A Brantford woman is being remembered for spending decades saving hundreds of orphans in Tanzania from a life on the streets.
The founder of Nyegeze Children’s Orphanage, Fish For Life and King’s Kid Ministries, in Tanzania, Janice Nyyssonen died Dec. 8 after a lengthy illness. She was 78.
“It all got started when she went to an international bible school in California,” said her son, Chris. “She met a man from Tanzania and our family moved there in 1980 for about a year.”
It was during a return visit to the East African country two years later that Mrs. Nyyssonen was shown an empty building and told it was an orphanage. She learned there wasn’t enough money to support it.
She got to work and arranged to purchase the building and, in 1994, established her first orphanage – Nyegeze in the Mwanza region of Tanzania.
Over the next decade, Mrs. Nyyssonen and her husband, Mo, expanded the orphanage with help of donations from Brantford businesses.
She also raised funds by holding garage sales and from speaking engagements, among other things.
Chris said his mother was “outgoing and courageous.
“She wasn’t afraid to speak to heads of corporations or high ranking officials to seek out support for the orphanage.”
He said his mother couldn’t turn away from helping those in need.
The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada eventually took over the orphanage. And Mrs. Nyyssonen started on a new project after meeting a hungry street child. She arranged with a restaurant to have the child fed on a daily basis.
Word soon spread and other children began showing up for food.
After securing land and tents, Mrs. Nyyssonen decided to ensure that children, aged eight and nine, learned life skills, including how to fish. That led to the Fish For Life Ministry, a social enterprise in support of street kids.
She later formed King’s Kid Ministries, which provides children with a home, education, guidance and life skills. Clinics and dispensaries also were established at various locations.
Chris said he figures his mother’s various projects helped an estimated 750 people.
“She had a great life and we all have big shoes to fill.”
Born in 1945, Mrs. Nyyssonen was raised in Brantford and attended Major Ballachey School before heading to Pauline Johnson Collegiate.
Chris said his mother won the good citizenship award while in Grade 8 at Major Ballachey.
“I remember her telling me that her father, Bert, my grandfather, was so proud he bought her very own record player,” he said.
“If you were in Grade 8 and you had a record player, well, that was really something.”
Mrs. Nyyssonen was predeceased by her husband in 2004.
She is survived by her children, Chris (Marcy), George, Deanna Phillips (Frank) and Jay (Maria), several grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A funeral service was held Dec. 13.
To support Mrs. Nyyssonen’s work in Africa, donations can be sent to [email protected]. Specify it is for Kings Kids Dreamers Tanzania, c/o Janice Nyyssonen and include your name and mailing address for a charitable donation receipt..
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