Here is a glimpse at a "normal" day in the life at Neema. Granted, sometimes things don't go as planned, but there is a routine to most days.
Personally, I wake up around 7 and begin the day with the word and a slice of peanut butter toast. As well as a glass of juice, and a cup of coffee. A bit before 8 I head over to Neema, a short walk around the corner.
Personally, I wake up around 7 and begin the day with the word and a slice of peanut butter toast. As well as a glass of juice, and a cup of coffee. A bit before 8 I head over to Neema, a short walk around the corner.
As I arrive, the toddlers are usually having morning snack. Then we have a bit of play time before we head out for "tembea" (walk) time! All the babies LOVE tembea time. We usually get a great view of Mt Meru on the walk as well.
After the walk, the big babies and the toddlers take their morning nap.
(Photos below: our parade of babies during the walk, Mt Meru, and the toddlers room)
After the walk, the big babies and the toddlers take their morning nap.
(Photos below: our parade of babies during the walk, Mt Meru, and the toddlers room)
While all the big babies and toddlers nap I spend time with the little babies.
(Pictures: Julius, Sarah, and Bryony)
(Pictures: Julius, Sarah, and Bryony)
As everyone wakes up they have been going outside. Then at noon its lunch time for the big babies and toddlers. Lunch is followed by more play time, until afternoon nap at 2pm. When they go down for afternoon nap, the nannies/volunteers eat lunch. After lunch I usually head back home for a rest, whether that means reading or napping, or sometimes heading into Arusha town.
(photos: 1. Bahati, 2. Angelous, 3. Michael, 4. Praygod, 5. Michael, 6. Baraka)
(photos: 1. Bahati, 2. Angelous, 3. Michael, 4. Praygod, 5. Michael, 6. Baraka)
I usually head back to Neema around 5 pm and go into the toddler room. Here the routine isn't always the same but usually they have some play time, dinner, bath, quiet play, maziwa (milk) time, and then bed time! Bath time is QUITE the experience. Thankfully the house does have a large full bath tub that usually has 3 or 4 babies bathed at a time, which they seem to really enjoy. After bath though trying to diaper and pajama everyone while others run around naked is kind of crazy. But mostly hillarious.
(photos: 1. getting ready for bath time. 2. the bath time crazyness ensues. 3. Pray and Gloria eating dinner. 4. Elliot having his maziwa. 5. Michael reading before bed.
(photos: 1. getting ready for bath time. 2. the bath time crazyness ensues. 3. Pray and Gloria eating dinner. 4. Elliot having his maziwa. 5. Michael reading before bed.
If needed I spend a little bit of time helping with the little babies after tucking all the toddlers in and putting on their mosquito nets. I usually head home between 7 and 8 pm and make myself some sort of dinner and just relax and get ready to do it all again tomorrow!