A local candy shop and a UT student are working together to raise funds to build an orphanage nearly 9,000 miles from Austin in the United Republic of Tanzania.

Through a self-organized profit sharing fundraiser with the Campus Candy Yogurt Bar & Snacketeria, social work junior Mandy Stein hopes to gain support to build a new home for 78 orphans she met last summer while in Tanzania. Whenever a customer mentions Stein’s organization, 20 percent of their purchases go toward the fundraiser.

Stein said she also initiated a T-shirt campaign to serve as another source of funding for this project. Each shirt costs $13, which is enough to provide three meals for the children at the orphanage.

All profits earned through the Campus Candy Yogurt Bar and Stein’s T-shirt campaign will go to fund the Tuleeni Orphanage in Tanzania.

According to Stein’s financial records, all of the money raised in the past has already been utilized to begin the construction of the new facility. Before her most recent trip over winter break, she helped raise $2,500 for the purchase and remodeling of a new moving truck, she said.

Stein said simply having the moving truck ready for use will make their work easier this summer.

“Since I was young, I always wanted to change the world,” Stein said. “For the longest time, my heart has been attached to Africa.”

Campus Candy Yogurt Bar general manager Sierra Murray said the company is eager to support Stein’s fundraiser.

“We usually have organizations approach us to take part in profit sharing,” Murray said. “But I was blown away to have an individual approach me about this cause.”

Partnering with Hugs for T.UG., a charitable foundation created for the construction of buildings and schools in Tanzania and Uganda, Stein hopes her efforts, as well as those of her partners, will be able to give basic necessities to those living in poor conditions. Stein said her goal is not to promote any religious values to the children, but to provide general humanitarian relief.

“The way they live their lives is fine,” Stein said. “We just want to go in and try to make things easier on the families.”

For example, Stein said providing washing machines is not meant to force change upon their daily routines, but rather allows them to spend less time worrying about chores and more time together as a family.

Stein said she believes it is amazing to provide financial support for the orphans and is looking forward to moving to Tanzania and spending her time working for the children.

“Because their parents are constantly working, I will be there to provide another source of love for those kids,” Stein said. “These kids are amazing kids, but they were unfortunately born into a life that deprives them of certain opportunities that we take for granted here.”

Printed on, Tuesday February 14, 2012 as: Student aids orphanage with help of candy shop