TAPP Programs
Tailoring | Bead Making | Music, Dance and Drama | Memory Books | Kupona | Small Projects | Jaaja Njagalaz
Tailoring: TAPP purchases tailoring machines when possible to teach the women at the different branches. This gives them a skill to learn and a chance to be together.
Bead Making: The most popular craft among the TAPP members is hand-making beads out of recycled paper. With limited opportunities to sell the beads in Africa, a branch has been created in the U.S. to find markets all over the world. Through these new markets, we hope to tell the TAPP story and the stories of its members. We also seek to provide a way out of empty consumerism by using our resources to support the majority of the world’s population living in poverty.
TAPP purchases the beads directly from the members, strengthening the local market. The beads are then sold in the international market. Any profit goes into the small project fund, where TAPP members pull 50-60 US dollars at a time to start small businesses in their communities. Only 15% total is taken out for administration costs for all TAPP branches. By selling the beads internationally, members benefit from 3-6 times more income than they would by selling only in the local market.
TAPP members often say their favorite aspect of bead making is being together. This is an important part of TAPP’s two-fold income generating process. Twice a week, the women come together to varnish and string the beads into jewelry. The therapeutic community that is formed between the members helps them regain their social identity. The small projects become the second part of the income-generating process by showing the community that persons living with HIV/AIDS are still active and valuable members of society.
Music, Dance and Drama: Psychosocial support programs such as choirs, dance and drama are designed for the women to creatively express and cope with their experiences as a group to each other and to churches in their communities.
Memory Books: Memories, cultural traditions, and family information is all put together by the TAPP member while they are still living, so that when they die, the children have something to remember their parents by. This helps keep the culture alive and the family line still intact. Home Based Care (HBC): TAPP community workers provide homebased care for members who are too weak to make it to the TAPP office. We often bring gifts for the children. By spending time in the homes of our members, we hope to break down stigmas in their communities as we engage in relationships with each other. As the members of TAPP open their homes to us, the power of presence is mutually felt.
Kupona: Kupona “healing” is a program for young children whose parents are living with HIV/AIDS. This program seeks to bring healing through therapeutic art, games, and education that creates a positive environment in hopes of fostering healthy growth. Counseling: TAPP has paid qualified counselors on staff who are always available at the TAPP center to provide free counseling. There are also times when the members are together in support groups and counseling each other.
Small-Projects: Here we give the members $50–$60 to start a small business in the local market. This is designed to be a source of income, empowerment, and a tool to show the community that they are still active members of society.
Jaaja Njagala: This program is not directly under TAPP, but benefits the elderly TAPP members. Here, a small 2-room home is built for an elderly woman. She lives in one room and rents out the other room as a source of income.