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Toto Aid sponsors orphans in private high school

by Charles Ole Ngereza

A total of 20 gifted orphans in Arusha now have a reason to smile, thanks to Toto Aid organization for sponsoring them into private high schools.

Through Harichand Education Fund, Toto Aid, a non-profit  organization based in Arusha has already paid $50,000 for their fees, upkeep money and medical insurance.

Toto Aid President, Urmila Kumar said her organization’s core objective is to identify gifted orphan children to help them achieve their potential in Arusha.

Urmila, an educator for ten years, supports, teaches, and helps with tools derived from the effect of communication skills.  She says her vision is to see 10,000 gifted orphans graduating in her lifetime.

"This is my dream and I am determined to fulfill it with the help of motivated individuals who want to make a difference", she says.

She has brought about an idea to change the journey of success into Tanzania.

"Together we are the people to aim for a better tomorrow,” she says.

While implementing these important skills in orphanages, she fell in love with gifted orphans in Tanzania hence creating a non-profit organization dedicated to her father Harichand Aggarwal, who was a prominent businessman in Arusha.

Urmila believes that children are all born to get their basic needs met, but found it very disturbing when these needs were at the bottom of the list in Tanzania.

"When a young child is sent out to fend for some food without some money, the child will steal! Also known as, "survival of the fittest". We all know very well this child as an adult; will carry on that behavior because child behavior is carried on to adulthood.  And the cycle continues...So where does this cycle stop?" she explains.

Urmila's teachings are based on stress management, listening and speaking skills, behavioral skills, methods of solving conflict, discipline without punishment, and goals.

"I have been told to leave the people of Tanzania alone as they will never learn nor change", she says.

But she refuses to believe one cannot change for the better!

A critical skill for all humans is the ability to rationally make choices that help them achieve their goals.  In short the ability to respond rather than react.

To achieve this, she teaches schools, orphanages, and executive officers as well as their staff members in Tanzania, the power of affective communication.

Several business men along with schools and orphanages, who have supported Urmila in Arusha have began to implement the teachings, and understand how important it is for people to learn how to have their basic needs met, feel safe, have the sense of belonging, be appreciated, and feel joy.

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