About this project

WE DID IT!

All thanks go to you, our backers, who are simply AMAZING!

You all prove it... Little by little, a little DOES become a lot.

We still have a few days to take advantage of this platform. So, if you have a heart to donate and haven't, please do so.

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Many of them live in the kind of poverty that’s hard for most of us to even imagine. Most Tanzanians live on less than a dollar and a quarter a day. And then there’s the constant threat of disease. Nearly 1,000,000 children in Tanzania have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Girls are often taken advantage of by male relatives or forced into the streets, begging or selling their bodies to survive. Girls, as young as six years old, were found working in brothels.

My name is Ashli Sims and I’m a reporter in Tulsa, Ok. When I first heard about the plight of Tanzanian orphan girls, I was paralyzed with inadequacy. What could one person really do?

Chris Gates proves one person can do a little. And as the Tanzanian proverb says, “little by little, a little becomes a lot.”

These girls needed a home. Chris created JBFC and opened one. It started with just half a dozen girls. But little by little, JBFC grew to a family of more than 40. Chris saw that his girls and the other children of the village needed a place to learn. So Chris opened one. Little by little, the primary school swelled to more than 250 students. Now his community needs a place where they can see a doctor. Little by little, Chris is raising money and identifying volunteer doctors to start a medical clinic.

Chris Gates has dedicated his life to making small steps that lead to big results. After meeting him, I knew that I had to tell this story. It’s a reminder to all of us that with a small start, anyone can become an inspiration.

“Little by Little” will capture life at JBFC’s home in Mwanza, Tanzania. The story will be told through Chris’ eyes as he goes through the day to day management of the orphanage and the school. I have drafted my friend/videographer/editor/tech guru, Jonathan Wooley, to join me in Tanzania. We will have unprecedented access, as these girls transform from shy and timid strangers to confident sisters, who attend school, play soccer, and live as a family. But these gains don’t come without costs. As Chris’ calling develops into a full-fledged mission, the organization’s resources are strained. “Shut down” is periodically threatened in hopes of bribes. Even keeping the pantry stocked can be a challenge, when employees must be trained to order rice, before it runs out, not after. And every day the urgency of their work is intensified by a growing list of dozens of other girls in desperate need of a safe home.

We would like to begin principal photography in Tanzania in early 2011, but we need your help to make this project a reality. Your pledges will help cover travel costs to Tanzania for the filmmakers and equipment needs. Our goal is to create a compelling documentary that will raise awareness about JBFC and their mission to help Tanzanian orphans.

We know times are tough. But if you could spare a little, five bucks is our minimum pledge, and pass this site along to your friends and encourage them to do the same. A little will become a lot.

Please check out our blog www.littlebylittlemovie.wordpress.com where we will chronicle our journey.

Also take a look at the JBFC website at www.jbfc-online.org for more information about the organization and its progress.