Who We Are

The Canaan Children’s Center is a safe and welcoming home for children orphaned by AIDS and other vulnerable children in Arusha, Tanzania. The Center was established in 2013 by the Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha, and is run with the help of clergy, paid staff, and enthusiastic local volunteers.

What We Do

Many of the children taken in by the CCC have been HIV-positive since birth. All have suffered unthinkable loss, neglect, or abuse.  At the Canaan Center, they receive nourishing food, a safe shelter, medical care, clothing, a good education, lots of love, and the hope of a bright future.

Special Projects

At Canaan, we have a number of special projects underway designed to establish food security for the children, generate extra income to help sustain the Children’s Center, and to provide extra nutrition to local low-income families. The children participate in the farming and livestock husbandry, learning valuable life skills that will help them in the future. New initiatives include our Free Range Chicken Project, Mushroom Growing Project, and Bee Keeping Project. Potential future projects include making petroleum jelly for sale, and breeding rabbits and pigs. Past and ongoing projects include the vegetable and fruit garden, and the livestock project.

For more information on all of our projects, click on the Projects tab on the Main Menu.

Our Plans

Thirty-nine children currently live at the Center. But there are so many more children in intolerable situations who need our help. At present, we have plans to expand the facilities to be able to care for 200 children. We can do it with the help of compassionate donors like you.