Interview with Daniel Preuss

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, traveling 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 one 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 get from discount markets. I always have a number of children around me during all of my activities on-site. Another task is education, specifically the schooling of the children. We stay in contact with the teachers and ensure that the children do well in school. The manner in which we run our house always has to be monitored and optimized. 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 with 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 some government employees are particularly corrupt and are always looking for ways to get a hold of money by creating new rules and regulations.



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 go on trips of course, when possible with all of the children. Then we have to arrange for transportation and figure out everything we will need, such as kerosene for light, cooking oil, and large quantities of water since there is really only the bush outside of the city and we cannot afford to visit touristy places with the children.

Private individuals who contribute financially anywhere from small to large amounts each month for various reasons. They feel comfortable with us since we provide personal support for our donors, we are a very small organization/initiative and they know that almost 100% of their donations reach the children. We our proud to say that our administrative costs are less that 10 procent. Every donor has the chance 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. Upon examination, the companies 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.

In 1999 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. I was completely taken off guard but then we just started pleasantly chatting. The question eventually came up whether I would be willing to do something to help her country, belonging to group of the poorest countries in the world. 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 so the next day I transferred enough money for a house to be rented out so that the first group of orphans could be taken in. 


This was the beginning. The people in my social circle in Germany thought it was a good idea and gave me some support. The organization was then founded to at least give the donors tax benefits for their goodwill. We have meanwhile been registered as a non-profit charitable organization 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 malnourished children, and numerous antibiotics and bandages.

Daniel Preuß, December 2005