years old, as per reports.
She ended up staying there for three years to help support the children she encountered. When the orphanage closed down, Letty took in nine children who had nowhere else to turn.
Fast forward to now, and she’s officially the guardian of those nine, as well as a further five children she met either on the streets on in various safe houses!
The incredible woman, from Kent, UK, said: “These children are my whole life, I raise them all on my own and they keep me going through the long hours of juggling everything.
“I’d always had in mind that I wanted to help street children so my family and friends weren’t surprised but I never expected to end up doing all this.
“I am the parental figure in the house – some of the little boys who never had a parent view me as their mum but most see me more as a big sister as I’m not that much older than some of them.
“I’m just like any mum raising teenagers – I made a commitment to them and I just feel so blessed to have two families!”
Letty explained how she realized pretty quickly after flying out to Tanzania for the first time, back in 2013, that something was awry.
The children at the aforesaid orphanage were being physically and mentally abused by staff, who also pocked cash donations from tourists and sometimes only fed the kids once a day.
She said: “The abuse the children were going through in the orphanage was horrendous and I saw the impact that it had on the kids and knew immediately something had to change.
“I couldn’t leave them in that situation so my new goal was to get them a family home.”
In 2016, the orphanage closed down, leaving Letty to fight for the right to open up her own home so she could house the nine kids left on the streets.
Street Children Iringa was founded, giving not only those nine but also a further five kids the chance to live a happier life.
Letty said: “Since having a place to call home, they have all excelled in education and in every aspect of their lives.
“Gosberth is one of the boys that I’ve looked after for the past seven years and is now studying at one of the top private schools in the country and is the number one pupil in his year.
“Eva is 19 and is chairperson of her year at university – she’s doing so well and has got a volunteer internship with an international NGO.
“Obviously it takes time to settle into the house from street life and traumatic experiences and it can take a while to get them into family life, routine and leaving street behaviour behind.
“Razarlo is studying to become a tour guide at the national park whilst Plshon and Iddy have recorded music that is played on local radios.
“Seeing their drive, determination and success is what makes all the balancing that I have to do worth it.”
More information about Letty’s endeavour can be found here. What an inspiring young woman who really is doing God’s work!
We want to take a moment to shine a light on Letty and the selfless work she is doing. Just imagine the opportunities those children are now getting compared to how it was before she got there!
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