The work is divided into two main tasks: work in Germany and on site in Tanzania. The tasks in Germany are relatively straightforward but require a tremendous amount of time and are as follows:

General administrative work, such as providing personal support to the sponsors through regular contact by mail or email, creating and distributing our newsletter – the Streetkids Post as well as account management and bookkeeping. Remotely managing the activities in Tanzania via telephone and email. Seeking new contacts and multiplicators. Supporting company sponsors, travelling regularly and cooperative planning of the internal and external communiqués of participating company supporters. Interviewing interns and coordinating intern's visits every three months is another of my responsibilities. I usually do this after work during the week and on weekends of course.

My main responsibility in Tanzania is spending time with the children in the 2 houses. I am somewhat of a father figure to all of the children – especially for the smaller children. When a new child is about to be taken in, I visit the child’s community to make sure that the child has really got no one left who could take care of him or her.
I always bring a large amount of clothing, school backpacks and toys that we receive in the non-food section of discount markets. I always have a number of children around me during all of my activities on site. Another important point is education, specifically school. We stay in contact with the teachers and ensure that the children do well in school. The manner in which we run our house has always got to be controlled and optimised. Repairs to the houses are done, the rent is paid, the water system is repaired and little necessities are bought each time that I’m there. Every now and then I have to find replacement personnel such as foster mothers or maids. Since 2005, I’ve been very busy with our medical aid-project and our teaching and production workshop.

Our partnerships to on site voluntary aid-workers must also be maintained during my visits. Budgetary questions and other procedures regarding our official status in Tanzania must also be continually addressed since certain government employees are particularly corrupt and are always looking for ways to get a hold of money by creating new rules and regulations which boil down to corruption.

Maintaining my/our on site network is naturally a priority when I am on site. There are many people who want to join in the dialogue. We try to build strong relationships with the community (regional, district, local governors, Health Department and social welfare) and to the teachers and headmasters. We make trips of course, when possible with all of the children. Then we have to arrange for transportation and we have to figure out everything we will need, such as kerosene for light, cooking oil and large quantities of water since there is really only bush outside of the city and we cannot afford to visit touristy places with the children.

Private individuals who donate 20, 30, 50 or even 100 Euros a month for various reasons. They feel comfortable with us since we provide personal support for our donors, we are a very small organisation/initiative and they know that 100% of their donations reach the children. Every donor has the option to visit their children and live with them for a few days.

Furthermore, we are temporarily receiving support from a handful of companies as provisions of finance or services such as setting up a hotline, for example. The companies, upon examination, considered these projects worthy of their support.

I receive the majority of support from my wife and a few friends who donate their abilities, talents, time and money.

Consolata Lifa, a social worker from Tanzania, introduced herself to me in perfect German at a cocktail party in the Tanzanian capital city Dar es Salaam in 1999. I was completely surprised and we just started talking. The question eventually came up whether I would be willing to do something to help her country. At that time I was an IT manager and had done quite well during the golden years of the Internet boom. I’d saved a lot of money and could basically leave enough money on the spot to rent a house.

This was the beginning. The people in my social circle in Germany thought it was a good idea and partially gave me support. The association was then founded to at least give the donors tax benefits for their goodwill. We have meanwhile been registered as a non-profit and charitable organisation and thus can provide our donors/supporters and sponsors with full tax benefits

For all of the children and their foster mothers in the 3 houses, for lodging (rent), repairs, sanitary installations such as water, clean floors, plumbing etc. for food, for medical care, for school (which is more expensive than food!) and for general support.
For many medications to treat malaria, infections, skin diseases, vitamins for mal-nourished children, a lot of antibiotics and bandages.

Daniel Preuß, December 2005