Clara Cletus Mushi

Turning loss into care for othersKugeuza msiba kuwa huduma kwa wengine

Clara Cletus Mushi was born with HIV in Arusha, Tanzania. HIV took her mother, her father and all three of her siblings. Today she is the only surviving member of her family.Clara Cletus Mushi alizaliwa na VVU mjini Arusha, Tanzania. VVU vilimchukua mama yake, baba yake na ndugu zake wote watatu. Leo yeye ndiye pekee aliyebaki hai katika familia yake.

Clara knows what it means to grow up facing illness, loss and stigma. Instead of letting that story end in grief, she chose to make it the reason she serves others. She speaks openly about living with HIV, so that children born with HIV can see that they too can grow up, lead and thrive.Clara anajua maana ya kukua akikabiliana na ugonjwa, msiba na unyanyapaa. Badala ya kuacha simulizi hiyo iishie kwenye huzuni, alichagua kuifanya kuwa sababu ya kuwahudumia wengine. Anazungumza waziwazi kuhusu kuishi na VVU, ili watoto waliozaliwa na VVU waone kwamba nao wanaweza kukua, kuongoza na kustawi.

Years of quiet serviceMiaka ya huduma ya kimya

Long before the Foundation had a name on paper, Clara was giving her own time. She visited children in orphanages and supported families who came to her by word of mouth, often people facing the same struggles she had known.Muda mrefu kabla Taasisi haijapata jina kwenye karatasi, Clara alikuwa akitoa muda wake. Aliwatembelea watoto katika vituo vya kulelea yatima na kusaidia familia zilizomfikia kwa kusikia kutoka kwa wengine, mara nyingi watu waliokuwa wakikabiliana na changamoto alizozijua yeye mwenyewe.

Building the FoundationKujenga Taasisi

Clara founded Clara Mushi Foundation so that this care could reach more children and families, with a trained team and proper standards behind it. She led the Foundation through registration, and in September 2026 travelled to Dodoma to collect its NGO Certificate of Registration, No. 10240.Clara alianzisha Clara Mushi Foundation ili huduma hii iwafikie watoto na familia zaidi, ikiwa na timu iliyopata mafunzo na viwango sahihi. Aliiongoza Taasisi katika mchakato wa usajili, na Septemba 2026 alisafiri hadi Dodoma kupokea Cheti cha Usajili wa NGO, Na. 10240.

Leading todayUongozi wake leo

As Founder and CEO, Clara leads the Foundation’s daily work from its office at Westerwelle Haus in Arusha, alongside a small staff team and under the oversight of the Board of Trustees. Her focus now is getting the Foundation ready to launch its five programmes well: building the team, training staff and volunteers, putting safeguarding first, and forming partnerships with schools, clinics and the wider community.Kama Mwanzilishi na Mkurugenzi Mtendaji, Clara anaongoza kazi za kila siku za Taasisi kutoka ofisi yake Westerwelle Haus, Arusha, pamoja na timu ndogo ya wafanyakazi na chini ya usimamizi wa Bodi ya Wadhamini. Lengo lake sasa ni kuiandaa Taasisi kuzindua programu zake tano vizuri: kujenga timu, kutoa mafunzo kwa wafanyakazi na wajitolea, kuweka ulinzi wa mtoto mbele, na kujenga ushirikiano na shule, kliniki na jamii kwa ujumla.