by Rita Langeland
Many years ago, in a land far away, two little boys met in an orphanage called Treasures of Africa Children’s Home. They became fast friends and were inseparable. Though they had come from different villages in Tanzania, both had suffered similar hardships and loss before arriving at the place they would call “home” until they were young adults. No longer worried about having enough food to eat or where they would sleep, the boys suddenly felt free just to be kids. And they embarked on their “new lease on childhood” with great relish!
Best friends Samweli and Antoni - Dec 2007Samweli and Antoni were both four years old when the boys met. They were on the move constantly, climbing a tree, swinging on the swings, hanging from monkey bars or kicking a soccer ball. If you were looking for one of the boys, you found the other one, right by his side.
As the two boys grew and started attending school, their different interests and skills began to emerge. Sam was a quick study and loved to read. He desperately wanted to learn English and asked for a Swahili-English Dictionary. He ended up becoming the go-to translator for the older kids in the orphanage because he learned English so quickly and was not the least bit shy about trying out his new language.
Antoni loved all things mechanical or electrical. If we found something that had been dismantled – the first thought that came to mind was “ANTONI!” Once we found the orphanage’s old red pickup truck with its battery disconnected and traced it back to Antoni who was just trying to figure out how all the parts of the engine work together. But he had forgotten what connected to what and couldn’t restore it to its original condition before the truck was discovered, dead as a doornail, unable to start. Another time we found an electrical wire coming out from under Antoni’s bedroom door, snaking down the hallway and out a window connected to a tiny speaker he had swiped from the computer room. Antoni explained he wanted to “share” his music with the kids outside. He had “requisitioned” some electrical wire he had discovered in a closet, which belonged to an electrician we had hired to fix a problem at the orphanage. All we could say was “ANTONI!” His curiosity and ingenuity knew no boundaries.
When it came time to choose a direction of study, the two boys followed their passions. Antoni studied both auto mechanics and then electrical wiring installation, while Samweli chose to enter medical college. In July of 2025, both boys (now 22 years old) saw their young dreams becoming reality. Antoni became a licensed electrician (not a small accomplishment in Tanzania) and Samweli graduated from Machame Health Training Institute.
You can read more in-depth stories about Samweli and Antoni by clicking on the article links below. Their lives would never have followed the trajectories described here without the consistent, faithful generosity of donors to Hidden with Christ Ministries and the Treasures of Africa KIDZ Project for so many years!!!! We are grateful beyond measure for those who have believed with us that it was possible to educate and train up young leaders for Tanzania in every sphere, from among the ranks of the orphaned and abandoned. You have helped make childhood dreams come true. God bless you for praying and giving toward this important vision!
Click a Title to Read More about Samweli and Antoni: Samweli's Victory - Reaching the Goal and Antoni's Story - A Spark of Genius
KIDZ Education Fund: Click to Donate